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Thermal images camera surveys
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Look at the heat escaping from this house!
Interest in home heat loss surveys using a thermal images camera - requested in the last newsletter - was high! We had two successful presentations given by Tony Cooper of Belper Transition Energy Group. He explained what has been offered in Belper since 2012 and demonstrated Belper's camera.
Tony is prepared to lend us their camera for about a week at a time, which is a big opportunity for us to help local residents. In our last newsletter, we asked how much people would be prepared to pay for a survey. With the loan of the Belper camera we can bring the cost right down. Initially we will probably charge £10 minimum plus donations. (The price being charged by projects elsewhere ranges from £135 to £180, and free for people in fuel poverty.)
Pilot project in Middleton
A meeting will take place on Thursday 17 February 7pm at The Nelson Arms in Middleton to launch the project.
The meeting will outline the project and how, by using a thermal imaging camera, it can help you find areas in your house where you lose heat and identify ways in which this heat loss can be reduced or stopped. Those taking part will also be encouraged to swap information on finding cost effective solutions to limit heat loss.
It is hoped that a number of people will volunteer to take part in this project.
The agenda is as follows:
- An outline of the project
- Reasons for carrying out the project
- Causes and remediies
- Using a thermal imaging camera
- Questions and Answers
- Opportunity to book an imaging session
- Any other issues
To ensure the meeting complies with Covid regulations, numbers are restricted to 15. Please email wiesehofer@btinternet.com to book one of these places.
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DDDC EMPTY HOMES PREMIUM CONSULTATION
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Since 2019, owners of properties in the Derbyshire Dales left empty for more than tw o years have to pay a double premium on the council tax bill. The Council is proposing to make this policy even tougher to give more incentive to owners to act on their empty houses. Do you think owners of empty houses should be made to pay trieble council tax if they are empty for five years or more? And quadruple council tax if they are empty for ten years or more?
The link to the DDDC website explains more and has a link to the survey for saying what you think. Click here.
Here is more information on what the Council can do to help a landlord bring a property back into use and the enforcement measures if they turn down all offers of help. Click here.
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AIR TIGHTNESS AND AIR QUALITY
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By Mary Ann Hooper
I was fortunate to get an hour of precious time in the Christmas holidays from a qualified Passivhaus consultant, the son of a friend. With Belper's thermal imaging camera, I had confirmed what I thought was likely - my external wall insulation which was installed in 2011 was not joined to my loft insulation installed around the same time, and the image's striking blue colour of cold air coming into the house was evident all around the eaves of my bungalow.
I took him up to my loft and he immediately pointed out that my loft insulation was badly installed, with gaps in numerous places. (He also told me of visiting a frail old man who said he'd had a firm come and install loft insulation. He climbed up to the loft and found all the rolls of insulation still sitting there. The rolls had been installed in the loft but not laid out between the joists!)
What he also said was that if I intended to make my house more airtight, I had better check on the quality of the air. He advised me to get a monitor of CO2 and relative humidity. and said CO2 should not exceeed 1,000 parts per million and the relative humidity should be between 40 - 60%. "We breathe out CO2 and we need air circulation to get rid of it and supply the oxygen we need. If the relative humidity is too high, we are likely to introduce other little nasties like dust mites, as well as mould."
I did as he suggested, and discovered th at in my bedroom at night the CO2 level was "poor"!
 The relative humidity was at the top of the limit. I started opening the window at night and there was an immediate improvement.
But I don't want to bring in the cold air which I've been trying to keep out. Now, as well as sorting out the loft insulation and joining it up to the wall insulation, I am looking at getting a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery.
I will report back in the next newsletter.
Effects of Airtightness on Modern Homes Click here.
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The International Energy Agency (IEA) has complained that much of the media are misleading the public when they say that the price rise is due to the low carbon transition. Click here
Carbon Brief is a long-standing science-based UK media source which monitors and reports on climate change. You can sign up to get a daily or a weekly Briefing. Their Analysis this week says that over the past decade, "Cutting the 'green crap' (quote from David Cameron when Prime Minister) has added £2.5bn to UK energy bills." Click here
How the energy price crisis will affect getting to net zero, according to UK business sustainability staff on the Edie website, also a good source of climate change information.
Click here.
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Join fellow citizens in demanding the Great Homes Upgrade!
This is a non-party-political campaign asking people to sign a declaration and write to their MPs. It also wants us to get together with our local councillors, who are trying to tackle climate change with much-reduced staffing resources.The aim is to put pressure on the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to put the funding for insulating and upgrading our houses in the Spring Budget.
CLICK HERE
Warmer Homes for a Cooler Planet
powered by New Economics Foundation
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For problems with fuel bills: Marches Energy Agency.
For ways to reduce energy demand in houses: Energy Saving Trust.
For a free downloadable beautifully illustrated book from the Scottish Ecological Design Association on improving homes for energy, health and environment: Sustainable Renovation. (or buy a paper copy for only £10)
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Our Board
Noel Mayes (Secretary)
Mary Ann Hooper (Chair)
Alison Clamp (Treasurer)
Ivan Dixon
Mike Whittall
Richard Rowlatt
Vacancies: 4
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