Here is a new town house development in Melbourne.
Just a couple of ‘small’ problems
With the glare you will need to be wearing sunglasses just to go into the room. On a hot day it’s going to be around 60 degrees plus!
As well as the more common pressure pumps you will frequently see submersible pumps at your local supplier . . . . . So what’s the difference?
Most domestic submersible pumps come with an attached float switch which switches the pump on when the water level rises, and off before it runs dry.
Best for transferring water in constant flow rate applications such as:
Grey Water includes all the waste water from the house with the exception of toilet waste. (Black Water)
It can includes water from; Washing Machine, Dishwasher, Sink, Wash Basin, and Shower.
A basic grey water reuse scheme sending washing machine water using a two way diverter valve to a perforated hose will cost less than $100. A top-of-the-range system, taking all the grey water, with treatment and pumps can cost $2-4,000.
Because of its disadvantages I really regard grey water as a last resort rather than a main garden watering system.
If you have a veggie plot, or a lawn, one of the more basic systems will help you in times of drought, so I wouldn’t go for one of the top of the range systems.
If you are intending to use grey water make sure you use an eco friendly laundry liquid such as Earth Choice.
I saw these north facing windows the other day.
In spite of the architectural detailing this is a lesson on how to stuff up shading!
Its less than an hour from Midday and already most of the window is out of the shade.
If you want to know how to do it properly see this post: Northern Windows.
Condensation, a minor inconvenience, or a major problem?
A little condensation on windows is easily dealt with, . . . . . . but heavy condensation in poorly ventilated corners can lead to mould damaging your walls, ceilings, or even your clothes.
Condensation in a building occurs when warm air, containing water vapour, comes into contact with a cold surface.
As the air cools it can’t hold as much water vapour so the excess changes into liquid water which is deposited on the cold surface.
The water usually appears as surface condensation as water droplets or water film on cold surfaces, typically windows.
Condensation occurring on cold walls and ceilings is a major issue as it is when mold problems start. Of particular risk are wardrobes on an external wall as there is a cold surface and a lack of ventilation.
Here are five main sources of water vapour in the home
Action to prevent condensation damage involves looking at both insulation and ventilation.
Insulation. Additional insulation in walls or ceiling will keep those surfaces warmer which will reduce the risk of condensation damage in most rooms .
Ventilation In bathrooms and kitchens the more moisture laden air means that insulation by itself will not be enough. The moist air needs to be effectively extracted to prevent condensation being an issue. (Although I have previously posted about Heat Loss due to Ventilation some ventilation is needed throughout the house)
Double glazing is often suggested as an answer to condensation however this is not really the case. As the windows are now less cold there is less surface condensation on the windows, so it looks like the issue has gone away. The problem is that without removing the moisture laden air the risk of condensation on walls and ceilings is increased.
How Not to collect rainwater!
I suppose its cheap…….but it’s not the most convenient for filling your watering can from.
You can also see that algae is growing in all those open containers.
It’s not something most of us would want on our front gardens!
On the plus side it probably looks very spectacular in heavy rain as the water overflows into the various containers.
In my opinion considering sustainable design for your new home will save you money as well as the environment. Here are three reasons why:
A key sustainability principle is to minimise the use of resources. Getting a Smaller House means you save money on materials. The smaller house also has less wall and roof area where heat is lost. Reducing the size by 20% should reduce heat transfer through the roof by the same amount, and reduce the heat transfer through walls by around 10%.
Getting the Correct Orientation can add an extra star to the house energy rating at no extra cost, which is going to save on your heating and cooling costs. It will also fill your house with light without causing overheating in summer.
Windows are the least effective element of the house as far as heat transfer is concerned, even if double glazed. Most windows are also much bigger than they need to be. Reducing windows on the West and East of the house and reducing the size on the South is normally a no cost option.
Get these things right and you will be saving money on the mortgage, and on your heating and cooling bills.
When I saw this Billboard the other day I had turn round to drive past it again, as I didn’t believe it the first time!
They are making it appear that it’s a big deal that they are selling what are the worst blocks on the estate!
A North Facing Block mean that the house gets very little warming sun during winter, as half the front of the house will probably be garage door.
A typical house will also have lots of East and West facing windows which will really soak up summer sun making the house a real sweatbox. With winter there will be no sun coming in but lots of heat going out through those windows.
It just goes to show that if you want honest advice don’t rely on Real Estate Agents or Land Developers.
Without effective insulation more heat is lost through the roof than either the walls or floor.
There are a range of options for insulating your new home roof with some insulation materials having different effects in summer and winter.
Here are the calculations for my last new house which had a tiled roof with R3.5 Ceiling Batts.
| Element |
R Value Winter |
R Value Summer |
| Outside surface air layer | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Tiles | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Roof Space | 0.00 | 0.46 |
| R3.5 Insulation | 3.68 | 3.35 |
| Plasterboard 10mm | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Inside surface air layer | 0.11 | 0.16 |
| Total R value | 3.91 | 4.09 |
| U value = 1/R | 0.26 | 0.24 |
The heat losses in winter for a 200 sq m roof with rooms at 15 degrees above outside temperature will be:
The heat gains in summer for a 200 sq m roof with rooms at 10 degrees below outside temperature will be:
Remember this isn’t the total heating and cooling requirement as heat is also lost through windows, ceilings floors and ventilation.
To find out about different options have a look at the Insulation Council Handbook.
Most pump suppliers and design charts will specify a larger pump than you really need (They sell a more expensive pump, It’s less likely that the pump will be returned because it isn’t big enough, and they aren’t paying the power bill)
If you want to pick the most economic pump here is how to go about it.
What is the most flow you need at any one time. Here are some figures for typical house fittings.
| Fitting | Flow Litres/min |
| Tap | 10 to 15 |
| Tap with Flow Restrictor | 4 to 6 |
| Low Flow Shower | 7 to 9 |
| Washing Machine* | 4 to 10 |
| Dishwasher | 4 to 6 |
| Toilet | 3 to 5 |
| Garden Sprinkler** | 10 to 15 |
*To get to the lower figure you will need to close the supply valve this will add a few minutes to the wash but will help with issues like Water Hammer.
**It’s really better to irrigate the garden with a separate pump.
Add together the highest flow rate fittings that you think you will want to run together, which will give you a Total Flow Rate ‘Q’
You need to aim for a pressure at the fitting of around 150kPa (15m of Head)
To get this pressure you need to:
| Max Flow Rate Litres/min |
Hf m head per 100m of pipe | |||
| 20 | 25 | 32 | 40 | |
| 12 | 10.9 | 3.7 | 1.2 | 0.4 |
| 24 | 13.4 | 3.9 | 1.3 | |
| 36 | 8.3 | 2.8 | ||
The Required Pump Pressure is then calculated from:
Required Pump Head ‘P‘ m = 15 +Hs + Hf
Or
Required Pump Head ‘P‘ KPa = 150 +(Hs +Hf)) x 10
To order a pump you just need to quote the Total Flow and Required Pump Head
