[rikur_]

Any got experience of underfloor insulation? We're contemplating it - easy access under floor in one room, others would be more painful.

We had it in our extension, and not the original part of the house. Difficult to attribute any difference to it, albeit in our case we've got carpets and underlay.
I could imagine that in one of our previous houses that had polished floor boards it would have made a huge difference, as they were continuously cold and draughty.

[johnm]

The main issue with a suspended floor is draughts so if you have carpets it is probably not worth it. It's also important that the underfloor area is well ventilated otherwise rot will set in that's why there are air bricks around.

[mick w]

The main issue with a suspended floor is draughts so if you have carpets it is probably not worth it. It's also important that the underfloor area is well ventilated otherwise rot will set in that's why there are air bricks around.

Which are useless if Cobwebs are present .

[PeteSpencer]

You have to be a bit circumspect with underfloor heating about the thickness of the carpets and quality of the underlay or you end up with a double insulating layer and the heat goes straight on past ….

Stone/tiled floors don’t seem to matter : the warmth comes straight through as an equilibrium builds up.

With four ‘time periods ‘ per day on our Heatmisers in every room though it takes a while to set up it becomes a fit and forget process .

The only adjustment is to drop a few degrees when the warm weather comes .Because of the slow response of underfloor heating our neighbours just set the same temp in each time zone throughout the day.

[rikur_]

It's also important that the underfloor area is well ventilated otherwise rot will set in that's why there are air bricks around.

I'd be interested to know how much of an issue with is with modern builds.
House #2 (1920 build, which is below sea level) often has standing water in the underfloor area, and the walls below the DPC are wet much of the year. Yes it's ventilated, but permanently damp nonetheless.
House #1 (1990s build) sits on a raft above a damp proof membrane, and the small underfloor void is bone dry.

[Bill McCarthy]

I have just had a look at my elec meter and I have used 2100kwh per annum over the last seven years and generated 110 000kwh over the seven years since installation. I use a 47kg propane gas bottle (with one on standby)over about 15months for cooking. Recently, I have had the oil fired central heating in “manual” and it has saved a packet as it’s on when we want it. There is no room thermostat as they are a waste of time and do not control the normal running of the boiler when it’s cycling. Tank top ups are one and a half per year, that’s 1500 litres, rather than three. I regret however, tiling the kitchen floor as it’s a cold slab all the time.

[Rob P]

Mrs R to get them to wear collars with ID chips for entry systems.

Why?

They work off the identity chip implant now. Seems to have been failsafe for the past four years and two cats. No intruders have ever entered the house.

Many years back the parents of my then partner had two large German Shepherds and installed a dog hatch of such a size that I considered I could wriggle through with a bit of effort. I pointed out to them that this constituted a burglary risk to which they patiently replied "Would you really try and burgle a house that had a dog door this big?"

GPWM.

Rob P

[PeteSpencer]

It's also important that the underfloor area is well ventilated otherwise rot will set in that's why there are air bricks around.

I'd be interested to know how much of an issue with is with modern builds.
.

Our house (built 2016) has underfloor heating: The downstairs floor is suspended concrete beams with membrane then 6inch thick alu foil faced insulation solid foam. Heating pipes metal inside plastic tubing,on top of that concrete skim then with floor tiles or carpet. Insulated to 'triple standard' whatever that is.
We watched all this being done;

There are ventilation bricks just above damp-proof course at ground level and a ring of ventilation slots at about first floor level.

It is completely draught proof and had some kind or vacuum/suction test/certification when it was built.

Over the years we've serially lowered the ambient temp and now think we've got it about right.
Energy bill half previous heat- porous pad.

[johnm]

I confess to being well out of date on much of this, my thoughts on avoiding cold from below the floor were based on experience in a house built in 1905

[Colonel Panic]

That is a problem with self builds

[johnm]

That is a problem with self builds

Not quite, though when I removed the mouldings from the back door as they were failing, the wood beneath was bare except for the signatures of the builder and the chippie......

[Nick]

Heat pumps explained. I must say most of these points have occurred to me. I certainly won't be going down that road.

Nick

[stevelup]

Good news here... if I keep up the good work, we'll only consume 15MWh...

[OCB]

Good news here... if I keep up the good work, we'll only consume 15MWh...

Exactly how many Tesla X etc do you ponce around in?

[OCB]

Heat pumps explained. I must say most of these points have occurred to me. I certainly won't be going down that road.

Nick

If someone was to install a community heat pump close to you, which gave you air heating and DHW at 25% of the cost of what you pay just now - would you go for it?

Knowing that a heat pump doesn’t suffer from the whims of politicians who ferked away local gas storage, and at the same time knowing the same politicians tied themselves to a KGB despot who clearly enjoys playing the long game better than any Western politician is even vaguely capable of countering.

Not to mention, any bit of kit with a COP of more than 1 is just inherently cool….




…or hot, depending on the required output….