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Improving C1 house to heat pump standard?

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  • 19-04-2024 12:00pm
    #1
    MarkP
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭


    We're starting work a rural dormer house, under 20 years old (but 1991 Regs?), with OFCH radiators. Ideally we'd like underfloor heating from ground source heat pump (there's an unused well bore that might work). BER cert was done nearly ten years ago with a C1 rating (with the oil and non-LED lighting), so we're looking at what's possible to get maybe B2.

    As far as we know from the original plans:

    • Floors - 75mm sand cement screed, 150mm concrete slab, 55mm insulation under entire slab, 1 layer 1000 gauge visqueen
    • Walls - 300mm cavity wall construction, 100mm concrete block outer leaf, 100mm cavity with 50mm insulation, 100mm concrete block inner leaf (150mm vents)
    • Windows - hardwood, double glazed (we have quite a lot of large windows, velux, and patio doors)
    • Chimney - one flue we'd like to keep for a log burner but not as the primary heat source.

    What are the key things we can work on in terms of bang for buck? Additional loft fibre, dormer slopes, gable walls? Pump in the wall cavities? Do we need to be looking at cost of all new windows? On the plus side, South facing on a large plot.



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    #2
    Shoog
    Registered Users Posts: 4,327 ✭✭✭Shoog


    Triple glazing and dry lining (at least 50mm more of urethane) will go a long way. Also you can probably double your loft insulation. Workout an airtightness strategy especially around openings. Think about ventilation strategies early on, the more you do to insulate the more ventilation becomes a critical element.



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    #3
    Biker1
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭Biker1


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058347578/improving-c1-house-to-heat-pump-standard

    There is no way of knowing what is your best options without getting someone qualified to do a survey on the house. If you are thinking of a heat pump grant then a Technical Assessor will do the job for you.



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    #4
    MarkP
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭MarkP


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122038727#Comment_122038727

    We have BER recommendations and thermal/damp meter readings. Just looking for good solutions. Overall…

    Front door 2.7><4 (e.g. draft stripping?) and draughty porch (i.e. add an outer door).

    Floors 0.25><0.6 (looking how to improve this for underfloor heating)

    Dormer roof rafter insulation 0.2><0.4 (e.g. not sure whether to add more internal cladding)

    Dormer ceiling insulation 0.16><0.4 (easy to add more loft insulation material)

    Cavity walls, 0.27><0.6 (probably we could pump 50mm cavity insulation)

    Windows 2><2.7 (not cheap to replace all the windows and doors)

    Oil boiler efficiency 86%><80% (e.g. condensing boiler or heat pump, if we can improve the rest).



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    #5
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,037 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052748#Comment_122052748

    BER recommendations are next to useless. they are generic info spewed out by the software and dont take into account specifics.

    For example, you could have the best triple glazed windows in your house, and one old double glazed 12mm rooflight, and the software "advisory report" will suggest you upgraded your windows.

    if you are seriously considering the heat pump route, you need to engage a technical advisor (as biker has said above). they will assess teh dwelling and find out what the current HLI is (heat loss indicator). they will then advise the best / most economical means to get the HLI below the required 2.0 standard.



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