Radiator in a conservatory - Is my surveyor correct?

[liamcaswell]

Hi everyone,

I've looked through all the posts and cannot find a definitive answer to my question.

My conservatory will require planning permission anyway as it is a short distance from the road. I phoned my conservatory company surveyor today and explained that long term we may want to put a radiator in as the boiler is on the other side of the wall. I asked him to add this to the plans he is submitting.

He explained to me that as I was getting "Planning Permission" for the overall conservatory build anyway I could put the radiator in if I wanted to as it would be covered by the original planning approval. Therefore no amendments needed to be made to the plans.

Is he correct. I don't want a solicitor asking for documents I cannot produce in the future because I have been lied to.

Thanks

[Bahco]

You don't need PP to put a rad in the conservatory.

The rad must have a control to separate it from the rest of the house though.

A couple of isolaters will do as will the rads valves in order to turn off.

[liamcaswell]

When you say isolating valves, do you mean ones like:

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/333-0000

Also, can they be installed just before the Rad Valves or do they need to go "on the other side of the wall" inside the house.

Thanks

[sturharv]

Why even mention putting a rad in??

Just put one in at a later date when its been built. Keep things simple

[liamcaswell]

As I said, I want to legitimately cover all the bases early so I don't suffer the wrath of the nosy solicitor in the future.

[sturharv]

But all the regs state is if you ARE putting a rad in then all you have to do is make sure it can be controlled separately.....

[gas4you]

There is a new part of Part L somewhere that prohibits radiators in conservatory's. I cannot find definite reference to it either. The nearest I have been able to find is that if it is less than 30m2 it doesn't apply

I wish someone could point me to it definitively

[Symptoms]

Liam - Bahco is correct.

I would put the isolation valves 'inside the house' at the point where you are going to cut into the existing system.

I have a very similar set-up to you but I went one stage further than the above simple solution by creating a separate zone in my conservatory. Room stat in the conservatory and motorised valve (house side). Not much extra work to install but a little extra cost (25 years ago).

[sturharv]

Even the people that set these regs dont understand!!

The building inspector won't have a clue regarding this.... I know it seem silly to say, but he just won't

[liamcaswell]

Gas4You, did you mean 30m3 i.e. Width x length x height or did you actually mean what you said....30m2 i.e. width x length of conservatory floor?

My conservatory will be w5 x L3 x H2.5ish

[sturharv]

It goes on flor area, not room volume

[Agile]

I dont know the exact regs but a civil engineer told me he could NOT have rads but he COULD have electric underfloor.

I expect he is right as thats as aspect of his job but since electric heating is more costly and creates a greater carbon footprint it seems wrong!

Tony

[pannierstan]

I agree. I am a Logic certified trainer for Energy efficiency (part L) and my understanding is that you cannot put a radiator in a conservatory as the heat loss would mean the rad would have to be massive.
You are allowed invertor Aircon(heat) or electric heating either underfloor or radiators.
If you do actually fit a rad from the system you do realise that the rest of the house will be melting by the time the Conservatory has defrosted dont you. Unless you do as Syptoms did.

Stan

[liamcaswell]

We've gone full circle now. I'll have to speak to the council and see what they say about this.

I can't see how using electric radiators is allowed when it is so costly. It makes sense to me to be able to use the heat generated from my boiler that's already going round my house. I agree a radiator may not do the full job but why use Gas for one part of the house and electric for the other!

This is such a grey area.

Thanks for all your input so far. Any more would be greatly appreciated.

[sturharv]

You can put a radiator in Conservatory provided you can independantly control that rad i.e. a room stat.