I am in the initial planning stage for a large conversion/extension. We are converting into the adjacent shop which is circa 60sqm. It will be a single storey conversion with a large amount of glass frontage, flat green roof with a lantern. It will be our kitchen, snug and the old kitchen will become an office area. We are going to install under-floor heating to the extension – with a terracotta tile floor. We would make sure the extension is insulated to the highest level. However, the remaining house (grade II listed) isn’t insulated that well (single glaze and one end wall is even single brick).
My wife is keen on the idea of GSH, as am I, but have heard conflicting information when enquiring. I spoke to several providers at the Grand Design show last year. One put me off completely saying that unless your house is very well insulated then it was not a good option. Duel sourcing (GSH + oil) isn’t an option either I was told.
However, over the weekend, a friend of mine tells me that I could run just the under-floor heating with GSH and the rest of my heating/water could run off the oil boiler. Is this correct? Is it worth it? It would have to be a bore hole on a band of Oxford clay.
confused.com!
jamesingram
29 Sep 2009, 11:20 AM
Hi If you're interested in reducing your enviromental impact , then investing in a high level of insulation and passive solar design is the way forward, how about designing out the need for heating in this new area? GSHP are expensive and as mentioned require a well insulated property to work efficiently. Spend the money on insulation/high quality glazing and secondry glazing in the old section /airtightness-draught proofing Upgrade your boiler to a condensing one if its on its way out cheers Jim
Teflon1978
29 Sep 2009, 12:40 PM
Thanks Jim
We are certainly going for a good level of insulation and as good a quality glass as we can. The boiler is certainly on the way out so replacing with a condensing one won't be a problem.
I will speak to the architect about passive solar design. The buidlings front will have a NW aspect plus is surrounded by other dwellings so loses the evening sun early.
Secondary glazing doesn't appeal (the wife is particulary against it). Draft proofing can be worked on for sure. The single brick first floor end wall, we may put a internal layer in with insulation at the cost of losing a few cms in space.
fridihem
29 Sep 2009, 2:47 PM
Pity about your oil boiler on its way out, otherwise you could have converted to pellets. Here in Sweden, many who had a good working oil furnace, just changed the oil burner for a pellets burner, and hey presto, same system but much cheaper, about 1 third that of oil, and all completely automatic. But no matter which system you have, if you dont have good insulation and 2 or even 3 glass windows, then you are wasting your money on energy to keep you warm. Here I have 170 sq meters, main floor and cellar, and my heating and hot water for a whole year is about £500 from our local distant heating plant, and thats in our climate as well.
October
29 Sep 2009, 8:06 PM
"... from our local distant heating plant"
Fantastic when I lived in Den Hague, but it semms will never be available here in UK.
