DeeJunFan

Hi guys What are the thoughts on inset shelves in the shower area. When I went to a bathroom design place they were telling me to put stud walls in all the bathrooms for this very reason and I'm starting to build the studs now. Doing it DIY with my father and he thinks they are a terrible idea. That I will get a lot of water leakage with them. Anyone any thoughts? Do they need to be a certain distance from shower head or is there a good enough tanking system that I could use? Damian

@Alphonsox @slidersx200 Hey, can you give me any details about your application? Did you use only the 1 coat, or did you scud and scratch first? Did Michael have the same issues? Cheers Damian

Hi, I was chatting to an ex BioMass guy today. talking about our heating design etc. He brought up the tadpole said if he was doing a new build it would be a no brainer for £250 http://www.tadpoleenergy.com/how-it-works/ Anyone seen/used these? Cheers D

HI Dudda, To be honest i can't see the return on investment on the PAUL units. They are so expensive and performing the same function. Maybe its just me. Thanks Damian

@Nickfromwales

Thank you for the break down? This sounds like something that could work. So buffer heated to say 40 and then keep the uvc around the 60 Mark or higher with stove if we go with boiler stove. I'll price both options? @Nickfromwales how does that sound? Should I do away with the instant water heaters or do they still make sense?

This is the stove is was looking at. There is an air supply control unit that can have a TS max set temp and dampen down the fire. It also says it suitable for a pressurised system? Is that the same thing? http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/wood_burning_stoves/Woodfire-CX12-boiler-stove.html#entity_7739

I see what you mean. I wasn't thinking of the plumbing cost just the cost difference between stoves. Rodger on the overheat dump. I wasn't planning on heating the space really so was just a nice fringe benefit when it happened. You've lost me on the rest Open pipe needs F&E, without it you'd be all sealed so a much less complex setup and much easier to integrate things with / to. I'd go for a TS not a buffer ( whilst an uvc is dedicated to dhw ) so you can get cold water uplift and pre heat the water going into the uvc. That'll aid downsizing, and help out massively when Pv isn't generating. So i would need a TS fed by the ASHP? What size would i need? (Not sure i have space for 2 large tanks) No idea what cold water uplift is. and when you say pre-heat do you mean the TS would fed into the UVC? Ala Jeremys buffer - thermo syphon - TS setup? I don't know what a thermo syphon is just that its a plumbing component of some sort. Cheers D

Hi guys, Maybe the split system is what the plumber was angling at but he isn't the best communicator in the world. And as Nick suggests i was a bit wary when he went to the Merchant to ask for advice. The stove is Room sealed and all that jazz with 2kw to the room and 10 to the boiler so i was happy enough with that. It doesnt add that much in terms of cost so no real issue with that. Our attic is room in roof so i wouldn't mind the heat dump as it would be nice to get some heat up there from time to time. We have a treble Truss which is 200mm deep so weight bearing shouldn't be that much of an issue but if we were going with small buffer in the utility to run the UFH and then smaller UVC in the upstairs id say we could go 350L using the split system. We have an airing cupboard on the 1st floor but he wasn't sure a tank would fit. I think it would fit ok, as its 800mm wide from memory. Would say 100L buffer tank be enough to run the UFH? with a 9kw ASHP? Then just do Stove/Immersion/PV to handle DHW?

I think Jeremy has stated a few times now that if he were to do it again he wouldn't pay the extra for the Genvex. More than likely just get a good solid MVHR unit and then a much cheaper AC unit for cooling when/if required. I personally like the radial ducting system as its a much easier DIY install.

Hi Guys, I have been busy busy with the build and have been trying to arrange a million and one things. So as it stands we are planning all our bathroom and other plumbing arrangements. We have been talking to a plumber, who was recommended but it seems the idea of an informed client isn't something he is ever really used to dealing with. Even at that i dont know much i'm just asking some questions he obviously has never been asked. So at the moment we are looking at the following setup. 4kw PV array with immersion diverter 12kw stove with 2kw to room the rest to back boiler 9kw ASHP I was humming and haa-ing over the ASHP but i think i'll just go for it and try to make the best use out of it. Told the plumber i was in 2 minds about the ASHP but could he do all the work so that i could hook it up down the line if required. He said fine but would need to do some "checks" to make sure we could heat the house with just PV/Immersion/Stove. He phoned back a few days later, said he had spoken to "Plumbing Merchant" (who also sells ASHPs) and they said i would definately need an ASHP as "People only use PV for washing machines and tumble dryers" and "stoves are not compatible with UFH" He told me this was the opinion of the Plumbing merchant. I asked why was a stove not compatible, he said because of the temp diff between stove and UFH, i asked was there not a mixer etc to bring the water temp down he said yes we could reduce the temp. I then asked another few questions and we got to, "if you want to go with a TS you need to make sure you keep the temp of it at 60 degrees" i asked why, he said to ensure you could have a good amount of showers. I mentioned in the in-line water heater, he asked me to send him some details so he could google it. He couldn't tell me which was the best setup. Buffer/UVC/TS etc. So i pretty much got off the phone thinking i would need to design the system i want myself and get the plumber to just to the work. Anyway, what i was thinking was i could give it a stab and hopefully the kind plumbing brains on here could tell me its shite and how to really do it! Basic design We shower and bath kids in the evenings. I would have the odd morning shower after gym but its only one a fairly short. I was thinking 500L TS as i will have heat coming from stove and ASHP Have heat coming off the PV during the day, say at 4pm if the tank temp is low fire up the ASHP to bring it up to temp Have the in-line heater to boost if the temp drops On the really cold winter evenings we would likely be lighting the stove which could bump up the tank temp and help to run the UFH over-night etc. Not 100% as to when to turn on the ASHP in the shoulder months for UFH to make sure we are warm in the mornings. Likely have it coming on at say 6ish to get the house warmed up a bit. Looking to have the TS in the attic right at the chimney breast to take the input from the stove, and be just above the ensuite and close to the main bathroom. Guest en-suite will be out of the way a bit but not frequently used to have to accept it will be a bit of a dead leg. Was thinking of running the downstairs shower/wc with under counter instant water heaters and same for kitchen/utility? Not sure if thats a good idea or just a waste of money, but wouldn't like the after dinner clean up to take all the shower hot water. Do you think i should be using a buffer tank in this setup? Something a bit closer to the ASHP? say if the TS is in the attic, will i need some kind of pump to get water from the ASHP up to the TS? Anyway this is really all i can think off for now. Hopefully enough to get started. Thanks Damian

Hi Gary, Good to have you on board! Its a great place to share knowledge and even better when we have some domain experts at hand. Cheers Damian

The local guys are really good, Our man gave us a few wink wink nudge nudges about how to install ours. As our site is about 60m from the road he said if they were to get involved and do a full survey they would put a pole up half way down our driveway, which i didn't fancy. He said i could just run the cable myself when the electricity was getting put in and if the connection guys turned up and the cable was at the pole across the road they would connect it no questions asked. So thats the plan.

I just phoned Jimmy Kitchen in the BT office. He sent a guy out and the guy left a massive roll of cable. Said it didn't need to be ducted. Just laid in some quarry dust. jimmy.kitchen@bt.com

Best price i got. Could maybe have push sun renewables another bit but didnt want to deal with them after they messed me around with the in-roof system. This is what we got. Hope all is well, your 4kw system will contain. 16 black mono 250watt SolarWorld panels with German mounting kit. SolarWorld factory insurance is included with our system 25 year performance warranty.SMA inverter with 10 year factory warranty with online monitoring to give you peace of mind.I boost system for heating water over summer months with 5 year warranty. The guy i dealt with was called Mark and also a rep Paddy. Mark Bailie <mjb240@icloud.com> Patrick Kelly <patrickjkelly100@gmail.com> Hope she gets sorted. As its getting close to the cut off. D

yeah 30th of september is the deadline.

I got a quote of 4750 from The solar panel company. The were very quick getting things setup. I can forward you an email address if you'd like? D

Happy Days, Well Done!

NIE have asked me to fit 150mm ducting for a mains branch off cable, and then a 100mm duct after a multi service joint. thats for 35mm cable. Seems a bit much but will give room for additional pull cord etc.

the cheapest quote i got was from D-Scaff in Newry. They were totally booked out so you might be lucky. Some of the quotes i got were crazy so shop around. Anywhere from 1900 - 3600 for supply and erection. And £50 - 150 per week hire. Also some were quoting 50 an hour for any changes needed.

No, the theory was you wouldn't be able to access the rooms to get the screed in

Thats what i was thinking, But my brother in law used to work on building sites in London in the 70s and he had my wife convinced it had to be done before the windows.

Hi Guys, I'm thinking of going with Sand and Cement screed and was asked if i was getting it done before putting the windows in. I wasn't planning to, as i was hoping to leave the screed for another few months. Any thoughts? Is it ok to get the windows in first. I was assuming a screed pump would be used and could get access through any doorway Cheers Damian

BPC seem to be of the opinion that its easier to over supply than to rush some extras out. The duct etc isn't that expensive so id rather be looking at it than looking for it. Again, just a bit of pre-planning on your duct runs and also how you will install the main unit. Think avoiding vibration noise. We installed my brothers on a floating platform hung from chains. Means its not actually in contact with the attic floor.

Adjustments are easy to do, but i've been in houses were it was clearly forgotten so just keep on top of them. You should also try pushing on each door and see if there is a noticeable gap between the back of the door/front of carcass. This one really annoys me. There is plenty of scope for adjustment in the hinges so it should work out ok as long as they spend time getting them all totally flush.