Find an Electrician you can trust in Cranbrook.

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.

Electric heating has several benefits. It can be paired with renewable electricity generation, so the electricity used to heat your home will be sustainable. Underfloor heating is very efficient and can be cheaper than comparable gas or oil fired systems.

Asides from the fact that solar energy can be converted into electricity with the help of solar panels, there’s also another pretty cool way the sun’s power can be harnessed - solar thermal technologies. These technologies are able to convert sunlight into heat rather than power and these are in fact the very first solar energy products that were commercialized in the United Kingdom. Solar thermal panels, in a similar way to solar PVs, can help in minimizing your carbon footprint while also assisting you to save good money on your energy bills by providing the much needed coverage for your heating needs with the help of a renewable energy source that’s totally free.

Solar thermal panels provides some great benefits which is capable of making all homeowners in the UK consider installing one in their respective homes. Let’s take a closer look at these benefits.

✓ When compared to solar PV panels, they’re a more affordable heating option and also have a shorter payback period.

✓ Solar thermal panels are more efficient than PV panels due to the fact that the heat waves are able to hold more energy than sunlight and also because there’s no electricity transformation process.

✓ Solar thermal panels are able to operate in cold climates, strong wind as well as overcast weather, and make use of an energy storage system.

✓ They can help you save about 600kg of carbon dioxide emissions on an annual basis.

✓ Although most of the solar thermal panel systems come with a warranty usually within the range of 5 to 10 years, they’re able to last up to 25 years. What’s more? The require just a little maintenance, meaning the main cost you’d have to worry about is the cost of installation.

When the wiring on your property becomes dated, dangerous or non functional, then rewiring of your house becomes a necessity. If you’re thinking about rewiring your house, one of the first few things you’d have to put into consideration is the cost of completing the project in order to help you set a budget and start to plan. In this post, we seek to provide you with the most accurate cost possible for your project to help you get started as soon as possible.

In general, the average cost to rewire a house can vary from £2000 to about £10,000, which includes the prices for both material and labour. Factors that can have a great influence on the final price includes the type of your property, the quality of the existing wiring as well as the complexity of the installation needed. The most important determinants are probably the type of rewiring task you go for (whether for the whole house or some specific parts ) as well as the size of the house. The qualification of the electrician hired and the labour costs will also influence the final budget required to a great extent. Overall, the average cost of rewiring a house stands at £4000 and it will usually take up to 7 days for a complete rewire to be done. For older properties, you may need completely rewire the property in order to enhance the energy efficiency. However, this may not be required the your home was just recently built.

Being a messy and disruptive task which can also be very dangerous especially when handled by a inexperienced individual, we’d strongly recommend that house rewiring is carried out by a qualified and registered electrician who is well trained to perform this task to perfection.

Can You Replace A Gas Boiler With An Electric Boiler?

In the UK, there are about 22 million households that are heated with the use of a gas boiler. However, do not assume that they’re the best type of boiler to install. The fact is, if your house isn’t connected to the main gas supply, the best option is for you to install an electric boiler rather than a gas boiler. So is it possible to replace a gas boiler with an electric boiler? The simple answer is yes. Both heating system options work in varying ways and also with a different impact on the environment.

The gas boiler is able to generate heat with the help of a gas burner. A heat exchanger is linked to the burner and heats the water available in its chamber. The hot water is then supplied to the heating circuit.

However, the thing is that natural gas can actually be more affordable when compared to using electricity to operate your boiler, but they have a negative impact on the environment. This is because gas boilers make use of an odourless, colourless and poisonous gas - carbon monoxide.

Meanwhile electric boilers are powered by electrical energy, hence, no carbon monoxide leak risks. Instead of using gas to heat up water, electric boilers distribute energy to heating elements which, in turn, heats up the water. So thinking about what’s best for the environment, you’d go for electric boilers. However, they’re more costly and are not as efficient as oil boilers.

If you reside in a smaller house that’s not connected to the main gas supply, then you might want to consider installing an electric boiler. However, if you live in a larger house, an electric boiler may not be the best option as they’re mostly designed to generate little quantity of hot water.

What Are The Best Electric Radiators?

Being afforded options in life is what we all seek. However, when the options are obviously too much, it can have a negative impact - exactly the case with electric radiators. With so many electric radiators in the market today, identifying the best and most suitable one for your home can be less helpful and extremely confusing, and even more so when you don’t know what you want. In a world filled with a huge selection of electric radiators, some designed for general heating while others are designed for more specific purposes, where would you get started? Here we’ve put together some of best electric radiators which you can put into consideration when making a decision. Let’s have a look!

• The Rointe D Series

The D series is one of the most popular electric radiators you’ll in the market today and deservedly so.with an advanced controllability via the Rointe Connect App and TFT control panel, these series have been rightly marked out as the most sophisticated electric radiator till date. What’s more? It’s suitable for both small, medium and large rooms, as it heats from 3m2 to about 16m2. The installation and programming of the Rointe D Series is very easy as it also enables a full access to every functions included as well as consumption costs.

• The Dimplex Q-Rad

As a high end heater, the Dimplex Q-Rad is one of the most popular brands. It is designed for a large room as it can heat up an area of about 20m2. The electric radiator features simple controls, sleek and good looks and works automatically all day.

• The Haverland RCTTi

This is conveniently one of the most efficient and reliable electric radiators you’ll find around. It stands out with the possession of its Dry Stone technology which works to ensure the room is kept at the right temperature.

• The Stiebel Eltron CND

Featuring a combined radiant and convection heating, this dual heat source is a very good option for homeowners with a tight budget. It works excellently to store heat which it later releases. The electric radiator also sense when the windows are open and react intelligently to the environment.

How Do Electric Boilers Work?

Electric boiler are installed in residential, commercial and industrial properties to serve as a reliable source of heat. Unlike other types of boilers that depends on fossil fuel burning to be able to operate, electric boilers are fuelled by electrical energy which ultimately makes it more reliable and powerful compared to its counterparts. This heating option was basically provided for home or property owners who don’t have an access to the main gas supply.

So how does an electric boiler work? Basically, an electric boiler work by heating water. Once heated, the hot water supply is then distributed to various areas across the house or property. In order to achieve the best possible efficiency at the lowest possible costs, new model electric boilers are installed by licensed and professional boiler fitters with the help of a microchip control system. Meanwhile, the microchip control system functions to oversee the management of both temperature level as well as output.

Unlike other types of boilers such as a gas boiler, electric boilers only require minimal service. If you own a gas boiler, it’s crucial to ensure that it’s serviced every single year by a licensed and reliable professional that’s into boiler repair services. During the checks and maintenance services, the gas boilers would need to be checked for possible gas leaks, as well as ventilation poisoning and other problems.

Overall, electric boilers are considered to be one of the most environment-friendly heating system which is more affordable to install in your property than a gas boiler. It represents the most ideal option for homes with gas boiler issues as well as those that are not connected to the main gas supply. What’s more? Electric boilers are also one of the best options for wet central heating and under floor heating.

For most homeowners, rewiring a house is always a sore subject they’d prefer to avoid especially when they think of the expenses they’d have to incur or the mess and complexity that the project involves. However, this is a subject we’d all have to face sooner or later as an old wiring poses a lot of drawbacks, while an improper wiring can also prove to be more expensive and even cause more damage as it can lead to not only electrical shorts but also electrical fires. When a wire triggers a spark or a current overload, this can cause fire and the entire house may be down in ashes within a couple of minutes. Hence, one of the several reasons why house rewiring is just too important to ignore.

In this FAQ, we’re going to take you through the house rewiring process so as to ensure that your project is done to perfection. However, if you do not feel confident enough to pull this off, we’d strongly recommend you get in touch with a reliable electrical professional who can guarantee that a safe and effective work is done.

• Firstly, you’d have to upgrade the main service panel to a minimum of 100 amps
• Fit dedicated circuits in the service panel for all the home’s major appliances.
• Allow for a space of about 6 to 8 feet between electrical outlets throughout the house in order to cut out the need to run extension cords which could be a fire hazard.
• Install only three-prong type to avoid electrical shocks when fitting new outlets.
• Using ground fault circuit interrupters, fit outlets in the bathrooms, kitchen as well as outdoors. These outlets will shut themselves out so as to prevent electrical shock when wet.