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If you’re thinking about getting a solar thermal system for your home, it’s normal to consider the possibility of using the system for central heating. So is this viable? In this article, you’ll learn how solar thermal panels can be incorporated for heating. Let’s have a closer look!

Heating and hot water systems, on the average, takes up a sizeable part ( up to 70 percent) of our energy bills. Now take a moment to imagine how cool it’ll be to generate your own hot water for free without having to depend on any supplier which in turn significantly reduces your energy bills. Well, this is exactly the work of central heating systems that are powered by solar. That’s super cool, right? Well, let’s have a look at how this works.

While solar panels generates electricity, solar thermal panels produces heat for hot water production. However, what’s important is the fact that they both make use of the sun’s natural energy to provide us with a free and renewable energy we can use in our homes. Here’s how it works.

Solar thermal panels directed at central heating incorporates the sun’s natural energy to heat water in a storage cylinder which is then available for use at home. These solar thermal panels are exposed to the sunlight by fitting them on the roof of the home. Generally, they’ll include tubes that contains liquid whose job is to collect the heat and then transfer it to a hot water cylinder that’s solar compatible in your home. The heat is generated for free and is also renewable. This is help you save lots of money on oil, gas and even electricity which you purchase to power the cylinder.

If you’re considering getting a solar thermal system, one of the first things that comes to mind is the possibility of the system functioning properly during the cold months. The short and simple answer to this question is yes, a solar thermal system works in the winter. However, the downside here is that it’ll be a lot less efficient when compared to how it operates during the warmer months or summer. As a result of this fact, you’ll likely need to rely more on your boiler, immersion heater or any other backup heating system during this period as your solar thermal system will fail to contribute as much as it does during the warmer months. So what exactly is the reason why solar thermal is less effective and less efficient in the winter period? Let’s have a look!

As you know, solar thermal system banks on the sun’s energy to heat the water for your home’s use. During the cold months or winter, the sunlight becomes a lot less available when compared to the warmer months, as a result, there’s less sunlight that’s available to be used for its solar energy. And even more so at the periods when the days are shorter or skies are clearly overcast.

Also having a great impact on a solar thermal system’s output is heavy snow. Flat plate collectors normally have the capacity to cope better during snowy conditions as the light that’s able to travel through the snow will heat up the absorber plate - thereby making the snow slide off more quickly. However, the case is contrary with evacuated tube collectors which possesses a form of vacuum insulation that’s crafted to minimize the loss of heat, meaning they can’t generate heat to melt and cause the snow to slide off in a similar way.

It might be possible to fit electrics in your shed, depending on where it is and what it’s made of. You should get in touch with a qualified electrician to find out whether it’s possible. Never attempt to run electrical cable from your house to an outbuilding!

When it comes to electrical works, safety is always paramount. Although a complete house rewiring service may seem quite expensive, when compared to the safety it provides, you’d realize it’s well worth it. We know all too well that human nature tends to prevail to overlook small electrical issues until it’s too late or probably gets out of hands. When this happens, not only will you have to spend more to get the issue resolved, but it may also lead to some damages to your property. Hence, the need to identify and resolve electrical deficiencies as soon as possible. In this post, we’ve compiled a shortlist of some of the top signs that your house needs rewiring. Let’s take a look!

• Dimming or flickering lights. This is one of the most common signs that your house needs to be rewired. When a light brightens, it means there’s too much voltage and when it dims, it implies it’s receiving too little voltage. You may be tempted to think this is a lighbulb issue, but this type of decline in power is usually as a result of a loose wiring or faulty circuits which should not be ignored.
• Regularly blown fuses. With the steady development in technology as well as electrical appliances within our houses, older style fuses that are not designed to contain this amount of electricity will end up blowing. If your fuse blows on a more regular basis, then there may be a need to upgrade them to more modern circuit breakers.
• Lightbulbs burning out in their sockets. This is usually a sign of bigger issues in your wiring which is often caused by fluctuations in voltage.
• Sparking outlets. These can be perfectly normal, but at times they can also be a clear signal of a potentially dangerous problem which should not be ignored.

There are two different types: flat plate, where lots of thin tubes carry water through a flat absorber panel, and evacuated tube, where vacuum glass tubes capture the sun’s energy directly. There is little difference in performance between the two but evacuated tube panels do more obviously extrude from the roof.

An electrical safety inspection is basically the act of carrying out a thorough assessment of all electrical systems within a property, be it residential, commercial or industrial premises. The main goal of conducting this survey is to see to the fact that all the electrical systems and installations forming part of a property are correctly fitted, well maintained and ultimately, safe. This is required to be carried out by an electrician who’s an approved contractor and accredited by ECA, NICEIC or STROMA. To get contractors who can carry out the electrical safety inspection and meet with the government criteria, you simply have to search on the Electrical Component Person database. They’ll assess the current condition of the electrical systems and evaluate if they are working efficiently while also paying special attention to any defects or faults.

Generally, the best way to get an electrical safety certificate ( an EICR) is to shop around. In the event whereby you need the inspector to examine a part of your property you’d have to raise his/her awareness to this. This will be referred to as an “agreed limitation in the report.

Failure to comply with electrical safety regulations bring about serious penalties for such landlords. Upon the introduction of the new regulations in June 2020, local authorities can fine the electrical safety regulations-breaching landlords up to £30,000. Asides this fact, it’s also in your interest to keep your property as well as its appliances in a good condition at all times. If everyone including your tenants feel safe and your property is in great shape, everyone is happy!

The cost of an Electrical Certificate varies depending on the size of your home as well as the number of electrical installations and appliances that needs to be checked. The price can start anywhere from £120 and above.

Most people want to connect solar panels to a battery when they’re not at home all day to use the electricity they generate, or generate more than they consume over a day. Solar batteries are a great way to maximise the savings on your energy bills since you can use every unit of electricity you generate.

If you want to connect your solar panels to a battery, the best – and safest – way is to ask an MCS-registered company to do it for you. They’ve had lots of training and hold qualifications in handling electricity and installing solar batteries, so they will be able to recommend the best battery for your solar panels and for the among of electricity you use. Some of the brands they might recommend include Tesla, SolarEdge and SolaX, but there are many more to choose from. If you want to send electricity to the grid from your battery to receive Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments, it’s also worth leaving installation up to a registered installer. This is because you might not be eligible for payments if your battery wasn’t installed by an MCS-registered company.

However, if you do want to have a go at connecting your solar panels to a battery, it’s worth finding out whether your system is ‘storage ready’. Most relatively new systems will be, since batteries are becoming more commonplace. If your solar panels are storage ready, they will have an inverter that can easily have a battery added to it. If this is the case, then you should be able to buy the solar battery you want and follow the manufacturer's instructions to install it.

But it’s worth remembering that electricity is extremely dangerous when handled improperly. If you don’t get the solar battery connected properly and something goes wrong, it could cause a fire or you could electrocute yourself. If a fire breaks out due to your battery, it’s unlikely that your home insurance company would pay out since you connected the battery yourself. That’s why it’s always worth speaking to a registered installer to install a solar battery storage system for you.

The OLEV Grant, also known as Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) can reduce the cost of your home charger by up to £350. If you're eligible, you'll be able to claim it when you buy an EV charger.