Recent content by yngndrw

The instructions say that you must clear the dust out of each hold before inserting the rod, so let's be fair to the contractor and call it 2 hours and 10 minutes.

As with most things, there's not a single answer. I do firmly disagree with the concept that there's no such thing as rising damp though. I think the lremise of the message, that there is sometimes another explanation has been lost as the message has been passed on. I've seen it first hand. The...

I always used to get Avocet ABS keyed-alike locks, but now that we've moved to a house with an Annexe we went for the Avocet ABS master-key series. The main house and Annexe both have their own set of keys, but there are "shared" locks which can be opened by both keys for the outbuildings. It's...

I personally used Heat Geek to find an installer. (Roger Bisby linked to a video with the owner at the start of this thread) They are a training company (Not just for heat pumps, although that is their main thing now) have a lot of educational videos on YouTube and they do challenge some of the...

I did also want to add a bit about insulation as there's a common misconception about older houses and their suitability for heat pumps. The misconception isn't entirely untrue in a roundabout way, but I'd like to explain it a bit as there are some misunderstandings. Sorry if this has already...

I'd argue that running colder is a higher grade of heat. Both heat pumps and even gas boilers should really be run continuously, modulated by the outdoor temperature. This means that neither will cycle as much (Only when the required output drops below the minimum modulation.) - This is...

Hello Fitz, thank you for your response - It is very helpful to hear of your experiences and the lessons you've learnt. You've absolutely right that there are many forms of damp and that there are different approaches to each of them. We seem to have just about all of them around the property...

The workshop project ended up being pushed to the back of the queue. We decided to go for planning permission for a new kitchen extension as well as change of use on the garage to an office. The planning permission has just been granted so we're currently going through the building control...

Regarding zoning and TRVs, you may want to look at the Heat Geek video on the subject: (They specialise in heat pumps, but the same concepts apply to condensing boilers as well - Just boilers are far more forgiving) (Why not to zone heat pumps or boilers - There are some fantastic worked...

It would match the grid, if they can't be bothered to keep the grid in spec then that's on them. To the best of my knowledge inverters use phase lead / lag rather than outputting at a higher voltage, which means that it wouldn't be overdriving it anymore than it already was.

Why can't they be connected to the solar inverter? The inverter connects to an MCB like any other circuit, not directly to the grid. (And even if it did connect directly - Say to a switch fuse unit, as you say they are designed to connect before the consumer unit so they are rated sufficiently)...

There was a bit of a scam going around a while ago, where companies were selling "voltage optimisers" with the promise that you'd save money with a lower voltage. Nevertheless these voltage optimisers are still available for a few hundred today (Both new and used) and I believe they are...

This is the problem with Part P, nobody is allowed to do any electrical work so nobody learns anything - The knowledge is now hoarded by the training companies who lobbied for tighter regulations and the customer base that they build on the back of it. Regular people used to know a lot more...

Even then selectivity isn't guaranteed. You're better off installing a supply that is sufficient that you won't trip so that it isn't a problem in the first place. If it's a 13A supply, I'd assume it's essentially an extension lead so it sounds like a new cable is in order anyway.

Thank you for your response. The main reason for tackling the damp proofing is because I want to insulate the buildings. Damp isn't a huge problem right now but that's mostly because they are far from well sealed. There are areas within the main house which are noticeably colder, have some...