The Environment Thread :-)
61 watchers
Feb 2022
2:32pm, 25 Feb 2022
4,907 posts
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run free
Just bit the bullet and changed my gas boiler to an air source heat pump. Was surprised when my EPC (needed to get RHI) was downgraded from category C to category D. Seems to suggest the gas boiler is better than an ASHP?!!! Will be talking to the assessor otherwise the EPC is joke and a waste of money.
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Feb 2022
2:59pm, 25 Feb 2022
41,605 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
That doesn't make any sense run_free? Did you do insulation and stuff at same time?
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Feb 2022
3:07pm, 25 Feb 2022
5,719 posts
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ThorntonRunner
I'm starting to consider the same change (ashp). Presumably yours is air to wet? I'm interested in air to air - ie warm air heating rather than radiators/underfloor. This doesn't seem very popular. Are there specific reasons why not? On the face of it air to air is more efficient (ashp approx 4x energy out to energy in as opposed to 3.2x for air to wet due to the lower temperature required), and I would have thought it was more responsive.
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Feb 2022
3:10pm, 25 Feb 2022
4,909 posts
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run free
Have cavity wall insulation + roof insulation is greater than 200mm. Windows are all double glazed. Seen this yorkshireenergysystems.co.uk and this about why installing a heat pump will actually downgrade your EPC! thisismoney.co.uk |
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Feb 2022
3:13pm, 25 Feb 2022
4,910 posts
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run free
@Thornton - mine is air to water as I was retro-fitting.
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Feb 2022
3:18pm, 25 Feb 2022
4,911 posts
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run free
and I use it for both heating and hot water
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Feb 2022
3:27pm, 25 Feb 2022
41,607 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Interesting article ref - so basically, EPCs are sh*te, in terms of heat pumps anyway? "The answer lies in the fact that the algorithms producing EPC reports are fundamentally flawed. EPCs have never advocated non-fossil fuel alternatives to space heating in their recommendations (they do recommend solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems for electricity and hot water) and have always underestimated the efficiency of heat pumps relative to other heating systems." Did you have to change your pipes run free? Lower heat than gas/oil (55C vs. 75C plus) so need bigger radiators and sometimes pipes too?  G
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Feb 2022
3:28pm, 25 Feb 2022
3,068 posts
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Fields
Wasn’t warm air heating big in the 60s / 70s? I saw a few houses of that age had it
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Feb 2022
3:30pm, 25 Feb 2022
4,913 posts
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run free
Only had to change 3 radiators. All pipes were fine. But this also potentially makes my property unmarketable when I want to sell it. |
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Feb 2022
3:32pm, 25 Feb 2022
41,608 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
I only gave cursory glance at EPC when I bought - I think you can explain that to any potential buyers. Terrible that the official gov't measurement of home energy efficiency is basically wrong!
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