A heaven sent solution for the vicarage
The Old Vicarage at Hepworth is a Victorian detached house built from local stone in 1866. A conservatory and small greenhouse were added in 1998 and the design complemented the existing building by using matching stone, timber and slates. The main house is heated using a conventional central heating system with a gas boiler and radiators but it was impractical to extend this system into the conservatory due to the capacity of the system and the need to take the pipes through the 18 inch thick solid stone walls! Louise said "We'd tried various solutions to the heating problem including a bottled gas heater and direct electric heating but none of these provided both low running costs and controllability. As a result, we only tended to use the conservatory for a few weeks in the summer and trying to propagate tender plants in the greenhouse was very frustrating."
Marstair engineers reviewed the problem and defined the requirements - an affordable, easy to install heating system with low running costs and fully automatic climate control In addition it was necessary to take into account the character and location of the property and so the system needed to be discrete and very quiet in operation.
A 3.5kW Eco system was selected and this was installed in an afternoon in early spring. The effect was immediate - the conservatory was transformed from being a very cold and damp corner into a warm and comfortable place to sit and either work or relax. For the first time the greenhouse produced a prolific supply of seedlings and young plants which will help fill the half acre garden with flowers and vegetables this summer. Louise's verdict:- "We will now be able to use the conservatory throughout the year and I can work away in the greenhouse without worrying about losing all my plants to a sudden unexpected frost. The system is brilliant - instant heat and cheap to run - and we will have the added benefit of a cool place in the house when the weather gets really hot!"
