Conservatories.

Post by **heathy12** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:45 pm

Ive got one....a huge one and its sooo cold all year round and just not useable. Dont see the point in heating as it just goes straight out the roof!

Has anyone, or does anyone know if it would just be wierd or strange to put a false ceiling in and insulate. Want to fit a wood burning stove and use it as a crash snug. Gotta massive apex roof but I dont know wether it'd be sacralidge to put a false roof in or not.

Here it is.....thinking it'd be a bit strange to look at from outside and may make it a pokey horrible room.

Anyone else done similar or know about things like this!??

Post by **mickessex** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:19 pm

Is the roof polycarbonate or glass?

Mine has a small double rad and is usually quite warm. We use it all year round, but it gets mighty hot in there in summer. it also has glass on all three sides, and is south facing, so smallest amount of sun helps to keep it warm.

Mick

Post by **heathy12** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:23 pm

Yup, its a bronzed poly roof.

Its damn cold all year round!

Seems a waste heating a glass room though!! The roofs poly, large back facing windows and two sides have a row of 40cm high windows, think this was done to get round the planning permission problems which can arise!!

Post by **polo2k** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:08 pm

you can get different thicknesses of the roof with differing thicknesses, it might be worth checking what thickness/number of layers you have and maybe you could upgrade.

ps, pm sent

Post by **polo2k** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:20 pm

you could make the ceiling out of the roof material so you would still get the light but it would need to be removeable for cleaning and stuff.

sometimes there are vents above the glass pannels but they are on top, out of sight. if these are open you will loose a lot of heat.

Post by **croft** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:28 pm

a friend of mine used to suspend some sort of translucent material from the roof during the winter. I helped him put it up once, he used curtain wire attached to the roof trusses top and bottom and just threaded the material through it. looked quite snug and cosy once up and stopped a lot of heat loss.

Post by **lmangwin** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:36 pm

a friend of mine has a small log burner in his very large conservatory and it heats it beautifully. My conservatory ( before i knocked it down ) was south facing so unbearably hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. We used to use a mobile oil filled radiator which was ok!

Post by **Dean** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:56 pm

Get planning permission to put a tiled roof on with big glass skylight type windows. Should still get the light but retain the warmth when heated. You can call it a sun room then, but might burn a hole in your pocket to get done. You can do away with the french doors from the original house wall then and incorporated it into the living area.

Post by **MGFmad** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:05 pm

If you put in a false ceiling with insulation above, its most likely that you will get condensation in the 'attic' space above, unless the ventilate this area. Even if this is successful you will still have a large window area for heat loss.

A conservatory is not ideal in winter - unless south facing at its sunny.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:46 pm

Has to be south facing if you want heat in winter - move it round the other side of the house! But if you install a wood burning stove, and get 'free' wood (ie pallets etc) then don't worry about it - it will heat the whole room just fine ! Be wary how you install the lum - if too close to the roof material - it will melt!

Post by **stag36587** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:14 am

what direction does it face, presumably not South? Personally I'd go for another layer of polycarbonate with a 3/4 inch gap to the original to create in effect a double glazed unit.

Post by **heathy12** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:01 pm

Cheers guys.

Much appreciated.

ive just Started looking at wood burning stoves, these look like the best option for me. I dont really want to pay electric for a heater running 24/7 abd would be tricky to plumb in and route pipes for a radiator as my floors are laid and I dont really want unsightly pipes running everywhere.

A log burner would be brilliant, make the room really snug, give you that wood burnt smell and open up the whole of my downstairs perfectly.

My plans to place one in this corner of the room and tile behind and below to stop the heat doing any damage.

I recon I can get a flute out of the side wall and tacked up the outside wall without too much problem, would just require two 90degree bends - one inside to thru the wall and another for outside upwards.

Oh, BTW, the shocking yellows gone!! Was like that when I bought the place, mellow period green now, very nice!

Its a massive room and totally unused, about a quatre of my house footprints taken up by it just to give an idea of scale!! Can get free packing cases and offcuts from work no problems, just to find a resonably priced, not too triddly oldey worldey stove now!!

Post by **paulhumphries** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:47 pm

From 1st October 2008 planning laws altered.
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/
Friends changed their single glazed glass roof on an old conservatory to tiled and council said no permission required under new laws as long as it conformed to building regs.
I had the same with the building a a car port - they "trusted" me to build to the proper regs without submitting plans or an inspection.

I'd say clad outer with Decra http://www.decra.co.uk/ or the numerous other similar lightweight tiles over the top of the plastic and then add insulation / ceiling.

Paul H.

Post by **heathy12** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:59 pm

Well, found a stove I quite like, should make things toasty hot 3-5Kw!

Just gotta find regs for installing a flute/chimeny, the retaining wall only has a 1meter gap between it and my edge fence so will need to check how high the chimney needs to be and where it would have to enter the wall.

Post by **paulhumphries** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:19 pm

heathy12 wrote: Just gotta find regs for installing a flute/chimeny, the retaining wall only has a 1meter gap between it and my edge fence so will need to check how high the chimney needs to be and where it would have to enter the wall.

There are rules for wood burning stoves just like Corgi for gas and you MIGHT have to get an approved installer http://www.hetas.co.uk/ or have it inspected by the council after a DIY installation.

From the HETAS web site -
"Most installations of solid fuel and wood biomass appliances and systems are subject to the requirements of Building Regulations and are notifiable to the Local Authority in your area by law. HETAS registered installers can self-certificate their work thus avoiding the need for costly and time consuming Building Notice applications to the local Building Control Department."

I'm reasonably sure an external flue also need council permission being approved re. visual, impact on neighbours, fumes etc

Paul H.