Anyone replaced an Oil boiler recently ?
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5 years ago
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My house is FREEZING - any tips?
Comments (23)Stephen Edwards makes a really good point about the thermostat, and it works both ways (ie causing the heating to come on when you don't need it, as well as going off when you do!). Thermostats are often placed in the hallway, which can be colder than the rest of the house by cold air coming in through a draughty front door. It sounds like you have systemic problems to solve, but once those are sorted out you could look at draughtproofing, paying particular attention to anywhere that affects the thermostat. If you identify your letterbox as draughty you could look at fitting one of our letterbox solutions (we do a lovely stainless steel front letterplate as well as an inner letter box draught excluder), and if you have a pet that's going in and out through a draughty, rattly old catflap we do a pet door too. Hope you get things sorted in time for the cold weather!...See MoreFreezing Lounge - ideas needed
Comments (21)As an experienced architectural designer my answer deals with your specific problems, but also contains general advice which could be useful to other readers, so please don't be offended or take what I write personally... I'm just trying to help people. I notice your house has a massive external surface area with which to lose heat, plus lots of windows so it will not be an easy house to keep warm! It would be very sensible to check out your whole house internally and externally with an infra-red thermometer as this will show up the worst heat loss spots. They could be around window frames, doors, skirting, ceilings and these are the places to target your heat loss fighting energy and finance. Your problem could be caused by a whole range of issues. Do you have a suspended timber floor which is ventilated? Just like your open chimney, the wind will rob any heat from the room unless you stop it doing so. This would involve insulating the floor in some way, and if you were taking up the floorboards you would be wise to treat the joists (especially the ends) and check for evidence of mice, which can play havoc in cavity wall insulation. Taking up the floor is a very disruptive job, which is why it has not been done in my house. Untreated timber could rot if ventilation is restricted by close-fitting insulation. If you have an unventilated floor, it may not have any or enough insulation. Also, beware of internal insulation as a solution, as this makes your outside walls colder/damper and usually leads to later problems with damp/mould/rot and expensive remedial work, even structural failure. Make sure you follow the advice of a competent person who understands how complex building physics can be. (Building services engineer). Bay windows are usually really poor bits of construction... If your double glazing has a large gap between the panes of around 20mm, it may not be the real problem. If the spacers (between the glass) are shiny aluminium, this is not good, so if you ever replace the glazing, don't settle for anything less than Edgetech Superspacer or Truplas, the very best warm edge spacers available. I live in a 1930's ex council house and I have blocked the only remaining chimney with a massive bag of loft insulation. The floor was already overlaid with a cheap laminate floor, so the floor gets cold when the winter winds roar. Reflective blinds (checkout Reflex Rol) can be used, but with a bay window, fitting will be complex and heat will still escape around the edges of the blind. Reflective foil is able to bounce radiant energy away from itself, but there should always be an airspace on each side of the foil or the energy just conducts through to the cold side. If the window faces south, then blinds could make the room even colder, unless you always remember to raise them early each morning - the same goes for thermal shutters. My house in Somerset has a gas combi boiler which has hardly needed to come on at all so far this winter. My gas and electricity comes from EBICO, as they have no standing charges. I have insulated the house externally with 50mm of Celotex, covered with treated battens and Marley Cedral weatherboard (which does not rot) and only adds around 80mm to the wall thickness, plus Cedral is perfect for eaves boards and soffits. (You can paint it whatever colour you like). This, plus a porch outside the front door has made a massive difference to my warmth as I am 70 and now live on my own. The attic has been properly insulated and boarded to become an unofficial room. I am lucky to have two unshaded windows that face south and they bring in lots of free energy. I am not stupid and I'm often in and out to my garden, so in winter I wear a vest under my T shirt, as well as a fleece and longjohns under my trousers (get them at Lidl) which is also a good place to buy LED lights. Always start with energy conservation and insulation rather than things that burn timber or fossils fuels and ignore the real problem. I would avoid burning wood, given the state our atmosphere and lungs are in. We are not cave men anymore and should be evolving. New energy efficient houses sometimes feature large south-facing PV roofs which directly heat a central water tank or can feed electric underfloor heated zones - and just like my 1970's experimental solar house, these super-insulated dwellings do not have a 'normal heating system'. I can't stand curtains, they look a mess, often block out solar radiation / light and have to be washed. I like close-fitting wooden floors which you can simply sweep with a brush and run over with an upright vac-cleaner. Tiles are a pain to keep clean and can break your hip as well as things you drop. We can save lots of money and energy by not buying things that need to be washed and dried, as well as things we really don't need!...See MoreUnderfloor heating in whole house
Comments (14)2. Why underfloor system is not the top rating? There is good thermal mass giving a long lasting for heating, less energy needs to feed as radiators. But infrared spells from this heating go directly to selling but not to lower space of premises. No good convection. Can increase blood pressure if the temperature is not acceptable for you. And another important is the surface glazed or soft (tiles, timber ect.) giving different waves maybe it's not for us. 3. Wall heating system. Same concept underfloor heating just in the walls. Benefits. Can run low and high temperatures. Can design with different angles to heat direct another surfaces true infrared spells. Wall panels never heat the selling opposite underfloor heating. Panels can plastered with clay plaster. Fits in any design. One panel can be installed between 2 rooms. Infrared radiant heat heats not just the premises, but makes a comfortable feeling for all who is alive (humans, plants ect.) The infrared rays were used from ancient times… There is no better feeling than a very cold day, sun-rays going true your body and you cannot feel the cold even if it is windy, the feeling that you get is like someone giving you more energy to your body, – this is an infrared heat. The infrared radiant heat are different, have different wavelengths, heat spectrum changes when the heat goes true different material. For example, heat passes through metal, cement bricks or concrete, natural stones, glass or clay heat spectrum are changes to different waves. The most positive human beings are accepting radiate heat from the clay. The clay has the same heat spectrum as human beings. Radiant heat from the clay stoves or any clay heaters does not only heat or provides comfort, but also has healing properties. Its the same when medics heal us through infrared. More info available just send us short mesage....See Moreunderfloor heating - have you done it?
Comments (8)We have recently purchased a new build with wet undlerfloor heating throughout, also a bungalow. We have engineered wood floor (floating) through whole house except for ensuite and bathroom which are ceramic tile. It does give a lovely even heat and you have the flexibility to control each room individually. You are correct that it is not super quick to respond because it is heating such a large surface area but this is not something I have found to be a problem at all. It only really gets moved up and down about 3 degress anyway. We have our bedroom very low because we like a cool room and this works well. Our house is 4 bedroom, approx 136 sqm and at the moment our heating and electric is working out at about £70 a month (this is for everything, no gas or anything on top of this) however, we do have airsource heat pump which adds further to efficiency of the heating. Also, if it is useful, the cost for us of the UFH installation was about £5500 but this was in new build and not retrofit. If you have a well insulated house I would go for it! :)...See More- PRO
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