How often do you leave appliances and electronic equipment on standby? Or you switch off the item, but don’t turn off at the wall socket. It can be difficult to reach that socket behind the TV! But are you aware that even if a product is not in use, it could still be drawing electricity?
Entertainment systems are typically the biggest energy drains in the house, consuming electricity 24/7. It is estimated that, left on standby, one system could be costing approximately £60 per year.
Belkin’s recently introduced a range of “Conserve” products could help this issue of wasted energy and increased electricity bills. Take a look at the Conserve Smart AV™ Auto-Off Surge Protector as a solution for your entertainment equipment.
We also particularly like the “Conserve Socket”, a portable socket that includes a timer which automatically switches the power off after a selected time interval – 30 minutes, 3 hours, or 6 hours. This prevents items such as electric toothbrushes or chargers for mobile phones, power tools or digital cameras to be left on charge unnecessarily.
This new collection of energy efficient products is available from high street retailers.
Chez-Vous Property Services provides plumbing, bathroom, heating and electrical services in and around Wokingham, Bracknell, Ascot, Reading, Maidenhead and other locations in East Berkshire. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
What if there was a fun website to teach your children about electricity and electrical safety? Well, here’s the good news – there is!
The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has created an interactive child friendly site to help young ones learn about electricity in a fun and exciting way.
The ESC is a UK charity dedicated to keeping people safe by reducing the risk of electrical accidents around the home and in the work place.
So make sure your kids know all about the dangers of electricity and how to stay safe by clicking on the image below (turn up the sound on your computer too).
Chez-Vous Property Services provides plumbing, bathroom, heating and electrical services in and around Wokingham, Bracknell, Ascot, Reading, Maidenhead and other locations in East Berkshire. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
The unit is very easy to install and setup. Simply remove your existing TRV head, fit the eTRV to the appropriate supplied base-ring and spacer (compatible with either existing 28mm or 30mm valves on your radiator). Then screw the unit to the radiator valve, vertically or horizontally, depending on the way the existing valve was pointing.
The manufacturer claims that the eTRV is compatible with thermostatic valves made by Barlo, Braukmann, Drayron, Honeywell, Landis & Gyr DuoGyr, Myson, Pegler, Regis (B&Q), Siemens and many others. It is also compatible with Danfoss RA, RAV or RAVL valves, but special adaptors will need to be fitted (not supplied as standard).
Before: standard mechanical Myson TRV
In our case, we replaced a Myson valve with an eTRV.
Programming the eTRV
Next, pop the supplied batteries into the remote control and the eTRV unit. The unit will start to function straight away as it comes with pre-programmed temperature and control settings stored in its memory. You can also program your eTRV to suit your own requirements for that individual room.
The eTRV has some simple energy saving features (1-hour boost, Sleep etc) and an intuitive remote control.
With 4 programmable temperature levels (Off, Low, Economy or Comfort) and a built-in 7 day timer with 3 daily heating customisable programmes every day, the eTRV gives you plenty of options. For example, you could heat a bedroom to a Comfort level in the morning, and to an Economy level in the evening. And turn the heating to Low levels or Off during the day when not in use, while still heating other rooms in the house.
eTRV remote control
Use the small, handy remote control to operate the eTRV and check its settings, such as the actual room temperature.
We believe that the remote control will be beneficial to users with back problems or mobility issues as it reduces the need to bend over to check or adjust the temperature on radiators.
Accurate temperature control
Designed to limit wasteful overheating of rooms, the eTRV has two embedded sensors working together (one monitoring the temperature of the water entering the radiator, one monitoring the ambient temperature of the room) to maximise the temperature control. This is a big improvement on standard mechanical TRVs.
Save potentially up to 25% off the cost of your heating bill
The British manufacturer of these new eTRV devices claims that if one is installed on each radiator in a property it could save the average UK household up to 25% off the cost of its heating bill.
Furthermore, general consumer advice suggests a 1°C reduction in thermostat settings can result in energy savings of up to 10%.
Other benefits
The eTRV “exercises” the valve weekly, which prolongs the valve’s life: some radiator valves can get stuck after long periods without moving.
And if buying British is important to you, then the eTRV has been developed, designed, patented and manufactured in the UK.
Cost of an eTRV
At the time of writing this blog, an eTRV costs approximately £60 and a remote control £12.
If you would like Chez-Vous Property Services to source and supply eTRVs for you, please contact us.
And finally!
Here’s budding young presenter Daniel to explain that installing an eTRV really is as simple as child’s play!
Chez-Vous Property Services provides plumbing, bathroom, heating and electrical services in and around Wokingham, Bracknell, Ascot, Reading, Maidenhead and other locations in East Berkshire. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
With heating responsible for around 50 percent of an average family’s energy bill in the UK, unsurprisingly there is an array of carbon emission reduction and cost-saving devices available on the market. Recently, the Innovation Award winning new electronic Thermostatic Radiator Valve (eTRV) caught the eye of Chez-Vous Property Services.
The eTRV, a simple to install DIY kit, is retrofitted to most radiators which have existing TRVs in place, and regulates your domestic central heating performance. TRVs are the mechanical devices with digits connected to your radiator that you turn clockwise or anti-clockwise to adjust the required temperature for each room.
The British manufacturer of these new eTRV devices claims that if one is installed on each radiator in the property it could save the average UK household up to 25% off the cost of its heating bill.
Always on the lookout for simple, cost-effective and easy to implement solutions for our clients, Chez-Vous Property Services has decided to test a unit and then share our findings on its usability with you. If we like the device, then we’ll be happy to recommend it.
Chez-Vous Property Services provides plumbing, bathroom, heating and electrical services in and around Wokingham, Bracknell, Ascot, Reading, Maidenhead and other locations in East Berkshire. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
At Chez-Vous Property Services, we often come across the situation in lofts where downlights are either not protected properly against fire hazards or are left with no insulation around them.
Downlights can produce significant heat. So when downlights are installed in the void between the ground floor ceiling and the upstairs floor, adequate space should surround them. Building debris and other flammable material must be removed from the void. Cables must be secured so that they do not come into contact with the hot surfaces of the downlights.Downlight guards and fire hoods are available at DIY stores, electrical or lighting specialists.
Pictures below: fire hood and insulation guard
If you are based in Berkshire and need help to install downlight protection guards in your loft, please contact Chez-Vous Property Services now.
Similarly, when downlights are fitted in a ceiling with a loft space above, precautions must be taken to ensure that the loft insulation or other material does not come into contact with the downlights.
The solution many people employ is to permanently move the insulation away from the area containing downlights (see picture above). This of course, defeats the object of having insulation and allows condensation to form in the loft. It also results in a lot of energy being wasted in winter and complaints of drafts from the attic.
A solution to this problem is to fit insulation guards or fire hoods above downlights. They cost around £10 per unit and protect the lights from the insulation covering above and prevent them from overheating. A simple solution to improve safety, as well as keeping the loft fully insulated and energy bills down.
There are many simple ways to save energy in and around the home. We cover some easy tips that you can put in place to improve efficiency and save money, from the kitchen to the garden.
Turn appliances off standby
The average household wastes £30 a year simply by leaving appliances on standby.
to turn off an appliance completely, use the power switch on the appliance itself or turn it off at the plug
if a charger or power pack is warm or has a light on, it’s probably using power.
In the kitchen
boil a kettle with only as much water as you need
cover pots and pans when cooking – they will boil a lot quicker
defrost your freezer regularly
let hot food cool before putting it in the fridge or freezer
there’s emerging research that using a microwave rather than a conventional oven to heat up a small amount of food may save you energy.
Washing clothes
washing clothes at 30 degrees can be just as effective for a normally soiled load
run your washing machine or dishwasher with full loads
avoid tumble drying – dry clothes outdoors or on indoor dryers when possible to save money and energy. Turning off your tumble dryer during the summer months could save you around £16 a year.
Lighting
use energy efficient light bulbs – if every UK home installed three of them, it would save enough energy to power all the UK’s street lights
a 20 watt energy efficient bulb can save £60 over its lifetime compared to a standard 100 watt bulb
remember to switch the lights off every time you leave a room.
Garden
set up a water butt for the garden – you could collect 100-200 litres of rainwater in a water butt to use for watering plants, cleaning the car, and other outside water needs
start a compost heap – it reduces waste going to landfill and cuts associated greenhouse gas emissions. And your flowers and vegetables will flourish on free fertiliser.
Keeping the cost of your heating down can be a challenge, when winters are cold, utility charges are increasing and you are feeling the chill!
So here are some simple things that you can do to avoid wasting heat and to try to reduce those heating bills.
Heat your home effectively
Turning the heating off in the whole house is not an effective solution in cold weather. Instead, be efficient about which spaces you heat and how.
• Set the right temperature: usually between 18°C (bedrooms) and 21°C (living rooms). Simply by reducing the thermostat temperature by 1°C is enough to save up to 10% of your annual heating costs and you will barely notice the temperature drop.
• Keep your heating constant: a consistent, low setting is most efficient. This ensures that the boiler does not constantly re-ignite, reducing gas consumption.
• Don’t overheat unused rooms: turn the radiator down or off in rooms that aren’t used often, and keep doors closed
• Don’t overheat the kitchen: this is likely to be one of the warmest rooms in your house due to cooking appliances. So the radiator probably doesn’t need to be on a high setting.
• Set your hot water cylinder to 60°C: avoids overheating water. (Read “Setting your hot water cylinder thermostat to 60°C makes health and financial sense!” for more reasons why this is important.)
• Replace light bulbs: use CFL (energy-efficient) light bulbs. They will last considerably longer and save you money
Make your radiators work for you
Leave plenty of space around radiators:
• Radiator thermostats react to the air temperature surrounding them so other sources of heat should not be placed nearby e.g televisions, lamps, etc.
• Putting furniture in front of a radiator means it will need to work harder to heat the room.
• Don’t cover your radiators or use them to dry wet clothes as this prevents heat reaching the rest of the room
Reflect the heat: put heat-reflective foil behind radiators on outside walls (specially-designed radiator foil is available from DIY stores and not too expensive). This will reflect the heat back into the room, rather than letting the wall absorb it.
Add thermostatic valves to all your radiators: only turn them on in the rooms you use frequently and ensure you keep all the doors closed!
Use an electronic heating timer: it’s worth taking the time to understand how this works and use it correctly to efficiently heat your home and water.
Dress warmly: wearing adequate clothing indoors means that you could turn your thermostat down by a couple of degrees and still be warm enough. Several layers of clothes are far more effective at keeping you warm than one thick jumper.
Insulate your home
Insulating the walls, roof, loft, water tank, pipes and floors of your home can make an enormous difference to your heating bills. Around 40% of all heat loss is through the walls of an average UK home.
• Ensure your loft is insulated to a depth of at least 25cm. A well insulated loft can reduce heating bills by about 20%
• Check cavity walls are fully insulated.
You may be eligible for government assistance to insulate your home if you are over a certain age or meet other low-income criteria. Find out more from Directgov.
Prevent draughts!
Research suggests that around 20% of the heat in an average home is lost through ventilation and draughts.
• Fill all gaps: install draught-excluding brushes in letterboxes, and ensure that all windows, doors, keyholes and cat-flaps are adequately insulated.
• Stop heat escaping up the chimney: if you never use your fireplace, close-off the opening to prevent cold air coming in and warm air escaping!
• Close curtains and blinds: rooms are warmed by the sun, so during colder months close your curtains at sunset to keep heat in.
Keep an eye on your energy suppliers
• Switch energy supplier or tariff: could you save money by switching energy suppliers? Research by Ofgem found that around 46% of us have either never switched suppliers, or have done so only once. Alternatively, find out if you can get a better tariff with your existing provider. Try MoneySavingExpert.com for more information.
• Pay by direct debit: if you have chosen the best supplier and tariff, could you save money on the way you pay the bills? Government figures indicate that approximately 40% of customers still pay gas and electricity bills by cash, cheque or debit card. Whereas, paying by direct debit means you could make a typical annual saving of £55 for gas and £46 for electricity.
• Check meter readings: don’t forget to check estimated bills against your actual meter readings. If the estimate is too high then contact the energy provider, give them the correct reading and get a revised bill.
If you would like help with any plumbing, heating and electrical issues or projects, then please call Chez-Vous Property Services to talk to your Berkshire plumber and electrician on 0118 9770215.
Even though spring and the promise of warmer weather are drawing nearer, we will still be counting on our central heating to keep us warm over the next few months. To guarantee the optimal performance of your central heating system and to prevent energy waste (and higher bills), it is essential that your heating pipes and radiators are not clogged up – build up of black sludge – or even blocked due to internal corrosion.
What are the symptoms of corrosion?
• Heating system very slow to warm up
• Radiators partially or fully cold
• Non-functioning thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)
• Radiators requiring frequent bleeding
• Boiler noise increasing in frequency and intensity
• Central heating pump or motorised valve breakdown(s)
• Black water in the system.
Correcting and preventing the cause
A good quality chemical inhibitor will prevent internal scale and corrosion in your central heating system and radiators. The inhibitor also lubricates the pump, helping to increase its life.
Chez-Vous Property Services recommends that the concentration of inhibitor in your system is checked every 3 years. Remember that it is also essential to renew the inhibitor after every disconnection or replacement of system components, such as radiators, TRVs, pump, motorised valves, boiler, etc.
Unless your heating system has benefitted from sufficient corrosion inhibitor from the day it was installed, the system has, unfortunately, been deteriorating. Central heating systems which have had little or no inhibitor added will need to be cleaned and protected.
How to check whether your system has enough inhibitor?
Here is a way to do your own check. Use a jar with a screw lid and fill it with some water from your ‘feed and expansion tank’ (the smallest tank normally located in your loft). Add some steel or iron nails or screws to the jar and put the jar lid on tight. If the nails start to rust after a couple of weeks then there is not enough inhibitor in your system. If you have a combi-boiler (no tanks in the loft), then carry out the same procedure with some water from a radiator.
System cleansing, flushing and protecting
The objective of flushing and treating the central heating system is to remove scale, water suspended particles of sludge or rust. The process of flushing the system and adding an inhibitor takes several hours.
For older or poorly-maintained systems, it is highly recommended to initially add a de-scaling/sludge-removal chemical. This is left to circulate in the system for a minimum of two hours at operating temperature, but can be left for up to 4 weeks in particularly bad cases. This product lifts and disperses the sludge into the circulating water so that it can be properly removed when draining and then flushing the system. After cleaning the system in this way, it is filled with fresh water and protected from further corrosion using an inhibitor.
Benefits of protecting your central heating system with an inhibitor
• Extend system life
• More efficient central heating system
• Protect against corrosion and lime scale
• Prevent breakdown of heating system components (heating pump, motorised valves)
• Reduce maintenance and running costs and save on fuel bills
• Prevent cold spots in radiators
• Stop frequent bleeding of radiators
• Noise from boiler, pipes, radiators, etc. greatly reduced or eliminated.
If you would like more information about adding a corrosion inhibitor to your central heating system, or would like help with any other plumbing, heating and electrical issues or projects, then please call Chez-Vous Property Services to talk to a Berkshire plumber and electrician on 0118 9770215.
How often do you leave appliances and electronic equipment on standby? Or you switch off the item, but don’t turn off at the wall socket. It can be difficult to reach that socket behind the TV! But are you aware that even if a product is not in use, it could still be drawing electricity?
