Hi all.
I've been reading this forum for the past year in the hopes of gaining tips on trying to make the home we bought in March as enviromentally friendly as possible within the scope and budget of neccesary jobs.At the moment it runs from a solid fuel coal fed back boiler with a few storage heaters in hallways and the extension.
The house is a rural 3 bed in a row of eight down a private road,built in the early thirties and has a solid 9" brick construction with a dormer style bedroom window at front and back.
We plan(planned) to add oil condensing combi boiler( no gas in village) to heat and provide hot water since the immersion heater is old ,badly positioned and there is very limited space in the loft which meant the water tanks were housed in a bedroom and were keeping us all awake every flush of the loo.
Since requiring new lighting we also planned to install low energy downlighters and where apllicable low energy pendant fittings(since then read on here there may be problems with building regs). Ahhhh.
First thing we did was look into cavity insulation when we moved in which is where we discovered the solid walls.Next we planned loft insulation where we were told we would have to remove all the fibreglass that was stuffed into the eaves and replace the lot,which we will do.
Before we chose oil heating I spent hours and days reading up about the pros and cons of every type of heating from ASHP to biomass but every alternative has a double edged sword.Smoke pollution from wood burning,difficulty gaining pellets,cost of installation,ect.Yesterday I looked forward to my plumber starting finally on the oil system.He had asked buiding control to pop out and give him advice about siting the oil tank as we have only a narrow passageway at the side of the house and because of a long extension wih a further conservatory it wasnt possible to place the tank in the backgarden.It would have been 50mtrs from the tanker and ruin our narrow garden.
In line with my oftec registered plumbers advice we had replaced our fence panels with concrete panels and built a level sturdy base.Because my conservatory window was only 1.2mtrs from the tank we were told it's a no go.Despite my plumber explaining that we intended to surround the tank on three sides with fire barriers going slightly past the tank.Madness!! As i sit looking out at next doors tank fitted last year and directly next to the barrier fence and his shed it just seems totaaly unfair and ridiculous.Oftec had stated that although they cuoldn't pass it buiding control had more power to make exceptions and had phoned building control and told them that they regarded it as safe.
We have a 7k budget to update the heating and water and make the house more HIPS friendly.No room in the property for vast storage tanks(it was hard enough to find the space for the boiler),the kitchen is very narrow.
Is updated storage heating my only avenue?
Very depressed and at my wits end.

The quilt is a great idea and greener than green

There was no reason to chuck out old fibreglass insulation -- that was ungreen. Putting in more was a good idea

Cant see why tanks cant go in loft -- try coffin tanks?

A couple of air source heat pumps or even three would do you house most of the year and cost less than 2k they only use 1/4 of the electricity too, for the same heating effect. Try them? gshp may be better but air source will do.

Posted By: biffvernonWe'd better have a discussion about the sustinable population level of eider ducks and the ethical position of nicking their down.

Where did the OP say they were using Eiderdown? They might be using duvets filled with Thinsulate (TM) polyester insulation ;) Now, how green is that?!

An ASHP would be a good choice as electricity is the most flexible fuel long term. Neither gas nor oil represent a long term view and everyone knows my opinion of wood burners - neither sustainable nor clean in present form.

Paul in Montreal

The cost of an eiderdown duvet is about ten times that of goose down. Yes eider down is best but at the cost of robbing the eider nests. Plenty of Hungarian goose down available.

Posted By: biffvernonsleeping in multifoil?

The Multifoil Kid - there's a bounty on his head. What's he wanted for? Rustlin'!

Susiespearing, tony and PaulinM are right - you've been saved from a bad mistake. There are alternatives. You can get rid of your water tanks altogether - both heating and hot water can be mains-pressurised.

Biff, what do you wear in bed then?

Is goose down a by-product of the foie gras industry?

(Mind yer own business, Tom.)

Posted By: susiespearinghow can I have my heating and hot water from mains ?

You don't need the small high-up header tank to pressurise your boiler/radiator (primary) water circuit, nor do you need the big cold water tank to supply and pressurise your (secondary) hot and cold tap water circuits. Either or both of these can instead take both their supply and their pressure direct from the mains. To achieve this for the boiler/radiator primary circuit you'll need some pipework alterations and a bright red pressure vessel, usually mounted near the boiler. To achieve this for the secondary tap water circuits, you'll probably need a new higher-pressure hot water cylinder, which will have its own pressure vessel and other gubbins attached. Any plumber will explain.

It seemed you've committed to oil, by having the tank moved? By going to mains-fed primary and secondary, you can get rid of both your header tanks and have an efficient (maybe condensing) ordinary boiler, not combi. Sorry, I've nothing to add about heat-source alternatives - others can tell you more? - but seems to me that you're stuck in the 'normal' solutions because no part of your plan is about seriously reducing heat demand or capturing solar gain (a bit of cavity or loft insulation, or otherwise merely ticking the HIPs boxes or complying with current building regs, doesn't do it)

To not need CH, that has to read super-insulation, plus airtightness (otherwise super-insulation largely futile) plus then necessarily heat-recovery ventilation. That would work. Occasional emergency heat top-up could be by simple electric element in the supply-air duct - or by occasional woodburner.

How many storeys - Is the dormered attic 2nd Fl? If that super-insulation can't go on the outside wall face, then minimum 75mm or more of sprayed hemcrete on the inside face plus a little way back, perhaps tapered, inboard along the party walls (or all the way for a boost in neighbour-soundproofing). At all costs avoid creating a lightweight-surface insulated interior e.g. by plasterboard lining over insulation. Let the interior 'see' the heavyweight walls. Roof shd be easy - but get advice on this forum, after more description of existing. Last priority is the lowest floor - again seek advice here.

Windows - don't think of buying ordinary DG-trade or Builders Merchant windows - much much better can be had for similar money. Or with some ingenuity, possibly upgrade what you have.

# susiespearing
I think you have missed the point Tom and I are putting forward? We are talking about realocating your budget from supply (central heating) to demand side (super insulation, air tight etc) so you do not need to upgrade or install a heating system.
see passive house specifications.

Sorry Jeff.
I've read about the passive home but I dont believe that will work in an old property like this.I'm hoping that by insulating as best we can that will obviously cut down on the heating needed.solar would most likely take care of HW but I still want additional controllable heating.I had considered a stove with back boiler but due to the small areas of the rooms to find a stove to run a heating system would be uncomfortably hot.A neighbour went this route and its been a disaster.They can't stand to sit in their lounge.Log pellets boilers sounded the answer until I contacted a firm that markets them and was told that in reality thye arent ready for the domestic market yet in the uk and transporting the pellets makes them unnafordable at the moment.Trianco are working on an affordable air source heat pump boiler system but its still at the design stage.Electric heating is frowned on by everyone from the energy council to the man in the street and especially in this area where they built a new housing estate in the village supplied by electricity.They have petitions going due to the high cost they are paying in reality despite having been sold these properties as an economic breakthrough for non gas areas.

Posted By: susiespearingThe relocation aspect isn't an option Tom.I have to go where my work states

I think he might be talking about an oil tank!

I would try and get some local advice on the level of insulation you can install before deciding on what heat is required. Getting the demand side down as low as possible is the best investment.