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British Gas versus Octopus: Two possible heat pump routes - how to evaluate them?
Posted by: @luciaReality - half insulated cavity wall
Half insulation is as bad as no insulation. Bit like a hole in a bucket. It may be a bucket but it's not holding the water.
Posted by: @luciaQuestion:What would you do?
BG and get all the rads changed out for bigger. Allows you run cooler for better running costs. If it's too big you can sort out the cycling. Mine is a 6kW on a 3kW max duty and not much modulation. Works fine.
@johnmo You have a 6kw Daikin?
Good point about the bucket...
My preference if going for the 6kw is to try and convince Octopus to accept it. I prefer their whole approach. Plus BG want a lot more money for the 6kw set up.
This problem is caused by MCS regs and EPC ridiculousness. Neither account for problems with the insulation - it's either insulated or not. The EPC says insulated - the borescope (which was done for a different purpose says it's not insulated everywhere....) - 🤦🏻♀️
@johnmo That might depend how high up the hole is in the bucket! 😉 Toodles
Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.
BG have been and quoted at about 1/3 off the original website estimate.
They would change 3 Emitters (as they are now called!) and add one on the landing and came up with 4Kw heat loss which agrees with Ultimate Renewables. My foray into Heatpunk gave 4.9Kw . It would be a Daikin HP.
He appeared to accept my 'no buffer' request but slipped it into the quote!
I would also have to prepare the site for the ASHP with buried pipework for my preferred position which is the other side of a path around the house, about 1 meter away from the house. Where can I find information on a suitable pipe system and fittings?
This was only the quote survey so I look forward to getting the detail later.
Daikin 6Kw ASHP.
MG4 EV, Solis 8KW inverter, 32KWh battery
1926 Semi with loft and wall cavity insulation, all radiator.
Posted by: @toodles@johnmo That might depend how high up the hole is in the bucket! 😉 Toodles
I know what your saying but - Not really, heat will take the path of least resistance, that's why it's so important to get no gaps in insulation. If the cavity is incomplete don't take any credit for it, that is the correct thing to do.
Posted by: @jancoldWhere can I find information on a suitable pipe system and fittings?
I made my own.
110mm flexible underground conduit I had black left over from the build. Inside 28mm Hep2O pipe, and closed cell (armour flex 25mm wall thickness insulation. Wrapped the insulation in aluminium tape. Where the conduit and pipe came out the ground used stainless steel mesh on the end of the assembly to keep wildlife out, foamed into place. Once out of the ground used UV resistant insulation and a 90 Deg fitting to take through the wall.
@johnmo Can such partial insulation jobs be ‘topped up’ or is there a practical method of removal so that a ‘proper job’ could be carried out subsequently? Regards, Toodles.
Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.
Posted by: @toodlesCan such partial insulation jobs be ‘topped up’ or is there a practical method of removal so that a ‘proper job’ could be carried out subsequently
You can normally get mineral wool blown in or use EPS beads they should make their way to fill everything up fully. Beads are less likely to settle later and don't hang on to water if you did get days (or weeks) of rain like we just have.
@johnmo You have to extract everything first and only then can you refill it. Even for a small bungalow like mine it's £3,000 at least. I can't afford to do that.
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