How much to heat our home?! 😬 Rotten conservatory, electric rads, and the log burner. Advice please!

[@MrEV]

Thanks to everyone commenting on this! Just a couple of things to mention: • Although the top wooden bars and some external cills are rotten, the internal beams and structure of the conservatory are fine - so it's not all quite as bad as it seems in the video I think. (Still a Money Pit though.) • Yes, we did have a full house survey before we bought the house, so we were prepared for issues like this. We like buying a place and doing it up, so it's all part of the 'fun'. That said, the quotes we're getting back seem higher than expected!

[@clivepierce1816]

As a retrofit assessor, I would strongly recommend you get an architect or builder who is Trustmark certified in retrofit to draw up a whole house retrofit plan and design for you. This is likely to save you a fortune in the long run. The retrofit philosophy is 'fabric first'. Forget heating systems until you know your building and its performance issues in detail, and you have addressed these with appropriate improvements to the building fabric.

[@johnhedge1429]

Google 'how to make a conservatory warm and comfortable'

[@1000ukjohn]

There's only one answer spend the money on a new conservatory with insulated roof and walls etc. After all its your home and if you do sell sometime it will be worth more. Or spend £5,000 and you'll still have a cold draughty garden shed! Keep well. John and Patricia.

[@ScoBrice]

Personally, I'd prioritise insulating the house over anything else to stop the money draining away from heating it. You'd have to do this anyway for the long term. You can do easier jobs just by learning from KZbin. The conservatory can wait until spring, especially if it's not that bad.

[@gerrymac5865]

There a saying James don’t throw good money after bad better to renew or you could look out for a good second hand conservatory

[@johankaal7769]

you considered burning the conservatory in the stove?

[@cosmodoc]

You should get a bunch of your subscribers to help you sort out the property, in exchange for dinner with you and having your wife boss them around! What an adventure that would be 😂

[@Paulssock]

i'm in😆

[@ridders]

Honestly, you’ll learn more italian sitting next to Flaviana driving through Europe, than signing up for a Berlitz course.

[@mrv8rick2]

as long as we don' have to supply the wine🤣

[@avidviewer1]

Great idea! I wouldn't miss it for the world! 👍

[@cosmodoc]

@@avidviewer1 I don’t know for how long I would be able to tolerate Flavia’s orders, it would be worth a try😀

[@dolgorwel]

Having been in your situation 12 years ago and having to fix many problems with our house and a limited budget my advice is - play the long game , if necessary close off the conservatory until you have the funds to do it properly. When ready take it down and rebuild to current building regs standards. I wouldn't throw any money at it as you will probably knock it down and replace in the future.

[@seanduffy2214]

That conservatory has had it. I wouldn't spend a penny in it, trying to insulate that rotten glass box just won't work. I've learned over the years don't cut corners, do it once and do it properly. For heating I'd not do anything until youve sealed up the house and added insulation where you can. I did the same process and a bit of sealant, foam, door seals and draft excluders made a huge difference. Drafts are far more important than little cold spots in the corners. I found loads of issues behind skirting boards and under kitchen units - a fairly easy fix with spray foam. Your windows don't look that modern. I'd renew those if i had one big ticket item to spend on. And any hard floors add rugs - if your feet are cold you'll feel colder than you really are. Only then I'd look at the heating type as otherwise you'll oversize it.

[@0-Will-0]

I'd agree with most of this as good advice. Alternative to rugs is good cosy slippers, with rubber soles. I swear by these.

[@Lucasimo]

Very good points! You definitely don't want to oversize on a heat pump as they are expensive. Get the building sorted first ,- then consider it.

[@avidviewer1]

I'm really pleased that Flaviana's back to her usual self. Such a relief! 🤗

[@johnhunter4181]

Hay Andrew, I love your stuff and it was partly your video about the A/C at the previous house which convinced me to go that route. We now have two Panasonic Etherea 3.5kW units providing ALL the heating for our 5-bed detached. You won't get the £7.5k BUS grant if you aren't replacing a gas boiler. But our two units only cost £3500 fully installed so suggest you go for that again. Two mini-splits are cheaper than multi-split and give redundancy and versatility. What makes it work for us is the open plan house, insulation, triple glazing, MVHR - spend your money on those things first. Good luck to you both.

[@borama7845]

Team Andrew. It is best to avoid burning stuff, if financially possible. If you go the wood burning route, please make sure to install CO warners for little money. First priority: Don‘t kill your family❤

[@hmallett]

16:36 I love how Flaviana asks, “What do members get”? Then when Andrew explains, Flaviana looks like she’s thinking ”No, I would not be willing to pay for that”! 😂

[@Glenbow1970]

Park the pond, Thermally fix the the conservatory and get the heat pump, the energy cost on your current setup up with oil heaters will cost a fortune to run.

[@JohnRoss1]

We have a geothermal heat pump using pipes in the Earth as a heat sink. They also could just drop a loop of pipe in the pond and use that, much more efficient.

[@KiwiCatherineJemma]

That 19 thousand pound quote for a whole-of-home heat pump system including entire houseful of new water pipes, was the most expensive "Rolls Royce" option... even allowing for UKp7k rebate back from the govt. Yes those British type "Air to water" heat pump systems give you 4 kilowatt hour units of heat for every one kW/hr unit of electricity consumed. However far far far cheaper, something UK pounds 1,000 to UKp 2,000 each fully installed, you could install smaller "Air-to-air" heat pumps. The Yanks call similar systems a "mini-split" and the Aussies call them a "Reverse Cycle air conditioner". But in NZ they are just called "Heat Pumps". The newer types give about 3.5 kW/hr units of heat for every one kW/hr unit of electricity consumed, so yes they are very slightly less efficient than the 19 thousand pound whole of home plumbed pipework system. Every single room of the house does NOT have to be magically heated to identical warm temperatures so you can walk around inside wearing your bikinis. 2 or 3 individual heat pump units, installed in the 2 or 3 key rooms will give plenty of heating for a whole British house. Places like a bathroom can use a small fanheater, heatlamp etc if needed for a small amount of "top-up" heating on occasion. Yes I am NOT in England, but I have studied heating systems for years. an old British textbook on central heating said even a typical post war, smaller 2 story house is rated at needing just 7 kw of heating in total. 3 small individual air-to-air heatpumps consume about 1 kw of electricity each (total 3kw) and put out about 10.5kw heat equivalent in total. In these energy expensive times, that's adequate even if barely so, for a 4 bedroom house with 2 main living areas.. Remember those "oil filled electric"/infra red radiators you're using at the moment consume 1 or 2 kw of electric to give just 1 or 2 kw of heat output respectively.

[@darrenadams2640]

@@KiwiCatherineJemma It's worth getting a comparative quote for a A2AHP solution, and bear in mind that multiple indoor units on a mini split system can run on a single outdoor unit (though there is bound to be some sort of compromise for doing this). I have used a couple of these units at home for over 20 years and they benefit from great cooling too (haven't had a too hot to sleep night in all those years!)

[@rhyslatham3439]

I also wondered if an Air-2-Air heat pump might be the ideal answer. Could you duct the fresh warmed air through the loft, drawing the stale air out of the bathroom and kitchen then out via a heat exchanger. Not only might it be efficient, but would allow you to use the rooms as you like, without working around radiators, or having the floors ripped up for a wet under floor system. Doesn’t Mrs EV also like air conditioning in the warm weather? Oh Yes the conservatory, wait, call it a gazebo in the meantime… it’s toast.

[@Treeburnify]

The conservatory is not worth repairing given that it will still leak heat like crazy, but it is the only “cheap” option although still significant expenditure. Cheap solutions are rarely a sound solution or investment when it comes to your own home. Best replacement option is to replace with a part glazed room , insulate the floor and any areas of half height brickwork, with a non-glazed insulated roof, but maybe with a lantern style skylight. This will improve the insulation levels, maintain light and achieve better year round comfort levels. As you have said, traditional fully glazed conservatories are a failed concept - too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Like another gentleman that has already commented, I am also a retired qualified building professional - as he has also commented, I would get rid of it and start again.

[@gaetanodademo2251]

Alora -As a fellow Italian and cabinetmaker and have just built my own house i would consider scaling back reducing the pond and spending the money on a solid extension or consider a sips construction good luck will be following your journey

[@lankylamp1]

i agree a sips extension construction kit would be a superior super insulated option with quick erection . especially if money and speed are limited.

[@mdshovel]

But will need Building Regulation approval .. unlike replacing a conservatory. Though I agree

[@gaetanodademo2251]

@@mdshovel No problem with permitted development rules its just like strapping a garden room to your house

[@markyates5744]

@@mdshovel in theory a single story extension to the back would be considered permitted development - but not 100% - and you'd probably have to be below a certain height. Luckily it's not on a boundary so you wouldn't have any boundary issues.

[@mdshovel]

@@markyates5744 that is just Planning Rules. It would still be required to comply with Building Regs ... where a conservatory would not and thus a lot cheaper.

[@MP_pov]

Same as most other commenters - don’t bother salvaging the conservatory, plan to replace with extension within reasonable budget to add value and usable space all year round. Log burner is fine for occasional comfort if you use good wood you can get cheaply in bulk.

[@BrianWrenn]

Thanks

[@MrEV]

Thank you so much!

[@BrianWrenn]

@ might keep the heater going for 3.7 minutes, why would you not put Air2air in again?

[@robcarver3080]

You have two separate issues. 1 safety. Glass, rotten timber, high winds, snow load. Take the conservatory down. Don’t try to save and re use the glass, custom frames to re use the glass will cost more than completely new units. You can live without the conservatory until you decide what will suit you in the future without the immediate pressures. 2 The heating costs. More urgent given the onset of winter. No conservatory to heat equals some saving. Spend time eliminating drafts in the house. Maybe exploring improved loft insulation. Both quick fixes. Both short term fixes that give you time to plan ahead as you get to know the house.

[@JohnnyMotel99]

I noticed that the front edges of the glass units seem entirely unprotected as well. I would also demolish the conservatory or at least keep it unheated in the winter. Then once demolished, start to look at financing an alternative.

[@dougbamford]

We've got a pergola (like a conservatory with no sides) outside our back door and really love it! Great for watching the dog do his business in the garden.

[@markbusby7575]

You guys are fun to watch with your banter and squabbles. I moan about the £7 per day it costs to fuel our 4 bed detached (gas heating) but having heard your daily cost i'm going to stop moaning now 😊 We had a new conservatory built from scratch in 2022 and our priority was thermal efficiency, not just keeping the warmth in winter but also keeping it cool in summer. A glass conservatory will be pretty unpleasant in the summer if it takes full sun. We had a solid, highly insulated roof with lightweight tiles and one wall is solid brick. A lot of insulation also went into the floor. It cost £22k including all the groundwork. We have no heating in it other than what comes through from the house and it is really cozy even on the coldest days. Personally, I wouldn't be spending much on your current structure as i doubt you'll ever be happy with its thermal efficiency if that is your priority.

[@davidparsons7929]

Carbon monoxide and particulates from log burners is awful. Beware. I am from a construction background so as for the conservatory - I hate to be the bearer of bad news - but it’s a ‘dead duck’ Waste no money on it because that’s what you would be doing. It’s unfortunate that you never made any allowance for it but it’s not salvageable. The whole thing has to go. Sorry. But if you spend £10-15k on that glass shed you will have thrown a really good chunk of money away. I know it’s not what you want to hear but trust me - I’ve been where you are and there’s only one realistic option - knock it down. I graduated in Construction and Building technology and was a Buildings Quantity Surveyor … retiring from my final position of Commercial Director due to Multiple Sclerosis.

[@givemethejob3293]

I have been testing particulates from wood burners. PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. Very little in the rooms, a slight spike when opening the door but soon back to the very low level. Outside it spikes until up to temperature. However, cooking a breakfast or even worse vacuuming your house will send up the particulates to off the scale of my test meter +500ppm and that's most of the day!!! It takes more than 8 hours to reduce back to low levels equal to running a log burner. Yes we should stop burning stuff but as with so much we are being fed a lot of untruths.

[@g.d2450]

​@@givemethejob3293 a lot of manufactured hysteria around burning fossil fuels at the minute when it wasn't that long ago the government was promoting it.... follow the money as the direction they're trying to point you is to only benefit them and their paymasters financially

[@bordersw1239]

Knock down conservatory, replace with an insulated garden office - do ground works yourself, pay for someone to install- £5k plus installation. A2A heat pumps for most of your heating requirements.

[@mickinmerton8053]

My vote is Team Andrew. I've got a log burner and I live 10 miles from central London, I've stopped using it because of the pollution it causes. Regarding the conservatory, I'd rebuild using modern techniques, perhaps a brick or aluminium frame and a roof of PV bifacial panels. Enjoy your near home :-)

[@JohnnyMotel99]

Do not heat the conservatory in the winter, shut the patio doors and keep them shut. Check if the cavities are filled, grants available to fill. Obviously loft should be min 300mm. Check the windows/doors for draughts.

[@hamshackleton]

Aerosols of expanding foam will serve for this winter, to keep the draughts out of all the gaps.

[@Bawdale]

Andrew, I admire your use of the community, it's the best way forward. I would suggest postponing the pond works and focusing on permanent home improvements that offer a financial return. Investigate green energy funding options, as many are not widely advertised. Begin with your mortgage provider, as some offer grants or interest-free loans. For a conservatory, I would only recommend it in a north-facing position with a fully insulated roof and floor. In your situation, I would consider a well-planned extension that enhances the ground floor living space. A quality extension can recover costs through capital gain. Next, prioritize installing a heat pump and improving insulation, as these investments also provide financial returns. The pond should be the last project on your list. I wish you good fortune however you plan to tackle the situation.

[@alisterg3582]

House looks great and we’ve all been there with spiralling costs. I’m with team Flaviana on the log burner. At the moment it seems like instead of burning logs you are burning huge amounts of cash on electricity. Get yourself a bulk load of super dry logs delivered which should lower the concern on particulates - I reckon you’d save a fortune over the winter compared to full electric heating. I’d close the doors on the conservatory for the winter and revisit this next year when the unpredictable costs of a new place have settled down a little. Octopus Cosy might be an option if you can set the radiators to only come on during the off peak slots. Good luck

[@cristianpetrache5064]

Use the lake for the heat pump ( look it up - water to water heat pump - more efficient than air to water hp. I think a 13kw should do the trick) , remove the conservatory all together and make a nice summer gazebo. Something simple that you can make with a mitter saw and an electric screwdriver. Put some solar on the gazebo and a nice barbeque in a corner. The heat pump will also cool the house in the summer.

[@0-Will-0]

A water to water HP sounds a very interesting option! None of the time and expense of digging up like a ground source.

[@markkunes9711]

The government grant for heat pumps don't allow cooling so you will have to find an additional £7.5k if you want that

[@neilhollow1937]

@@0-Will-0 Yes I wondering about that when money allows. I may not be big enough but if it was me I'd ask the question.

[@ianjacobs500]

I think you summed it up at the beginning, too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer, pull it down and focus first on the rest of the bungalow to get a more energy efficient heating system. Come back to it at a later date when finances are available to look at the options for the additional space.

[@FringaleABloc]

My air quality meter already goes haywire (pm2.5) when i open a window when one of my neighbours is burning wood. I wouldn't want it in my house unless it was truly necessary.

[@ihampton]

Use the wood burner this winter. Get yourself an air quality monitor, the Amazon one is often £40ish during sale events. It'll make for interesting content. If the stove is in good condition and used correctly the impact to the air quality in your house should be negligible. It would also be interesting to monitor the impact outside your home, the PurpleAir map and external sensors look interesting. Given your previous love of Air2Air it seems like the logical choice, I'd prioritise that and solar over the pond or conservatory. Do whatever you can to make the conservatory safe cheaply and then worry about it in a future year.

[@hamshackleton]

Not very constructive, sorry - but I'm surprised your surveyor didn't point the collapsing conservatory to you, before you even thought of signing! Looking at the green bricks, that side of the house faces north - or is heavily shaded by trees, anyway, so doesn't get much sunlight. Best solution - scrap the conservatory and start again! - - Then beg, borrow or otherwise - a few ducklings - which will eat all that weed on the pond - and some cheap goldfish which will eat all the mosquito larvae. - - The log-burner, disregarding the cost of buying logs, (you are NOT permitted to burn 'garden' wood, it has to be dried) - you have to cope with all the ash generated - as well as all the particulates and soot! - - Re the environment - look how tiny the UK is, compared with the U.S., Russia, and China, all heavy coal-burners - then think what difference to the world our little country makes in this feeble rush to zero carbon blah!

[@johnhandcock1677]

I see the thermostat set at a subtropical 21C, this explains a lot

[@themillers2142]

Hi … retired roofer hear ….. so as a short term thing I would tape the roof bars with flash band ! Use a heat gun to apply and clean glass first ! I have a conservatory which I found to be either hit or cold …. So what I did was stick 2x2 timbers using CT1 to the inside of the roof 3 ft centres then insulated with 50 mm solid insulation… Then clad the inside with what ever you want I used hollow pvc cladding… as it is so light….. Resulting in a much warmer and better insulated conservatory at not much cost …. I think it cost me about £700 a few years ago ….. ps you would be surprised how well 2x2 sticks to the underside of the glass !! Good luck Tony

[@philbushell6024]

Given the price of a A2W heat pump, probably worth investigating an A2A heat pump. Similar efficiencies obviously and you also get cooling in the summer.

[@stuartj5520]

Definitely. It would save the cost of plumbing the house for radiators. Plus, as you say, it would act as air-conditioning in the summer. Even with a few indoor units, it should be much cheaper than the A2W heat pump install

[@JKSpoff]

Pull the conservatory down and build a brick extension with a solid roof, it’s far better insulated and can be used all year round. Extend your radiators into the extension. Get lots of builders quotes and use the quotes to barter between them.

[@rrlabastida]

I have had good results using magnetic thermal curtains from Amazon and neatly bubble-wrapping windows with double-sided tape. NOt the best but pretty cheap and can look ok if you take your time.

[@devonfuse]

Apart from the base, sides and roof, that conservatory is fine.

[@ingatestone100]

Good luck with the “ Fun project !” Forget the conservatory ( but just do enough that stops it falling down and plug the holes ) upgrade the house windows and sort out the other heat lose areas the log burner is only a problem if it’s not been installed or looked after properly and the wood used is not full of damp or resin, a wood burner like any vessel for burning fuel needs proper ventilation . And judging from the front glass of the Wood burner it’s either had very little use or well looked after including sweeping the Flue / Chimney . Stay warm and Safe.

[@JamesEley]

Completely empathise Andrew! We have a similar set up at ours with a 4 bed detached. No gas, all electric and an EV. It was storage heaters when we moved in, but when electric cost wasn't an issue we swapped it all for electric underfloor, which in hindsight wasn't ideal - although it is lovely. Our solution has been to insulate as much as possible, 4.76kw solar and 10kwh batteries. Which brought the bill down from £350. Month to £150 a month across the year (the monthly loan amount is about half the fuel saving). We then run the heating on full in the living spaces throughout the night on the cheap rate and then again during the 13p slots in the morning and afternoon on Tomato Energy's lifestyle tariff (We have used Octopus Go before but this fits our schedule better). While this isn't cheap (c £120pm in winter) or efficient, it keeps the house warm enough for us and the little one with occasional day time heating in the middle of winter. Over the next few years we'll add some air con units to improve efficiency but not priority number one at the moment. Hope that's helpful!

[@heinzruffieux5817]

Hi, I am a Swiss home owner since many years. You guys are doing the right reflections considering money, environment and comfort. Regarding the conservatory (Wintergarten in German) I am in Team Flavia: It all depends on how long you plan to stay in the house. If the house is a long term investment, DO IT RIGHT - meaning rebuilding it from scratch and pontentially even with a PV glass, which gives you some shade in summer. A good conservatory will also improve the value of the whole house. Regarding the heatpump: Again it all depends on how long you want to stay. The price you mentioned for the pump and and radiators does not seem to be very high. This is a LOT OF WORK and material. But obviously I do not know the price levels in UK. My sister recently replaced the oil heating with a heat pump in Switzerland. The removal of the old heating and oil tank and installation and the heatpump costed some 50kCHF = 45k£. Again, a clean energy heating will increase the value of the house. Regarding the cheminée I am in team Flavia again 🙂: But not for everyday use. I use my "cheminée" quite a lot in winter. If you are burning proper wood and fire it up in the right way, I do not see too much problems. There is nothing more cosy than a proper wood fire. Your "cheminée" seems to be quite modern, so I would not worry too much about it. If everybody in the world would consider environmental aspects as much as you do, there would be plenty of "room" for a wood fire.

[@rtfazeberdee3519]

Can you add to the mortgage to replace it with an extension that could possibly re-use some of the existing glass? Whats the cost of getting a small garden office instead of rebuilding the conservatory?

[@constructioneerful]

I think the log burner psychological thing is the most intriguing. Well worth exploring - involve an academic psychologist? My relatives are the same.

[@flashback9966]

Before you even have breakfast, get that Heat Pump . . .

[@adrianpinsent3581]

Recommend going for insulated light weight roof on the conservatory. Air to air heat pump in the house 😊

[@rogerkretzschmar8280]

Nice video as usual. Love the interaction between your both! Sorry, did I mishear? Does Flaviana want the conservatory done by Xmas? Seems a bit of a rush before thinking it through. As for the wood burner, are there any local businesses near you that you could take away their unwanted wooden pallets etc to burn? Have a friend who lives on a barge who does this. Sends his wife around the local industrial estates collecting pallets, free heating near enough.

[@davidemodelrailway]

I agree with the comments, park the pond works, rip down the existing lean to structure and replace with a thermally efficient new conservatory. Dont throw good money after good. Good luck.🤞

[@mikelodge1957]

Andrew I would recommend a solid roof as it will take care of the expansion and contraction of glazing timbers, it's also more usable and the thermal value using insulation in the roof will really help 👌

[@neilhollow1937]

We don't heat ours in winter. Have some of the same problems with rotten wood and that lead stuff on the top but on ours these cover the main beams that are OK as are the sides. The main problem is the ugly polycarbonate roof. We looked at PV glass but were worried it would fall in on us - surprised yours has a glass roof with wood supports. Hoping some kind of plastic PV will appear to replace polycarbonate with... sigh. Would patch it up and concentrate on the main house.

[@Jaw0lf]

I would suggest the rip down and redo, as the base is not stable. We were able to fit a solid insulated roof to our existing conservatory that had a dwarf wall. We still find it gets warm in the Summer and cool in the winter, but adding to the heat is far less of an issue now and can be used with a little though. A sunny winter day will easily heat it enough, but in general we still treat it as a conservatory due to the heat loss we still get. Having said that it could easily be part of the house but you then need to be prepared to heat it more often. So this puts me in Team Andrew.....Also we have a wood burner and I don't like using it too often as the pollutants are pushed into the air! Also think again about the ASHP, is it worth looking at an air based system?? And I understand you on the USA issue.

[@neilr009]

Scrap the conservatory. I like the gazebo idea mentioned below, put the money into insulation and efficient heating. I have a good spec log burner which we use on winter evenings. Only burn properly dry wood, you won't get heat out of damp wood even though it might burn.

[@markuk8803]

Your last house looked lovely with great views. Can I ask why you moved to this place ?

[@flav1ana]

For lack of good secondary schools in our area.

[@markuk8803]

@@flav1ana Thanks. Also, keep the log burner I have one and they are great....

[@stuarthorwood2101]

Get the heat pump, replace the conservatory in brick and aluminium then fix the pond when you can afford it. And in no circumstances instal loft spray foam insulation

[@AlanBosworth-l1x]

Absolutely brilliant, forget about conservatories and heat pumps, just keep making these double hander videos it was soooo good to watch 😂 made me laugh anyway. Many thanks.

[@mancman9418]

We had our conservatory (4mx3m) roof insulated for £1200 and it is now usable all year round. A small oil/electric heater is sufficient. OK, ours is not wood, so we have no rot issues. Firstly, I would make your conservatory safe. Sort out the pond next year - put it on hold. Use the log burner this winter and look at options after winter is over. We use ours for a few hours when it is really cold - use it too much and it can be expensive. Ultimately, I would replace the conservatory with a more permanent structure (an orangery??), but that is not cheap. Good luck!!

[@gohumberto]

Rebuild it using an insulated brick wall to about thigh height and modern glazing. Underfloor heating also helps.

[@michalvala9736]

Hello, I'm from CZ, so area with slightly different weather (warmer summers and colder winters than in the UK). As for the context, we have built a house 5 years ago. It's made of bricks, insulated by polystyrene (floor, walls) and fiberglass (roof). It's heated by electricity (heating wires installed directly in floors everywhere, not heat pump), from time to time we use log burner as well (mostly for mood during winter evenings). Our energy consumption is around 13MWh per year. There's everything - heating the house, warming up water, normal household usage of electricity. The first thing I noticed in your video was, how cold floor in the conservatory was. You can fix the construction but it will always need a lot of energy to heat up. The problem is, you need to insulate the floor, and also think about the amount of glass. If I saw correctly, you have double-glass panels, so it's not horrible, but still - normal wall or roof provides better insulation than the best glass. It also depends on how much sunlight you have in the conservatory. The glass does not insulate very well, on the other hand, it lets the sunlight in, which can heat up the space enough. But, as I said, I'm from different climatic zone, so my opinion on this might be completely wrong. As for the log burner - we have it in the living room. It has air intake from the outside (there is a hose under the house going directly to the logburner), and the amount of air is controlled by electronic flap driven by thermometer in the burning area. I know there is a big discussion about PM2.5, and honestly, I'm not sure if we can simply put together numbers from old outdated log burners and the modern ones. I'm not specialized in this field but I would take all information with a grain of salt (or maybe more grains). As for CO danger - here we must have our chimney checked every year so I know it's in perfect condition. Also, the air flows from the outside directly to the burner and then to the chimney. So the risk of getting some CO or CO2 inside our house is nearly zero. You have asked for advice: I would advice to insulate the house as much as possible. As for the conservatory, I would probably just fix the construction but would use it during summer only. But it depends on how much space the rest of house has.

[@LeeOades]

Came for the EV content. Stayed for the conservatory discussion...?? 😂 Thanks for another enjoyable and interesting video. I know nothing about conservatories. Good luck!

[@bobeagle2380]

Team Andrew. Looks like a job for the heat geeks.

[@JonathanPorterfield]

Team Andrew , the bell at the end , thats Flavianas best imput 😂, just brilliant

[@AL-ib3lu]

I'm with Andrew on the log burner & regarding the conservatory keep the sliding door closed to the rest of the house & use the conservatory as a heat loss barrier.

[@karstenbrauner1530]

Depends on how much you value the view to outside? Is the sun able to shine on the conservervatry?

[@DaveG6HNI]

Are there gutters above the conservatory ? Like you I am surrounded by trees and my rear gutter is permanently full of leaves and because my conservatory is the full width of my house I cannot get at the gutter to clear it. I installed underfloor heating in my conservatory (gas combi boiler) which does go a long way to keep it warm in winter, but it gets up to 32 C in summer without AC. My combined energy bill is around £230 per month, possibly slightly more in deepest winter - 2 bed detached house. Cavity wall insulation made the biggest difference to my heat use, when the wind blue the main room temp used to drop 1 or 2 degrees, but now remains cosy. My conservatory is UPVC with 3 layer polycarbonate roof, after 10 years it is still as good as new. Just the gutters that are constantly blocked with leaves. I've seen that internal insulation system advertised on tele but have no idea how effective it might be, most heat is lost through the roof, so replacing that with a tiled & insulated roof should keep it warmer in winter and cooler in summer, good luck and it's the leaves that rot the wood if left covered !

[@ShelfsideOllie]

'i'm not burning shit...' - Love that. Totally agree! - Enjoy your lovely new home guys, the problems are a moment in time, you'll get there :)

[@buddywheels]

Hi folks, I think the conservatory has had it. We are in East Sussex, no gas by choice , using all electric and a thermal store boiler to run the heating 👍 Happy to talk you through/show you if you like. I posted earlier with links which I think got the comment flagged.

[@stevescott9289]

A quick thought. How about octopus cosy? The on oil heater controls might be good enough to deal with that right now, and you have at least some thermal mass with the oil

[@alancashion5344]

I agree with those that say you should get rid of the conservatory all together and replace with more suitable form in the future when viable. The additional outside space would also reduce the need to change the size of the pond in the short term anyway. Hopefully, the cost of heat pumps should reduce in a few years time also.

[@johnfreshwater3790]

Have you considered a heat pump. We live in a 220 year old 200 sq metre solid stone house and a well installed heat pump is far cheaper ti run. We only had oil heating and now we heat the property cheaper than before and haven't used the log burner since this was fitted in 2020. As for your conservatory we have a garden room which has all glass but a solid roof and this had all rotten wooden window frames and I changed these by using oak posts to hold the roof up and then UPVC windows between. The units were 1200 quid and the oak posts were 500. The glazing units were a rated so have argon filled and the coating on the internal glass. The room is far warmer now. As for your price for the heat pump have you tried octopus for a quote as they seem to be reasonable although I fitted my own for about 6k

[@nickline6888]

Team Flaviana 🎉😂 Concentrate on the house and put the pond on the backburner. Knock down that conservatory and start again, looks like it's past saving to me. And spark that burner up till you have your heating sorted how you want it 🔥

[@dlschgo]

Do they have home inspections in the UK prior to purchase? All those items should have been caught and the price adjusted or repairs made before sale.

[@11x11z11x11]

wasn't the heating system and the state of the conservatory picked up on purchase ?

[@givemethejob3293]

You could replace the conservatory with a SIPS construction, quick to put up and 1/4 of the cost you would pay for a £25k conservatory. Fantastic insulation built in.

[@gerrymac5865]

I would definitely knock this rotten structure down but shop around for new conservatory quotes a local company near me quoted me £12000 FOR A 4MTR x 3Mtr upvc new conservatory, so my advice shop around my friend even managed to buy a very nice ex display conservatory for under £10000. Good luck with your task.

[@stuartgifford8672]

I am definitely Team Andrew, as someone who nearly died of Asthma attack twice caused by pollution should definitely ban wood burners, in fact stop burning everything, we are in 2024 not 1884.

[@MrEV]

My god - that's scary. You must hate this time of year when the air gets smoggy?!

[@kmartin73]

@@MrEV when the carbon Monoxide alarm goes off for the first time you will certainly think again about using the fire.

[@lookoutleo]

Tapes called flashband. :) You need to completely dismantle it and either replace the wood or the whole conservatory . You could get an air to air minisplit to heat your living room. Best to get your mates to help you take it down and make each wooden part and reassemble. Alternatively you could try and pick up a second hand PVC conservatory, you can get them very cheap just for a few hundred pounds on gumtree as folk are building extensions where conservatory was. Do you have total heating total control power. If so make sure your radiators are connected to the cheap electric, same with focal point heater in living room and electric shower. People with electric heating are in fuel poverty as mains gas is subsidised by it. Here in the Scottish Highlands most people are on electric heating that's why airsource heat pumps are great, look on appliances direct , they do a 2 zone heatpump for £1000 , I have single zone version , cost £650

[@stuartgifford8672]

@ Moved out of London breathing is so much better, thankfully live in the countryside now and very happy. And decided to put head in the sand and not look and the news which has made me 100x happier as well 😊

[@Tom-bp6no]

​@stuartgifford8672 In the countryside here everyone burns wood and coal, so it's much worse than the cities where most use Gas heating 😂 Small Towns which aren't on the Gas grid are pretty terrible for smoke also.

[@steveyoung8376]

build a floating office on the pond! but a raft and then garden room in the pond

[@fbsing]

Use that log burner too, simply close the door and the bad stuff goes up the chimney. My sister in Lincolnshire has a very similar setup, they use the conservatory all year round - it’s not the warmest for sure , but usable space for entertaining, and a log burner that is far more economical than I imagined (they indicate such) and is also smoke free (smoke free logs). I wanted one for our home too, but our place is super warm just using a heat pump (and solar with batteries) - that didn’t come cheap but I’m very happy as our utility bills were similar to yours when we moved in and now I only really utilise electricity at night in the cheap rate time (battery and car charging and hot water heating)

[@steveyoung8376]

i would make it into a nice patio

[@benstradling7615]

My parents had a similar problem with their old conservatory , what they did was get a double skin wall build on a concrete slab all with insulation the wall is around waste high then glass all round except for one side which is a solid wall the roof is a regular roof with two glass panels it's just like a conservatory but is the same thermally as the rest of the house , it does get a bit hot in the summer if you don't keep the doors and windows open but in the winter it's great they do have an electric heater in there and use it all year around it was built on the foot print of the old conservatory so no planning permission required , might be something worth thinking about . Burning dry wood is perfectly fine it's something we've always done for heating

[@LaserFur]

I'm in USA zone 7 so it's really cold and I use off peak storage heaters, but where you are a heat pump might be a better option for the house. And I would forget that ad on since it's a lot of glass. Where I am it's less expensive to mix 3.5K and 5K color temp LED lights to make a bright inside area. Also note that Fiberglass insulation alone looses it's R value due to thermal piping when it gets cold. So 5% cellulose insulation on top fixes it. edit: also note that if you are using electric to heat a place you can run as many lights and computers and tvs as you want and it won't change the power bill since it all adds to the heat.

[@AllElectricHouse]

Your best bet is rip the conservatory down and start again. Make do with it for now and save some cash(if you can) and then get it replaced properly. You also want to try and get your heating costs down as spending the amount you are for electric is just crazy. Get yourself plenty of wood and make better use of your log burner for now. In our old house we had a log burner and we used it more than any other heating and it kept the house warm enough for now, but you really want to get a ASHP as soon as you can afford it.

[@stephgray]

We’ve done the conservatory roof thing this year with Supalite on a big conservatory (about 20k - definite improvement and feels very solid - same U values as new build), switching double glazing units to A rated glass (3k) cavity & loft insulation (3k) and a heat pump install (12k with grant). Definitely vote Team Andrew on the log burner question 😂

[@jean-marcgruninger9019]

have you got a quote for an air to air heatpump?

[@Richard.Frost.01]

I think the sensible and safest solution is just to remove the current structure. Eventually you can put up a more practical solution. Forget the pond for now, focus on the house. Getting the heating sorted in the house would be my first priority. Would underfloor heating be an option?

[@PaulF-65]

We went through the same thing with our conservatory. In the end I watched KZbin videos and replaced everything but the panels. That’s was 4 years ago. We were qouted 6-7k for the replacement roof. It cost me under £500 for the materials. I do want the imitation tiles and had a quote of under 5k very recently. I think you will see some massive variation in quotes so keep searching. Good luck 🤞

[@JohnnyMotel99]

I have a conservatory too but I leave it unheated all year and close the door in the winter.

[@johnfreshwater3790]

Have you considered air to air heat pump as this is cheaper to install and gives you efficient cooling in the summer

[@higgy1996]

Get in touch with Urban Plumbers regarding the heat pump. Would love to see a collab of a heat pump install.

[@jbarnett1949]

Thanks for another entertaining video. I think the conservatory is beautiful, but as most have said, not practical. Burning wood is beautiful, but it does pollute. Ah, the sacrifices we must make. Best to your family.

[@stephenwensley]

I’d patch up the conservatory with wood hardener, if necessary epoxy wood filler & glazing sealant to get it through the winter at lowish cost. I’d also switch the infrared space heater for either a heated office chair or a heated cover/blanket over the chair. Then plan for a replacement extension when finances allow.

[@dougbamford]

Would an air-air heat pump be more worthwhile if you don't have radiators already?

[@jaz4280]

I assume that you know about the house condition and being a good investment in the long term. Looks like a nice house and good plot with a beutiful garden.

[@jcflippen1552]

Been there in the past. We turned crap wooden conservatory into garden room ‘office and edit suite ‘ - £25k. This project is more important than the pond as it also adds value to the house. Wood burner ok for this winter then re - evaluate . Looking ahead how about Toshiba hot air for heating/aircon there’s a KZbinr ? and Kate who raves about it for cost value.

[@johnfenn3188]

I’m with both of you. You have two problems it seems to me. I think you have a short term problem, in that you need to have a waterproof conservatory. I think that is the best thing. As cheap as you can. Then you need to decide what you really want. And you’ll have to afford that somehow. There are some really nice conservatories. Some friends of ours used theirs as a dining room every day with a couple of fan heaters on the coolest days. But it was as well insulated as possible and with a sensible roof and brick below the windows. (They’ve moved away now - not because of the conservatory! I agree with Andrew about the wood burner. If you’re remotely asthmatic, just don’t!

[@richardanderson9340]

Can you replace some, or all of the radiators with storage versions? It would let you use octopus go for overnight heating? The big issue for you will be loss of light in the conservatory. If you don’t make it weathertight you run the risk of further damage from water ingress

[@pmbpmb5416]

After the first video I assumed you had bought the building as a do it up project for renewable purposes , it visually appeared to have issues . Maintain the wood burner , use seasoned wood and it will be fine , it’s always as well to have back up warmth . What did the surveyor pick up as problems ?

[@pmbpmb5416]

I should add with the wood burner it’s about correct installation and air flow , is there a vent in the wall of the room it’s within ?

[@MrTendentious]

I’m in a similar situation, with a conservatory built by my father in the 1980s. It’s at the end of its life and I lack the finances to have it replaced, or the skills to do it myself. I’ll probably take it down next summer.

[@tangerinestorm]

A plumber will install all of your rads for about 2-3k Get your quote from the heat pump company then ask them for plans get the rads fitted to their specs and then ask how much the heat pump will cost to install. See how much they really are ripping you off.

[@djdeag]

Have a look at air to air heat pumps (air conditioning with heating) although you don't get the £7.5k grant, can still work out cheaper than getting radiators etc installed everywhere.

[@pigletsdaddy3052]

LMAO (domestic) ! Great video. Ditch the conservatory when you can, log burner only when you really need it on the coldest days, get all the insulation you can, solar roof... so on... Yeah. Money pit!

[@kevinmills5293]

I’d look at a mini split A/C system. It would be far cheaper and you could install it yourself. Take the conservatory down and with the energy saving you would make, you could have a proper conservatory built in a couple of years.

[@optic1972]

the bonus is that it is creating a thermal block to the main house and whilst the conservatory is not warm its keeping the house warmer :P

[@waylaid]

Don’t know how much they cost but companies like Okopod now do pre-fab wooden extensions as well as garden offices. It would be properly insulated. Might not be much £££ different from a new conservatory.

[@Paul-yh8km]

If the roof was the only problem I would have repaired it myself. Given the whole structure is a problem I would remove it and build an outside room. Basically a canopy that allows you to eat outside with the entrance to the house at the rear weatherised. You then have a cheaper build, somewhere to use in the summer and you don't have to heat it. The floor can be decking, or pavers etc. You could also plant some climbers to grow up the supporting posts. The canopy should help keep the rain off anything stored there.

[@blobstrom]

I would knock it down and start again, you can insulate the floor properly, maybe build the walls up then have uPVC windows and have an insulated roof and floor, maybe make it bigger if you can. Having glass all round will help bring in light still. I insulated my conservatory a few years back with Superquilt insulation, it made such a difference summer and winter temps too. Edit. That glass can easily slide out and looks very dangerous

[@timj11dude]

Quiet possibly the best option, if they take the long view on money saved heating offsetting the loan required.

[@mebrown101]

Agreed. Get a proper building - likely not much different in £ to a bespoke conservatory which is not a long term solution imo

[@lordstevewilson1331]

First thing change tafif to something like octopus go, What about octopus cosy heat pump?