If you fully insulate and draught proof a house you also need to ensure ventilation and air circulation. Must say in summer I prefer to have the windows open. We did have an air circulation system which also dehumidified which worked quite well but it is broken and we haven't repaired it as the reason for it has passed.
I don't think hydrogen is going to just take over the gas network as it is rather too good at finding tiny holes and going bang. It might be a partial solution, but then heat pumps are only a partial solution as well. Unfortunately the real solution is to look at each house individually and work out the best solution for it, and for that solution to be available and affordable. As the article says, the 'one size fits all' isn't going to work. I think if we fitted a heat pump (which is possible in our house) we would go for air distribution and a wood fire to add localised additional heat. I don't think a heat pump with our current radiators would do the job. In a terraced house, a heat pump might not be a solution, but a local distribution network might be, possibly wood chip. That would of course course problems with who pays how much of course. Insulation generally needs to be improved and air distribution throughout the house dealt with to prevent mould build up.
Nicky cigreen
Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 9717 Location: Devon, uk
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 23 9:39 am Post subject:
totally agree that you need a solution for each property. I have yet to find one for mine though (not that I would, but can't even knock it down and rebuild as conservation area/national park)
one factor is the cost of leccy to run the HE unit, others include local political nudges to reduce gas dependency, the cost of gas and the level of counter propaganda
Interesting. I think there are several things that have influenced it; as they say, the ambivalent and fluctuating nature of government help, lack of independent advice, which is certainly a factor for us, cost and the suitability of UK housing stock. Terraces of poorly insulated houses in cities may not be the best place to install heat pumps, as the noise can be rather problematical apart from other considerations, and the insulation would have to be done first adding to cost.
I looked up grants for insulation and other things and it depends on not only whether you are financially eligible but you also need to have had a survey of the house recently, which costs money which those eligible for grants may not have.
Interesting. One thing I note in addition to the heat pumps in that article is the move away from 'fossil fuels', yet the Guardian is quite vociferously against burning wood, which is not a fossil fuel.
jema Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 28119 Location: escaped from Swindon
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 23 2:49 pm Post subject:
I'm curious as to how much heat pumps will improve over the next few years?
It does seem to me that there is an awful lot of scope for improvement.
Slim
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 6540 Location: New England (In the US of A)
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 23 9:24 pm Post subject:
Well the big next frontier is solid state heat pumps, but that will take a few years
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