'Efficient' heating system left families with big bills

[tim.....]

Poor implementation during the build is a problem with any regulation, it's a deficiency in the checking process that causes this

tim

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The R4 prog mentioned an immersion heater which was used to top up the heating system. One person who had some sort of energy meter said it was using approx 10 quids worth per day. At 12.5p per kilowatt that's 80 kWH.

[Tim Streater]

Exactly what we discovered here had happened during the extension build here: our plumber lifted the (incorrectly laid) chipboard floor to put some new pipes in. This was within a foot of the north-facing wall. I found I could kneel down and put my arm under the floor to touch the outer skin on which the tile-hung tiles were hung. Some two feet of insulation missing under the floor.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Take that report with a pinch of salt. If that were true, it would equate to 15 to 25 tankfulls of hot water.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I don't think you understand how this system works. The 'immersion' heater heats the house as well as the hot water.

[philipuk]

only will she be paying expensive key meter rates for electricity, but the key meter will be set to gradually recoup the debt she already has.

Philip

[tony sayer]

In article , [e-mail] scribeth thus

If shes set up than then I suspect that she'll never repay the debt those key things are at extorting rates. We had a tenant with electric heating and key meters it took a loft of fighting to get the power co to change the meter.

I wonder quite why;?...

[tim.....]

Probably because the area has a high incident of tenants buggering off and not paying their bills.

If you aren't personally in debt (to the leccy company) you can move to another one who doesn't charge a premium for a key meter and there's not a thing that the company can do to stop you.

tim

[charles]

[Andrew Gabriel]

The unit does have radiator and underfloor heating (water) output, according to the datasheet.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Dave Plowman (News) presented the following explanation :

You are correct, I did not realise that. Which suggests a 3Kw immersion heater running flat out for the full 24 hours.

[The Natural Philosopher]

and that's what it takes to heat a medium sized house in winter.

[Harry Bloomfield]

With no (effective) heat recovery.

[Doctor Drivel]

That is poor design or installation. That is easy enough to rectify.

[Dave Liquorice]

Just going by the story not facts, they just get in the way!

I can't see why such a system shouldn't work but it does rely on having a very well insulated house that doesn't need any extra heat input to keep it warm. ie the heat input it does require comes from the waste heat from appliances and the occupants.

As always from the media we aren't getting the full story.

[Andrew Gabriel]

It's the fault of unskilled and uncaring workers, and building companies which don't care. It could be picked up by later checking, but that's not the cause, just another failure down the line.

As I've mentioned before, in the building trade I'm amazed how clueless one trade can be about another trade they work alongside all their lives.

[tony sayer]

In article , tim..... scribeth thus

No not at all, just the leccy robbers wanting to extort as much as they can!...

Sorted now after I threatened to pull Two other accounts with them and then we sodded off to someone else;)..

Indeed except they can be very very long winded doing it..

[Doctor Drivel]

If houses are built of SIP panels they would just need a small heating system and probably just an electric one as well.

is a part of the structure of a house using SIP panels.