Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 6,669
I'm an eternal tinkerer / optimiser and I'm itching for a new project, but I have a feeling that there is little else I can do to the house.
Quick sitrep:
Here's all I can currently think of:
Here's what the energy report suggests we could do (too expensive until PV comes down in price!):
Quick sitrep:
- Small (100 sq m) 3-bed detached house, built 1985.
- ~5 year old condensing combi gas boiler.
- Original double-glazing.
- Cavity walls with millions of styrofoam balls inside!
- Loft conversion with skylights.
- Eaves in the loft have ~7cm (2.5") of mineral wool insulation.
- Electricity and gas averages £34 per month each.
- Current efficiency rating is C71. Potential is B85. (average for NI Is D60!)
- Replace all bulbs with LEDs.
- Install better bathroom extraction fan with backflow valve.
- Bled radiators & checked magnetic filter.
- Optimised boiler temperature to ensure return temp is as low as possible for condensing efficiency.
- Installed fans in the two downstairs radiator boxes to aid the rooms heating up (and therefore reduce return temp).
- Checked and fitted backflow valve to kitchen extractor fan.
- Checked and blocked any gaps in the windows / doors for drafts.
- Checked the fridge & freezer are at the correct temperature.
Here's all I can currently think of:
- Install cleaning and anti-corrosion solution to the central heating.
- Install a small solar panel on the shed. Just to tinker with - it won't be connected to the mains (yet). (This kills two birds with one stone as the roof leaks a little, so I can get a new toy and fix the leak!).
- Add spacers and more insulation to the eaves. I know that the current insulation of only 7cm is pretty poor. However, adding spacers and more insulation will raise the height of the "floor" and therefore reduce our storage space. Given that the eaves "only" cover about 1/3 - 1/2 the total floor area (because of the loft conversion), I'm loathed to do this.
- Replace the radiators with newer, more efficient ones. Again, I doubt I'll (ever?) do this due to the cost.
- Ensure we're on the cheapest tarrifs.
- We need a new bathroom and I plan to change the electric shower to one that's fed by the combi boiler. I suspect this will improve the pressure of the shower and also be cheaper to run (I'm pretty sure heating water via gas is cheaper than electric).
- Install weather-compensation for the boiler. From what I can tell, this probably isn't worth it? I'm *guessing* that cost would be ~£250 for the unit and ~£250 installation and the savings would be ~10% (~£40 per year). Probably not worth it.
Here's what the energy report suggests we could do (too expensive until PV comes down in price!):
- Solid floor / floor insulation = £5k, potentially saving £50 pa
- Solar water heating = £5k, potentially saving £30 pa
- Solar panels = £7k, potentially saving £270 pa