View Full Version : Conservatory Heating
Just finishing of the new conservatory and need to make a decision on the heating.
The 2 side walls are block work and the end glass wall goes down to the floor.
Do I go for hot water under floor or wall mounted radiators?
What you all think????
Ta
timwilky
16-01-07, 01:10 PM
neither
Go for a split air conditioning unit. The theory is that it should generate more heat than the equivalent power consumption. I know that breaks the conservation of energy rules. But that is what is claimed.
so cool in summer, warm in winter
Spiderman
16-01-07, 01:27 PM
Tim makes a good point i think.
Also i would say out of your listed options underfloor if you have a tiled floor. Neer pleasant to cross from a warm carpet to a cold tile floor.
I could even give you an estimate for the underfloor heating we sell if you like to give you some idea of cost. Just let me know the sq mtrs of the floor space.
Mr Toad
16-01-07, 01:57 PM
Assuming you have a tiled floor, I'd go for hot water underfloor - linked in to your central heating so it is effectively another radiator. Don't go for the electric underfloor heating - the bills are cripplingly high unless you have very good insulation (and then they'll just be high)
We have a laminate floor in our conservatory. Heating is by wall-mounted radiator, very effective it is too.
i havent got a conservatory :cry: i have a porch with no heating :shock:
tigersaw
16-01-07, 02:59 PM
seems a contradiction in terms, having to heat a conservatory?
Thought they were just greenhouses with a chair in them?
arenalife
16-01-07, 03:38 PM
Technically, to comply with planning regs you can't use a heating system linked to the house (radiators etc). I use a wall mounted electric unit that was about £14 in argos, heats it up very quickly really, not that I use it when it's cold much.
Forget the nonsense about double glazing and extra thick roof laminate, glass has an architectural heat rating of zero, the same as an open window. You could pump a lot of heat into it for it all to disappear into the ether, I wouldn't have it connected to my central system.
I would look at the heat and air con option as mentioned, I had 45 degrees in mine this summer and stuff started melting.
valleyboy
16-01-07, 04:02 PM
Building regs do not apply to conservatories.... well, thats what our building inspector tells us.. they only come under regulations if put on the same time as an extension, or when the house is built. And you can plumb in a radiator.. we have done so several times... even when one was required with building regs.... there is nothing stopping you from using your existing central heating APPART from if your boiler is capable of taking another radiator....
in the summer, if the thing has a glass roof or polycarb.. you will cook to death in it, so the split system may be a good idea if you have room for the box on the outside as well....
To point out, it does depend on what your conservatory is made of, and what type of glass is used.... again, as conservatories 99% of the time do not come under building regs... people tend to go for the cheaper option of double glazed units instead of using K glass... K-glass does have a good thermal rating, hence why all new build houses have to have K glass installed.... but thats when things get complicated as you can also get climateguard glass, which is supposed to stop too much heat getting through the glass from the outside in for summertime.. again expensive as hell... (we built a conservatory with over £3000 worth of glass in the roof alone) same with the roof, if you have polycarb, then that will lose heat, if its a glass roof, its all down to if its K or not.. probably not, as its expensive as fook to glaze a conservatory roof with K glass, as it will have to be toughened glass to begin with so looking at major bucks to do that.
A major factor will be is it open to the rest of the house all the time ? or something thats only going to be used every once in a while ?
Electrical heating is the easiest way to go.. as its quick to heat up a room as well, but can be costly in the long run.. but you will have to make sure you get a heater of the correct rating, and if its a big one, make sure it doesnt exceed your house fuse rating (very unlikely, but not impossible to go past it once you add up everything in the house)
As pointed out by several people, air con is a must if you want to use the thing in the summer... gets VERY warm in there.. built a conservatory last summer, glass roof.. still work to do after the glass all went in, so had to suffer working in 40C + temperatures doing heavy work... :?
You may have to get an engineer to install the air con, as even the 'DIY' kits have major drawbacks.. we are currently stuck with some usints that have gone U/S.. 1 years guarantee.. phoned manufacturer, but they said even though they are marketed as DIY kits you still need to get them tested for any leaks in the system, as they eventualy break if they leak.. specialist equipment required for that testing....
underfloor heating can be very good.. but has one massive drawback.... if something goes wrong with it, you may end up ripping your floor up to get at it... if its electrical, thats probably not a major problem, but if its into the central heating system.. you will have to do somehting about that...
just a quick note, sometimes you do need planning permission for conservatories, and thus they come under building regs.. this is simply down to their size, as different councils have different area rules for what needs planning permission in this regard...
Building regs do not apply to conservatories.... yes some do, even if don't have to submit and application a fully glazed one for example will have to comply with Part N of the regulations (safety glazing) whilst otherwise being exempt well, thats what our building inspector tells us.. they only come under regulations if put on the same time as an extension :shock: NO, or when the house is built. YES...
just a quick note, sometimes you do need planning permission for conservatories, and thus [NO] they come under building regs..(irrelevant to building regs) this is simply down to their size, as different councils have different area rules for what needs planning permission in this regard...
Sort of true. It won't need Building Regulations if less than 30m2 floor area; is substantially glazed (i.e. 75% roof and 50% walls); and is separated from the main dwelling by external quality doors or similar. glazing in critical locations i.e. within 800mm of floor in windows and within 1500mm doors and associated side panels Part N noted above). Otherwise it will need building regulation approval. Heating just needs to have separate controls - this bit 'On Thread' :) .
Yes planning permission may be required subject to permitted development. BUTthis has NO bearing on whether it will need Building Regulation approval or not - they are totally different pieces of legislation and systems.
Sorry off the thread :offtopic: but people keep quoting planning and building regulations on conservatories which I have replied and corrected several times but VB won't read em! :lol:
valleyboy
16-01-07, 05:06 PM
Sorry, my bad.. what I meant was you dont always have to pay a building inspector to inspect things are being done according to regs.... we've only had that twice.... both times while building extensions to houses at the same time... one was tincy, and the other one was a mahoosive conservatory...
with regards to planning permission, weve taken to the safe option... write in to the council, with a drawing of planned conservatory along with an OS map asking if it requires planning permission... said reply is then kept for safe keeping if the crap hits the fan due to neighbours etc at a later date...
there are a few things you have to stick to while doing conservatories as you pointed out.. but dont always require a bloke to come along and look around, drink tea.. and then bugger off and send you a large bill to say he thinks its been built correctly... :lol: and send you a ceretificate saying such..
( I want that job! :lol: )
our building inspectors never really bothered with conservatories.. on both occasions, he was only interested that the bases were put in properly, drainage around it was sufficient etc.. pipes under the conservatory were bridged over.. much more concerned that the extensions were done correctly...
though we left the stickers on the glass until after he had done his inspections incase he wanted to gander at the glass type etc...
Im just the office boy... so ignore me :wink:
Some of it was wrong, I had a million things left to do when I posted that, and only 20 minutes to do it.. so didnt re-read for mistakes :lol:
i havent got a conservatory :cry: i have a porch with no heating :shock:
i have a ferarri with dodgy aircon
there are a few things you have to stick to while doing conservatories as you pointed out.. but dont always require a bloke to come along and look around, drink tea.. and then bugger off and send you a large bill to say he thinks its been built correctly... :lol: and send you a ceretificate saying such..
( I want that job! :lol: )
our building inspectors never really bothered with conservatories.. on both occasions, he was only interested that the bases were put in properly, drainage around it was sufficient etc.. pipes under the conservatory were bridged over.. much more concerned that the extensions were done correctly...
though we left the stickers on the glass until after he had done his inspections incase he wanted to gander at the glass type etc...
Ok most people knock the ol BI but that is the sign of a bloody good one. Comes in does his biz and all you notice is that he drank the tea. Funny but true! :lol: - Just for info, there are pretty hefty penalties for the BI or correctly put BCS, if he don't do it properly. :)
Tim makes a good point i think.
Also i would say out of your listed options underfloor if you have a tiled floor. Neer pleasant to cross from a warm carpet to a cold tile floor.
I could even give you an estimate for the underfloor heating we sell if you like to give you some idea of cost. Just let me know the sq mtrs of the floor space.
Spidey, you have PM! :D :D
neither
Go for a split air conditioning unit. The theory is that it should generate more heat than the equivalent power consumption. I know that breaks the conservation of energy rules. But that is what is claimed.
so cool in summer, warm in winter
Whats that then mate, never heard of it :oops: :oops:
Ta
454697819
16-01-07, 10:24 PM
or electric oil rads....
not a daft idea.. u will only need them 3 months of the year i guess?
cheaper than underfloor, cheaper than extending the heating system and easy to install... and you can get some every high out put ones now too..
i even use them in new builds when the cleint asks for a conservatory last minute.. (and there BIG conservatories )
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