saveasteading

That's for domestic use, fully plumbed in to the house. Which I don't advocate. I'm just suggesting that you might want to catch the rain for the garden. Agreed re ibc tanks being far cheaper. I've done that for a new bus station, with 3 of them linked. With the tap slightly open in winter it also slowed flow to the sewers. But ugly.

OK for taking the extremes off an attic or shed. Look at the thickness of the foam layers. Then at the air gaps. Can they combine to the same effect as the same thickness of eps of Pir? The effect of a shiny surface can only work once. Energy bounces back off the first surface it reaches into the medium it is against. There is a distinct lack of independent testing. They seem to have their own.

Yes, if it is only about money. But it is 'a good thing' in reducing water consumption i summer and outfall to soakaway in winter. You may have water for the garden when others have none, in a hosepipe ban. In parallel could work if you get the levels right and the water to flow where you want. Or change that chamber into a holding tank, with overflow going to the soakaway.

I agree with @ProDave. It's good to do the homework on the issues but being so precise is giving them something to argue back against. Not fit for purpose because it is falling out. On the speculation front. I don't know what happens with premixed mortar. How is it delivered and stored? How long does it sit around before use. It is possible that it had gone off by the time it was used.

@nod I sent a personal message and was happy with the response seeming genuine. So I'm happy nobody is being conned, but your concern is valid.

More info will help. Do you know what the insulation material is? Is it plain brick, cavity fully filled, brick, plaster? Is there damp internally generally or just at some locations?

That sounds like rather organised crime. Surely the chancer types are ignorant of such techniques and make up the majority of thieves? However that's a very good point re thieving big stuff on remote sites. Eg construction sites and farms.

Excuse my ignorance. What is it and why might one want it? Obv I shouldn't be allowed to do it.

It is entirely to support the pipe and nothing to do with rats. Because gravel flows into the space and fills it completely, it resists any forces from the pipe, and adjusts to suit any movement. It is also easy to lay as a bed to the precise level required. Rats shouldn't want to stay in there once it is up and running, and all sealed. There shouldn't be any food in there either. But they explore everywhere and it will seem like a ready-made burrow until the tidal waves appear.

Pump. Even a saniflo can shift a fair distance or height. 20m or up 1m or so. Then there are dedicated pump chambers. Worth a look. Anyway, for planning they need a feasible proposal. You can change methodology for the construction.

That solves access which would be s major planning issue. You might be able to extend water and elec too. Could you pump sewage to your existing system rather than a new digester.

Is the intention to be a self contained dwelling or an annex? If the former then it is clearly a new dwelling. If the latter then you would not need the works, by extending the current services, shared access, etc. Don't cheat the system by pretending the latter, as it is wrong, and you would be found out ag some awkward stage.

Aesthetically I think it should either be completely random or dummy the effect of being over joists, ie all joints line up. The other advantage is that only factory ends are on show. I don't think I would use a 50mm end piece or less. 100mm ? But if that is thrown away, then ends line up. It really depends on the room length. But that raises the matter of the width. The last row probably needs to be cut to width, and is best to remain a substantial width.

Ground water movement would provide some fresh energy resource so might make it feasible. Ahh I see what you mean....you can't have both as a benefit.

I wouldn't. I could say more but can't get too specific. Sufficient to say that I studied the subject closely, got close to some experts, and would only consider it in very special circumstances. Perhaps 15 years ago there were dozens of companies doing it, subsidused by government grants, ....and then there weren't. There were some very professional companies who refused to do inappropriate projects, and they lost their business through no fault of their own. Air source meanwhile flourishes. That is because the air is exchanged for fresh and warmer air continuously whereas the ground gets colder, even freezes, unless flowing water replenishes the heat or heat is pumped in....all year. If you can get a price and any technical info it would be interesting and a service to the community.

Thanks. Interesting. Very believable for the less sceptical ( and experienced). Storing solar energy in the ground will help but not in the winter. I don't want a legal battle so I will say nothing more about the claims made. Is there another page with conditions and limitation? About the ground suitability, and any guarantees on performance and how this is guaranteed?

I'm too much of a sceptic to be cheeky enough to ask to be sent a copy. What kind of ground do you have and where is the water table? On clay it seldom works economically, 40m deep isn't unknown.* On sand you've a chance due to water change. On Norwegian rock it can be a bit different. * I helped some people get the GS turned off and changed to air source. It was costing them thousands p.a.

I may have said this already. I would not put one in to a new house. I might well for an office or some industrial uses. This is down to the cost of the tank plus the completely separate plumbing to wc's and outside taps. ie an office has lots of flushes in the day. A big office can justify the capital and maintenance. So would any business with vehicle washing. I do plan though to put a big tank in- line in the garden. Maybe 3m3. This will be for garden watering only, by hand or electric pump, tbc. I put one in to an office and it served about 40 persons. In theory 5m3 was the size but we put in 10m3 to catch all of any storm in summer from a 500m2 roof. The water bill was £80 p/a due to being for kitchen and whb use only. Say £150 at current prices. It never ran out. The pump failed twice in 6 years use, and slso allow for electric use. The 2 stage sump had a tiny coat of silt on the bottom. Sewage bills were tiny too, being based on mains water used. Payback was projected as 6 to 8 years but was 3, maybe 5 allowing for power.

Should know this but, doesn't it apply also to redundant social buildings eg churches and village halls.

Dishwasher tablets used to have, I think, some bleaching type ingredient but no longer. But they do have lots of other chemicals. I think most of them are bonded to the waste by the time they are drained so prob no problem. I recently checked out toilet duck type stuff, and there was no bleach. But there is so much bleach in the shops, and cheap, that we can see that it is very widely used. I think I will hide it as a garage stored chemical.

Yes I may be being unfair to the plumber. Perhaps I will find another stopcock inside the keyhole. Does one come with the kit? Is there a reason the video man doesn't remove the tubes to get the outer plate out of the way?

A lesson for future builds...the wc in question shown has a slab cover that lifts out, revealing a stop-cock just in reach but tricky to reach with a screwdriver. Our other units do nof have removable tops...i wonder where the plumber put the stopcocks? I fear they are unreachable. The video has it reachable through the front opening, and it is hand operated..this should be the standard.

All round or across the opening? The latter is only 5mm gap all round.

Thanks all. Just knowing how to take the cover off is hugely important. I've managed to turn off the water, with a short screwdriver tied to a long string, so I didnt drop it to oblivion. Can't do more for a while but I will report back when I've had a chance to open up.

I've always worried about this. There is a constant dribble into the pan, so the cistern simply needs adjusting or cleaning. But it is a concealed cistern with hardly any access. It is Roca so presumably they are made to be maintainable. We had this done about 10 years ago, but I wasn't much involved so trusted the professionals. I can't even see a maintenance valve in there. The lid comes off and I see a sturdy timber boxing, with a thin tank half covered by the stud. The flush plate must come off too. Any help please?