u/2_grow — reddlx

Anyone in Bromley had External Wall Insulation done on a solid wall

Hi neighbours,

I’m considering getting external wall insulation on my solid brick semi-detached house (1930s). I’ve had a quote for the work using EPS boards and silicone render, but I’m having second thoughts because the numbers (£20K) are making me hesitate.

I currently have quite high heating bills (£3-4K pa), so I was hoping this would make a decent dent, but the projected savings versus the cost means it would take a very long time to break even. And it won’t even increase the property value apparently.

For those who’ve actually had EWI done in the Bromley area:

• How much difference did it actually make to how warm the house feels?

• Were your heating bills noticeably lower afterwards?

• Roughly how much did you pay for the work?

• Looking back, was it worth doing?

I’m trying to decide between improving the insulation or going down the solar + battery route instead. Any real experiences would be massively appreciated.

Thanks!

reddit.com

u/2_grow — 11 days ago

▲ 1 r/ukheatpumps

Thinking about taking the plunge on a Tesla solar, battery, and heat pump offer. Worth it without insulation yet?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on an offer available for a Tesla solar and home battery setup, installed by BOXT (for those who have a Tesla vehicle).
My main dilemma is that my property is currently poorly insulated. It's got an EPC rating of E. I do plan to do external insulation in the future, though.

I’m also looking to get an air-to-air heat pump since I hear the installation costs are competitive, and I'd love to reduce my reliance on gas and electric heaters, which I use for the kids' rooms at the moment. I chose against the A2W install, because I don't have the bandwidth to do a retrofit. If I was just moving into the property, maybe I'd have suggested it.

Financially, I understand I might not qualify for some of the government grants like the Warm Homes Plans, since our household income is over £100,000. I also wont be able to use the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, as I still want to keep the gas boiler for hot water.

I've been reading about the new Warm Homes Plan and the potential for low-interest loans been made available, so I'm curious to know if those are live yet and how that might work.

So, should I proceed with the Tesla deal now, or wait until the property is properly insulated?

I am of the opinion that I'll break even on it in a few years, considering Ofgem is going to be increasing the price cap again by 13%. The price of energy would definitely not be going down.

I appreciate my electricity cost will go up when I install the heat pumps. However, I'm hoping the battery (and cheap night rate + solar) would help with this. What do we think?

Many thanks,

reddit.com

u/2_grow — 1 month ago

▲ 12 r/GardeningUK

Hi all,

Summary: I’ve had this fertiliser and these seeds in my garage since last year. Are they still viable?

Context:

I’m asking because I planted the seeds over a week ago and haven't seen any growth yet. I’m considering buying new grass seed, but I’d like to apply fertiliser first. Do I need to buy a fresh one, or can I still use the old one?

I've also heard that seeds need to be kept in a cold, dark place with steady temperatures to remain viable. Since mine were in the garage, they’ve been exposed to seasonal temperature swings. Does this fluctuation mean the seeds are likely "done", or could they have survived?

To test their viability, I read about the "water float test". However, I also heard it isn't very reliable since some seeds naturally float, which makes sense, and almost all of mine did exactly that.

I’m currently trying the wet paper towel test; I’ve placed the seeds in a sealed plastic container and am waiting a week to see if they germinate.

Many thanks!

u/2_grow — 2 months ago