Archive for June, 2008

Gas central heating energy economy tips

June 26, 2008 at 1:51 pm · Filed under heating ·Tagged ,

Gas cost-efficiency and cutting energy use is critical to us all in modern times. Gas costs seem to be constantly on the rise and it is therefore also helpful to make greater use of the energy you buy. The typical UK home spends more or less fifty percent of it’s energy costs on boiler gas use. If you want to reduce your energy expenses read on as we have defined some actions you can take.

Consider where you are using gas heating systems :
You can easily turn off gas central heating radiators for a period, so switch them off in any rooms that are not going to be used for a while such as a spare sleeping room. If an area of your home is not used often it really doesn’t need heating. shutting the door to these rooms will also stop warm air leaking into them and chilled air flowing out.

Prefer the boiler in preference to using a fire :
A gas boiler is much more efficient than using a fire to heat one room. A lot of the heat generated by a fire goes up in the chimney to the outside, whilst an electric fire appears to give immediate heat it is not as efficient as the central heating system in heating the room.

Eliminate drafts with insulation
gas is wasted in homes due to poor insulation and drafts bringing chilly air into the home. Pay particular attention to your doors and insulate any evident gaps. There can be gaps between the window and entrance door frames and a wall which are easily filled with a foam based sealer. If you live in an older home you might be astounded how often these cracks occur. The flame from a candle can help you to see invisible drafts as it flutters when they are present.

Don’t turn up the heating, put on more clothes :
Putting on a jumper will keep you warm rather than switching up the heating. You can save up to 10% on your heating costs just by trimming the thermostat by 1°.

Make good use of your drapes :
The sun is very effective at heating your home in the winter, when shining, if you keep the drapes opened to allow it in. With falling night-time outside temperatures your windowpanes can lose a lot of heat. Closing a set of heavy drapes can trim this heat loss, you can save a considerable amount of money over time with this method. The thicker the curtains in the greater.

The last tips for reducing your costs :
If your boiler has a hot water cylinder this must be insulated. The hot water tank can keep its heat throughout the day time if insulated making water accessible for you whenever required.

Don’t heat the walls of your house immediately at the rear of the radiators, shiny foil can be used to reflect the heat pruning this energy loss.

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The benefits of a powerflush

June 19, 2008 at 3:31 pm · Filed under heating ·Tagged

With  time your heating system could experience an accumulation of  contaminants.  The contaminants will need to be flushed out to restore your system to normal operation.

You can employ a powerflush service to remove this sludge and revitalise your gas fired boiler and system.

The buildup of sludge is a function on the heating process and therefore most types of boiler and central heating system can be impacted, older heating systems seem to suffer more. If you buy a replacement heating boiler you certainly should consider flushing the heating system first. Installing new components disturbs the existing system stirring up sludge and debris.

It is beneficial to add corrosion inhibitors to your heating system to slow this build up of contamination .

Some other problems which can be converted with a power flush are listed below : -

* buildup of contaminants in your gas fired boiler
* central heating water pump circulation problems
* clogging pipework
* corrosion impacting the heating system inside
* boiler and system blockages
* internal knocks and banging

As a consequence the advantages of the power flush could be :-

* radiator heating efficiency improvements as cold areas are eliminated
* improved central heating system efficiency so reducing fuel costs in future years.
* reduced energy consumption with improved heat exchanger performance
* cuts hydrogen gas build up which can lead to heating radiator corrosion and reduced heat output

The power flush is conducted by use of a powerflush machine. The gas fired boiler and system sludge  is filtered out as it is routed through the simple machine. The cleaning process is finished by the cleansed water being flushed through your boiler and system. The engineer will usually top up the heating system by adding a corrosion inhibitor to protect it in future years.

A power flush be finished by a trained operator to guarantee that it is completed correctly and does not create a mess.

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Gas fired boiler insurance checklist

June 16, 2008 at 1:31 pm · Filed under boilers ·Tagged

It can be an pricey repairing a heating boiler after an unforeseen failure. If there is also a holdup waiting for a plumber to come you could be without hot water for a significant period. Noting the issues many people protect themselves by taking out heating boiler cover.

There are a number of things to look for and a number to avoid when purchasing central heating system insurance. With all policies for a regular fee your provider will send round an engineer to try and fix your gas boiler when it breaks down. The standard promise is to try to call within 24 hours, however, paying a premium on the regular fee can turn this into a guarantee. Priority will usually be given to elderly individuals or families with small children.

Your boiler cover plan can often be expanded to insurance other services in your home such as the plumbing, drains and home electrical wiring. You should expect in the monthly charge to increase as you add in these extra features.

Choosing the appropriate central heating system care care for you will depend on your circumstances. In you have central heating may want to expand to insurance to incorporate your central heating system and radiators. If your wiring is old you might want to incorporate wiring cover.

Often a gas boiler cover plan will include provision of a 12 month boiler service. Due to safety considerations we recommend that have a 12 month boiler service whether you have a central heating boiler insurance plan or not. a 12 month heating boiler service is one of your highest priorities to ensure that your boiler operates safely.

The likelihood of boiler breakdowns can be reduced through regular boiler servicing as problems are identified early. In addition you will ensure that your gas boiler operates safely. Some central heating boiler care providers will only offer cover if you have your gas boiler serviced regularly.

There are some exclusions which you should look out for:

You may find the policy only contains one hours labour and a limited number of parts. Whilst you may save in the short term with this type of policy in the long run it can cost you.

If your boiler is aging you might find that it is not covered. You should check for this type of restriction before purchasing the plan.

You need to continually critique your plan on renewal as is sometimes some limitations will now apply to you. Boilers which incur a number of breakdowns may not be covered in the following year.

Although you could change central heating care providers, it is recommended that you select one that does not include a restriction on the age of the heating boiler on renewal. The older your gas fired boiler the more likely you will need care and less likely a new supplier will provide insurance.

Some central heating system cover plans only permits attendance at two failures per year. If you can select a boiler care plan with limitless call outs.

The monthly fee can be reduced by by inclusion of an access payment amount if you call out the provider. This could be a good option if you have a comparatively new boiler.

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Overview of Baxi Range

June 11, 2008 at 8:40 am · Filed under heaters ·Tagged ,

Details of the Baxi range as reported on their site – the latest details from the manufacturer – see the emphasis on economy. Most boiler manufacturers are now relising that their boiler carbon footprint is important.
clipped from www.baxi.co.uk

High efficiency combination boilers
The Baxi combination boilers in our range are some of the most energy efficient available in the UK.

Baxi Platinum Combi HE A

Baxi Platinum Combi HE A

Baxi Duo-tec Combi HE A

Baxi Duo-tec Combi HE A Boiler
The Baxi Duo-tec Combi 28 HE�received top score recently in a test by ‘Which?’ magazine and is a SEDBUK A rated boiler.
five year warranty speaks volumes about its reliability and performance

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The primary forms of central heating systems

June 7, 2008 at 10:08 am · Filed under boilers ·Tagged , ,

Buying a new central heating system is not a straightforward thing, you first need to interpret what form of system is best suited to your family. This paper will help you to visualise the options available to you. Most if not all of these Central Heating System comprise of a gas fired boiler, radiator and piping.

In northern Europe the primary family system will be the heating system probably powered by a combi boiler, although there is much talk of world-wide warming at the moment there is little mass demand for air conditioning systems. Virtually all new housing developments incorporate central heating systems as a familiar fixture within the household.

The value of central heating systems is fully realised in winter although most are also used to provide hot water every day of the year. A new central heating system can give your dwelling house the ambiance you are looking for. Another essential role for the central heating system is to create hot water. You need heating and hot water every day so you need a system that you can depend upon. You want to match the central heating system to your household needs so that it both meets your needs and uses energy efficiently.

There are two primary types of Central Heating System; pumped/vented and sealed systems.

The most usual type is a pumped/vented system. This type of system has a feed and expansion tank in concert with a hot water cylinder. Water expands when warmed and the expansion tank allows for this. The expansion tank is placed high up in the house often in the attic.

A slightly newer, more up-to-date system that several people are choosing over a pumped/vented central heating system is a sealed system. An advantage of a sealed system is that it has no requirement for an expansion tank. The water for a sealed Central Heating System is rendered direct from the main water supply. It feeds directly from the main water supply. if you embrace this system you don’t need to use your loft for housing in the expansion tank thereby saving space, the whole system is sealed, its unvented, which has its benefits:

- as the piping is removed from the attic it will not be at risk of freezing in the wintertime

- there are fewer system elements reducing any upkeep requirements

- less chance of piping developing leaks

- reduced risk of air locks, corrosion and gunk as there is not a chance of air being drawn down into the system through open vents as the system is sealed

It is usual for the water supply pressure to change and that this is dealt with by incorporating a pressure vessel. Safety valves open if the internal pressure is too high. Other automated valves open to allow the inner water in the boiler to be topped up if it drops to low.

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Save money with a combination boiler

June 6, 2008 at 9:08 am · Filed under heating ·Tagged , ,

Maturing economies around the planet on going up need for energy resulting in higher heating costs.  To stop the year on year increases you need to consider how you are utilizing energy. You could trim your gas bills by up to 35% if you fit a new energy-saving condensing combination boiler.

Operating in the background your present-day gas fired boiler will be heating your home and providing hot water for washing cutlery and clothing in addition to powering your bath. Boilers have a life-time of 15 years.  Even though your current heating boiler may be running correctly it could be inefficient in comparison to the latest one.

You need to deliberate whether it is economic to continue with your older heating boiler as it reaches the end of its lifetime rather than changing to a new replacement boiler and savoring the increased energy efficiency. This can reduce your fuel costs down considerably. The most familiar boiler type is a condensing combination boiler which is well suited to smaller families who don’t need large amounts of hot water in a short space of time. A combi boiler takes cold water from the mains and heats it as required thereby eradicating any requirement for the hot water storage cylinder. If you have a gas combi boiler you will find that hot water may not be ready in the kitchen if you are filling a hot bath as it heats the hot water as necessary.

A typical gas fired boiler will use a hot water cylinder to store hot water it produces during the daytime.  You will get heat loss and gas releases even though the hot water tank is insulated.  If you have a smaller home you will find that you could have other uses for the space that the hot water tank takes up.

You can get efficiencies of up to 60 % by putting in a gas combi boiler and getting rid of the hot water storage tank. The standard gas combination boiler does lose energy through the hot exhaust gases. This can be taken by a condensing gas combination boiler which is even more economic.  The extracted warmth is then used to heat water saving gas usage.

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