Help with open plan living area and my gas bill!

izzydogsam

Fire_Fox wrote: »

What is so impractical about an upside down house? You might have to walk up and down the stairs a little more frequently but, since the average person doesn't meet the government recommended minimum of 10,000 steps per day, this could be a positive outcome.

Our house is 'upside down' - it's built on a hillside. We moved in about three years ago, and boy we've got a lot of steps! Good exercise though!

Premier_2

There are a number of 'upside down' houses where I live.
No hills, but were designed so that whilst in the main living areas, occupants could enjoy the open views over the countryside otherwise obscured by the 6 foot high garden walls or fences visible from the ground floor windows.

Makes sense really, especially when combined with the fact warm air rises so the living areas are naturally warmer than the sleeping areas which is what most people would want.

JennyR68

Fire_Fox wrote: »

What is so impractical about an upside down house? You might have to walk up and down the stairs a little more frequently but, since the average person doesn't meet the government recommended minimum of 10,000 steps per day, this could be a positive outcome.

Wouldn't be practical in my house as there is no hallway, straight through front door in to the sitting room and kitchen straight off that. Can't see that working as bedrooms!;)

Pincher

julie_d wrote: »

It is the same with people who buy houses with tall ceilings.

It's not too bad.

I have a 6 metre ceiling in the hallway, 7 metres if you count the galllery. The thermostat is in the hallway on the ground floor, because it's supposed to be the coldest spot in the house.

All the rooms from the hallway have doors, both ground floor and first floor. The hallway ceiling has at least 200mm of fibre glass insulation, and it's behind two front doors, so the hallway isn't really cold.

I am starting the process of arranging ducting access for a heat recovery system as we renovate. The idea is to draw the hot air from the gallery and upstairs bathrooms, which pass through a heat recovery exchanger,
which heats up incoming fresh air, which gets fed to the rooms. Not all rooms will be accessible by ducting, yet.