OneGuyFromBarlick

Just like computers, the model you buy next year will be better and cheaper than the one you buy today.

Theres no way I'm changing the ones I have. The government will never offer the FIT level of 3 years ago again. Having said that my brother has just had some put in with present day FITs (less than a third of what I get), but it was a lot cheaper to get them. Must still be an investment worth considering. The present price of them, and the price of electric, makes putting them in yourself and not having FITs at all 'doable' if not very lucrative just for the electric they save you. The cost of putting them in is most of the cost nowadays.

The anti-fracking campaigners have been depending on this man to provide their `technical' support...

Fracking row scientist lied about his credentials
The Times, 1 August, 2014
A retired scientist who argues that fracking is dangerous and gives evidence against drilling applications has been accused of making a false claim about his qualifications. The Geological Society has written to David Smythe to demand that he stop claiming that he is a chartered geologist. The University of Glasgow, where Mr Smythe worked 16 years ago, has also written to him asking him not to suggest that its academics share his views.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/environme ... 163950.ece

THIS caught my attention this morning. Tim Yeo is dead right, the flawed gas market should be investigated.
I posted this on What did you have for Tea, it has taken me 70 years to work out that there is no need to boil spuds until they are cooked, simply bring them to the boil, turn the heat off, cover the pan with some folded tea towels and leave them to cook in the residual heat.

I had to have a blast of CH earlier this week and again yesterday. I might light the stove later, I find it's a good thing to give it a hot run after sitting idle all summer. It often brings the hard soot down which has loosened over the summer and once cleared out of the bend it is OK for the rest of the winter.

During summer our boiler only comes on briefly once each day to top up the temperature in the hot water cylinder, and the central heating is left switched off. A couple of days ago we switched on the CH for half an hour to flush water through the radiators and make sure they're all working, then put the switch back in the OFF position. Oddly, when the HW came on during the following day the CH also started up! But it hasn't come on since. Very strange.

I lit the stove yesterday afternoon and gave the flue a good warm through. No problems but a bit warm in the front room last night! 80F! It was out before I went to bed and is cold now so I'll check the bend in the flue for obstructions this morning and we're ready for winter!

Anything remotely connected with `fracking' now seems to be considered a valid target by the protesters...

BBC News, 18 Aug 2014
`Anti-fracking protesters in Swansea cause chaos in city'
"Anti-fracking protesters have brought major disruption to Swansea after blockading a new university building. Eight people from the group Reclaim the Power shut down construction of the site on Fabian Way - the main route into the city from the M4. The protest began at 06:00 BST on Monday and caused chaos for commuters"....."The activists said they dressed as "mad scientists" to protest against fracking research. They camped outside the site and dropped a "No Fracking" banner from the top of the building while another protester was locked on to a tripod. They say they are "angered" by "tens of millions of public money being funnelled into research on fracking via Swansea University's new Energy Safety Research Institute". A spokeswoman for Swansea University confirmed the UK and Welsh governments had both funded research at the institute into "all types of energy, and one of those could be fracking". She also confirmed previous landowners BP had donated the site to the university, which the protesters have highlighted."

Checked the bend in the flue, not a lot in it but it's spotless now...
The Protests in Swansea... There are a lot of angry people about these days and any excuse will do to get out on the streets to cause disruption. I doubt if many know anything about the process, simply that it is 'Bad'. You can see the same syndrome in people who are angry about 'benefit scroungers' and immigrants, any focus will do. In my most pessimistic moments I can see this as a growing ground swell in society and relate it to the growth of inequality and consequent stress.Swansea is a good example of this misdirected anger. Forget common sense, don't bother to enquire into the truth, just lash out at the very people who are looking for ways to improve the situation. As Hartley would say, 'pesky scientists'.

I daresay fracking is no more or less risky than other extraction of oil and gas... (take that whichever way you like!).

What worries me about the process is that it will add more and more CO2 to Earth's overloaded atmosphere; accordingly, it's a 'bad thing' in my view.

Problem is that it looks like an easy way out of what will shortly be a very dodgy situation....

Came across this : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28878432

They are effectively banning vacuum cleaners with motors above 1600 watts. I always thought it was something of an anomoly in these times that Vacuums have notices on the front which effectively says 'Look, I use a lot of electric !' Ours actually has "1800W" in huge letters screen printed onto it. No doubt the Eurosceptics will be up in arms and the Daily Mail will be having a field day (again).......

I noted that as well Plugs. Bit puzzled though as to why larger motors are a danger to the environment...
Half an hour of CH this morning, bit chilly in the house.

I suppose it's a bit like cars?

Ever tighter controls on engine sizes spurs the manufacturers to design ever more efficient motors...

(I do like ones with a good suck. We got two Henry's last year - having burnt the previous ones out - one for the Beach and one at the Rainhall Centre. By mistake - mine - the one on the Beach isn't as powerful. Anthony, who takes care of the Centre, quickly noticed when we inadvertently took the wrong one to the beach this year...)

BBC News, 22 August 2014
EDF Energy told to pay £3m to help vulnerable customers
EDF Energy has been ordered to pay £3m "to benefit vulnerable customers" following an Ofgem investigation into how the company handled complaints. The investigation came after a 30% rise in complaints after the introduction of a new IT system in 2011. The company did not have the means to properly receive, record and process customers' grievances. All six of the big energy firms have now had to make similar payments within the last two years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28892378

When do I get the money?
David, I've had a Henry as the workshop vacuum for years. Good suck and never any problem. Just had a look and the EU will be pleased to hear it's only 800w.

Did you hear of the recent incident where British Gas broke into a man's house because they said he hadn't paid his bill? But the account was for a previous occupant, he didn't owe them anything. Apparently the companies can legally break in if they are owed money and/or they think there is a safety problem. But they failed to make the necessary checks in this case before breaking in.

I knew about their draconian powers Tiz which is why I went at them full bore when they told me that according to their records I owned a flat in London and owed them £400. I insisted on having the correction of my account notified in writing stating the facts clearly. They thought it was sufficient to simply agree I was right despite the fact that I still had a bill for £400 on the table. I would have thought that written assurance would have been standard practice but they seem to work on a different principle.
CH cracked on controlled by the thermostat, low level and only twenty minutes.

Here's a photo of the extra insulation being fitted to the outside of our old dormer rooms. We couldn't fit insulation on the inner surface of the walls so the hanging tiles were taken off the outside, the battens and old felt removed, new membrane fitted (Rubbershield breathable fabric), then 50mm thick foil-coated boards of polyisocyanurate (Xtratherm) fitted in place. In the photo the diagonal battens were temporary overnight until the proper tile battens were fitted. Note that the joints between the insulation boards are banged closely together and sealed with tape - this is essential to prevent movement of air or else the insulation is much less efficient. The edges of the windows will be finished with uPVC strip and the sills extended to suit. Next, the flat roof surface will be replaced and fitted with insulation boards and rubber coating. When finished, the dormers will have more insulation than the walls of a new house.

Have you had to refit the gutter to allow for the thickness of insulation?

The roof of the dormer will be extended to allow for the extra 50mm on all sides and then the gutters refitted. In fact it's the `extras' that are most trouble; the insulation bit is easy for the builder and he gets that done fast. It all slows down when he has to do the fiddly bits to make it all match up. Luckily he was a carpenter originally and does it well.

Nobody can accuse you two of not doing your best! I thoroughly approve because for years I have recognised the amount of energy we waste rather than consume usefully. The thing that occurs to me is the fact that it's the owner occupiers who go to these lengths. What incentives/sanctions are there to make landlords do the same?

Privately rented property can be a big problem... housing authorities struggle to ensure that basic amenities are satisfactory. Housing associations tend to be much better. (For instance, former council housing in Barnoldswick was all externally insulated a few years ago.)

The big housebuilding companies get away with murder when it comes to energy efficiency. They get planning permission now, sit on it and then build years in the future but they are then allowed to build to today's regulations rather than the more stringent ones then in force.

See THIS for a report on the boiler cracks in UK nuclear power stations. EDF has said that they expect to have them all on line at the end of December but National Power have signalled that they are worried about shortages next winter.
You can't help getting the feeling that we've plaited sawdust for too long and pigeons are coming home to roost. (Thanks to the late Bob Smith at N&CC for that one....)

I read of this a couple of days ago. immediately went on ebay to see how much candles were. Get in soon before the rush.