Posts Tagged ‘Water Heating’

The fallout of Japan’s problems, UK soaring energy bills, Libya and oil supply problems etc…. If these events are not worrying you about future energy needs and sources then you are either misguided or already have an energy solution to benefit from.

UK domestic homes produce the majority of our carbon emissions: 50% for space heating, 20% for water heating, 22% for lighting and appliances plus 5% for cooking. 50% of our total carbon emissions are from energy used to produce heat.

We must wean ourselves off non-sustainable fossil fuels consumption and begin to use alternative energy supplies such as Biomass systems (woodchip, typically willow or poplar, or wood pellets, sawdust); Water, Air and Ground source Heat-Pumps; Solar Thermal systems (up to 200 kWth) etc….

Unfortunately Britain has not historically treated this subject particularly seriously and we are now a long way behind nearly all European Countries. As a result energy competition is less than fierce and therefore energy costs remain relatively high.

The whole subject of Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT) and Renewable-Heating-Incentives (RHI) is now raging and soon you may need to know where you intend to place yourself to lower your costs and emissions for the sake of both our own budgets and the future of our planet.

Note that many systems nowadays do not require Planning Permission because they are included within General Permitted Development Orders.

The Government have introduced new financial incentive schemes to make us think about energy use and the emphasis is now on Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT), the Green Deal and Renewable Heating Incentives (RHI) to help us use renewable systems. This reflects passing of the Energy Act 2010, section 100. RHI on domestic property will not be come effective until 2012 but in the meantime the Government PR machine will be bombarding us with examples of nil-capital-costs schemes for heating schemes that are “paid back” by the savings achieved on energy consumption.

All new UK social housing schemes, since 2007, are built to the Code for Sustainable Homes. This rates homes from 1 to 6. Code 1 is a grade just over current Building Regulations standards and note that since 2007 all Affordable Housing has had to achieve Code 3.

Government intends all new build Homes should be zero carbon rated by 2016 in England. This is a massive step change policy and means dramatic change is needed in our general attitude to energy usage, thermal insulation and lifestyle.

Private Home building from October 2010 has been required to improve 25% on Carbon Emissions against 2006 Building Regulations (Part L improvements). Further improvement of standards will be brought in during 2013 and then again in 2016 (bringing all homes up to Sustainable Homes Codes 4 & 6 at that time).

The effect of these new codes means that the cost of housing is increasing thus further emphasising the need to keep energy costs LOW (or flatten to “nil” by innovative designs of new energy systems).

CHECK OUT these website facilities:- www.checkrenewables.org.uk and then clink “interactive tool” AND/OR www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewableselector/start/
AND/OR www.cibse.org/index.cfm?go=page.view&item=658

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Tips & Warnings

Solar thermal heating

These convert light (direct or indirect) into heated water.

Some “combination” boilers are not compatible.

Legionnaire’s disease is a risk unless water is taken to 60 degrees or more.

Southern orientation for roof Panels is essential.

PV Panels

These convert light into free power.

Under the FiTs scheme you can get free PV panels for free daytime electricity (non-used electricity is taken into the national grid but the Contractor/Supplier gets this income stream, not the home owner – unless the home owner is paying for the whole installation).

Ground Source Heat Pumps

These take heat from out of the ground.

Often used in tandem with off-peak electricity for hot water storage.

Trench or Borehole types (3 bed semi may need 2 x 35m trenches).

Alternatives are Air or Water sources systems can be used but coefficients of efficiency are lower than for earth/rock systems.

Air and Water systems can also be noisy and/or require higher maintenance costs.

Biomass

Replace your boiler with a Biomass Boiler/system.

These are usually associated with non-small house sizes.

Biomass means animal and plant material: sustainable woods are already common nowadays as a model biomass source.

Storage of materials and ease-of-use are factors to consider.

Ash collection and disposal are also issues.

50% of homes are within Smokeless Zones and so “exempt” boiler devices, or those with special particulates filters, will be required.

House Home Flat – Property Building Structure – Surveys Reports.

What is basically happening to define these products?

House Surveyors will all tell you they all do the same things to produce property surveys. PROinspect are Home Surveyors but also Experts that Barristers/Solicitors and the Courts refer to for expert opinion on negligence and so we know what causes inferior service levels and customer dissatisfaction.

With this background we know that our formula that defines the PROinspect service level standard is second to none at all.

So what do building surveyors actually do when they get to a house, the home of a seller?

Basically – they inspect systematically all the component parts of a structure for a whole raft of defect and hazard types and then translate that into the report type requested and then offer advice on that content. It is not the “what” that matters, more the knowledge and experience of the individual surveyor and the amount of time he or she is prepared to take to compile your report. This goes far beyond a detailed site inspection.

For the most popular survey product in England & Wales this means that the following are inspected and reported upon……..

1. Chimney Stacks
2. Roof Coverings
3. Rainwater Pipes & Gutters
4. Main Walls
5. Windows
6. Outside Doors
7. Conservatory & Porch
8. Other Joinery & Finishes
9. Roof Structure
10. Ceilings
11. Walls & Partitions
12. Floors
13. Fireplaces, Chimney breasts & Flues
14. Built-in Fittings
15. Woodwork
16. Bathroom Fittings
17. Electricity
18. Gas or Oil
19. Water
20. Heating
21. Water Heating
22. Drainage
23. Common Services
24. Garage
25. Other (Outbuildings)
26. General (Site)
27. Regulations
28. Guarantees
29. Other (legal) Matters
30. Risks to the Building
31. Risks to the Grounds
32. Risks to People
33. Market Valuation
34. Rebuild Cost assessment

It is reasonable that as the Surveyor will be limited by floor coverings, linings, insulation, fittings, possessions that the report cannot be an invasive investigation after damaging the premises to take it apart to see how it is put together. Caveats will apply but these are only valid if they are reasonable in all the circumstances.

With the above in mind it becomes self-evident that the more you pay a competent Surveyor the better the survey product that you will get. We cannot, because of space limitations, elaborate on this but suffice to say it our experience that cheap often means second-rate. No substitute exists for spending time and effort before the inspection, at the property, after the site inspection and then “in the office”. Time means money.

What defines a good house surveyor and the best home survey product?

• Clear and direct communication between customer and surveyor at the fee quotation stage.
• Being informed of your survey options to get the right survey product for your individual needs (there are many products to choose from).
• Finding a truly an experienced and knowledgeable Surveyor for the locality of, and construction type of, the home to be viewed.
• Obtaining a plain language report created at the level that the customer can understand.
• Structured Surveyor/Customer communication post-report so that the customer has the confidence to proceed.

With the greatest will in the world this does not happen when customers choose big companies or when the option is chosen to combine the loan valuation with a private survey.

It takes effort for a home buyer to get the right recommendation to a good Surveyor. That effort will be rewarded massively when defects or problems are found – when the going gets tough, the tough get going – you need a robust professional on your team and that is what PROinspect are. If you get a quote from anybody other than the actual Surveyor who is going to inspect your next home then that person, and the company that they are employed by, should not be considered as worthy of your custom. Move on until you find an unbiased, true professional who you can take seriously.

If your home or property is in southern England then I invite you to call me for further opinion and advice. Stuart Parrett +44 (0)1489 896 174