DON'T ROOF-MOUNT TURBINES

[Ivan]

I tried to keep out of the roof-mount wind turbine debates, to avoid making obvious digs at competitors, but I think it is time to break the silence. Here is a link to Andy Mahoney's site - http://www.homebrewpower.co.uk/. Andy had a home-made wind turbine attached to his chimney stack. Yesterday, Andy was getting around 1kW from his turbine in the gales. The bad news is that the chimney stack disintegrated, destroying his roof and his daughter's bedroom. Luckily, no one was injured or killed, but it does painfully illustrate the dangers of roof-mounting wind turbines. Andy is looking for donations to help repair the damage - he does not have house insurance, although I very much doubt that house insurance would cover roof-mounted wind turbine damage, unless it was.

It has been said many times before, but I will repeat in case anyone has not already read it. Bricks and motar are NOT suitable for withstanding the vibration, forces and loads applied by a wind turbine.


Ivan

[Bargeman]

Hello,

It's probably not much of a consolation to the poor chap, but round here there have been a few chimneys toppled even though they didn't have wind turbines attached to them. Undoubtedly it didn't help, however.

regards

[needone]

Not having insurance is bad news. But had car before that tree fell on and even with insurance didnt cover.

Not to sound like a bastard but not having house insurance? Risky business

[Ivan]

I dont' bother with house insurance - insurance companies are thieves. Many of the top 20 profitable companies in the Uk are insurance companies - which says something! When I had a motorcycle stolen, it took 18months to get the money out of them, and it was only by taking them to court. They will try to get out of paying just about any claim. The government and insurance companies  have stepped up security to protect against fraudulent claims against insurance companies, but no-one does anything to prevent insurance companies fraudulently avoiding payment of valid claims. If you and a few other households paid £300 pa into a savings scheme, there would be enough money to pay for the majority of claims, and if no-one makes a claim, you have a nice little investment in a decade.

[peter999]

it is a condition of 99% of all mortgages that you MUST have building insurance in line with the leanders requirements, if you do not your mortgage company is within it rights to withdraw your mortgage offer, and you would have to repay the outstanding balance or they can & will reposes your home!

No buildings insurance is a very bad idea!!

Peter
Cert PFS  FPC
Cert LM  CeMAP

[Ivan]

Of course, many people will buy the mortgage and insurance from the same broker.....you can see why they emphasise buildings insurance. If it was purely financial, they would also insist on insurance against devaluation. Many years ago, I had a friend who sold her flat for rather less than she paid for it - and ended up with a £40k mortgage on a house that she did not have!!

[Roger Willott]

In fairness, I have seen the turbines that they do roof mount and they are not attatched to a chimney, but using several rawl bolts over quite an area. Having said that, regardless of how secure it is it I cannot but agree with Ivan, but for a different reason. If you are going to all that trouble, why not put a decent sized one up? I seem to recall seeing a photograph of a 5kw on a roof in China.

Regarding insurance, he would not have been covered as a contract of insurance is of the utmost good faith and all alterations which will materially affect the property must be notified.

Roger W   

[oily_rag]

Looks as if the leader of Her Majesty's loyal opposition has read your posting Ivan.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6505807.stm

"We understand the contractors had some concerns about the chimney stack fixings not being able to cope with the wind loading caused by the turbine. "


Andyb