Marvin

You can do either and I have done both but skimming with Thistle Multi Finish Plaster will give you a better end result in my opinion.

A photo or 2 would help. I'm surprised that it takes so long.

I have tested the heater and it works. Never needed to use it. Heating circulation pump runs interdependently. Also immersion heater in hot water tank.

We have challenges with over heating when the outside temperature is above 11C. Thank god my wife insisted on openable windows. With two of us in a 104m2 bungalow, when were cooking or washing or my behaviour is being discussed the building usually over heats without putting the MVHR on boost and or the windows being opened.. M

Hi @Bramco. No. I actually installed with the same company this way when there was another government scheme going on in 2021. I carefully checked the MCS regulations about positioning and read up lots of things here, completed the installation and they came all the way to the Isle of Wight to inspect and commission.

We have a buffer tank emersion heater as a back up because we have no gas no oil and no wood burner. Its on a manual switch....

This is what I did! They were very helpful.

Goodness me! I have estimated our running energy use (no, not all metered, but a lot of history over the last 5 years and testing on items like the MVHR fridge and freezers, internet, ASHP, TV fire detectors, water softener, telephones, clocks, items on standby and so on) Heating 1,674 28.74% Hot water 1,460 25.07% Running 2,190 37.60% Car 500 8.59% Total 5,824 100% I'm going to have to do something about this.......

Hi @SteamyTea wonderful stuff. I have also looked at this but from a different angle. I realised pretty quickly that there are about 5 main areas associated with going off grid electrically. Decisions on how your going to live (candles or going to bed when it gets dark. How your going to cook, wash and so on.) Total energy used per year. Peak power requirement Production source Energy Storage. We only have electricity. no gas or oil or wood burner. We have PV, ASHP and MVHR and Electric car. We produce about 6000kWh per year We use about 4500kWh per year We buy in about 3000kWh per year Just over November we purchased 500kWh If we could go off grid by storing all our PV energy whilst producing the peak power requirement and not have to generate any extra over the winter and do that for about £20k and keeping our existing life style I think we would. Problems we face are Size and cost of energy storage Supporting peak power demand Storing long term, the energy produced in the summer, for the winter. Saying all this things would dramatically change if the building would hold it temperature over the winter and we stopped using high power equipment in the kitchen M

Hi @Triassic Re Solar. Fixed on site or mobile? What you want it to serve? (lights? computor, kettle??) What amount of storage do you expect to need (storage?)

Been there, got the tee shirt. Main problem is an uneven supply of rain over the year. Watermills were first invented in the 4th century and it was not long before mill ponds came into being to try and regulate the supply...

Thanks for the pictures. It helps for us to guess what is going on.😂 Hmm. A few things that I would consider: Do your neighbours have the same problem? Is the leak greater when the rain is driving towards your side of the stack or your neighbours? I have had flaunching absorb water, also the seal between a pot and flaunching can leak but not usually that much. However, as you have so much coming through I wonder if the breathable membrane continues over the party wall or if there is a bad join over the party wall. However, as the leak is worse since the remedials were done, it could be a problem is to do with the remedials or that the remedials stops the rain from being absorbed earlier on and its channelling it to the purlins. Hopefully these ideas will help. Not a nice way to start the new year..... M

Also how many chimney pots.

Does the chimney pot have protection from the rain going down the chimney? Is the cement capping at the top of the brickwork all sealed with a waterproof layer?

Is that a gable end?

If they confirmed in writing (email) that your tariff would stay the same, they need to explain what is going on...

Hi @Andehh The pressure relief valve (PRV) should not open in normal operation. It is there in case of excessive pressure. If any water comes out of the PRV there is a problem with the system. The system should be designed to allow enough expansion of the water when heated to not reach over the PRV set point - 3bar - and therefore never even drip. So you have a few possibles: Additional water/pressure is being introduced into the system. This is highly unlikely because after the the system pressure goes down it would start rising again due to some fault that would be allowing additional water in the system over time (like a valve letting by). PRV faulty. This is likely now, because your description indicates this has been going on for some time, however this is a symptom not the cause as shown by the gushing. Not enough room for the system when the water is hot to contain the expanded water. This is the most likely problem. This is also supported by the fact that when the system is hotter, when used in the winter, it has caused more problems. Areas to check: Volume of water in your system to assumed expansion capacity. The comparison of the difference in volume caused by the heating of the volume to the expansion tank capacity. Will all the increase fit with extra room in the expansion tank when working? The functioning of the Expansion tank (ET). The ET has to be set at the right pressure, which would be just above normal working pressure, and be able to accommodate all expansion when the water is heated. The ET has a valve on it that allows the pressure to be adjusted - just like a car tyre. If the ET pressure is set too low: When filling the system to the normal working pressure the ET will fill and so there will be nowhere for the expanded volume of water to go when the system is heated. If the ET pressure is set too high: When heating the system to the normal working temperature the ET will not allow any water in until over the PRV pressure level causing the water to flow through the PRV. The answer could be a combination of the expansion tank being slightly too small and the pressure not quite right. HOWEVER None of these explanations explains the gushing. What does is an overheating of the water somewhere in the system causing steam. This could suggest a pump or valve problem. All the items above would cause a gradual flow as pressures rises not a sudden gush Finally, the next 20 posters will probably come up with other suggestions/guidance, as I know I don't know everything.... Good luck M

I think its easier to calculate which horse would win the grand national. I think there are about 50 variables which effect heating a home. We calculated down to -8 and covered that because we were not sure (renovated bungalow) Most of the time we overheat too easily even though we only have one skylight window facing south.

We altered our weather compensation. Outside temperature now 10C ASHP buffer tank set temp 35C. Living room 23.1 C

Hi @knobblycats Again sorry if I missed it.... Another thought is the recovery rate of the hot water tank. I would have a tank with at least one immersion heater positions. We heat our water via an ASHP which only goes up to 50C and at that temperature in cold winter gives a quite low COP. If the storage tank is cold how many kWh's would it take to heat - worth calculating before you go to far -

Hi @knobblycats Sorry if I missed this earlier... Have you tested to cold water flow rate? I only say this because, as I understand it, there may three showers in use at once. (ignoring everything else in the building that uses water like the loos etc) Say they each run at 12 litres a minute that's 36 litres per minute. will you have a big enough pipe to supply that in the house?

Don't forget that fees are expected to rise dramatically very soon....

Hi @SBMS There's quite a few rules about permitted development. Perhaps a look at this lot will help. It gives other restrictions like what is considered to be the ORIGINAL House. Also your house's history is unknown, is it within any restricted areas, what does the land registry says, ajoining public roads etc. all worth understanding and within this document: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d77afc8e5274a27cdb2c9e9/190910_Tech_Guide_for_publishing.pdf

Hi @MrPotts Sounds a bit like solicitors: Either pay a lot of money for someone to represent you who is suitable qualified and experienced and knows what their doing and will take the responsibility for any errors, OR, learn all about the law regarding your case and represent yourself, taking responsibility for your own failures. In my humble opinion (having designed and installed my own system with guidance from the manufacturers) unfortunately, in retro fitting ASHP's to existing properties there are many many variables, and so a conclusion has to be made based on the individual property requiring a lot of knowledge, understanding and experience. Also I would like to point out that any MCS install needs to be part of the listed MCS accredited installers/companies which cost money and training to achieve. Unlike a boiler, for best results, an ASHP system works most economically when running low and slow, that's low temperature heat and over longer running time. A lot of people don't understand this principle for an efficient ASHP.

Kettling is usually caused by water in the system not passing quick enough out of the heating element in the boiler, causing the heat to 'Boil' the water. The water expands with the steam and looking for somewhere to get out pushes up to the header tank. Either the flow is restricted by gunge, thermostatic valves closing too many radiatiors, or pump not working properly.