As we have put the rayburn on again. And it’s ace – the heart of the home back again. And we have hot water. lots of lovely hot water.
Particularly poignant after a summer of putting the immersion on for a bath or shower… mostly using cold to wash hands etc.. and then a few days of no hot water at all whilst plumbing was underway.
We have had a plumber in this week, as part of our big hot water plan – he has plumbed in the huge thermal store, and the rayburn, idling away, is making lots of hot water.
Obviously the kitchen is a bit more broken, as is our bedroom, where the store resides, and the many demijohns moved out of the box room and are now scattered in various locations, as in there, we are going to have a new efficient gas boiler.
We did um and arr a lot about whether to have a boiler – the plan is to switch the rayburn for a wood fired one, and have the solar tubes, and do we need more? Many get by with electric or the immersions.. but we went for the boiler in the end.. it will stick it’s big toe in the water, and if we have made it hot enough with woodburning and solar efforts, then it wont be needed, but it can top it up, or make hot water from scratch if necessary, if we are ill etc.
Being tied to having to cut wood for heat and hot water is very depressing, doing it to save money and energy is rewarding.
After this, when funds allow, we shall put in the solar tubes for hot water.. but we have been waylaid by considering PV panels too, and how to position everything and what to have etc – we have decided to have the tubes on the south facing bit of roof, and the PV panels on the west (where they will be 8% less output then if facing south, we are told). All well and good.. but for the money. And the fact we probably need a new roof…
Still, progress is being made.
Read Full Post »