Gadgets - Easy plastering

On my list of training courses to do is plastering. It’s that dark art that if mastered can save you a fortune. But if you don’t want to learn and are too tight to get a pro in then fibretech have released a roll on skim. £40 per 10 litre bucket, you simply roll it on the wall, smooth it down and sand any imperfections.

For more info go to www.fibretech.ie.

Gadgets

Facts - Insulation

Insulating your home can save you money on your fuel bills, and make your home a warmer and more comfortable place to be. This section describes the different types of insulation available, the savings that can be made, and the grant and discount schemes available to help you insulate your home.

Insulating your home saves on the amount of fuel you use to heat it. Most of the fuel we use comes from burning fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gasses, which causes global warming. 

Insulating your house

The different ways of insulating your home are:

• cavity wall insulation
• solid wall insulation
• loft insulation
• hot water tank insulation and pipe insulation
• draught-proofing
• floor insulation

Cavity wall insulation

This involves filling the cavity within the walls of a house (cavity walls are normally found in houses built in the 1930s or later) with insulating material. Cavity wall insulation reduces the heat loss through the walls by up to 40%, thus giving significant savings in heating costs. The reduction in heat loss also leads to an increase in air temperature in the dwelling and, as a result, more comfortable living conditions. Cavity wall insulation is the most cost-effective single insulation measure after loft insulation.

Discounts and grants are available for cavity wall insulation. Full grants may be available if you are over 60 or in receipt of an income related benefit.

Otherwise discounted prices for cavity wall insulation are available through the Big Green Insulation Scheme.  

Solid wall insulation

This can be applied to either the internal or external wall of a property. Most houses built before 1930 were built with solid walls. This means there is no cavity within the wall.

External wall insulation is worth considering when repairing the external walls. An insulated cladding is applied to external walls of the house. This form of insulation can be expensive and has a long payback period.

Internal wall insulation can also be installed by placing insulating material behind a layer of plasterboard. This will slightly reduce the floor area of the rooms and should only be considered as part of a major renovation of the property.

Wall Insulation	Cavity*#	Internal*	External*
Cost of fitting by installer	£280-380	From £900	From £1500 (if walls are being repaired anyway)
Cost recovered	3-5 years	5-6 years	9-11 years

*all information is based on a gas-heated 3-bedroom semi-detached house, with figures from the Energy Saving Trust

Loft insulation

This can save you up to 25% of your heating costs. The recommended thickness of loft insulation is currently 250mm (10″). Loft insulation can be either DIY installed or by a professional installer.

Dont forget that it is important to leave a gap around the eaves, as the loft needs to be ventilated to stop condensation forming, and also to draught-proof the loft hatch to stop draughts entering your home. 

Cost	Adding 200mm to existing 50mm of loft insulation	250mm loft insulation where none at present

*all information is based on a gas-heated 3-bedroom semi-detached house

Figures from Energy Saving Trust

Discounts and grants are available for loft insulation. See the Grants and Offers page by selecting the link under ’see also’ on the right-hand menu.  Full grants may be available if you are over 60 or in receipt of an income related benefit.

Otherwise discounted prices for loftinsulation are available through the Big Green Insulation Scheme.  

Hot water tank and pipe insulation

This can help to keep your hot water hot longer and prevents pipes freezing in cold weather. Hot water cylinder jackets can be fitted to your hot water tank and pipe insulation to your pipes. Both are easy to fit yourself and can be bought from any good DIY store. New hot water tanks will come fitted with foam insulation.

Fitting a thick hot water tank jacket can cut heat loss by up to 75% from your hot water tank. If you already have a jacket which is less than 75mm (3) thick, fit another one around it or replace it completely and you will save even more money.

Cost	Fitting jacket to your hot water tank*	Insulating hot water pipes*
Cost of fitting (DIY)	From £10	From £10
Annual saving on fuel bills	£10-15	Up to £5
Cost recovered	Up to 1 year	2 years

*all information is based on a gas-heated 3-bedroom semi-detached house.

Figures from Energy Saving Trust

Draught-proofing

This is a cheap way of preventing cold draughts entering your home. Draught-proofing materials are available from any good DIY store and can be placed on doors, letterboxes, keyholes and windows. 

Draughty doors and windows are a major source of heat loss and fitting draught excluders can greatly increase your comfort and reduce fuel costs.

Cost	Draught proofing*

*all information is based on a gas-heated 3-bedroom semi-detached house.

Figures from Energy Saving Trust

Floor insulation

This can prevent draughts and heat leaks from under your floor. You can apply a regular tube sealant to the gap (like the type you use around your bath), or if you have access under the floor (through the cellar for example), or you need to take the floorboards up, it’s worth insulating underneath on the ground floor. Remember not to block any underfloor airbricks in your outside walls, as the floor space needs adequate ventilation.

Cost	Under floor*	Filling gaps between skirting board and floor*
Cost (DIY)	From £100	Around £25
Annual Saving on fuel bills	£15-£25	£5-£10
Cost recovered	4-7 years	3-5 years

*all information is based on a gas-heated 3-bedroom semi-detached house.

Figures from Energy Saving Trust

No cost/Low-cost options

No cost options:

1. Close curtains at dusk to reduce heat escaping through windows.

Low-cost options:

1. Eliminate draughts and wasted heat by fixing draught-proofing to exterior doors.  Remember that some ventilation is important.
   Cost: around £5
2. Buy an insulating jacket for the hot water cylinder. This needs to be at least 75mm thick.
   Cost: around £10
   Saving: £10-£15 per year
3. Insulate your hot water pipes to stop heat escaping from them.
   Cost: around £1 per metre
   Saving: around £5 per year
4. Stop draughts, and heat escaping by filling gaps under skirting boards, with newspaper, beading or sealant.
   Cost: around £25
   Saving £5-£10 per year
5. Letterboxes and keyholes can let in draughts. Fit nylon brush seal or spring flap, and put a cover over the keyhole.
   Cost: around £5

Facts

Diary - The new boiler goes in

Day 1. Abbey Boilers arrive with 2 huge boxes. After a quick chat to talk through placement they start unwrapping. The unvented cylinder, a 1751 lt Megaflo, is huge and the boiler, a vaillant EcoTech Plus 624, looked like a car engine when opened. They installed the cylinder and boiler to the wall and started running the copper piping. Where before, we had a lame looking granny heater, we now have a room filled with piping, spagettiing over the wall and looking like it could heat Hampton court. 

Day 2. The piping is complete and, how ever sad it may sound, I find myself standing in front of the newly installed system with a massive grin on my face. The electrics are installed which include the control panel, thermostat receiver and flow controls and the gas has been connected. Tempory piping has been laid in the loft space which should allow the builders the work around them for as long as possible.

DAY 3. Hot water and heating are on. The old water heater and water tank have been removed and the pipes have been insulated. The soak away is dug and the flue is steaming away.

Diary Plumbing

Green - starting on the right path.

Having a couple of young children focuses your mind on the more greener issues. It’s also a big buzz word at the moment with everyother news article commenting on global warming and the government pushing subsides to win votes.

I’m all for it and if I had money to burn I would make our house totally self sifficient - but these changes all cost money and only start paying back if you stay there for a lengthy period. I’m not going to dismiss the idea. I’m guessing I can take a wind turbine to any new house we buy, so this subject needs to be investigated further. Until then I’ve found a top 10 list of simplier ways to be green.

• 1. If you are thinking of laying a wooden floor, buy reclaimed floorboards or wood from a sustainable source. Make sure that the wood is not from rainforests or other threatened forests. For more guidance, get hold of a copy of the newly revised FOE Good Wood Guide or look out for the Forest Stewardship Council’s label.
• 2. Save energy. Insulate your home - fit double glazing and invest in energy efficient light bulbs. Most of the energy we use contributes to climate change. Climate change is caused by the release of “greenhouse gases” such as carbon dioxide which is given off when fossil fuels such as oil and gas are burnt in power stations. To find out how you can switch on to green energy, reduce energy waste and cut your household bills, simply order your free copy of Friends of the Earth’s Green Energy Guide. Further information is also available from the Energy Savings Trust.
• 3. Chucking out old furniture? Don’t throw it in the skip, give it to a charity. Contact Wastewatch for details of organisations which collect furniture in your area.
• 4. If you are painting or want to apply a finish or stain, try to find a natural product. Many products contain toxic chemicals and can pollute the environment. Information on suppliers of natural products is available from The Association for Environment Conscious Building.
• 5. Recycle all glass,cans, paper and plastics. Unnecessary packaging puts unnecessary pressure on the world’s natural resources. Mining and forestry can destroy habitats that have taken centuries to develop. On top of this most of this packaging is thrown away and buried in holes in the countryside called landfill sites. These sites can pollute water supplies. Reducing waste reduces energy consumption too! For more information on recycling and reducing waste, contact Wastewatch.
• 6. Save water. Don’t leave taps running unnecessarily. Invest in a rain water butt to collect rainfall to water your garden. Water is taken from rivers and underground water supplies all over the country. As more and more water is taken from our wild places, many of our most important wildlife areas, wetlands and rivers become threatened. For more information contact your water company or the Centre for Alternative Technology.
• 7. Buy a green fridge! As well as damaging the ozone layer, the CFCs found in most existing fridges and freezers are also powerful greenhouse gases. The good news is that 100 per cent ozone-friendly fridges are now available in UK shops and these use a propane and butane mixture. When replacing old equipment, make sure the CFCs are safely removed. Find out whether your council, fridge retailer or manufacturer operate a safe, ozone friendly fridge disposal service.
• 8. Buy products which are built to last. Too many of the goods we buy break easily and can be expensive to fix. Buy products with long guarantees and ask if the shop will take the product back to be recycled at the end of its lifespan. This helps reduce waste and saves valuable resources.
• 9. Try to avoid buying peat compost, as the bogs where it comes from are unique wildlife havens and are disappearing fast. Your own compost will do a similar job.
• 10. Steer clear of chemically-based fertilisers and pesticides. Buy and grow organic food wherever possible. Chemicals used to kill pests and feed plants can damage your health. For more information contact The Soil Association.

_{source: friends of the earth}

Going Green

News - National Self Build & Renovation centre opens

The plan was that this weekend I would sneak off to pay a visit to the newly opened Buildstore’s National Self Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon. Unfortunately my daughter has caught chicken pox. So that’s me quarantined, forced to watch the 6 nations - shame. Still, if you’re not plagued by sick family, then 67,000 sq foot complex awaits you, offering 220 companies space to wow you with their wares. Tickets cost £8 and £12.

Go to www.buildstore.co.uk/mykindofhome for more information.

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