Blog
27/04/2012 New help package for Self Builders!
This new package was announced last week by Grant Shapps the Housing Minister. Mr Shapps has stated that more people are now building their own homes as it's often more affordable than building a ready built one, it shouldn't be seen as something only the very wealthy do! In a lot of cases you can build a 3 to 4 bedroom home with a budget of £150,000 as opposed to a ready made home which averages at over £232,000.
The Self Build market has definitely increased, over the last year 14,000 new homes were being built. Although this figure is increasing in the UK it is still very low compared to the international market. The minister is hopeful that this new help package will help anyone who is willing to build their own home from scratch regardless of budget.
The new website is full of tips and advice as well as an interactive guide to help you explore the various options. Check out the new portal here!
20/04/2012 Why is good indoor air quality so important?
Ventilation is essential in a home as it ensures that the indoor air quality is maintained. But why is this important? There are many reasons why you need a supply of fresh air, the main ones are listed:
- Removal of odours
- Control of condensation
- Health of the occupants
- Removal of pollutants such as VOCs
- Removal of allergens produced from dust mites etc
- Safe operation of combustion appliances
The ventilation system you choose to put into your home should meet a total whole house ventilation rate of 0.5 - 1 air changes per hour, this keeps relative humidity from exceeding 70% for long periods of time. Part F of the Building Regs suggest a minimum of 8 litres of fresh air per second to be provided per person!
"The majority of adverse health effects caused by relative humidity would be minimized by maintaining indoor levels between 40% - 60%" according to (Arundel A V n.d., p.351-361).
If relative humidity is too high there is an increased risk of condensation, mould growth as well as poor health.
How to achieve good indoor air quality?
At the very start of your project you need to consider how you are going to ventilate your property, this strategy should be designed together with the airtightness strategy.
There are many ventilation options available to help maintain good indoor air quality, including:
Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems
View our Guide to Ventilation for more information on which ventilation system is right for your new project and you! Also check out the Good Homes Alliance.
13/04/12 Which ventilation system is best for me?
Ventilation plays such an important role in any home particularly with all the latest building regulations and heavy emphasis on energy efficient properties. But which ventilation system to choose?
We have put together this handy chart together to help you consider your options.
The main options you have are Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems, Extractor Fans, Passive Stack Ventilation and Central Extract Ventilation. There are pros and cons with each, so you need to do your research fully before committing to a system.
05/04/2012 Exhibition time!
It’s exhibition time again! Our first show of 2012 was last weekend at The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, NEC. We had a brilliant show and was great to see so many people, the exhibition also gave us a chance to explore the latest eco friendly gadgets! We had a lot of interest in our ground to air heat exchangers (GAHX), due to the fact that many people today are building extremely airtight homes so during the summer months you end up boiling hot!! The great thing about the GAHX is that they reduce the temperature inside your home as they take the air from the ground - which is a constant 10 degrees. This works in reverse during the winter!
Our next show is at The National Self Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon, stand 123 14th-15th April! If you haven’t already, you still have time to register for your 2 free tickets! Don’t forget to bring along your plans so we can talk you through the best system for your home.
Failing that we have 5 further shows this year as well as our permanent stand at The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Swindon!
