Article in the PLUMBASE HOME MAGAZINE

£.V. irO'-'JVENT I INNOVATIONS
M/^EOVER
ornes in the UK account for around
27 per cent of all carton emissions.
Like many people, husband and
wife, Robert and Elaine Hicks were
concerned about their impact on the
environment Living in an 18th century cottage
powered by a log burner and mains electricity,
tney were regularly paying high fuel bills as we'l as
having a high carbon footprint, Robert explains,
'Our carbon footprint was a worry. And to use our
old wood burner meant us carrying and soiling
lots of logs, and as we both nave bad backs, it
wasn't ideal.' Robert and Elaine decided to give
the cottage, which has been in their family for
over a century, an eco makeover lhat wouldn't
affect the period look of the house, To avoid
ruining its character, the couple decided to
consult an expert from local plumbing company
Padstow Plumbers, to ensure the look of the
house wouldn't be too modern. Paul Blackinore,
who advised on the eco makeover, says, The
Hicks' brief was quite straightforward - they
wanted a house that matched modern living
requirements, was cheap to run and had a very
low carbon output, but without compromising
the period look and feel of the properly, The first
big consideration was which fuel source would
achieve these requirements, bearing In mind
the off-gas location of the property.'
To replace their mains electricity, they
decided to install a Color LPG Dulk tank, which
gives off the lowest amount of carbon emissions^
C:.EL-.":T ANGELS ?m; 10?
Our heating and water used to cost around /, 160 a month. This has now
slashed to around £45. We've saved over £1,000 in this first year
and virtually no soot or sulphur emissions. Built
underground, it didn't affect the look of the house.
Elaine says, Ws well as having the tank stored
underground, our boiler room, which is built on the
side of our cottage, has been built in Ihe same
stone to match the cottage. All internal pipe work
is hidden in ducts under the floors and the same
outside, We also installed a Color LPG gas burner
in the lounge which looks like our old wood burner,
it has fooled lots of our friends!'
As Robert and Elaine get a lot of sun on the
house, they decided to make use of it and
install soiar panels. Initially worried they would
look unsightly, instead of installing them on the
roof they were given an alternative solution, 'We
weren't sure if solor panels were right for us as our
cottage roof was too small for the panels, and
we were unsure whether we could use them with
our other fuel source, but Paul came up with a
solution to house the panels discreetly behind
the building, so we thought why let all that free
heat from the sun go to waste. The solar power
has been great, it produces up to 300 litres of
hot water a day, which is far more than we ever
use.' With a budget of £10,000 for all of their eco
renovations, including installation, they managed
to stick to their target, and the savings mean the
work will soon have paid for Itself. 'Our heating
and water used to cost around £160 a month,
This has now been slashed to around £45. We've
saved over £1,000 in this first year,' So impressed
with their eco changes, the couple are thinking
of making more environmentally friendly
renovations. Robert says, 'We're looking Into wind
power, we've thought about solar photo electric
panels too,' •
First, find oul if the renovations you want
to make are possible - consult an expert
such as a recommended architect or
plumber who can assess your home.
. .
about other people's eco home
makeovers before you start to find out
whot hos worked for others doing similar
renovations.
Check with the Energy Savings Trust
as you may be eligible for a grant to
help towards the costs of any work, visit
iww.enefgxsavingfrusf.org. uk.
If you don'l want to spend thousands,
small changes can make a huge
difference. Try switching to energy efficient
light bulbs, consider switching energy
suppliers and by turning your thermostat
down just one or two degrees.
II your home has a conservatory, then
(hot too can be given an eco-makeove<
Roof Revive has developed a unique and
patented system that can successfully
insulate the roof of your conservatory
which means that it reduces the heat buSa
up in the summer by a staggering 30 per
cent, and retains approximately 90 per
cent of the heal in winter. This enables you
to save on your energy bills while keer>nQ
the conservatory at a perfect temperate
365 days a year Tel: 0808 1 78 9358.
www. roof-rewe. co. uk
Installing solar photovoltaic (PV) can ensure that you benefit from free, green energy ond get paid for doing it thanks to the
feed-in tariff. Solar Power Intl. are PV specialists dedicated to ensuring customers, looking to install solar electricity systems on
fheir property, retain the maximum financial returns on their initial investment. Tel: 0844 504 1317. www.soSarpowefintl.co.uk
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