Housing - Renovation: Heating & Insulation novice

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- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
I live in a 3 bedroom detached house built in 1995.It has cavity walls & plasterboard on interiar walls-some stud walls too.I am about to make some changes inside & replace my heating system.I know nothing about the best 'green' way to do it and do not have the time/inclination to become an expert.That said i do not wish to miss the opportunity to improve things whilst doing this work-but my budget will be limited.

I plan to add cavity wall insulation.I plan to convert loft to an office but want to improve current 100mm insulation.What would be best way to insulate this to benefit whole house.Any easy suggestions?

I believe wood burning stoves/boilers are green and i like them-are they costly to run compared to a similar output gas condenser combi boiler.Are they a viable options?Are they reliable/convenient options?
I have a boiler/cistern system in at present but due to previous changes we intend to add 3 new radiators,valves all round-giving about 12 radiators in total(think British Gas quioted on a 30 kw combi boiler-does this make sense?) and replace the boiler.We have a gas fire with a pre cast flue(i think-would this be right),which will need changing.

A major issues is a large(24foot long/ 12foot wide glass topped conservatory which comes off the kitchen-we have no funds to replace this but where hoping to find ways to reduce heat loss etc but have no idea where to start,other than sealing off from house-we would still like to use it too.

I would really appreciate your assistance and though never likely to be an expert i would like to do my bit if possible,in the same way that we have learnt to recycle much of what we use in recent years.
- CommentAuthorskywalker
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
Hello

Posted By: Kparry
I plan to add cavity wall insulation.I plan to convert loft to an office but want to improve current 100mm insulation.What would be best way to insulate this to benefit whole house.Any easy suggestions?

Search on skeiling or sloping ceiling insulation & post back if you need to ask more.

Posted By: KparryI believe wood burning stoves/boilers are green and i like them-are they costly to run compared to a similar output gas condenser combi boiler.Are they a viable options?Are they reliable/convenient options?
I have a boiler/cistern system in at present but due to previous changes we intend to add 3 new radiators,valves all round-giving about 12 radiators in total(think British Gas quioted on a 30 kw combi boiler-does this make sense?) and replace the boiler.We have a gas fire with a pre cast flue(i think-would this be right),which will need changing.

All is entirely dependent on how much heat you need (I'm not being 'funny' here), which is dependent on how good your insulation is and how airtight your house is. Basic advice we always give is sort out your insulation and draft proofing and then consider your heating/domestic hot water needs.

With regard to your conservatory; it should be separate from the house or it will remain a terrible source of heat loss.

Keep asking.

S.
- CommentAuthorNick Parsons
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
100mm in a 1995 house? From memory, it didn't comply with regs, then.

Re conservatory: It can be an asset or a liability. Which way does it face? Is there currently facility to shut it off (with good external doors) from the house?

If it faces South, or as far as E or W, it can still be an asset.

Does it have a solid floor? If so, don't put carpet down; keep the thermal mass exposed.

Have the former external walls of the house been plastered - dob and splot ids commeon - that isolates the thermal mass. What you want is as goosd a 'storage heater' as you can get.

Use it when it's comfortable, shade it to extend that 'season', use the heat when it's available - open the doors, or even consider fans and ducting if you are 'techy'. As soon as conservatory temp falls below hse temp - for the night or for half the winter, retreat! Consider insulated shutters too.

Bit tired. Someone will probably take over, or ask me for more.

Nick
- CommentAuthortony
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
"A major issues is a large(24foot long/ 12foot wide glass topped conservatory which comes off the kitchen-we have no funds to replace this but where hoping to find ways to reduce heat loss etc but have no idea where to start,other than sealing off from house-we would still like to use it too."

Yes -- seal the house off from it thermally and only use it when it is warm enough on its own. greenest-- heat losses from it will be horrendous in winter

{loft office may need building regs and/or planning -- big fines if they catch you and big problems when you come to sell if they dont}
- CommentAuthorNick Parsons
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
I meant 'good', not 'goosed'!!
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
Thanks very much for getting me started Nick,Tony & Skywalker.
So basically:
I should start with cavity wall insulation and insulation to Skeilings in loft to make as airtight as possible.

Seperate conservatory with good doors,which will mean whole house as k glass(is that what the new glass is) UPVC windows &amp;amp;amp;amp; doors.

One side of Conservatory faces south.Floor is concrete,what flooring do you suggest? You say shade it to extend that 'season'-We are thinking of enquiring about solar film for roof? is this wise? North facing side is actually a wall up to where roof starts &amp;amp;amp;amp; prvious outside wall is plastered as you state.Once isolated you suggest storage heaters as opposed to radiators of the heating system-is there a benefit to this? Any way of collecting heat from day for evening?

Also i will fit thermostat with alarm to close doors once down to 22%.
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
not sure where amp amp etc came from-meant 'and' ie all doorswindows are Upvc & k glass.
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 14th 2008
One more thing-on first 10 foot or so of conservatory roof could i do similer to in skeiling using studding connected to frame & plaster board to seal in the insulation?Would this cause any issues/help with insulation at all?
- CommentAuthortony
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
In my opinion a waste of time--to keep heat out or in either way is a waste of time.The conservatory will warm up and stay warm for a while after dark on its own.
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
ok cheers.What ar your views on my summary/questions above(about 4 posts up)
- CommentAuthortony
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
you say "I should start with cavity wall insulation and insulation to Skeilings in loft to make as airtight as possible."

We mean start with draft proofing everything -- doors, windows, penetrations through walls floors and ceilings, under window sills etc.

then insulate loft and skeilings --- then cavity wall insulation.

Door alarm was a good idea storage heaters very bad idea
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
Reading around site-seen something on air source heat pumps-can get 10 kw version for about Ã‚Â£1250.Would this be usefull(kept in conservatory to warm up water before going through boiler-daft idea?
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
Tony,
You say ''We mean start with draft proofing everything -- doors, windows, penetrations through walls floors and ceilings, under window sills etc.''

I have upvc windows/doors with double glazed units-what else should i do on these?
As the house is plasterboarded this is a concern as i am sure cold air comes in and circulates behind boards meaning walls always cold & takin away heat-and the floors are similar i suppose.-without expense & disruption of re-plasterin whole house & takin all chipboard floors up i could only think of cavity wall insulation to stop this-is there any other way to cut penetrations throuh walls/floors/ceilings?
- CommentAuthorskywalker
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
Yes start with the cavities. If you are having new windows fitted make sure that you check and beef up the cavity fill around the windows (there will be gaps) and that the window frames are well sealed in the openings. You could do worse that get your head around the 'cold bridging' issues around windows as mistakes during installation can leave you with condensation problems (most modern frames are OK).

Loft conversion will not be a simple as a standard approach to skeilings as you have to deal with the top of your house wall/wall plate junction carefully (another possible opportunity to fill gaps left by the cavity wall installation process) to avoid infiltration & cold bridging. Your ceiling joists are unlikely to be up to being treated as a floor too. Best thing is to invite your local building inspector around for a chat (your windows will need a building notice in any case) and see what they think - it is far better to start of on a good footing with them.

I would suggest getting hold of some books as a reference on the basics of using thermal mass/cold bridging/insulation etc. I and many here find The Green Building Bible very useful as is the whole house book (although they repeat each other a bit). They will get you through the conservatory thing which could take an age on a post for post basis - although some here may be willing to go for it.

S.
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
Windows fitted already-except the one to seperate conservatory.
Calling in Building Inspector seems a good idea for loft.
What is meant by ''wall/wall plate junction''
green bible ordered.
What do you think of air surce heat pump to take heat from conservatory and reduce need to use boiler.
- CommentAuthorskywalker
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
Visualise a cross section through the eaves section of your outside wall where the roof meets the wall. On top of your cavity wall there will probably be a largish timber running all around the top of the wall - this is the wall plate. Your roof rests on this (birdsmouth joints in older properties, at a guess you have trussed rafters which will be attached to it with a bracket). With all the joins and maintaining ventilation to the underside of your tiles it is important to work out exactly how your insulation/draft proofing is going to work in these locations. Your roof may be constructed differently to this of course (I'm an ecologist not a builder) so may be different but it may take a while to get your head around how to deal with this detail.

Others more knowledgeable than I will chip in on any major errors/omissions. There is and EST guide as well but I can't find the link at the moment - their website is a bit impenetrable.

S.
- CommentAuthorskywalker
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
I do not know anything (other than what I have read here) about ASHP but I think it is more usual to have the feed from outside.

S.
- CommentAuthorNick Parsons
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
''Door alarm was a good idea storage heaters very bad idea '' (Tony).

Agree wholeheartedly. I did not suggest storage heaters, and do not suggest any heating for conservatories! What I said was (minus the typos):

''Does it have a solid floor? If so, don't put carpet down; keep the thermal mass exposed.

Have the former external walls of the house been plastered - dob and splot is common - that isolates the thermal mass. What you want is as good a 'storage heater' as you can get.''

....and now I see the misunderstanding. I was referring to thermal mass as a 'storage heater'. I did not realise that 'strorage heater' would be read as storage heater, if you see what I mean!! **Don't heat it** except with the sun!!
- CommentAuthorskywalker
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
not even with a very goosed storage heater!
- CommentAuthorKparry
- CommentTimeOct 15th 2008
well i did say i was a novice,lol.

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