Help! Independent heating advice?

Db990

Member
Insulation, double glazing and draught proofing are the first major steps to take.
I just put 50mm insulation on the inside of all external walls in my ancient, cold and draughty farmhouse. I also fitted double glazing and insulated the loft with a generous amount.
House now runs entirely on a log fired range cooker in the kitchen/diner and a 5 kW log burner in the living room, temperature wise you can comfortably sit in your underpants should you wish to. We do have a new oil boiler too that goes on whenever the fire hasn't been lit but that isn't often. Been in almost a year now and haven't bought more oil yet. We do burn a lot of logs which could be a problem for your parents depending on how fit and well they are. The deal in this house is I will always make sure there are dry logs, missus can burn as many as she likes.

Insulation should be the priority.
They get through a lot of wood already keeping the stove and a small open fire going. However they are getting on a bit so this might get harder in a few years. How thick were your walls before you insulated them? I’m thinking if they just got double glazing put in it would make a massive difference
 

Hampton

Member
BASIS
Location
Shropshire
They get through a lot of wood already keeping the stove and a small open fire going. However they are getting on a bit so this might get harder in a few years. How thick were your walls before you insulated them? I’m thinking if they just got double glazing put in it would make a massive difference
I’ve got a big sandstone farmhouse. I put insulation in a couple of rooms, but then double glazed the house. The difference from changing the windows was massive. I haven’t bothered insulating some of the other rooms, didn’t need it
 

Kidds

Member
Horticulture
They get through a lot of wood already keeping the stove and a small open fire going. However they are getting on a bit so this might get harder in a few years. How thick were your walls before you insulated them? I’m thinking if they just got double glazing put in it would make a massive difference
9" mostly.
The open fire won't help, replacing that with a log burner and fitting a register plate to stop the heat all being drawn up the chimney will make a world of difference.
 

Wisconsonian

Member
Trade
Seal the air leaks around the windows and most importantly the ceiling. Every heated house acts like a chimney, the warm air rises out the top and sucks in cold air around the floor. If you can give up the use of the attic, then foam, or plastic sheeting and lots of expanding foam or caulk to seal will make more difference than insulating, or double glazed windows.
 

Northern territory

Member
Livestock Farmer
Insulation, double glazing and draught proofing are the first major steps to take.
I just put 50mm insulation on the inside of all external walls in my ancient, cold and draughty farmhouse. I also fitted double glazing and insulated the loft with a generous amount.
House now runs entirely on a log fired range cooker in the kitchen/diner and a 5 kW log burner in the living room, temperature wise you can comfortably sit in your underpants should you wish to. We do have a new oil boiler too that goes on whenever the fire hasn't been lit but that isn't often. Been in almost a year now and haven't bought more oil yet. We do burn a lot of logs which could be a problem for your parents depending on how fit and well they are. The deal in this house is I will always make sure there are dry logs, missus can burn as many as she likes.

Insulation should be the priority.
This is exactly what I am looking to do, did you stud wall everything and kingspan it all. I am fearful of the costs involved but have a reasonable budget. Probably going down the oil route although am aware of the future.
 

Kidds

Member
Horticulture
This is exactly what I am looking to do, did you stud wall everything and kingspan it all. I am fearful of the costs involved but have a reasonable budget. Probably going down the oil route although am aware of the future.
Stud wall, kingspan and plasterboard, replastered. I can't tell you the cost as it all got lumped in with the rest of what we were doing but it has completely transformed the house.
Replaced all the single glazing with double glazing and fitted new external doors.
I have lived in draughty farmhouses all my life but we made this one warm and cosy, and that is the whole house not just the living room and screaming at everyone to shut the bloody door when they go in or out.
 

Hampton

Member
BASIS
Location
Shropshire
Stud wall, kingspan and plasterboard, replastered. I can't tell you the cost as it all got lumped in with the rest of what we were doing but it has completely transformed the house.
Replaced all the single glazing with double glazing and fitted new external doors.
I have lived in draughty farmhouses all my life but we made this one warm and cosy, and that is the whole house not just the living room and screaming at everyone to shut the bloody door when they go in or out.
The cost will be around £35/m2.
Think I last paid £33/sheet for 50mm kingsman. Each sheet is 2.88m2
Timber will be another £10/m2
Plus plastering, skirting and painting
£35/m2 won’t be far out.
If it’s brick, you may get away with dot and dabbing. Insulated 50mm plasterboard is around £55/sheet (apparently the glue is VERY expensive!) but it may be easier to dab insulated board on instead. Cost would work out at similar although studding would be better
 

Northern territory

Member
Livestock Farmer
Stud wall, kingspan and plasterboard, replastered. I can't tell you the cost as it all got lumped in with the rest of what we were doing but it has completely transformed the house.
Replaced all the single glazing with double glazing and fitted new external doors.
I have lived in draughty farmhouses all my life but we made this one warm and cosy, and that is the whole house not just the living room and screaming at everyone to shut the bloody door when they go in or out.
The cost will be around £35/m2.
Think I last paid £33/sheet for 50mm kingsman. Each sheet is 2.88m2
Timber will be another £10/m2
Plus plastering, skirting and painting
£35/m2 won’t be far out.
If it’s brick, you may get away with dot and dabbing. Insulated 50mm plasterboard is around £55/sheet (apparently the glue is VERY expensive!) but it may be easier to dab insulated board on instead. Cost would work out at similar although studding would be better
Cheers very helpful. There is double glazing in at moment but will need re pointing as well
 

Chickcatcher

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
SG9
Just be aware of damp that may come off the wall you put inside board on. A membrane was used and then the stud work, insulation board came with plaster board as one.
 

Chickcatcher

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
SG9
Been playing with ASHP controls. I have now set up controls to turn system off at 10pm and turn back on again at 6;45am. The house is holding up to not getting cold and consumption of Kw has reduced noticeably. Was seeing the HP always freezing up and going through heat cycle too defrost in those early morning hours I am aware its not Jan Feb but I have been pleasantly surprised.
 
The cost will be around £35/m2.
Think I last paid £33/sheet for 50mm kingsman. Each sheet is 2.88m2
Timber will be another £10/m2
Plus plastering, skirting and painting
£35/m2 won’t be far out.
If it’s brick, you may get away with dot and dabbing. Insulated 50mm plasterboard is around £55/sheet (apparently the glue is VERY expensive!) but it may be easier to dab insulated board on instead. Cost would work out at similar although studding would be better

Dot and dab gives you damp patches on the dot!

Better to battern and insulated plasterboard
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
Been playing with ASHP controls. I have now set up controls to turn system off at 10pm and turn back on again at 6;45am. The house is holding up to not getting cold and consumption of Kw has reduced noticeably. Was seeing the HP always freezing up and going through heat cycle too defrost in those early morning hours I am aware its not Jan Feb but I have been pleasantly surprised.
I've often thought max efficient way to use ASHP would be just running it 10am - 4pm, and heating a large buffer tank.
 

spitfire

Member
Location
wales
Insulate and get rid of all the draughts then change the stove for an external air boiler stove and it should easily run enough radiators and heat the hot water. Also think of a MVHR to remove the condensation whilst retaining the heat.
Make sure you get the right sort of stove with the combustion area separate to the boiler as you want combustion to be at high temperature for better efficiency.
hi currently looking at biomass plenty of timber,what do ou call the righst tove
 

renewablejohn

Member
Location
lancs
hi currently looking at biomass plenty of timber,what do ou call the righst tove
Think you have missed the boat. Stoves like the Dunsley Yorkshire had a seperate combustion chamber to the boiler and external air supply but they have been killed by the 2022 legislation. You still might find someone with old stock.
 
Hi - as previous replies suggest, upgrade the insulation for the loft and windows.
DO NOT go biomass, ground/air source, as all require considerable investment and have questionable returns. The biomass would be the most troublesome for you, as it will require regular cleaning/servicing, and loading of pellets which for OAP's is a challenge.
In my view best heating would be log burners - if you can get a log burner with a back boiler on it, then consider hooking that up to the current radiators which would be a relatively cheap option.
One log burner @ around £1500 to buy and install as opposed to the rest being easily around £10k and probably more.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,293
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top