Energy

[chrismpw]

I'd hope and expect those costs come down if they take off as a mainstream energy source.

He's not everyone's cup of tea, but George Monbiot was banging on about retrofitting homes to be better insulated with more carbon friendly Heat sources 20 years ago. Moving to the passivhaus standard for new builds etc.

No political will and resistance from the major housebuilding companies mean we've now started to panic a little. A phased long term transition would have been ideal. But that takes vision and balls.

Quite frankly I cant see how they can justify the expense. Turn up with a drilling rig, spend a couple of days drilling 100m down*. Stick a pipe and return down, install a pump and heat exchanger and plumb it into the existing radiator system. No gas, simple leccy, no danger,no need for expensive "permission to do it" qualifications from a government that milks everything on safety or environmental grounds.

I cant see how that would be over 5k myself - apart from the ripoff Britain factor.

*of course depending on underlying geology there could be issues there. I've asked the firm @tommye linked above to come and give a quote. As a geologist by training I look forward to them trying to tell me the difficulties of drilling through nothing but jurassic clay where I live.

(I could strike oil of course!)

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Quite frankly I cant see how they can justify the expense. Turn up with a drilling rig, spend a couple of days drilling 100m down*. Stick a pipe and return down, install a pump and heat exchanger and plumb it into the existing radiator system. No gas, simple leccy, no danger,no need for expensive "permission to do it" qualifications from a government that milks everything on safety or environmental grounds.

I cant see how that would be over 5k myself - apart from the ripoff Britain factor.

*of course depending on underlying geology there could be issues there. I've asked the firm @tommye linked above to come and give a quote. As a geologist by training I look forward to them trying to tell me the difficulties of drilling through nothing but jurassic clay where I live.

(I could strike oil of course!)

Well, someone is probably making a killing somewhere.

I despair of the government grant schemes, which seemingly only serve to encourage contractors to put their prices up.

Let's just say I became aware of external wall insulation companies signed up to the green homes grant scheme inflating prices. A neighbour had used a couple of companies for quotes a month or so before it launched. I used the same when looking at claiming for a grant. Exactly the same style of house and job quoted for. Mine was £3.5 - £4k dearer.

Don't get me wrong, I'd still have fronted less if I'd gone ahead, but it doesn't sit well when these grants are essentially tax payers money being used to prop up private profits. Sure, make money, buy I'll be willing to bet the same folk inflating quotes counter away about wasteful govt. spending.

As I say, this issue won't get fixed with out a concerted, we'll planned long term plan that is stuck to.

 

[Baines' left foot]

Quite frankly I cant see how they can justify the expense. Turn up with a drilling rig, spend a couple of days drilling 100m down*. Stick a pipe and return down, install a pump and heat exchanger and plumb it into the existing radiator system. No gas, simple leccy, no danger,no need for expensive "permission to do it" qualifications from a government that milks everything on safety or environmental grounds.

I cant see how that would be over 5k myself - apart from the ripoff Britain factor.

*of course depending on underlying geology there could be issues there. I've asked the firm @tommye linked above to come and give a quote. As a geologist by training I look forward to them trying to tell me the difficulties of drilling through nothing but jurassic clay where I live.

(I could strike oil of course!)

You’ll need a pretty hefty auger to drill a 100m hole. That’d cost a few grand in itself.

 

[Joey66]

Well, someone is probably making a killing somewhere.

I despair of the government grant schemes, which seemingly only serve to encourage contractors to put their prices up.

Let's just say I became aware of external wall insulation companies signed up to the green homes grant scheme inflating prices. A neighbour had used a couple of companies for quotes a month or so before it launched. I used the same when looking at claiming for a grant. Exactly the same style of house and job quoted for. Mine was £3.5 - £4k dearer.

Don't get me wrong, I'd still have fronted less if I'd gone ahead, but it doesn't sit well when these grants are essentially tax payers money being used to prop up private profits. Sure, make money, buy I'll be willing to bet the same folk inflating quotes counter away about wasteful govt. spending.

As I say, this issue won't get fixed with out a concerted, we'll planned long term plan that is stuck to.

It was on the news that idea of rods from the earths core only works in some areas ..... Boris has been warned about doing away with gas boilers....in the future - Hydro needs more attention IMO

 

[chrismpw]

You’ll need a pretty hefty auger to drill a 100m hole. That’d cost a few grand in itself.

Yes, but the firm that does the drilling can use the drill more than once yes?

 

[Baines' left foot]

Yes, but the firm that does the drilling can use the drill more than once yes?

I’ll tell that to the mobile crane hire companies that charge us thousands a day for a few lifts. I mean the thing only cost a few hundred thousand to design and build, not to mention constant maintenance, the logistics of getting it to and from the site etc. a doddle really.

I’ll just offer to pay the crew’s wages next time. See how that’ll go down.

 

[PhilM]

Mentioned ground pumps as a proposed solution in the first post. Issue I have is I've yet been able to find anyone who has used one in a domestic setting. Concern is how reliable they are and if they're as effective (+ Hot water, too._. I wonder if installers have other motivations to install them?

My friend had one fitted about two years ago and swears by it in terms of cost. It’s best run with underfloor heating as the output temp is less.

 

[chrismpw]

I’ll tell that to the mobile crane hire companies that charge us thousands a day for a few lifts. I mean the thing only cost a few hundred thousand to design and build, not to mention constant maintenance, the logistics of getting it to and from the site etc. a doddle really.

I’ll just offer to pay the crew’s wages next time. See how that’ll go down.

But they're designed to be portable and move around so its not that much hassle. There are videos on YouTube of people in the US (where diy is a thing and you can get almost anything at reasonable cost) drilling their own.

Over here of course the government h&s unit of course has to issue licences to businesses to operate them uber-safely with loads of regulations, training requirements and businesses have to pay for permission to operate - which of course are passed on in full plus extra to the customer. Its almost like a protection racket.

 

[nikom court]

did we miss a trick with fracking?
the alternative doesnt look much better!

 

[BNJ1878]

That's what a heating engineer was talking up mate.

I'm a bit suspicious though - for the reason you say. Is there grants being given away etc to encourage their installation?

All I want is regular, consistent hot water/heating. I'm thinking heat pumps etc are a bit eco which usually means a bit crap.



Whole villages are oil mate, and the price and demand of property has absolutely rocketed around these parts.

They're pretty decent.

Good, consistent heating is available. The only thing you need to know is any adjustment in the thermostat takes time to reach the room.

A few family members have them fitted.