Central Heating & single skin walls

[Sweeney125]

Are there any regulations concerning the use of CH systems in single skin constructed building? I have a detatched garage with a coach house above to heat and it seems the choices are electric heating of some sort or connecting it to the existing CH system in the house. The buidling itself is single skin construction, about 5mtrs from the rear of the house and the intension is to convert this coach house into an offfice space.

 

[stevetheplumber]

dont think there aare any regs stopping you from fitting any form of heating in a single skin building but it will be exspensive to heat i would seriously think about lining it with insulation

 

[AWheating]

Not sure building regs allow connection to temp/external structures. you should not heat a conservatory unless its part of the house (no doors between it and house), but then planning permission is need for that.

either way id consider looking at insulating well first so less heat is required.

 

[lame plumber]

buildings regs stipulate to convert a garage that the walls be double skinned thro addtional brickwork or studing and insulation and boarding up, otherwise as said youll just heat up the outside and freeze. if you dont follow bregs and have correct planning approvals, you may/will have problems with selling the place in the long term.

 

[petercj]

Might be worth dry lining the walls to reduce the leakage of heat.

Personally, I would run your plans past your local planning office - as it's going to be used as an office I doubt that they will have much to say about it, but you might get some free useful advice.

Portable Calor Gas heaters are excellent for raising the temperature quickly, and if you get the walls lined could be a reasonably economical way of heating the office.

 

[Sweeney125]

Thank you all for your input. The plan is indeed to insulate the upper coach house (but not the garage below). This is going to start with Kingspan insulation in the rafters when its re-roofed. Next, some sort of floor & wall insulation. In the meantime I need to consider the services to the building (electric, water & telecom). So given that it will be insulated, what would you consider for heating: CH run from the house; night storage; portable calor gas?