inky pete Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 Just come across this on the BBC News website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-22439099 The bit which caught my eye was the quote from John Chalk of the fire service who said: "There were solar panels on the roof which meant in effect we still had a live supply of electricity to the building, so we weren't able to get into the building. It meant the fire developed much more rapidly than we would have liked." So, does that mean that if you have solar panels on your roof then the Fire Brigade won't enter the property to fight a fire because they can't safely isolate the electricity supply? I wonder if the money saved by generating electricity from the panels is going to be more or less than the increase in the home insurance premiums once the insurance companies cotton on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Good point Inky, I often wonder about the extra weight on the roof struts and if satisfactory calcs have been carried out especially when these panels are being used to heat water, what would happen in the event of heavy snowfall again would insurance companies pay out in the event of roof collapse?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Just as concerning would be the wind, with enough upward force, solar panels can come loose from the roof and it is even possible that the roof itself can be pulled off along with the solar panels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Didn't the Council cover all of their properties in these eyesores a few years back?I wonder who did their calcs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Drive down Poplars avenue and there are many council house with these panels on their roofs, I can't see the council reaping a payback for many decades, if ever!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Tessla Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 I can't see the council reaping a payback for many decades, if ever!. It's more to do with votes than volts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Drive down Poplars avenue and there are many council house with these panels on their roofs, I can't see the council reaping a payback for many decades, if ever!. Now then Algy, just wondering, how do you know they are council houses or occupier owned houses? Granted they were council built ( i once found half a crown while playing in the half built houses in Populars Ave, which was a lot of money in those days) but many tenants ended up buying their house under the right to buy act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Now then Algy, just wondering, how do you know they are council houses or occupier owned houses? Granted they were council built ( i once found half a crown while playing in the half built houses in Populars Ave, which was a lot of money in those days) but many tenants ended up buying their house under the right to buy act. May have mislead you Cleo, I should have said 'flats' not houses!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Cleo, if you go into the likes of Bewsey and Dallam, you can plainly see which are council properties and which are privately owned as the private houses don't have these monstrous panels all over the roofs..... They were only done a couple of years ago and then only council houses were done and not those already sold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted May 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 The council (ie. us taxpayers!) will NEVER see any payback from the panels they put up on all those council houses - because they are giving all of the power generated to the tenants for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Thought they now belonged to Golden Gates Housing Trust, which isn't quite the same thing as the Council? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Tessla Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Thought they now belonged to Golden Gates Housing Trust, which isn't quite the same thing as the Council? The council provided the funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Still a cash cow then?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Tessla Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Still a cash cow then?! Still a cash cow then?! The farmer seems to be trying to milk fiscal bullocks in this case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted May 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 The council housing stock has indeed been gifted to Golden Gates, but since they are making absolutely NO provision for the replacement of those houses when they reach the end of their usable life who do you think will end up picking up the tab when substantial numbers of Golden Gates properties start to become uninhabitable an uneconomic to renovate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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