Heat in the home

Use this board for general non-cycling-related chat, or to introduce yourself to the forum.

My central heating is set for what range?

I don't have central heating
8
13%
below 18
22
36%
18-20
24
39%
21-22
2
3%
23-25
2
3%
25-plus
3
5%
 
Total votes: 61

Jdsk
Posts: 24635
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Jdsk »

al_yrpal wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 10:13am Britain's flagship heat pump scheme has been branded an “embarrassment” after badly missing its target of 30,000 annual installations and spending just 40pc of its budget.

Fewer than 10,000 heat pumps were installed in the first year of the grant programme, which gives households money to pay for them as part of net zero efforts to wean Britain off gas.

Mike Foster, chief executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance trade body, which represents boiler manufacturers, said: “It takes a certain type of genius to fail to give away £150m of taxpayers’ money and this wretched scheme looks like it has done just that.

“When will the Government actually listen to the people, the majority of whom simply cannot afford a heat pump, subsidised or not?

“The scheme is simply a taxpayer handout to those who don’t need it. It does little for carbon saving compared to investment on insulation. It does not help people keep bills low. It takes from the poor to give to the wealthy and it is an embarrassment of a policy.”
mjr wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 10:13pmWhich "newspaper" is that post being ripped off from?
It's from the Telegraph and it's paywalled:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/20 ... ns-target/

It's a selective quotation and the subsequent paragraphs give some different views.

...

IIUC this was triggered by the latest figures from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collectio ... te-history

Jonathan
User avatar
al_yrpal
Posts: 11537
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Think Cheddar and Cider
Contact:

Re: Heat in the home

Post by al_yrpal »

The poor heat pump take up figures are apparently Govt statistics and reflect the fact that heat pumps are variously too expensive, untrusted as a sufficient and reliable heat source, difficult to install in many homes, and difficult to source because of lack of experienced installers.
Anyway the conventional boiler guys would point that out wouldnt they?

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Biospace
Posts: 2008
Joined: 24 Jun 2019, 12:23pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Biospace »

853 wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 7:27pm
al_yrpal wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 3:48pm Some houses with external insulation dont look great. There are many council properties nearby that have been insulated and rendered.
The houses that have external insulation around here look great - better than they did before. The local housing association, who took control of the former council housing stock, externally insulated all of their solid-walled properties. Some are imitation brick, that you wouldn't believe wasn't brick, and some are render pattern with totally realistic brick arches and features.

I don't know what the performance benefits have been like, but I haven't heard any moaning
External insulation, like internal, needs careful consideration but when done right is reported to be considerably more efficient than internal. The difficulties arise when there is not much in the way of eaves, I should think.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Mick F »

Lit the fire this afternoon.
There was a fallen birch a few weeks ago that I'm cutting up, and some fallen beech too.
Chainsaw and log-splitter and we have endless heating and hot water.
Mick F. Cornwall
pwa
Posts: 17366
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by pwa »

I lit the woodburner a couple of nights ago, for the first time in a few weeks. The reason? A power cut resulting, one way or another, from a storm with high winds. The house was borderline chilly, so I used our off-grid heating to substitute for the failure of the Grid.
roubaixtuesday
Posts: 5814
Joined: 18 Aug 2015, 7:05pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by roubaixtuesday »

ANTONISH wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 9:11am
mjr wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 10:13pm
al_yrpal wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 10:13am Britain's flagship heat pump scheme has been branded an “embarrassment” after badly missing its target of 30,000 annual installations and spending just 40pc of its budget.
Which "newspaper" is that post being ripped off from?
Well it was in "the Times" and on the BBC website - why the emotive "ripped off from" ? it's obvious that the only people to subscribe to the scheme will be those who have the financial resources to do so and not all of those.
Are you implying that take up is greater than the 30000 reported?
If you're going to quote from a publication it seems not unreasonable to expect a link to the source
irc
Posts: 5192
Joined: 3 Dec 2008, 2:22pm
Location: glasgow

Re: Heat in the home

Post by irc »

al_yrpal wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 10:27am The poor heat pump take up figures are apparently Govt statistics and reflect the fact that heat pumps are variously too expensive, untrusted as a sufficient and reliable heat source, difficult to install in many homes, and difficult to source because of lack of experienced installers.
Anyway the conventional boiler guys would point that out wouldnt they?

Al
Why take a chance on an untested expensive heat pump system involving replacing all radiators with larger ones when gas works well, is cheaper, and can be installed by dozens of local firms with decades of experience?

We installed a new gas boiler last year. The idea of going for a heat pump never crossed my mind.

Gas consumption down by around 40%-50% compared to the old boiler. Well pleased.

Instant hot water on demand and a house that is warm from cold in 30 minutes.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ump-market
Last edited by irc on 15 Apr 2023, 5:58pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
853
Posts: 261
Joined: 23 Sep 2022, 6:01pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by 853 »

pwa wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 4:49pm I lit the woodburner a couple of nights ago, for the first time in a few weeks. The reason? A power cut resulting, one way or another, from a storm with high winds. The house was borderline chilly, so I used our off-grid heating to substitute for the failure of the Grid.
I turned off all heating in my house on April 1st, and that's not a joke. I don't expect to turn it back on until sometime in November.

One of the 'features' of having a south-facing house is that, from Spring until Autumn, when the sun comes out it can really warm the house and the storage heaters can't store the heat for days and days as they are meant to leak it out. It was a bit chilly yesterday (it was wet and cloudy all day) but not as cool as you'd probably imagine. Sunny today, and the house is lovely and warm.

I have no issue with those in rural areas burning fallen trees, or using wood burners when the grid fails.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Heat in the home

Post by mjr »

irc wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 5:31pm
al_yrpal wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 10:27am The poor heat pump take up figures are apparently Govt statistics and reflect the fact that heat pumps are variously too expensive, untrusted as a sufficient and reliable heat source, difficult to install in many homes, and difficult to source because of lack of experienced installers.
Anyway the conventional boiler guys would point that out wouldnt they?

Al
Why take a chance on an untested expensive heat pump system involving replacing all radiators with larger ones when gas works well, is cheaper, and can be installed by dozens of local firms with decades of experience?
Because gas doesn't work well: it poisons the air in the home and to some degree outside, plus it adds to climate change. That's why.

But I realise the economic incentives currently point the opposite way if you have mains gas and don't find a good installer.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Heat in the home

Post by mjr »

ANTONISH wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 9:11am
mjr wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 10:13pm
al_yrpal wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 10:13am Britain's flagship heat pump scheme has been branded an “embarrassment” after badly missing its target of 30,000 annual installations and spending just 40pc of its budget.
Which "newspaper" is that post being ripped off from?
Well it was in "the Times" and on the BBC website - why the emotive "ripped off from" ?
I trained as a journalist, so strongly dislike journalism being reposted without credit, in violation of the Copyright &c Act.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Heat in the home

Post by simonineaston »

I'm puzzled by the quote marks surrounding the word newspaper.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
ANTONISH
Posts: 2967
Joined: 26 Mar 2009, 9:49am

Re: Heat in the home

Post by ANTONISH »

mjr wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 9:15pm
ANTONISH wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 9:11am
mjr wrote: 14 Apr 2023, 10:13pm

Which "newspaper" is that post being ripped off from?
Well it was in "the Times" and on the BBC website - why the emotive "ripped off from" ?
I trained as a journalist, so strongly dislike journalism being reposted without credit, in violation of the Copyright &c Act.
What exactly in my post is in violation of the copyright &c act ?
Phileas
Posts: 414
Joined: 18 Feb 2009, 6:12pm
Location: Bristol

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Phileas »

irc wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 5:31pmWhy take a chance on an untested expensive heat pump system involving replacing all radiators with larger ones…?
“Untested” is perhaps unfair and it is surely not necessarily the case that all radiators need replacing?
irc
Posts: 5192
Joined: 3 Dec 2008, 2:22pm
Location: glasgow

Re: Heat in the home

Post by irc »

Phileas wrote: 16 Apr 2023, 10:54am
irc wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 5:31pmWhy take a chance on an untested expensive heat pump system involving replacing all radiators with larger ones…?
“Untested” is perhaps unfair and it is surely not necessarily the case that all radiators need replacing?
I see no need to be an early adopter. I know nobody with a heat pump. No relatives, friends, or neighbours. I have no intention of getting one soon. By the time (if ever) I get one I will be able to speak to other local users in the same local climate and similar housing for real world facts and figures. The planet can wait. If it survives all the coal China is burning it will survive me keeping my gas boiler for a decade or two.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Heat in the home

Post by mjr »

ANTONISH wrote: 16 Apr 2023, 9:10am
mjr wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 9:15pm
ANTONISH wrote: 15 Apr 2023, 9:11am

Well it was in "the Times" and on the BBC website - why the emotive "ripped off from" ?
I trained as a journalist, so strongly dislike journalism being reposted without credit, in violation of the Copyright &c Act.
What exactly in my post is in violation of the copyright &c act ?
It wasn't referring to your post.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Post Reply