Home heating dilemmas for self build

Gretchy

Hello all
I am beginning a self-build in March 2009. At the moment I am trying to decide on what heating sources to install in the house. I am a total novice with regards to this. I am considering u/floor all over the house (upstairs also) but am confused with the mixed responses on floor coverings for an underfloor heating system. Also I am considering a geo-thermal heat pump. So if anyone has recommendations on a good supplier installer of geo heat pumps and the types of floor coverings to use feel free to respond. Cheers

RKQ

Have a look at the geo-thermal threat.

It is hardy and economical to run. Upstairs should be zoned to heat before bedtime only.

Underfloor is best suited if the house will be occuppied during the day, as it runs on night-rate electricity. (oboviously it works on day rate electricity but this is more expensive) Its a very comfortable heat.

Tiles are ideal, semi-solid timber is good. Carpet can be used but ideally you want a material that heats up and radiates heat - like pocelean tiles.

MicktheMan

Gretchy wrote: »

Hello all
I am beginning a self-build in March 2009. At the moment I am trying to decide on what heating sources to install in the house. I am a total novice with regards to this. I am considering u/floor all over the house (upstairs also) but am confused with the mixed responses on floor coverings for an underfloor heating system. Also I am considering a geo-thermal heat pump. So if anyone has recommendations on a good supplier installer of geo heat pumps and the types of floor coverings to use feel free to respond. Cheers

May I respectfully suggest that you are going about this the wrong way! If I were you, I would concentrate on reducing the heating demand (insulation and airtightness detail). Then and only then look at how to supply this "demand". Remember that a heating systems primary purpose is to replace the heat lost through the building fabric!

MacTheKnife1

MicktheMan wrote: »

May I respectfully suggest that you are going about this the wrong way! If I were you, I would concentrate on reducing the heating demand (insulation and airtightness detail). Then and only then look at how to supply this "demand". Remember that a heating systems primary purpose is to replace the heat lost through the building fabric!

Awesome post! Cannot agree more.

mr_mags

could not agree more,i'm in the middle of building myself and there are so many factors to consider in this area.going green may be economical(???) in the long run but initial costs are high imho...wanted to go greener myself but there are so many products and each has their own technical data,which i found makes it very difficult to compare like with like(plus i'm not sure how well regulated all these are) imo there is no such thing as free heating,it all costs money to run.i have decided to go with zoned oil heating(radiators) :eek:how dare i...but i'm planning to insulate well,make it as airtight as possible and install MHRV and solar.dunno if any of this helps(hopefully not hinders)best of luck with the build

pinkladie

Mr Mags, i agree completly best way to go

endplate

Before you start buliding you have a lot of money and good intentions to go green. But when you start spending you will quickly realise these houses are bloody expensive. currently building a +3000 ft house going with rads, oil condenser boiler, dual zone heating and solid fuel back boiler. Currently cheapest and economical compromise. Oh and don't go for the cheapest plumber go for the best even if he's a bit dearer. I completly filled the cavity with pumped insulation putting a scratch coat of plaster on the external facing walls and then 62mm insulated slab mushroomed to the wall as this prevents air movement between the wall and slab if just dabed.

Best of luck with the build it will drive you mad at times but it'll bring plenty of smiles too and in the end will be well worth it

willbur

ITS NICE TO SEE THAT SOME PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU DONT HEAT A HOUSE , YOU REPLACE THE HEAT YOU ARE LOSING , YOU CAN BUILD A VERY WARM HOUSE FROM SCRATCH , BETTER THAN TRYING TO UPGRADE AN OLD HOUSE , THERE IS A HOUSE IN ENGLAND ( ILL TRY TO FIND IT )
BUILT USING SCANDINEVIAN DESIGN , REQUIRING NO HEATING , FROM GAS COAL OR OIL , THINGS LIKE CAVITY WALL IS 150MM BLOCK THEN 100 INSULATION THEN 100MM BLOCK THEN 100MM WOOL INSULATED STUD ETC THER ARE GREAT NEW WAYS TO INSULATE A HOUSE , THER IS A 15 LAYER ALUMIN FOIL COATED INSULATION DESIGNED BY NASA THATS 8MM THICK AND = TO 250MM , THE THING TO DO IS LOADS OF RESEARCH TO FIND WHATS BEST ALLSO THE BUDGET , IF I WAS DOING THIS I WOULD SPEND THE MOST MONEY ON BUILDING THICK OUT SIDE WALLS WELL INSULATED AND ALLSO THE FLOOR , THE ROOF OR ATTIC USE AS ROOMS AND SOLAR HEATING , AND IF YOU ARE SOME WHERE ITS WINDY THEN WIND GENERATION, AND A HEAT PUMP

RKQ

willbur wrote: »

THERE IS A HOUSE IN ENGLAND ( ILL TRY TO FIND IT )
BUILT USING SCANDINEVIAN DESIGN , REQUIRING NO HEATING , FROM GAS COAL OR OIL ,

, AND IF YOU ARE SOME WHERE ITS WINDY THEN WIND GENERATION, AND A HEAT PUMP

There are a number of Houses in Ireland designed using Passive House principles. There is a Passive House in Wicklow.
Wind generation is an option but its quite an expensive technology at the moment with a long payback time - this will improve. A heat pump is used to transfer heat from the ground, water or air. Wind is not required for a heat pump.