Solar for dummies

[Sarah Ryan]

Within reason, triple glazing might offer a 20-30% improvement in thermal efficiency, but if the walls they are going into aren't well insulated you won't gain anything from that improvement.

True but to replace current double glazed with more double glazed seems a bit mental. Plus you would want your windows done before entertaining a wrap on the house, although for some bizzare reason the SEAI see fit to go wrap and then windows.

 

[Leo]

True but to replace current double glazed with more double glazed seems a bit mental.

Well, if your walls aren't well insulated the additional cost would result in zero benefit. I'd consider the savings prudent rather than mental.

Plus you would want your windows done before entertaining a wrap on the house, although for some bizzare reason the SEAI see fit to go wrap and then windows.

No, it's not bizarre at all if you consider that installing windows into the current envelope only to wrap later will result in significant cold-bridging at those junctions. Doing an external wrap properly would involve moving the windows from their current mounting into the external wrap envelope. That's difficult to impossible to achieve without damaging the windows so most suppliers won't touch them, leaving you with a far from ideal result.

 

[Sarah Ryan]

I was always under the impression from the (limited!) research that it was windows first and wrap second. Mind you not that I have money for a wrap, our front wall can't be wrapped we have it pumped with beads.

Current HLI is 2.33 - that's not taking into consideration any of the work we have done in the house, attic insulation / beads / new water tank / windows. BER next in line just waiting on certs from the window company.

Solar, new second hand cars and pension are the next focus, there will be no wall wrapping unless a rich relatives wants to spoil me*.



*very unlikely.

 

[CharlieMac]

No doubt a lot of heat loss occurs around the edges of poorly installed triple glazed windows. I suppose you would still be a bit better off than with poorly installed double glazed windows!

 

[Sarah Ryan]

No doubt a lot of heat loss occurs around the edges of poorly installed triple glazed windows. I suppose you would still be a bit better off than with poorly installed double glazed windows!

For the sound reduction alone they are the best money I have spent so far this year!

 

[Leo]

No doubt a lot of heat loss occurs around the edges of poorly installed triple glazed windows. I suppose you would still be a bit better off than with poorly installed double glazed windows!

You'd certainly be better off financially but likely no better off thermally.

 

[Sarah Ryan]

Post works BER completed - we now stand at a B with a HLI score of 1.826
Next stop hopefully payment of €5,600 from the SEAI!

 

[Sarah Ryan]

Grant paid! Took about 2 weeks from when the paperwork was submitted, €4,600
€3,000 for a semi D and then €800 per door with a max of 2 doors.

So very nice to get something back for being a taxpayer for once! Straight off the CU loan!

 

[getting_on]

If you get a grant like this, there's no need to enter it on a tax return, right?

 

[Sarah Ryan]

If you get a grant like this, there's no need to enter it on a tax return, right?

Eh no idea but the tax man can take a run and jump.
I would say not what's the point in a grant if they are going to tax it, makes no sense.

 

[ClubMan]

Maybe relevant?

Are SEAI Grants Taxable in Ireland? (2026)

No. An SEAI home energy grant is not taxable income and there is nothing to declare on your return. What the grant does change is what you can claim afterwards: landlords must net it off the €10,000 retrofit deduction, and it is stripped out of capital allowances and CGT base cost.

solarquotesireland.ie