nexus6
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Post by nexus6 on Feb 4, 2022 15:49:54 GMT
I hate cavity wall insulation. As discussed in the housing thread, in older properties, it almost always leads to condensation build up, as any moisture in the house has nowhere to go. I have enough of that already behind wardrobes etc. I was just going to say the same - my last place had cavity wall insulation put in by the previous owner and it was one of the main reasons that I was glad to get shot of the place. The humidity was dreadful, I had to 'hoover' the windows every morning and clothes in wardrobes were always getting mouldy. Dreadful idea. We bought the house from the folks that had it put in. Combined with the metal framed windows it was a disaster - the walls themselves were damp ffs! There was a mushroom growing out the top of the wallpaper after 1 year in the place. I got the insulation taken out the cavity. I replaced the windows with composite frames and just double glazed and the place is much much better now - dry and just as warm as when living in a wet house! I hate cavity fill insulation |
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dmukgr
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Post by dmukgr on Feb 4, 2022 19:18:36 GMT
Out of interest why are the metal frames an issue - is it that they get really cold themselves thus exaggerating the issue?
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Post by GigaChad Sigma. on Feb 4, 2022 19:27:27 GMT
I have a smart meter but I'm unclear on it's purpose other than to have an LED showing how much I'm spending.
I don't think it sends information to EON or does anything particularly smart.
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dmukgr
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Post by dmukgr on Feb 4, 2022 19:30:48 GMT
I thought it sent the readings so you didn't have to read the meter yourself
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Post by spacein_vader on Feb 4, 2022 19:37:21 GMT
I have a smart meter but I'm unclear on it's purpose other than to have an LED showing how much I'm spending. I don't think it sends information to EON or does anything particularly smart. It allows them to switch off the power remotely, making the inevitable rolling blackouts much easier for them to manage. |
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EMarkM
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Post by EMarkM on Feb 4, 2022 19:39:02 GMT
I have a smart meter but I'm unclear on it's purpose other than to have an LED showing how much I'm spending. I don't think it sends information to EON or does anything particularly smart. Years ago I received a “monitor” for my leccy readings that did that. It clipped onto the mains feed somehow. I stopped using it as, guess what? It used electricity to run! We’ve never had actual smartmeters. The mother in law does though, without the monitor bit as they “no longer offer them to everyone”, but we STILL get asked to submit her readings! I don’t get it! |
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Post by GigaChad Sigma. on Feb 4, 2022 19:39:24 GMT
I thought it sent the readings so you didn't have to read the meter yourself That's what I thought but they keep asking me for a reading and the meter is stuck behind a load of shit. |
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Post by jeepers on Feb 4, 2022 20:23:30 GMT
I have a smart meter but I'm unclear on it's purpose other than to have an LED showing how much I'm spending. I don't think it sends information to EON or does anything particularly smart. We have one now and all it does is show a pie chart with angry red segments when we’re “over budget”. Nowhere does it tell me what that budget is or allow me to change it, so it’s just like the slave telling Caesar that he too will die. |
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Post by dfunked on Feb 4, 2022 20:29:54 GMT
Yeah, in home display does nothing more than show you what you're spending. The meters themselves log hourly usage data with your provider.
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Post by Blackmarsh63 on Feb 4, 2022 20:39:05 GMT
Ideally the monitor thing will have the correct tariff on it but since E.ON took over my supply from NPower it's woefully inaccurate. They're refusing to change it and advising to get one off Ebay.  |
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Lizard
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Post by Lizard on Feb 4, 2022 23:03:49 GMT
If I park my privilege for a moment: Amen. It's been shit since I graduated, in this chase for a 'home'. Same here, and I'm a few years older than that poster. |
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Post by dfunked on Feb 4, 2022 23:13:59 GMT
I worked though the 2007-2009 recession bollocks and managed to stay on top, so foolishly thought that'd be my old timer "pfft, you don't even know what hard times are!" recollection moment for the young folk.
The poor fuckers already have it so many times harder than I ever did, and they have no hope of buying without money from mum and dad.
I could've got a job flipping burgers for minimum wage back then and survived. Fuck know what kind of existence that'll get you now.
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Post by Sarfrin on Feb 4, 2022 23:25:51 GMT
I have a smart meter but I'm unclear on it's purpose other than to have an LED showing how much I'm spending. I don't think it sends information to EON or does anything particularly smart. It allows them to switch off the power remotely, making the inevitable rolling blackouts much easier for them to manage. Well fuck that. They'll only come and install on a weekday in term time anyway so they can get knotted. |
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technoish
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Post by technoish on Feb 5, 2022 3:48:38 GMT
I worked though the 2007-2009 recession bollocks and managed to stay on top, so foolishly thought that'd be my old timer "pfft, you don't even know what hard times are!" recollection moment for the young folk. The poor fuckers already have it so many times harder than I ever did, and they have no hope of buying without money from mum and dad. I could've got a job flipping burgers for minimum wage back then and survived. Fuck know what kind of existence that'll get you now. Jobs market only really slowed down from 2009, shortly after Lehman's - all the grad schemes etc were still going strong in 2008, when I pipped in. By 2009 tho there was also lots of competition from talented candidates with experience exiting the finance sector, who rode out the crisis in public sector before going back to higher salaries after a couple years. My advice to newcomers is probably to go abroad, build up some savings. |
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Post by Bill in the rain on Feb 5, 2022 4:14:45 GMT
I thought it sent the readings so you didn't have to read the meter yourself You guys need to read your own meters and send them to the energy company? What does the energy company do? Do you get paid for this work? |
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Post by Sarfrin on Feb 5, 2022 9:17:54 GMT
It stops them from taking higher payments than they need and accumulating our money in their bank accounts, so we get paid by not being ripped off. About all you can hope for in today's Britain.
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Post by Bill in the rain on Feb 5, 2022 9:27:38 GMT
What a weird system.
I'm glad I never had to deal with it directly when I was living there!
Here some lady comes around once every 2 months and reads the meter.
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technoish
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Post by technoish on Feb 5, 2022 9:32:03 GMT
That also sometimes seems to happen, but it shouldn't if you have a smart meter.
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Post by dfunked on Feb 5, 2022 9:32:07 GMT
It takes two minutes to read the meters, and surely you'd have to spend that time letting someone into your house and keeping an eye on them anyway?
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technoish
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Post by technoish on Feb 5, 2022 13:28:04 GMT
A lot of places have the meters outside at the front or side of house. We did in the US, and loads of places near me in London do. My parents in Scotland also.
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Post by Bill in the rain on Feb 5, 2022 13:33:59 GMT
Yeah, the meter is outside.
So 'smart meter' means you have to read it yourself? *so confused*
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Post by dfunked on Feb 5, 2022 13:58:35 GMT
Nah, smart meter sends readings to your supplier automatically. It's only old school meters you need to take a reading from manually.
If you don't bother reading old school meters the supplier tends to estimate and will eventually send someone round to get a reading, so it's not like you have to do it but like I said it's really no effort.
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Post by spacein_vader on Feb 5, 2022 14:30:00 GMT
[Nerd] there are 2 types of smart meters. So called SMETS1 compatible meters only talk to one supplier, so if/when you change they effectively become dumb meters again and you have to read them manually. Obviously this is stupid and so a few years ago the SMETS2 meters were launched which allow migration between suppliers but they're still the minority of smart meters as the rollout seems to have slowed. [/Nerd]
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Post by brokenkey on Feb 5, 2022 18:56:31 GMT
Out of interest why are the metal frames an issue - is it that they get really cold themselves thus exaggerating the issue? I want to know this too. |
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Post by Bill in the rain on Feb 6, 2022 2:57:05 GMT
[Nerd] there are 2 types of smart meters. So called SMETS1 compatible meters only talk to one supplier, so if/when you change they effectively become dumb meters again and you have to read them manually. Obviously this is stupid and so a few years ago the SMETS2 meters were launched which allow migration between suppliers but they're still the minority of smart meters as the rollout seems to have slowed. [/Nerd] That's not nerdy, because that actually makes the whole situation make sense. |
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X201
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Post by X201 on Feb 9, 2022 6:43:56 GMT
Govt are going to give permission for “surge pricing” aka “Time of use tariffs” which will allow smart meters to send readings 48 times per day so that you’re charged for when use use it as well as how much.
Wrapped in the usual bolllocks saying it will be opt in, not compulsory, save users money, save the environment etc.
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スコットランド
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Post by スコットランド on Feb 9, 2022 7:05:26 GMT
I hate cavity wall insulation. As discussed in the housing thread, in older properties, it almost always leads to condensation build up, as any moisture in the house has nowhere to go. I have enough of that already behind wardrobes etc. What's the solution for older properties to improve insulation? I know nothing about this stuff but I'm curious. |
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technoish
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Post by technoish on Feb 9, 2022 8:21:05 GMT
I hate cavity wall insulation. As discussed in the housing thread, in older properties, it almost always leads to condensation build up, as any moisture in the house has nowhere to go. I have enough of that already behind wardrobes etc. What's the solution for older properties to improve insulation? I know nothing about this stuff but I'm curious. I set it out in that thread. |
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mcmonkeyplc
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Post by mcmonkeyplc on Feb 9, 2022 9:01:04 GMT
What's the solution for older properties to improve insulation? I know nothing about this stuff but I'm curious. I set it out in that thread. Link please? There are 15 pages in that thread!  |
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technoish
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Post by technoish on Feb 9, 2022 9:17:30 GMT
Victorian property very very likely to have solid walls. Your options there are insulation on the wall - either on the inside or outside. A breathable material will stop the moisture issue happening. Eg wood fibre: buildpass.co.uk/blog/what-is-wood-fibre-insulation-and-is-it-worth-using/. you lose some internal dimensions if on inside, and it will have to be rendered instead of visible bricks if done on outside. Loft / roof insulation is always the absolute obvious thing to do, most cost effective and generally requires no moving of furniture or redecorating! If you have some already, latest standards are higher so you could have more done. Windows also an obvious leak - upgrade to double or even triple glazing, although it is fairly expensive if you have a lot of windows. Secondary glazing on inside is cheaper (if not very nice to look at / less practical. If you have bare (and draughty) floorboards on ground floor and a cavity underneath (as you probably would), then underfloor insulation is probably also fairly cost effective. Our Solar panels were supposed to be installed last week, but the scaffolding people didn't arrive as on the job before one of them fell off the roof... Actually it was here |
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