Improving insulation to suit an Air Source Heat Pump - what are you doing?

Depends on the design temperature for the radiators. They can run at same flow temperature as UFH if large enough. But usually you will blend lower for UFH. 

So would it be possible to run one room of UFH off a radiator system ? Excuse my ignorance !

Yes, @juliamc - you can mix the systems. They are slightly different ways of running the pipework. Radiators are usually fed from a pair of parallel pipes that run from one position to the next. UFH pipes are run from a central location called the manifold.

I’ve put lots of photos in the article on Underfloor heating (part 2).

Your questions are perfectly valid. Far too few people know about the possibilities and the pros/cons of each approach.

If you have questions specifically about UFH, then ask them out there in the open part of the Forum. That enables others to learn too.

Sorry, I should have put the question about RetrofitWorks here: are they going to offer any advise about getting further works to the house etc.

For example… I have a fireplace/chimney bloke coming next week to advise about blocking up the chimney, but he’s not an insulation specialist. I know the chimney should remain ventilated but I don’t want draughts blowing into the living room. What should I be asking him to do? 

Good question, @juliamc - this might’ve been missed. Let’s ask the one and only @Transparent, as well as fellow trialists, @Rob Whitney @RAJ (not seen much from you, how’s it all going?) @hydrosam @Gingernut49 @mrmojorisin04 - thoughts welcome!

I was emailed a comprehensive booklet detailing all the additional works they recommended I have done after the installation. Some didn’t make sense, such as changing my double-glazed windows to triple-glazed but then improving ventilation by adding trickle vents in the kitchen and bathroom. I already have extractor fans in both: automatic in the bathroom and one I can turn on in the kitchen when I’m cooking.

My house is full of draughts which can definitely be considered uncontrolled ventilation:  bad seals around the double glazed windows, holes behind boxing in the loo and bathroom where ‘any old builder’ (or plumber) has put a waste pipe through and not sealed it properly just boxed it over, even holes in the ceiling where dust and wasps get into the light fittings. If all those were fixed I’d need controlled ventilation to get some oxygen in. I’d gladly have that done but who to get to do it ?

What’s the latest thought about trickle vents @Transparent ? I think the Retrofit bloke said they weren’t thought to be the answer these days.

Thanks @Transparent for the link about the Chimney Sheep ! I have had the flue inspected and measured by my chimney and fireplace expert and he’s fitting one for me, with a new cap on the chimney top to balance the up draught (or words to that effect).

Now all I need is someone to deal with everything else.

Retrofit were particularly unhelpful in that respect, saying everyone’s booked up for the next 6 months. I understand that but how would I ever get on their list if I don’t know who they are ???

@Tim_OVO ‘smart home trials’ did respond but only to say they can’t help and will see if Retrofit can.

Very frustrating.

Trickle vents: @Gingernut49 wrote:

improving ventilation by adding trickle vents in the kitchen and bathroom

I’m puzzled by this.

If we were contemplating a New-Build house, then you would be unable to achieve the minimum requirement for energy efficiency (the SAP score) if trickle vents were stipulated. Yes, I know they are still being fitted by the major housing developers such as Bovis/Vistry, but that’s due to a loophole in the law by which they are not required to apply the current standards.

To add ventilation to a house, I would be recommending a small heat-exchanger MVHR unit (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery).

These are now available sub-£300 for use in just 2 or 3 rooms of a house. Here’s the HR100 from Vent Axia:

It has 5 ports:

• fresh-air input from outside
• warmed fresh air to living area(s)
• stale/humid air from bathroom & kitchen
• stale-air to outside after heat has been extracted
• 19mm condensate drain to outside

Here’s one I fitted in a garden-office about 6 years ago. This is positioned above a doorway to the en-suite toilet area. It is therefore the “bottom opening” version so that the heat-exchanger element can be removed from below and cleaned out once a year:

The Vent Axia HR100 has standard 100mm diameter connections. I used a combination of rigid and flexible pipes to squeeze everything into the small space above a suspended ceiling.

Houses with MVHR units can operate on a lower setting than the usual 15-litres/sec air extraction rate because they work continuously. See Building Regulations Part-F for information.

@Transparent my energy report from Retrofit strongly recommended ventilation in my house: humidity controlled extractors in kitchen and bathroom as the least cost option (their estimate £300 per room) which wouldn’t effect the energy rating of course.

MVHR estimated at £4000 or Demand Controlled Ventilation at £3000 were itemised in the appendix of the report for information. I’m keen to investigate the MVHR option, but will I ever get a follow-up from Retrofit to advise me who can do it??