Oil Consumption Query Please

lohr500

Alfster said:

lohr500 said:

I've always steered clear of adding internal insulation to the walls. Partly because of the disruption and logistics it would create around window frames, door casements, etc and also because of the uncertainty over what other problems it could cause.

Whenever we have needed to replace older double glazing windows we have always gone with more modern units with a bigger gap between the panes. 

We also had Kingspan type insulation fitted below the roofing felt when we had the Yorkshire stone slates on the roof turned a few years ago after the old roofing felt fell apart with old age and the roof started leaking.

And we added extra insulation in the loft spaces on top of the old yellow glass wool stuff.

Checking the flow and return temperatures is really easy if you get a couple of thermometers like these. Buy half decent ones as some of the cheap eBay offerings aren't very accurate.

https://www.brannan.co.uk/product/clip-on-pipe-thermometers/

You just clip one on the pipe flowing from the boiler and one on the pipe going back into the boiler. The flow should be the pipe coming from the top of the boiler and the return should be the lower pipe. The flow should be the hotter of the two pipes.  

 

Great thanks for this. We are looking for loft insulation as our current insulation level flagged as very low on the EPC - 15mm vs the 210mm it recommends! Has the Kingspan insulation helped? 

We had the roof repaired a good few years ago and still had the old boiler at that point in time. I didn't track our fuel usage as well in those days either. But as all the slates and felt needed taking off, it seemed like a good opportunity to add the Kingspan insulation. It didn't add a massive amount to the overall cost if I recall correctly. Subjectively I think it has made a big difference. If I go into the loft spaces in winter it feels much warmer up there than it did before, even with the extra insulation between the ceiling joists. So the extra insulation must be doing something. Not sure it would make sense to fit it though unless the roof needed attention anyway. Probably better to put more insulation on the floor of the loft area.