March 1Mar 1 2 minutes ago, BotusBuild said: There's one thing about this thread. I've learned a little more about humidity 🙃 I have learnt more about humanity.
March 1Mar 1 Author @-rick- Ok so you are certain, that the pain/ache I had in my chest IE in my lungs for the 1st 2 months of being here (being in this vicinity/ this area/ not lessening once I went outside of the cottage into the surrounding area, no it wasn't linked to 'cottage damp'/ it remained stuck firm in the vicinity of the property, & furthermore -subsided- within these 2 months, twice, corresponding to when I travelled out of the area back to england to visit my folks, & returned back with a heavy ache within hours of returning to the vicinity)... was bollocks too then, yes? To reitterate. It did not present itself one iota worse, whilst inside the cottage: it was stalwart the same whether I was outside or inside, whether I was walking in a forested estate 5m away, or whether I was in the kitchen. The same during a whole day in town 8m away, as it was later that evening at home having returned a good few hours prior. It didn't present itself one iota worse in the old main shell part of the cottage, vs any of the perfectly structurally dry (if badly built) newer addition rooms. It only presented itself as different, once I left the area, not only a difference.. but the pain./ ache abating, completely. All merely in my imagination, yes? Please, just answer this.
March 1Mar 1 2 minutes ago, zoothorn said: All merely in my imagination, yes? No sounds very much like your body reacting to the very bad environment of your cottage. Unless you weren't spending any time at all in the cottage (you say you were in and out) then it's likely your cottage. I wouldn't be surprised if your health is degraded even now living as you do. You've just got used to it. It's one of the reasons I'm putting so much effort into trying to persuade you to warm your place up. Having a warm home will extend your life and help you be happier. With your home as it is you are one unlucky infection away from ending up in hosptial or worse.
March 1Mar 1 3 minutes ago, zoothorn said: All merely in my imagination, yes? Not in your imagination - you are living in a nearly unheated space, it isn't a healthy place to be. Heat the place never let it drop below 16 degs (yes even at night). Bet your chest issues go away.
March 1Mar 1 Author 10 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: I have learnt more about humanity. I've learnt more about bullying too. Not that I didn't know threads on forums can so easily become nothing but a witch-hunt against 1 person. By bored timewasters. The same old 'lets post a sniping post to get a few likes' bullshit. To firm up your group against 1 person. One thing I'd never do on a forum, is join in with a group stacking up against the 1 sole person just 'for likes'. Fkn pathetic frankly.
March 1Mar 1 I had a really bad car crash back in '86, had terrible chest pains for months. I had also moved house a few weeks earlier. Now I live in a different area total, my aches and pains are still with me, but I have a better car, so must be because I speak English, and nothing to do with having flown in a helicopter, not once, but twice.
March 1Mar 1 5 minutes ago, zoothorn said: I've learnt more about bullying too. Not that I didn't know threads on forums can so easily become nothing but a witch-hunt against 1 person. By bored timewasters If you think I have been bullying you, you have never seen, or experience, genuine bullying. Having recently dealt with a case of it at work, I can tell you that nothing on here comes close. Stating facts is not bullying. Edited March 1Mar 1 by SteamyTea
March 1Mar 1 Author 32 minutes ago, -rick- said: No sounds very much like your body reacting to the very bad environment of your cottage. Unless you weren't spending any time at all in the cottage (you say you were in and out) then it's likely your cottage. I wouldn't be surprised if your health is degraded even now living as you do. You've just got used to it. It's one of the reasons I'm putting so much effort into trying to persuade you to warm your place up. Having a warm home will extend your life and help you be happier. With your home as it is you are one unlucky infection away from ending up in hosptial or worse. NOOOOOOOOOO!! I'm not having this. I didn't expect anyone to understand. It's so much easier isn't it, to just say 'oh yes, it's the house'. Utterly, completely lazy. Which is the opposite of the effort you've put in trying to help. So completely at odds. Since those two months, Ive not had one second of any breathing problem, lung problem, ache/ pain, no more colds or sinus anything what so fkn ever. I've been more healthy overall, here, than anywhere I've lived too.. most likely the sea air & general cleanliness of it (particulates etc). Sea air. It was a physiological thing- my body pretty bloody obviously & simply attuned to the conditions in this local vicinity here. Topography wise, it was chalk & cheese to the cotswolds I was in before. Near the sea, inland west of the sea, 600m high up in a wooded steep-side valley, tucked down between. This topography has some bearing on the climate I speak of. The unusual climate which WAS the cause & the only fkn cause, of the 2-month 'condition' my body attuned to. Facts. I don't give a hoot for numbers. These are plain facts. The LOCALE, not the cottage. The AREA, not the dwelling. The VICINITY, not this house. I cannot be any clearer. This is not up for argument either. I will not rise to it anymore. This stacking up is grating now, so I shall take a break. I will do as you suggest, bar the overnight rads on at 16*C, & report back in 2 months. Carry on sniping everyone, gathering your 'likes' together at my expense. I will have nothing to do with reading it/ ignored (Yourself Rick not included/ this is not aimed at you). Thanks, Zoot Edited March 1Mar 1 by zoothorn
March 1Mar 1 With the exception of Zoot, I do wonder sometimes if you’re all being trolled? (An observation, not bullying)
March 1Mar 1 Could I respectfully ask @zoothorn , have you done a Heat Loss Calculation for your house? Perhaps you have and I've overlooked your reply. If you have, would you mind sharing it with us please.
March 1Mar 1 I don't believe that anybody on here is trying to bully Zoot the hoot. However, it is easy to see the frustration. Zoot appears to be very good at avoidance. He had very fixed ideas as to why he is correct in his assumptions, and that nobody else can possible understand. He has a belief that no matter what he sets his ASHP controls to, it will not work. We all know that the phisics say it will work, but i bring you back to the following points. Who thinks that Zoot can get his "Special. One of a kind cottage" in the "Special. Micro climate" to be nice and comfortably warm during the depths of winter for £70 per month. I for One don't. Can all the tinkering being suggested on here make a huge difference ? It's possible, but i believe that to make any substantial difference, it is going to cost more money to run. Will Zoot spend more money. NO, he had said so himself. Then there is the fundamental point that Zoot is not going to run, his ASHP at 16, 0r 18 degrees during the night. I believe he said that, that would be madness. He has said over, and over, that the max he will consider is 10 degrees. I can honestly say that despite, what i believe is all the good intentions, nothing is going to change his mind about the three main points. Special house. Micro climate, and that running heating during the night is not madness. I don't think i am trying to bully Zoot when i suggest, a damn good ski suit might, be an easier way to stay warm. If you all manage to change his way of thinking, then hats off to you. The thread does make entertaining reading. The mods are free to delete this post, if they think i am being out of order.
March 1Mar 1 Pull the heat pump out, you didn’t pay for it so who cares. fit an oil fired aga in the kitchen run the rads from this at high temperature. this is the sort of thing this building needs, woodburner in the evening. I don’t understand how this system was even fitted.
March 1Mar 1 1 minute ago, Russell griffiths said: I don’t understand how this system was even fitt So the company selling it could get the grant money, and pocket a few bob.
March 1Mar 1 42 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said: Could I respectfully ask @zoothorn , have you done a Heat Loss Calculation for your house? Perhaps you have and I've overlooked your reply. If you have, would you mind sharing it with us please. I asked for that back on page 16...maybe it was missed. Important information particularly since the surveyor said no. On 23/02/2026 at 15:15, SimonD said: This thread is very long so I don't know whether it's happened already, but would @zoothorn consider sharing the survey document showing the house heat loss, the model of his new heat pump and perhaps even the radiators sizes and types he's got installed? That way we could perhaps formulate an answer based on the facts of the situation and know how leaky the house is?. Or maybe an EPC certificate, that way it's possible to do a performance estimate on flow temps.
March 1Mar 1 7 minutes ago, SimonD said: I asked for that back on page 16...maybe it was missed. Important information particularly since the surveyor said no. It's been asked for repeatedly. There should be two of them. One from the original install and one from the monobloc replacement. Unfortunately a lot of things get missed in this thread. There is so much going on I can understand why.
March 1Mar 1 11 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: Pull the heat pump out, you didn’t pay for it so who cares. fit an oil fired aga in the kitchen run the rads from this at high temperature. this is the sort of thing this building needs, woodburner in the evening. I don’t understand how this system was even fitted. It's a lot of money to do that. Zoot hasn't been hugely clear on his financial constraints but given he got his heatpump installed through a low income support scheme I think it's reasonable to assume an AGA is off the table. Zoot did have a woodburner, that has also failed to heat his place. I tend to think the heatpump can work and would be cheaper to run than an aga but only if used in a very specific way and one that zoot is very resistant to doing.
March 1Mar 1 26 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said: Who thinks that Zoot can get his "Special. One of a kind cottage" in the "Special. Micro climate" to be nice and comfortably warm during the depths of winter for £70 per month. £70 a month (£840 per year) no, as I've said before I think there is a decent improvement to be had for not ridiculous money. As I've said my mums uninsulated house with an inefficient gas setup and various other problems costs about £2000 per year to keep at around 20 during the day but they let it get cold overnight). I do think it's possible for zoot to be much more comfortable for an affordable amount extra per year, at least as a trial. If zoot has money to consider ripping up his concrete floor and replacing it he has the money to try this. Maybe he doesn't have it to run long term but having the information about what it takes to warm the house can direct him to the most cost effective improvements to lower those bills. Right now it's finger in the air guesswork. 26 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said: I can honestly say that despite, what i believe is all the good intentions, nothing is going to change his mind about the three main points. Special house. Micro climate, and that running heating during the night is not madness. I've not given up yet but I do understand where you are coming from. I hope zoot will agree to try it for a period of time. If it works then we can have a conversation about whats next. But fundamentally zoot doesn't believe this stuff and words on a screen aren't going to change his mind. Being warm in his house might.
March 1Mar 1 Best of luck @-rick-.You have a good heart, and a good heart these days is hard to find. (quote F S) I just can't see you winning this One. However, well done for trying. Most of the above has been tried before, by other well meaning people.
March 1Mar 1 8 hours ago, zoothorn said: Why do my stoves get covered in rust, my metal wok does same in 2minutes flat, why did I have a physical pain/ ache for first 2 months here? Why the abundance of green mould? 6 hours ago, zoothorn said: Dillsue. I mentioned the local atmosphere. I specifically didn't mention the air within my dwelling. I made absolutely sure to distinguish between.. ..but STILL an assumption is made. That I am talking about the air within the house. No. I am talking about an aspect many know around here. I used the word locale. The words local atmosphere. All lost, to assumptions. Stupid of me to assume the air inside the house was damp when you mentioned rusting stoves and wok. I should have realised that you might keep your stoves and wok in the garden......no wonder the stoves don't heat the house if they aren't in it. I'm done here. Adios
March 1Mar 1 1 hour ago, Big Jimbo said: Best of luck @-rick-.You have a good heart, and a good heart these days is hard to find. (quote F S) Ahh I wouldn't mind betting we are of a similar era - Good old Fergal I was gonna say @-rick- bravo for persistence but possible you on a hiding to nothing - good luck
March 2Mar 2 13 hours ago, Russell griffiths said: Pull the heat pump out, you didn’t pay for it so who cares. fit an oil fired aga in the kitchen run the rads from this at high temperature. this is the sort of thing this building needs, woodburner in the evening. I don’t understand how this system was even fitted. I suggested that on pages 14 and 16 but apparently a 30kW oil boiler won't do the job!!
March 2Mar 2 1 minute ago, Gone West said: I suggested that on pages 14 and 16 but apparently a 30kW oil boiler won't do the job!! Wasting our time bud.
March 2Mar 2 11 hours ago, Dillsue said: Stupid of me to assume the air inside the house was damp when you mentioned rusting stoves and wok. I should have realised that you might keep your stoves and wok in the garden......no wonder the stoves don't heat the house if they aren't in it. I'm done here. Adios Yes, he gave an interesting stab at us over that foolish assumption. Who’s have known the cooker and cooking utensils lived outside. I was going to post this, but I fear someone may like it and then I’ll get bullied for that. He has a heating system, it works, it won’t get used. At least the house will dry out in the summer. 🤐
March 2Mar 2 How do I turn this subject off? I have deleted "follow" but will still see anything from the respected contributors whom I don't want to turn off.
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