Heating a church with infrared
Churches are often big, draughty spaces with inadequate or inefficient heating. Their high ceilings and stone walls may be beautiful, but they are difficult to heat. The other thing about churches is that they have been constructed with traditional brick…
Are thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) worth it?
Thermostatic radiator valves are an easy way to increase your control over the temperature of your home and save yourself money on your energy bills. What do thermostatic radiator valves do? If your current heating system contains of just one centralised boiler…
Get rid of damp with infrared heating
Damp in your home can be really frustrating. It can also be really hard to get rid of once it has settled into walls. Sometimes it is caused by condensation arising from poor ventilation, but sometimes the problem comes from inside…
Is infrared the best way to heat your home office?
These days, more and more people are working from home. Whilst this brings some advantages, it can be difficult to build an environment which enables you to work the best you can. Getting the room to a comfortable temperature is…
Have smart thermostats got smarter?
Smart thermostats stop you having to fiddle with your heating and make sure your house stays a nice ambient temperature. We’ve reviewed lots of them before but we thought it was time for an update, as they keep getting better! There…
An introduction to storage heaters
What are storage heaters? Storage heaters are a form of electric convection heating with no plumbing or pipework. They are wired into the mains and have ceramic or clay bricks inside them. These bricks are heated at night, making use of the…
An introduction to infrared heating
How does infrared heating work? Unlike traditional forms of heating, infrared works through radiation, not convection. Infrared light is the reason we feel warm in the sun, even when the air temperature is low. Infrared waves travel through space and…
Why ventilate windows?
Do I need window vents? It’s all very well us ensuring our homes are energy efficient, but sometimes we are so obsessed with keeping heat in, we forget the importance of ventilation. The better insulated your house is, the more…
Understanding your energy tariff: standing charges and usage charges
Over the last couple of years, the Government have made a real effort to simplify energy tariffs. We have looked at these before – both electricity and gas – but since these changes we thought we should revisit the subject.…
Looking for a more intelligent heating control system?
Are the old dial thermostats destined for the scrapheap? For most of us, the room thermostat is a simple dial on the wall that allows you (in theory at least) to control the temperature of the home. I say ‘in…