SOS: Stuff Study SOS

[rkinsella]

Howdy,

This is not the first time I have posted on this issue

My first post on it was back in 2021 (Workshop / Study is a bit stuffy) - when I started working for home on a full-time basis.
In 2023, installed a BSK Zephyr Heat Recovery Retrofit with mixed results.

To recap, we renovated the house and added a small home office for me.
The office included an expensive big bay north facing window, but didn't have the presence of mind to include opening windows.

The room is chilly in the winter, and an oven in the summer, very very stuffy.
Seriously edging on falling asleep during business meetings.

Builder came back added a 4" vent, did nothing. Window people added two trickle vents, did nothing.
I then added a BSK Zephyr Heat Recovery and a Screwfix Blyss 2000W Electric Wall-Mounted Heater.

Neither of these have been a great solution - the heater does heat during the winter, but produces an awful racket.
The BSK Zephyr Heat Recovery does provide ventilation during the winter.
However appears to be inadequate to cool and ventilate the room during the summer.
I guess it's not ideal that I share the room with a heat pump and computer equipment .

So now I am borderline desperate.

One solution is spend 2-3k (or more) replacing the Bay Window.
That wouldn't help with heating during the winter, nor cooling during summer.

Another option is to install split A/C, but it would be difficult to install.
I can't put a split unit north facing to the front of the house - the council (and my wife) would have a fit.
East facing is where the BSK Zephyr Heat Recovery is installed, and would mean losing all my shelving to replace it with a split a/c unit.
West and South facing are the other parts of the house, so are not an option.

A unit like the electriQ iQool 10000 BTU Wall Mounted Smart Air Conditioner with Heat Pump looks like an ideal solution.
Provide ventilation, cooling and heating, not as intrusive as a split ac unit.
It could be installed above the bay window, north facing, however reviews of this online complain about it being noisy.

Putting something in the attic space might be an option also.
Any and all suggestions are welcome, because I need to do something - I am willing to spend £,$ or €.

 

[endecotp]

As @Swwils wrote in the other thread:​

> Your solar gain problem would more directly by aided by either shutters
> or a small awning so that high summer sun is shadowed on the glass but
> low winter sun can get in

One other thing that springs to mind is window film.

How much space is there in the attic?

How much power is your computer actually contributing? (Measure it with a plug-in energy meter.)

 

[JohnD]

The room is chilly in the winter, and an oven in the summer, very very stuffy.

How is the room insulated?

 

[rkinsella]

> Your solar gain problem would more directly by aided by either shutters
> or a small awning so that high summer sun is shadowed on the glass but
> low winter sun can get in

I can't put an awing on the front of the window, I am

 

[rkinsella]

> Your solar gain problem would more directly by aided by either shutters
> or a small awning so that high summer sun is shadowed on the glass but
> low winter sun can get in

It is a north facing window, so there is very little solar gain from it.
The adjacent room, on the north side, is generally chilly with a similar sized window.

One other thing that springs to mind is window film.

The lower frame of the window is already frosted, the upper panes are clear.
I might cover them with film to see if it makes a difference.

How much space is there in the attic?

The room is 2m x 5m roughly, and it's a low-ish a-frame roof.
There is room up there, but it's not huge.

How much power is your computer actually contributing? (Measure it with a plug-in energy meter.)

In this room is:
- 2 x mini-desktop pcs, probably about 30 watts each most of the time.
- 1 TV receiver about 30 watts
- 1 Network Attached Storage about 30 watts
- 1 laptop about 30 watts
- 1 router - 30 watts
- 1 PoE Switch - 50 watts

So about 250 watts of equipment. I actually measure this at 6kw a day - it is there or thereabouts.
There is also then a heatpump in the room, with a hotwater cycling in there.

How is the room insulated?

70mm of internal insulation on all external facing walls.
500mm of insulation wool in the attic space.

 

[JohnD]

70mm of internal insulation on all external facing walls.
500mm of insulation wool in the attic space.

So why do you think it is cold in winter and hot in summer?