With thanks to Alan and Madeleine for sharing this case study with us.
Type of house, including rough date it was built : Three bedroom, brick built with tiled roof detached, 1960s house.
Improvements carried out: Solar PV, Battery Storage, Air Source Heat Pump, Underfloor Heating, Cavity Wall and External Insulation, Double Glazing
Future plans for improvements: We may think about increasing our battery storage.
What went right? What improvement have you seen or benefitted from as a result?: We moved in to our house in November 2023 after an eight month refurbishment. The house was in its original 1960s state. There was gas central heating. Building schedule went according to plan. We are totally electric and have no gas supply.
The heat pump and underfloor heating worked well last winter and spring and we were very comfortable and needed no additional sources of heat. The heat pump also provides us with hot water. We were concerned that during the summer the house might become too warm, but as we have no south facing windows and external insulation the house has remained cool this summer.
We are with Octopus and get paid for sending surplus electricity to the National Grid. Our current electricity direct debit is £51.00 per month. We are two people in a three bedroomed house. Our previous house was an early Victorian property with solid walls, only partial double glazing and in a conservation area. It was cold, drafty and we were paying £180 per month for gas and electricity, prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent energy prices hike. Our decision to make our current house as energy efficient as possible was based on living in our previous house and heeding the warnings about climate change.
What went wrong? What would you do differently? Any barriers that were identified?: During the refurbishment we discovered we needed to have a new roof, which altered where we were able to install the hot water cylinder for the ASHP.
One thing I wish I’d known is: The possibility of rain water harvesting.
My top tip for a Future Fit Home is: Visit as many retrofit houses as possible and discuss with owners the benefits and issues they have faced and any hints and tips they have. Talk with local experts about the advantages of ASHP, Solar PV, Battery Storage and External Insulation. Consider visiting the national Self-Build centre in Swindon for advice and for viewing ways to improve insulation and types of heat pumps and solar panels. This centre also puts on talks about all things to do with home improvements. Do not be put off by jargon and negative comments about heat pumps being unable to keep houses warm. However, retro fitting our previous Victorian House with an ASHP, Solar PV, Battery Storage and External Insulation, may not have been possible and certainly prohibitively expensive.