Property Details

Summary of Property

Generously sized 6 bedroom house and garden, in almost rural location, with many green energy features saving it from growing fuel prices - an ideal home for a growing family. Income from Solar PV feed in tariff! Free solar hot water.

Environmentally Friendly Features

Solar PV (5.5kW solar electric panels)
Solar thermal water heating
Multi-fuel stove plumbed into space & water heating system
Additional woodstove
A-rated gas condensing boiler
Double/low-e /tripleglazing
Insulated cavity walls plus super-insulated walls in lounge and loft conversion
Underfloor super-insulation in lounge

Dimensions of Rooms (m)

Details of Garden or Outside Space

Small front garden (mostly driveway/parking)
Large rear garden with mature trees, lawns, shrubs and vegetable beds

Garage plus large car port
plus driveway parking for 3+ cars
(wide gateway gives independent access for each car)

Transport & Local Amenities

Further Information

A house valuation is normally about comparing with similar properties in the location. In some ways this home is similar to others in the area. In other ways this home is unique

The generous size of the house and garden make it an ideal home for a growing family while the many green energy features save it from growing fuel prices.

The main construction is conventional, but great improvements have been made to provide good insulation before any renewable energy systems were added. Research shows that energy performance during a building's use generally has a much greater impact than the materials it is made from, so lifetime performance has been the priority with this house.

Solar PV (electricity generating) panels give up to 5.5kW of power in peak sunshine and, averaged over the year, generate more electricity than the home uses.

Some electricity is bought (from the grid) at night and in dull weather, while some surplus solar electricity is sold back (to the grid) in daytime. This all happens automatically (controlled by the inverters) so the only difference the household sees is the low (or negative) electricity bills!

At today's fuel prices and “Feed in Tariff” rates over the year February 2012 to January 2013, the financial benefits of the solar PV installation for the owner occupier were:
Generation tariff income £ 1,392
(received regardless of how much is used or exported)

Export tariff income £ 90
(bonus from spare solar electricity not used during daytime)

Value of free solar electricity used in the home during daylight hours £ 196
(saving buying from grid)

Total financial benefit of solar electricity last year £ 1,678

Feed in Tariff rates are index linked and guaranteed for 25 years from installation (until 2036) so this income will increase with inflation. The tariffs are already higher since April 2013. Fuel prices are also likely to rise at least with inflation, so the value of free electricity used will increase too.

Solar water heating provides plenty of free hot water in sunny weather and reduces fuel used at other times, when the gas boiler or wood-burner can be used to top up the water temperature. A tank full of solar heated water can easily last a couple of days and, averaged over the year, it provides about 60% of water heating energy free. A heat recovery unit fitted to he shower also recycles about half of the waste heat, so the hot water lasts even longer whichever way it has been heated.

Two efficient glass-fronted wood burning stoves can provide heat for both space heating and water heating, as well as giving a safe lovely warm glow of a real fire. Good seasoned hardwood logs can be bought from a local sustainably managed source, though firewood often comes from free tree cuttings and scrap timber.

The space heating and water heating systems are linked through a heat store, so that both solar heating and the wood stove can provide heat to the radiators as well as to hot water.

If there isn't enough solar heat and you don't want to light the wood-stove, heating can come from the high efficiency (A-rated) modulating condensing gas boiler. This can be set to keep the heat store hot enough automatically.


The EPC does not say it all!

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs) gives this house a “B” band (SAP rating 82), which is very good for its age. But Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) can under-rate older homes with unusual improvements.

• The EPC assumes a standard 90% of space heating, and over half the water heating comes from the gas boiler. This house relies less on gas heating.
• Loft space around the attic rooms is actually well insulated (300mm – but not easily visible, so the EPC assumes 1959 standards i.e. nothing!)
• The attic rooms were added in 2005 but insulated better than 2006 standards. The EPC assumes 2002 standards.
• Many of the windows have new high performance double glazed units (replacing old glazing where seals had failed) and the attic rooms have high performance triple glazing. The EPC assumes older double glazing throughout and estimates the annual energy cost at £854 for just heating (space & water) and lighting. Actual bills have been about £700 including cooking and all appliances (Fridge freezer, computers etc).

*Combined heat-store system allows choice of heating from solar thermal and/or wood burner (multi fuel) and/or efficient gas boiler

**Combined annual fuel bills (gas and electricity) totalled about £700
Feed-In-Tariff RECEIVED from fuel supplier for solar electricity in same year £1,670 !

External links:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37821568.html

Details last updated: 2013-08-12 09:34:31

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