saveasteading

I like advice to not do anything. Thanks. Before tackling the rad, is there any check I could do other than probing for weaknesses? Maybe it is the tiniest pinhole..... there was such a tiny amount of water in the paint blister. Radiators are designed and manufactured crured to hold water after all. Release any air and see if it leaks and how much? Then patch with Snibbo. Or is that just delaying a bigger issue?

I've come cross adverts for shot-blasting old oak beams. These people seem to ignore that this could be illegal in a listed building, needs planning permission, have structural implications, and it's simply 'a bad thing'. So in case you are interested here is an alternative. Instead of blasting off the black paint and crud, along with a thickness of ancient timber, there is a paint which looks just like the original. Lightens the room up too. I could barely see that it wasn't the original wood even after being told. The cost is a fraction too, as is the disruption.

I'm a convert to these having just put 2 into a Spanish place for cooling, but also heating at over 4 x efficiency. So simple, not too noisy, and very direct and instant. €900 per biggish room so in a small house that could be a simple solution.

It has been there 30 years. Just a plastic tank with expansion and overheating release pipe, and a ball valve. The hot tank is newer, because the old one failed for some forgotten reason. It is in the airing cupboard next to the boiler. So it's easy to look at if info would be of use.

It's good to hear that being suggested in a vessel that has been so nerdy on these other matters to beyond what is economic, for so long. It's never that simple of course.... construction, door heights, and such. The reality is that when our oil burner failed during the winter, we could get a new boiler in a week but an ashp would not have been realistic. For a remodelling or upgrade though, I might settle for 50mm of insulation where possible, and ufh or big rads. With solar and batteries. And/or air to air units in some rooms, permeating elsewhere. BUT how many have the knowledge to think it all through? The heat loss is the same whether ashp or boiler so it's well worth considering. We just filled the oil tank. Gulp.

I think there is a base for this. Like a fence post socket but with a central rod that gets epoxied into the foundation. Your way will work but be a bit unsightly perhaps. You will need to keep the bottom of the timber dry.

probably 15 years. I'll give them all an airing, but generally it isn't a problem. This radiator did leak from a valve for a while so may also have been letting in air there or elsewhere.

It should be dosed. The whole circuit was looked at not so long ago. Is this a common thing? Maybe the whole house is a concern.

Scotland is rather a general statement. Land is not cheap in or near the big cities. Ditto Wales I'd expect, hence I'm surprised at the comment as you are stated to be in mid Wales. Re "The North" meaning England, does the same apply, you 'Northerners'?

You could make these yourself too. Allowing you to use treated timber and get the exact sizes.

Current house, not the project: We saw a paint blister on the back of a rad, just over the top edge. Of course we popped it, and some mucky water sprayed the wall. How much water? negligible, 1/20 of a teaspoonful. There is perhaps 50mm x 30mm of loose paint which has rubbed off easily. Strangely there does not appear to be any leak other than that initial spray. But there is probably air at the top....in which case where does the water spray come from? I'm guessing rust caused in the air gap at the top. I don't think we've bled it for a year. And that if I bled the rad, a pinhole would become apparent and leak. Patch or new rad?

I've just had 2 single room aircons installed in our Spanish place. One Mitsubishi, one Fujitsu. These are simple units of one inside and one immediately outside. I got out the manuals with enthusiasm. Switch on remote control, Select temperature. The louvre directions can be altered. That's it. X 25 languages. That's impressive really. In among it all was a small tech table with the efficiency and other stuff. The installer pointed out the condensation pipe outside and suggested a plant pot under it. What is very Spanish about it is that the two units (4 machines) are powered from one plug, into a wall socket.

Great answers thanks. I've never understood voltage drop despite minor modules on electrics at school then uni. " how can you not understand this"? Whereas for concrete design.... you are the only person to understand it. Must have been the teaching skills. I dislike how people casually overspec. No pump just a fish tank bubble maker, so no other cables. This is the first for me that is mechanical at all, so I know nothing immediate happens if the power is off for a year or so. We have an outlet charger so can at least see if it is clear. A stick down the cover will tell us if there is excessive flotsam or sludge. Good point re an outside socket. I don't see a need but will mention to the team.

Firstly don't use the term allotment as it has very precise laws. Allotment gardens cannot be built on without being essential services and also providing equally good replacements. I think your term would be be smallholding or market garden. But if it is already agricultural then I'm pretty sure you simply grow things on it. Buildings are another matter and so are holiday lets. the latter are encouraged on farms by way of diverse income for otherwise struggling existing farms. Farms need planning permission for barns, and have to demonstrate their need, but probably not for polytunnels etc. I'd say research further, start growing things, but don't expect to ever make money from it.

I asked the Marsh rep what cable we needed and he said "Generally, a 2.5mm 3 core armoured cable will need to be ducting out to the tank." He also attached the installation manual which says "A single run of 1.5mm (or greater dependent on distance/voltage drop considerations) 3 core SWA cable". and "Cable protection via 10amp MCB/RCD or RCBO, rated 230V AC and tripping current 30mA." The length of cable will be about 25m from fuse board to tank. I don't know what power the pump draws to make air bubbles but I seem to recall it is under 100W. It's only worth about £15 difference in cable. But put it another way and it is 20% and wouldn't that be nice through the whole job. Plus the skinnier one will be easier to manipulate. And does it really need a duct? I was planning to put it in the drain trench. Electricians' advice welcomed.