Useful link re. heating
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
As some know my house is freezing and I'm looking at a grant for insulation yadda yadda moan moan.
Anywho, got a surveyor coming on 22nd Jan to have a looksy, so I decided to have a look about improving my heating system without totally overhauling it (as thats something I do not have for a loooong time).
Anyways, simply stuck "radiators" into google and got this link from it...
Heat and Plumb BTU Calculator
It's some sort of calculator to work out what radiator sizes to get for your rooms based on the amount of energy required to heat them. I'm going through the 5 rooms in my house now to see what I should look to get as I may be able to get grant money to replace the rads at worst.
I know some will know the above already but I'm a total novice at heating etc. so hopefully it may help a few like myself.
Anywho, got a surveyor coming on 22nd Jan to have a looksy, so I decided to have a look about improving my heating system without totally overhauling it (as thats something I do not have for a loooong time).
Anyways, simply stuck "radiators" into google and got this link from it...
Heat and Plumb BTU Calculator
It's some sort of calculator to work out what radiator sizes to get for your rooms based on the amount of energy required to heat them. I'm going through the 5 rooms in my house now to see what I should look to get as I may be able to get grant money to replace the rads at worst.
I know some will know the above already but I'm a total novice at heating etc. so hopefully it may help a few like myself.
What you need to take into account is that every rad whose size you increase will use extra energy and YOU have to pay for it. Let's get the house insulated first, eh?
Meanwhile, wear thick clothes and put an extra blanket/quilt on the bed
BTW: have you stuck your head into either loft to CHECK the levels of insulation yet?
Meanwhile, wear thick clothes and put an extra blanket/quilt on the bed

BTW: have you stuck your head into either loft to CHECK the levels of insulation yet?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
What you need to take into account is that every rad whose size you increase will use extra energy and YOU have to pay for it. Let's get the house insulated first, eh?
Meanwhile, wear thick clothes and put an extra blanket/quilt on the bed
BTW: have you stuck your head into either loft to CHECK the levels of insulation yet?
Meanwhile, wear thick clothes and put an extra blanket/quilt on the bed

BTW: have you stuck your head into either loft to CHECK the levels of insulation yet?
And no, I haven't stuck my head up there - too many big hairy spiders and I don't trust my asthma in all honesty.
Guest
Posts: n/a
a) ceiling was just plasterboard - no insulation
b) ceiling light fitting let cold air in
c) cistern overflow through wall let in a draught - the pipe wasn't sealed plus you get cold air into the cistern. Put in a smaller syphon which overflowed into the pedestal rather than through the wall.
d) waste outlet pipes for loo and sink went into the floor. Neither were sealed around their circumference.
e) electric meter was also on the wall. The wires went through the outside wall to the meter in the 'exterior cupboard with no sealing. Expanding foam to seal this.
f) single glazed until we had the whole house double glazed.
Probably other things as well .... but the upshot of it was that some sealant fixed most of it plus some loft-type insulation above the ceiling. Nothing complicated. And it was dead toasty afterwards!
The other top tip though is to search out draughts in the current cold weather. Much easier to find, even if you fix the later in the year.
For rads. fit TRVs to all of them (except the ones in the room with the room stat.) and if they're quite old take them off the wall and flush them out with water. Best leave this until the summer! When I did mine (some were blocked) they were much hotter afterwards.
Dave
Asthma-smathsma, you wuss, you won't get asthma LOOKING through a hatch, trust me.
Oh, and don't expect the government to sub you for new rads, they aren't going to pay you to use MORE energy, you know.

Oh, and don't expect the government to sub you for new rads, they aren't going to pay you to use MORE energy, you know.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.

I don't expect anything from the government, I'm looking long term to something I (and this grumpy old dude I know) can do one weekend.
(Oh and I've had it confirmed the cold water supply IS cut off outside)
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Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
Likes: 0
From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
Likes: 0
From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
I'll get up there tomorrow if I get chance after work Jezza, don;t worry. I've been on my artwork all today, just had my tea (mmm Richmond sausages), and now I'm attacking the area in te kitchen which needs Polyfilla 
Only so many hours in a day FFS
Only so many hours in a day FFS
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: The hell where youth and laughter go
An oversized rad with a good TRV will regulate the room temp accordingly and the return temp to the boiler will be lower when the rads are heating the room, the lower the return temp, the more the boiler condenses.
Done right and properly balanced, it should run until all the rad TRVs start shutting off, which will pop open the bypass valve (Presuming its fitted - modern installs should have these for optimal efficiency), feeding flow from the boiler directly back to the return pipe causing the boiler shut down (until water temp drops back down), this means the boiler doesn't operate for excessively long periods with the return temp above 55dgerees (where it doesn't condense = i.e not as efficient).
As for loft insulation, just been in my Gran's attic trying feed a new aerial cable. Bloody divots that put it up there (OAP government grant thingy) must have over-ordered as its over 2ft deep above the joists. So there's me playing guess where the joists are and getting covered in rockwool's finest in the process
Suffice to say, the snow on her roof is yet to melt, yet the neighbour's roof is as dry as a bone 
Tip; don't insulate your loft if you plan on doing any wiring/plumbling work up there in the near future.
Last edited by ALi-B; Jan 10, 2010 at 07:55 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.

Seen ones at Wickes for between £37-£106 size dependant. They'd do me in all fairness.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
Jeff, I haven't got my notes. I can't revise stuff I haven't got infront of me or don't quite understand
Thats why I'm going to ask tomorrow during lesson time and then bug you at tea time.
The tutor was not there last week as he had holidays booked. The first chance I have tomorrow, I will speak with him and then bring my notes folder home with me.
I'm going to go look in my loft now
The tutor was not there last week as he had holidays booked. The first chance I have tomorrow, I will speak with him and then bring my notes folder home with me.
I'm going to go look in my loft now
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
No such thing happened mate. Borrowed a ladder from next door and scrambled up. Its quite spacious and not too cold suprisingly. There's some really old dusty insulation up there but it's not very thick and all crumbly on top. Also just found out from said neighbours that I have solid 2 brick walls so cavity wall insulation is out. Looks like I may be best getting more efficient radiators (under 1,000 years old) and insulating the roof to ****.
Future conversion up there too!
Hmmmmmmmmm
Can't quite believe you have an exam next week but you haven't brought home ANYTHING to revise? If you were one of my lads, you'd get an earful, no doubt about it
. There must be SOME parts you've understood?
Can't quite believe you have an exam next week but you haven't brought home ANYTHING to revise? If you were one of my lads, you'd get an earful, no doubt about it
. There must be SOME parts you've understood?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
I will ask tomorrow why.
I'm bringing my notes home for the rest of the week.
I'm glad you would give me an ear full, as it shows you care about my future profession as much as me.
There are some parts that I understand.
Anything else?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,415
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From: Doncaster, S. Yorks.
She is having a very big rebuild done I suppose and I can't even begin to guess at the cost!
Les
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