ProDave

Tail Pipe is the wrong thing to be asking about. It is the drainage field or infiltration field that matters. I don't literally mean a field, that term refers to an area of ground that has a network of perforated pipes set on stone buried under the field. In the case of out last house the deed of servitude indicated the position and size of that under the adjoining field. The good news is as long as it actually works, and it does drain somewhere, SEPA are exceedingly unlikely to ever bother you. In spite of what they might say, the reality is they are not taking any enforcement about people here with septic tanks discharging directly into the burn. But the bad news if you find it is not draining away then you will have problems sorting it out. Worst case is you have to dig up the field where your tail pipe leads to and re lay the drainage field. That will test if you really have a deed of servitude, so now is the time to properly get to the bottom of that. Make your solicitor earn his money. Do you have direct access to the watercourse or would you have to run a pipe over other peoples land to get there. It is worth exploring that so you have the option to upgrade to a treatment plant discharging to water. That is SO much better, P.S. the outflow from a septic tank will stink. The outflow from a properly functioning treatment plant should be a clear and odourless liquid.

Seriously, a 90 year old house will be full of cracks and gaps that a mouse can get through. They can get through the holes in an air brick. You will NOT stop mice getting into that house. Get some poison or your preferred type of trap and treat it as something you have to do living there. My present house built to be air tight, is the first house I have lived in where so far the only mouse we have had in the building got in through an open window. Otherwise they don't get in here.

A septic tank should not discharge to a watercourse. But of course in the real world we all know many do. The best upgrade you could do is replace the septic tank with a proper treatment plant, discharging into the watercourse. You will need planning permission, a building warrant and a permit from SEPA but well worth it.

How hard depends on the type of ground to dig, depth, and type of pipe that needs capping (clay or pvc)? But even of your visitor is getting into your drains, how is he getting into the house from there?

That should all be fine then. The issues can arise with PME / TNCS earthing by the supplier that has a known failure mode that can raise certain dangers if exported outside the house and that does not seem to apply here.

What type of earth does the main property that is feeding this small CU have? You say this CU has it's own earth rod, so are you saying it has a connection the the main house earth AND it's own earth rod connected? Is the metal lamp post supported by being buried in the ground?

As above questions a LOT more information needed. How old is the property? How big etc. And your approximate location, Is the Heat pump new? Does it replace a previous heat source, e.g. a boiler, if so how much did that cost? It is not easy to apportion heat pump consumption from a total electricity bill, I know exactly how much mine uses only because I chose to fit my own electricity meter to record just what the heat pump uses. The best you can do is compare the daily usage now, with daily usage in the summer, if you do that you get an idea how much additional electricity is being used by the heat pump.

Have you looked at timber frame, with Wood fibre EWI as I have, the phase shift is about 13 hours, similar to your ICF figure. It is certainly provided a low energy and comfortable building.

And if you have PV on your roof, you can pretty much guarantee when you need to run your cooling system, there will be enough power from the PV to power it, so no demand on the grid.

I can't tell from the photo, Are the row of lights top left on the Unipipe box all light up, or is that just the reflection of the camera flash? What you should see is when the heating is on, and the room thermostats are turned up calling for heat is those lights will light up, and the corresponding actuators on the bottom row will be energised. Since there are only 6 actuators, I would expect only the first 6 of the lights on top left to me light up, the others not in use, which is why I think it is camera flash reflection making them look illuminated.

That is the critical statement. I doubt a single or even 2 panels in series would achieve the minimum voltage to start most grid tie inverters.

Domestic grid tie inverters generate a high voltage output so need a high voltage dc input to do that, hence it is normal to connect the panels in series. forget all you know about boat inverters.

You wire the panels in series. I have 8 panels on each string and 2 strings, one facing east the other facing west. With only 4 panels that may not work as each string may not achieve the minimum input voltage. What is limiting you to 3kW? the default domestic install is 3.68kW (the max without prior approval under G98) That is probably where there is most choice.

Check with the seller it is G98 approved, It should be at only 2 years old. Susprised they don't state that, Only 1 input so all panels need to be on one string. 2 inputs is better if you want panels on different facing roof elevations etc.

So because people cannot be educated to use wet wipes properly and put them in a bin not down the loo, we ban wet wipes.

For your DNO sign off, with a G98 inverter you will need to fill in a form and provide some drawings including location of equipment and a wiring diagram. as well as an Electrical Installation Certificate from the sparky. Make sure the sparky can provide the wiring diagram as well as the EIC. for G98 you notify the DNO afterwards. The G98 application is linked to your electricity meter's MPAN number. If as hinted both properties share a single supply and meter, you will only be allowed one G98 application. If you want solar PV for both, you might have to get a second supply installed so each building has their own supply and meter. If buying secong hand inverters, make SURE they are not so old that they pre date the present G98/G99/G100 types.

Self build here has always (at least since I have lived here) been uneconomic if you just pay a main contractor to build a house on your plot ready to move into. Both our self builds here have only made economic sense by us doing a LOT of the work ourselves to keep costs down.

Also they are coming after your FIT's (solar PV for ealry adopters) by reducing the measure that determines future increases.

Except with the closing of the RDS service and E7 meters replaced by smart meters, judging by the number of issues issues we hear about, the switching and metering or off peak tarrifs is another bit of what should be simple technology that now does not work reliable probably due to incompetence.

It's nearly 20 years since I changed a nappy, but then the used wet wipes got added to the contents of the nappy and the whole lot wrapped up and bagged for disposal in a bin. Next someone will tell me people flush used nappies down the loo?

Wet wipes seem only of use to me to carry in your pocket to use when you are out and need to clean your hands where no wash basin is available. then you treat it as any other waste and keep it until you find a litter bin. I have never found a use for them in a house with running water and wash basins. Clearly I live a sheltered life.

I am not aware my LG does. I have highlighted before, I have fitted about 4 different heat pumps, and every single one has a completely different electrical interface to the others. Unlike a basic gas or oil boiler that has power, and "call for heat" Isn't it about time the manufacturers banged their heads together and agreed on a single control interface so the installers only have to learn one scheme and it can be applied to all heat pumps?

We have seasonally high water table. When i dug test pits for the SE to check soil conditions I left one open and observed anything from a dry 2m deep hole, to water almost up to ground level. I have mentioned before at our previous house I was badly advised and the guy that installed the tank just set it in pea gravel. That is still okay as long as you only empty it in the middle of summer after a long dry spell. It would probably end badly if emptied in the middle of winter. I made sure they buyer of that house was aware of the situation. Even now with the tank in this house concreted it, I choose only to empty it in the summer.

It is a combi. Changing it for anything with a UVC would be my preference, I hate combi boilers. But then the whole plumbing in that house is lousy, so much of it irritates me. (see thread about not wanting to move from my nice self build where everything is just right) But my point is just adjusting the system she has, would make the house more comfortable, possibly reduce costs but certainly not increase them. I wonder how many swap from that to a well set up ASHP and praise how good it is, when a lot of that goodness could have been achieved simply by adjusting what was there?