Daydream thread continues.....

rozeepozee

Am shattered guys. The girls slept really badly last night and I kept having dreams - in Welsh! They're really fretful now so I think that's me for the night.

I so much prefer dry, cold and sunny to this miserable rain and wind, but we went to Llandyul today to research woodburning stoves.

I can't think at the moment who had the Clearview they didn't like... My head hurts

lostinrates

rozeepozee wrote: »

Am shattered guys. The girls slept really badly last night and I kept having dreams - in Welsh! They're really fretful now so I think that's me for the night.

I so much prefer dry, cold and sunny to this miserable rain and wind, but we went to Llandyul today to research woodburning stoves.

I can't think at the moment who had the Clearview they didn't like... My head hurts

Me,I have it.

I think it probably comes down to install and preference.

It's like windows.....I am always going to prefer old windows to new double glazed ones. Just like I prefer open fires to burners. Most of all though, one needs something that works and looks good.

I know if we cannot have an open fire in our sitting room I will still replace the clearview, ad I know what with. At the nearest clearview installers they have glass fronted woodburners. Essentially an open fire in a clear box. Aesthetically it will work here and it would work somewhere mordern. I think anything last century would look better with a woodburner

RAS

We had black ice this morning after light rain on frozen ground- fun or not. Then remembered that I bought some studded grips last year. Still took twice as long as expected once I left home - buses slow because of the fog, train late and slow because of the fog. Then is started to lash down at lunch time.

Not actually been light all day even with the rain, the cloud cover was so low it might as well have been fog.

Aiming to get home early as I do not want to risk that hill if it freezes again tonight, studs or not.

rhiwfield

I think that for me, a woodburner has to deliver two things, first is performance and second, the ability to see as much of the fire as possible.

I seem to recall that Clearview, supposedly the best performer, had the two closing doors which blocked off some of the view of the fire. No doubt they have other models.

In any event fireplace size narrowed our choice and we ended up with a Little Thurlow, and we've been delighted with it

rozeepozee

Woodburners: we have a 1960s bungalow, so aren't looking for something Victorian or Edwardian looking, except to say I'm not keen on the modern designs that I've seen.

We're more function over form. It's gonna be a secondary source of heating (after the underfloor from the ?air source heat pump) so it doesn't need to chuck out too much heat, although it will be in a 70m sq ish size room with a lot of windows, so in the Winter, it will probably be needed to boost the temperature in this room. As it's a secondary source of heating, we're thinking it needs to earn its keep from the circa £3000 cost, so we want one with a back boiler to heat some hot water as well. I recall we read that something like 40% (maybe it was 60%? whatever, a large proportion) of your heating bill goes on domestic hot water - and there are five of use, three women.... I never spend less than 10 mins in the shower....

The curse of never having lived in the house comes back to bite us on the bum again,as this is all rather speculative.

What are your thoughts, guys? I value your views.

Davesnave

rozeepozee wrote: »

What are your thoughts, guys? I value your views.

Remember, whatever the efficiency of the fire, putting a large boiler on it will draw away a substantial part of the available heat. So, it's important to get the sizing of the boiler right too. Many stoves offer a choice of sizes.

Woodwarm are the stoves everyone raves about around here. As you can see, it's not only in Devon they're appreciated:

http://www.whatstove.co.uk/stove-reviews/stoves/stove-reviews/_c73/

rozeepozee

Davesnave wrote: »

Remember, whatever the efficiency of the fire, putting a large boiler on it will draw away a substantial part of the available heat. So, it's important to get the sizing of the boiler right too. Many stoves offer a choice of sizes.

Woodwarm are the stoves everyone raves about around here. As you can see, it's not only in Devon they're appreciated:

http://www.whatstove.co.uk/stove-reviews/stoves/stove-reviews/_c73/

I'd like to return to Communism and have a state owned everything, so there wasn't all this choice :mad:

I think for building regs we're going to have to have all the heat calcs, so we'll be pretty clear about what's needed per room, taking into consideration other factors like insulation and other heat sources. It looks like we're going Rockshield for our external insulation, I very much suspect that we'll have to go uPVC for windows as it will be all we can afford. We'd love aluminium, but.... I've done an about turn on wood as I've decided it's too much upkeep, esp on the hill where we're blasted by wind and rain when the weather's inclement.

There are so many decisions about everything!

I now have a child that's running a 39.5 degree temp and threatneing to throw up and another who is having a growth spurt is demanding bowl after bowl of food... It's going to be a fun Friday night in the caravan.

Rummer

rozeepozee wrote: »

It looks like we're going Rockshield for our external cladding, I very much suspect that we'll have to go uPVC for windows as it will be all we can afford. We'd love aluminium, but.... I've done an about turn on wood as I've decided it's too much upkeep, esp on the hill where we're blasted by wind and rain when the weather's inclement.

There are so many decisions about everything!

I know what you mean about decisions and I am not even having to build/renovate a house

I think you are making the right decision about the windows as you wan tho be devoting your time to building your dream not maintaining the windows. It also sounds as if they will fit with your style of home.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

rozee, i am so glad we havent rushed into things with the house and land ( Parents did, once i said i would consider a granny annex, they went full blast, with architect etc, then when i said about some ground rules with living next door to each other, plus the planning came back and ok'd everything except the downstairs toilet in the annexe so, and nothing has been said since)

from my point of view, we have got used to the house and land, and ideas have changed, plus i think the more you get used to the house, it sorts of tells you what it needs...so even though i am totally frustrated in the amount that we have done...i am so glad we didnt go gun-ho in doing it up quickly ( which is mainly down to funds:D)

lostinrates

rozeepozee wrote: »

I'd like to return to Communism and have a state owned everything, so there wasn't all this choice :mad:

I think for building regs we're going to have to have all the heat calcs, so we'll be pretty clear about what's needed per room, taking into consideration other factors like insulation and other heat sources. It looks like we're going Rockshield for our external insulation, I very much suspect that we'll have to go uPVC for windows as it will be all we can afford. We'd love aluminium, but.... I've done an about turn on wood as I've decided it's too much upkeep, esp on the hill where we're blasted by wind and rain when the weather's inclement.

There are so many decisions about everything!

I now have a child that's running a 39.5 degree temp and threatneing to throw up and another who is having a growth spurt is demanding bowl after bowl of food... It's going to be a fun Friday night in the caravan.

I think you are putting the cart before the horse.


When deciding on the heating your architect will suggest (I hope) you have a specific survey for heat needs. ( there is a name for this survey that I cannot remember). This will guide choices about the most efficient way to heat it (e.g. Ground or heat source combined with wood burner). It will also give guidance as to size of woodburner etc.

If you are relying on a back boiler for most hot water, what is summer plan? Solar thermal? All of these combinations will make the right system.


If we could go back in time I would make different decisions.

Fwiw, so far it's ok news about the boiler. The meeting today was aimed to take us from contentious to proactive and I think our wonderful, wonderful, wonderful architect acheived this. He ranks as a great decision. (interestingly, I didn't warm to him immeadiately as a person and now I am awed by his commitment, generosity, professionalism and kindness, how wrong I can be at times!).

I was shown some of the controls as we obviously are some time away from signing off a functioning machine and I cannot be reliant on anyone else for this (it's a self sufficiently oxymoron, surely?) . And I think I can cope with a few types of breakdown alone.