richo106

We are having a bungalow renovation/conversion starting shortly and I am now determined to get it as air tight as we can. We will be putting another storey on top of the existing bungalow to create a house. I won’t be installing any trickle vents, window vents or extraction fans etc. planning on having MVHR Wall construction is either brick/brick or block and brick. My plan is to parge coat (including between all joists) and then dot and dab (with a continuous run of dab top, bottom and around sockets etc) Air tight loft hatch we are having a large oak glass front and front door - not ideal I know but anything that I need to do to help air tightness regarding the oak? Sealing the skirting boards - what is the best method for sealing skirting boards? Cables and pipes through walls - what is the best method for this? What is the best way to seal after the windows and have been fitted and around the window cill? what other areas do I need to pay particular attention to? I am creating a list now so they will all be considered throughout the build and hopefully nothing too drastic will be overlooked. I think it will be a tough ask due to my type of project but i am going to give it a good go!

So an MVHR will still help my property even though the ACH isn't below 0.6?

I have done some scenarios with MVHR at 0% and 85% and ACH at 7 and 3. Obviously a massive difference but would there be another system that would help total heat loss instead of MVHR? What other benefits do MVHR give? What are peoples thoughts of the scenarios i have done? Thanks again, really appreciate the replies Total House Heat Loss - Scenarios.docx

I have completed the excel sheet linked (very good sheet) however I haven't got a ACH target. Speaking to a friend in the 'know' he says I could possible get to ACH 3. Is this easily achievable?

I have spoken to passivent and they recommended there sister company Glidevale and their fully passive iPSV system As you can tell I am new to this area of ventilation so trying to learn which would be best Thanks again

I am starting my renovation/extending/remodel project shortly where i will be adding another floor I was planning on installing MVHR system throughout so was going to go the posi joist route But I am toying with the idea of not installing MVHR now due to not probably getting the ACH/insulation levels where they need to be. But installing some form of MEV instead Is it worth just installing standard joists now? Is there a big difference in cost? I will need to run a couple of ducts (probably 125mm) through some joists, is there a way this can be done through a normal joist with support plates or something? Would only need to do 2/3 Thanks in advance

https://www.bpcventilation.com/extractor-fans/c-mev/vent-axia Would something like this work? Thanks again

I thought I had all this planned out....how wrong I was haha. Back to the drawing board My thoughts have now turned to saving my money on the MVHR and potentially use some of that money increase insulation I will still try to make as air tight as possible but with the original bungalow and large glass oak front section I think it will very very hard to get down to the ACH level required to make the MVHR cost effective/worthwhile Will my windows now need trickle vents in? I am looking into other ventilation options (dMEV) As i will be having an ASHP I do want it as low cost to run as possible but within reason weighing up budget etc..

No I have not thermally modelled my house...I will work through the spreadsheet today and see what I can play with.

Thanks all for the comments I really am stuck in two minds what to do I will still be insulating as much as I can and will be mindful of Air tightness but as I will be renovating/extending and existing bungalow I am thinking to get ACH down to 3 will prove very difficult. As we are 'off grid' I will be using ASHP with UFH downstairs and upstairs Similar to Jay I don't know if I can now justify a full MVHR system, this will also negate the reason to have posi joists further saving money Would I now need trickle vents in all new windows and also dMEV extractors in downstairs toilet, bathrooms * 2? What about kitchen extract? I would love some opinions on this and I am now rather confused in what to do

Unfortunately with our design the only way to improve u values of the walls is internal insulation (already planning to have 50mm PIR in the existing bungalow) Ceilings I can What do you mean by wind washed? The more I look into ACH and MVHR the more I think i could be wasting my time and money trying to achieve it Thanks again

Hi All At the beginning of our project is was simply to convert a bungalow into a house and then after speaking to few people I became a lot more aware of air tightness and the use of MVHR At the minute the plan is to make the house as airtight as possible and have a MVHR installed. Going triple glazed throughout and a good level of insulation...floor 0.11, ceilings 0.13, walls 0.18 We will be adding another floor to our existing bungalow What are the key things to consider and make sure I do when it comes to air tightness? I will be parge coating all my walls before insulating internally/plasterboarding Is it best to get it routinely tested for air tightness at certain parts of the build? And a big question...is it worth it going down the air tightness and MVHR route? Thanks in advance

Hi In 2 of our bedrooms we are planning to have vaulted ceilings. We are also wanting to install MVHR throughout The minimum spigot height is 110mm and ducting OD is 75mm I have attached a dodgy drawing I have done of how this could work. Have you guys got any better ideas/ways to do it. Unfortunately non of the bedroom walls are stud so can’t have wall vents and the ducting running up the stud work Any advice greatly appreciated as usual

Yeh it was working and in use until May/June this year. No I am not paying for it currently

Wouldn’t like to speculate

My BT phone line comes overhead from a telegraph pole directly opposite my house. The builder removed it as that part of the bungalow was coming down so he coiled it up and we tied it up the pole. However I noticed this morning that the cable is cut and most of it disappeared. when the time comes is it just a case of ringing BT and getting it re-instated? I am guessing at a cost?

Good idea, it’s not a stud wall it’s a block wall. I can just stud the back wall of the WC anyway to house the pipes and cables as required

Hi In our bungalow conversion project we are having a new solid floor put in. Build up is hardcore, concrete slab, PIR, UFH pipes, screed. The original floor was joisted and floorboards. however when I took a section of the wall down today, both inside and outside had 2 courses of blue bricks but the outside course was a brick higher than inside. Is this normal/standard? what level would you put your new floor too? All advice/help much appreciated Many Thanks

Hi We are having an ASHP installed in our renovation project and the contractor has requested 2 x 28mm insulated main flow and return pipes from our plant room to ASHP outdoor unit. (See attached pic) They said it’s better under the floor, we are having a complete new floor put in, 200mm hardcore, 150mm concrete slab, 200mm PIR, UFH pipes, 50mm screed. whereabouts within the floor would you put these pipes? Would you put them in a duct incase they need replacing or anything? Any advice or information greatly appreciated Many Thanks

I have tried protek and buildstore, the premium is coming back quite high Are there any other companies to try? Is it better to ring them up rather than the online forms? Thanks again

Hi All We are starting work on our bungalow conversion in the next few weeks I will be project manager, ordering all materials etc.. they will be stored on site but will be sat there a few weeks until the builders actually start Basically we will be taking the roof off and adding another floor to make it house I will be organising getting the different trades in etc.. Do i need any insurance at all? The total floor area is around 250m2 and quotes are coming back at £2k for 18 months What would people recommend in my situation? Thanks again

That would help! thanks

And any companies that could supply and install this? Many Thanks

Hi all we are wanting a large glass front with our front door in (like attached) and my mrs now has her heart set on a real oak one. I am guessing these are a lot more expensive than aluminium ones. my main concern is maintenance and air tightness, we aren’t going for Passiv but aiming to get as low as we can. have anybody got any experience with these? All information and opinion appreciated Many Thanks

Hi All we are hoping to have a full glass front with built in front door etc however a few suppliers that I have spoke to says it is better to get it split so a beam is required. one option is to have a canopy like the one I have attached. So it can hide the beam but obviously serve a purpose too. Would anyone have any places where these could be purchased? Or alternatively where a full glass front (in triple glazed) could be supplied from Many Thanks