The Long House is approximately 300 years old and Grade 2 Listed with solid (or rough filled) stone walls 60cm wide and mostly no damp proof course. It therefore had poor insulation throughout and some damp/ black mould.
We have 10 solar panels. A 9 kw Pellet Stove was installed in 2021 to replace the wood burner and has been a massive benefit for clean, instant, live flame heat in the open plan living area utilising the existing chimney.
Last year starting in June 2024 we went for a major insulation retrofit (6 months work) which has been very challenging but which we now realise was essential anyway to improve temperature/damp control plus reduction in cost and use of gas and electricity. This was half the cost of the total work which included installation of a 14kw Heat Pump.
The internal wall insulation included a battened off void plus 40ml layered superfoil plus a further void completed with 40ml insulated plaster board. The circular staircase panelling was removed in sections and Insulation Batts attached to outside surface. The doors to the garden had been upgraded in 2021 to improve insulation and drafts. This time many windows were also replaced with updated timber double glazed units completed with thermal pocket blinds everywhere including the doors. Larger radiators have been fitted everywhere to work with the heat pump.
I have never felt so warm and cosy as we did last winter following this work with amazing quantities of hot water. We generate more electricity than we use for 8 months of the year and are paid an export tariff for the electricity we do not use We are monitoring our usage for a year to assess if a Battery Installation would also be a cost effective next step.
In parallel we have been growing more vegetables for our use both among the flowers and in raised beds on an adjacent plot. We are very pleased that our garden and veg plot is now organic and partly rewilded and we harvest rain water in 7 containers. There is more work to do here for sure.
Open Details
Saturday 20th September
10:00-12:00
2:00- 4:00.
We are happy to open all the year by appointment.