Let’s be honest, fluorescent tubes aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, yet do a very good job in the proper environment, most usually in commercial or industrial applications, as well as in the family home.  Probably the biggest downside of the fluorescent tube is that they tend to be more expensive in the initial outlay stage, but more than compensate with their lower energy costs, as well as lasting sometimes twenty times longer than other equivalent types of bulbs. The only condition that is required for the longevity of fluorescent tubes is that they are not switched on and off so often, which largely rules them out for most home applications, and makes them a much more attractive proposition for factories, offices and shops.  In recent years, a more compact form of fluorescent light bulbs have begun to hit the market, bringing with them an increasing degree of popularity, as well as increased cost effectiveness.

In warmer climates than that of the UK, fluorescent tubes can be found in much more general use, especially in the home, because they give off less heat than other types of strong lights.  Companies and individuals who are followers of fluorescent tubes as a means of providing inexpensive yet strong lighting have added a few refinements to make them even more efficient. One of these methods is to place an aluminium reflector above the tube inside the light fitting, which reputedly will essentially double the light output of the actual fluorescent tubes; something that is very important in factories, office buildings and retail outlets which need strong light, sometimes 12- 5 hours a day.

The good old-fashioned fluorescent tube has been around for a long time and has been written off by many as old-fashioned and cumbersome. Now leaner and meaner, the fluorescent tube can also be tweaked a little to provide a lot of light, as well as major energy cost savings.

Tags: British Gas, energy companies, Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency Advice, Fluorescent tubes

According to how it works for you, each month or even two your electricity bill drops through your mail box or arrives by e-mail. No matter how it arrives, we all recall that moment of anticipation and fear as we scan quickly to the most important factor of all- the bottom line. Only if it is higher than the number originally budgeted do consumers actually take the time to discover and try to understand how that figure was arrived at. And the news is that if they did, really, then there is a strong chance that they would succeed in knocking a fair chunk off their outlay for electricity each and every month of the year.  We are living through some troubled times and it is very important to save all that can be saved. An important challenge is to discover how your electricity bill is made up, and what can be done to knock it down.  

Once you have convinced yourself that you are getting the best possible deal from your utility supplier, then the time has come to analyse your bill and look out for any “cracks in the dam wall”. This can be done only by taking your last year’s electricity bills and working out an average. You will probably see seasonal fluctuations, which is understandable. If you see the same figure coming up on every bill, then you should be looking into why.

Generally your bill will not be able to tell you how much electricity is being used by each of your household appliances. For this reason many UK homeowners have decided to invest in a whole-house power meter. This handy appliance is designed to make available pinpoint information in real time. It can be programmed to provide a constant update of how much energy your whole house has used, from meter reading to meter reading, so you know how much you have used during the course of the month, and if you are on target. You can also utilize the whole-house meter to take accurate readings of how much electricity every appliance is using, and decide if it seems exaggerated.

You will soon save the minimal £100 investment on this clever little device and might even find yourself replacing some electricity-guzzling, inefficient appliances, as well as adopting energy-saving practices throughout your home.

Tags: electricity bills, Electricity prices, heating bills, heating systems

If you live in a populated central location, you can enjoy a wide choice of water heating choices, with gas, electricity, wood and kerosene being the four major options. If you live in the sticks, then you might find yourself burning them to heat your water, since the horrendous rises in the cost of heating fuel over the last few years has made the wood-burning stove the default option for most families who are not hooked up to gas and/or electricity. Much as operating a wood-burning stove is very pleasant and can be easily hooked up so that water can be heated through it, not everyone has the energy or inclination to get involved in dragging logs around, especially on a cold winter’s night.

For those city dwellers, fuel or even electricity are gradually pricing themselves out of the market, and are becoming less and less of an option to heat water in the home. And most people would say that this is rightly so. There is no escaping the fact that gas heats up a water-heater tank almost twice as fast as electricity, and at less than half of what an electric water heater costs. If there are any drawbacks in choosing a gas water-heater, it is that it is considerably less efficient than an electric heater.

Once the decision has been made, and that is for gas, an aspect that has to be taken into account is where the water heater will be placed. The tank will generally be required to be fixed in place on an outside wall, in order to check a potential gas leak or even a fire should the tank slip even slightly and the gas connection comes loose.

The message is that gas is potentially dangerous and must be treated with the respect it deserves. No matter how tight your budget, you should never consider installing a gas water-heater on your own, and should only have a British Gas certified plumber install it for you. The money you will lay out will be rapidly recovered in terms of peace of mind and safety.

You might also be interested to know that you can keep an eye on the flow of gas into your boiler by installing a wireless boiler monitor. This handy appliance not only helps you to nip any potential problem with your new wall-mounted British Gas boiler in the bud, but also helps to check gas flow efficiency, really making a difference to your monthly fuel bill.

Tags: Boiler Replacement, Central Heating, Combination Boiler, Condensing Boiler, heating systems

British Gas constantly justifies its position as the UK’s premier gas supply company by taking care of their customers. They do so by providing top quality service all year long, and have once again proved their reliability during the difficult weather conditions being experienced just now in the UK, and especially in the south of England. Yet providing service is not just about being there in moments of crisis but also of taking care of the financial needs of those who are less capable of taking care of them, financially as well as physically. 

With winter making its heavy toll, British Gas have taken it upon themselves to lighten the burden of many, through providing an amazing offer of a free month’s subscription to their HomeCare, effective immediately. With Christmas just a few short days away, the last thing that a family needs just now is to have to fork out hundreds of pounds in order to have their boiler repaired.  British Gas’ special promotion, available for a limited period, will make sure that this nightmare will not happen. Anyone without boiler cover should rush to take advantage of this opportunity, offered in a full festive spirit. 

By signing up within the next seven days, UK consumers will enjoy a full service to their boiler free of charge, along with a round the clock call-out service in case of emergencies. Starting from as low as  £13 per month, which is not a lot of money when you consider the peace of mind you receive in return, you and your boiler can enjoy a full 12-months breakdown cover,  and  for a 10% saving. 

Now is the time to get the power of British Gas behind you, and discover not only about HomeCare boiler insurance but also the many other maintenance and protection plans that they offer. When you deal with British Gas, you are dealing with a serious organisation, employing over 7000 highly-trained gas engineers, 500 fully-skilled electrical engineers, as well as 1,000 trained plumbers. And don’t forget a 24-hour, 365 day manned customer helpline.

So why delay? Get the power of British Gas behind you. Let them take care of your home maintenance worries through HomeCare.

Tags: Boiler, Boiler Replacement, British Gas, Combination Boiler, Condensing Boiler, HomeCare

Winter is here and with a vengeance this year. These are the times when we need to extract the maximum from our central heating systems and hot water boilers. It doesn’t mean, however, that we need to commit financial hari-kari in the process. Most UK families are just recovering from the financial outlay of Christmas when, round about the end of January, a massive gas and electricity bill falls on their doorstep, and it can be a whopper. Not only that, but they still have February and March to get through, which can often be very cold months too.

So while we need to keep ourselves warm, the best way keep energy cost at a realistic level during the winter, is to maximize the efficiency of the conversion of gas or electricity used to heat water and operate heaters and heating systems.

The first step is to make every effort to reduce the central heating boiler or water heater’s temperature by making sure that the thermostat never rises above the manufacturer’s recommended setting, which is usually around 120°F. (48.89° C). During these really cold winter nights, homeowners make the mistake of pushing their hot water heater’s thermostat way past this standard set point, and pay a heavy financial price for the privilege.

Even though it has not always been a popular move, it can be worthwhile for a homeowner to consider installing low-flow shower heads to cut back on the amount of hot water used in showers, baths and washing dishes. These days, and at a minimal investment, you can buy heads which retain water pressure, while cutting back on water use by up to 50%.

Washing machines are notoriously large consumers of energy, and should be examined very closely when looking to reduce energy costs. It should be a rule in every energy- and budget- conscious households to only wash full loads in your washing machine. Washing machines use loads of hot water, between 5-30 gallons per load, providing serious demand on your home’s water heater. Every load should be made to pay for itself, and if it can be done at off-peak hours, even better.

Even though winter has now set in, it is still not too late to consider replacing the heating elements of your electric water heater. Although it may appear that your heater is still functioning well, build-ups of lime/calcium significantly reduces their efficiency. Changing the element is a simple task, and can be carried out by any handy man, or by a local plumber or electrician. If you use a natural gas water heater to heat your water, contacting a gas heating engineer to carry out a routine cleaning and tuning of the burner will provide you with an immediate return, in terms of energy savings.

All these things and more are what should make Christmas warm and comfortable, and even more so if they are saving you some money!

For more information on how to reduce heating costs visit http://www.britishgasboilers.co.uk/

Tags: Boiler, Boiler Replacement, British Gas, Central Heating, Combination Boiler, Condensing Boiler, Heating, heating bills

In the cash-strapped UK of the last couple of years, many families await the arrival of their electricity and gas bills with a lot of fear and trepidation. How much will it be this time, they ask themselves. It is as if they have no control of their own fate, or their household bills.

Yet we can all take some encouragement from Chancellor Darling’s gesture in his pre-budget speech last week when he offered UK families a potential £400  bonus to as many as 125,000 UK households designated to allow them to  upgrade their old and dilapidated ‘band G’ gas heating boilers.

Darling is taking the long term view that replacing older models with energy-efficient boilers will have the dual effect of reducing energy use and the inflated bills that go with it, as well as curbing harmful carbon emissions. The message that Darling is sending to the UK public is fairly straightforward: If you invest in your household equipment it will pretty soon begin to bring returns and what used to be considered “unavoidable fixed costs” in paying your gas and electricity bills will begin to reduce.

Although it is very possible to upgrade energy efficiency around the home without major cash outlays, there are many instances when pre-empting a situation will make tremendous sense, instead of burying your head in the sand because of short-term cash woes. Take a lead from Alasdair Darling by taking the long term view, and you might discover that you will be saving, instead of wasting, money.

For example, if your refrigerator is more than 15 years old then buying a new one could save you about £5.00 a month. Not a lot, you might say, when compared with the cost of buying a new fridge, and you might be right. But only in the short term; in the long term, you will have to buy a new fridge anyway, and the fiver you save every month will probably make a dent in the cost of a new model.

Updating any of your hating and cooling equipment, as well as major appliances, has to be looked upon as an investment and not a cost.  Listen to Alasdair Darling; he didn’t get to be chancellor for nothing!

For more info on boiler please visit http://www.britishgasboilers.co.uk/

Tags: Boiler, Boiler Grants, Boiler Replacement, British Gas, Combination Boiler, Condensing Boiler

With water heating making up almost a third of an average family’s home energy budget, it is little wonder that a lot of attention is now being paid to new developments in home heating, and especially on how to cut costs. Gas-fired tankless water heaters are currently being considered as a viable replacement commodity, with manufacturers’ claims that they can reduce energy costs by up to 50% over regular storage heaters. Obviously there are considerable costs involved in switching over to this method, so many home owners are scratching their heads, trying to discover if it is worthwhile to switch. Electric tankless water heaters are barely worth considering, since they take too long to heat up water, making the whole process entirely financially unfeasible.

Gas-driven tankless water heaters use high-powered burners that quickly heat water as it runs through a heat exchanger. These heaters are found to be twenty percent more energy efficient on the average than the traditional gas-fired storage-tank models in our tests. In true terms, the savings can be translated into a figure of only £50 annually, which means that recovery on the investment will take decades and not years, in order to be recouped.

There are also issues to be dealt with as far as installation, with the need for a larger than normal flue to allow the release of combustible by-products when the burner is fired, so any existing flues would need to be considerably expanded, although some of the newer models can be vented out of a sidewall through a plastic PVC pipe.

Because of the need for electricity to fire the burner, as well as the possibility that gas piping might have to be replaced with a larger diameter, installation can be a complicated and expensive issue.

All in all, it remains a case for discussion as to whether it is worthwhile to install a tankless water heater, with the only obvious advantage being that a family uses a lot of hot water and can’t wait too long for it come through the pipes; then a tankless water heater could justify the expense. Otherwise it just might be back to the drawing board.

This article was sourced from www.britishgasboilers.co.uk/

Tags: Boiler Replacement, British Gas, Combination Boiler, Condensing Boiler, tankless, tankless water heater, water heater

One of the major expenses in running a UK home is heating water, with experts stating that around 20% of all utility bill expenses go in that direction. Because energy prices have risen over the last decade this can amount to a serious sum of money, and presents an issue that has to be addressed without too much delay. Not only that, but by reducing the use of energy will undoubtedly have a very positive role in how our environment will look in the future.

So with energy saving in mind, and considering our water heater in particular, there are things that need to be learned and understood about this appliance which most UK households are totally dependent upon, but most know very little about. One thing for sure is that no matter if you have a natural gas, electric or propane water heater, there are some fairly simple steps that you can take that will save you energy that will be reflected, and very clearly, in your household bills.

One certainty is that you don’t need to pay for water that you have heated and haven’t made maximum use of. That means taking the most obvious but too often overlooked step of making sure that no taps, pipes or joints are leaking. You will be surprised how much the most simple of drips can cost: as much as 150 gallons during a monthly cycle, which works out at three full tanks of boiling water flowing down the drain, taking your bank account with it.

Insulating pipes is an on-cost that people rarely considered till recently. While most of the domestic piping systems are situated either underground or inside the walls of houses, there is still about one third that is exposed to the elements. The money invested in insulating these pipes will be quickly recovered in reducing heating bills.

Another point that many fail to pick up on is the water heater itself. If it has been placed on concrete, a wise move would be to place an insulating pad between the base of the heater and the concrete. An insulating pad is simply a piece of polystyrene, 1½" high, and capable of supporting the considerable weight of a water heater when it is full.

These are some of the simplest steps that you can take and if you do, you will begin to see the effective savings in your monthly water heating bills. For the do it yourself expert, there is nothing too serious to be carried out here, and the materials involved are both inexpensive and easy to work with. For the less than handy or less than mobile, the cost savings will certainly justify the expense of hiring a tradesman to carry out the job. In many cases the local council will pay for part of the cost of insulation. Just remember, never allow a tradesman to touch or adjust the internal workings of your water heater unless he is certified to do so.

This article was sourced from www.britishgasboilers.co.uk/

Tags: Boiler, Boiler Replacement, British Gas, Combination Boiler, Condensing Boiler, energy prices, environment, heating bills, Insulating, natural gas, water heater

With the snow falling and the country whipped by icy winds, it can pay dividends if you have a think about how to keep yourself warm.

Here are a few things that might be worth considering and it all comes down to being frugal.

If your house is getting too cold, think about getting out for a bit. Maybe visit a friend, or a relative, whose house might be warmer; or even go to the shops, or a shopping mall. This are usually well heated and a cup of hot coffee in one of the cafes could give you a nice warming treat. And the car journey there should thaw you out.

Back to your house. Have you considered buying a portable heater, one that allows you to heat a room separately without using the main system. Remember to warm the room first, then keep topping it up when necessary.

And when sitting down, an electric blanket might be a good idea to help keep you warm. But don’t be afraid to move about, as this will stimulate your own personal heating system and maintain a good body temperature.

Furthermore, whilst you’re in your house, don’t pick the Bermuda shorts on a cold day. Dress appropriately, with thick trousers, a long sleeve shirt and a thick sweater. This will enable you to keep the heating off for longer.

Check out your heating controls. Don’t let the heating come on too early, or stay on too long, and keep an eye on the thermostat. Someone has worked out that for every degree down on the dial, you could save yourself 10% off the annual heating bill. Not bad.

But before you become too obsessed with your heating system, check that your house has its windows shut properly and all draughts kept at bay with rolled up blankets etc.

Is your roof insulated? If not, then over one quarter of your heat could be pouring out the top, so it would be a good investment to get it done and there might be a number of grants and financial schemes to help you. You might also consider double-glazing, or wall insulation. These are quite big projects, but will definately save your money. Again, have a look around to see what grants are available.

And don’t forget to reduce your energy consumption by making sure all your appliances are off their stand-by settings; that you only boil the kettle with the amount of water you need; that you choose energy saving light bulbs; take showers not baths; avoid using the dishwasher frequently; turn the washing machine temperature down to nearer 30C; and, get yourself a microwave; these can cook meals in a fraction of the time of a conventional cooker.

And finally, on cold days, remember to draw your curtains as soon as the sun dips, or the light begins to fade, as this will help keep the heat in.

So there you are, take a few precautions and help yourself save a fortune during the winter.

Tags: budget, Central Heating, Combination Boiler, Health

It’s amazing how a little bit of gas boiler maintenance can help your system stay in tip top condition.

Firstly, a few rules. Remember that you can’t work on a boiler yourself. Not only is it full of potentially noxious fumes and you could end up killing yourself and the rest of the people in your household, but it’s against the law to mess about with it.

And whereas it used to be that only CORGI gas registered engineers could legally work on a boiler, it’s now engineers which are on the Gas Safe Register, run by The Health and Safety Executive. This took over from the CORGI gas registration process on 1 April, 2009, and was brought in to improve service levels and benefits. The changes should also make it easier for people to find qualified engineers that can work on their gas boilers. Details can be found at the website www.gassaferegister.co.uk, or by telephoning 0800 408 5500.

Secondly, always get your boiler serviced annually. Don’t skip this, not only because of your family’s safety, but because it might invalidate your boiler’s warranty, or some of your insurance cover.

Thirdly, if you smell a gas leak, immediately shut down your system, open the windows and get your family outside. Then call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800-111-999.

Fourthly, if you rent your property and you are a landlord, you must make sure that you have all your gas appliances checked before your tenants move in, and you will need a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate to prove you have done this.

That’s the basic rules about gas boilers, now here’s a few tips. Make sure you run your boiler once a month at least, even in the summer, just to make sure that everything is running sweet.

Give your boiler the once over every month. Check for any dark marks that suggest burning problems; also make sure all the vents are open and unrestricted; and, that there’s no water leaks. Your boiler should be operating without any screeching, or gurgling noises. Just try and remember how it sounded when it was first fitted, and it should sound relatively the same throughout its life. If it doesn’t sound right, it most probably isn’t.

Remember, treat your boiler properly and it won’t let you down too much. And that means less bills.

Tags: Boiler, British Gas, Combination Boiler, Condensing Boiler