Central heating boiler replacement and the upcoming green deal

Posted on May 16, 2012 by davidc

If your boiler does need replacing or is running inefficiently, it WILL need replacing.

Energy prices remain high and it is more important that ever to ensure you are not paying more than you have to on your electricity bills.

If your boiler is over 10 years old, you could save money by replacing it with a more efficient model.

As boilers age, particularly unmaintained ones, they become less efficient. With a combination of age and outdated technology, old central heating boilers are much more likely to have high annual running costs.

Bear in mind, however, that even after replacing the boiler it will take six years to recover the cost of the initial installation so there are other factors which may play a role in your decision making process.

Ask yourself if the gas central heating boiler is so old that maintenance is becoming expensive or the part are unavailable and if your current boiler is taking up too much space.

Green Deal to help UK homeowners make solar energy improvements with no up front costs

With the UK Government aiming to introduce the UK Green Deal later this year, millions of home and business owners can make energy efficient improvements with no up front costs.

Pay back for the Green Deal Plan will be recouped by instalments over 25 years or less from a charge made on electricity bills.

The deal includes offering finance for home insulation, energy efficient gas central heating boilers and solar electricity panels.

It will not be means tested so credit history is not a problem. If you move home, the debt stays with the property’s electricity bill.

Visit the central heating section for more information.

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Safety with gas central heating boilers

Posted on May 1, 2012 by davidc

Gas central heating boilers produce carbon monoxide, like many other heating devices.

Hence, if there are any signs of carbon monoxide it is important to take action immediately.

Most people, however, will not notice the leak. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer that you do not know you are inhaling. It is odourless but poisonous – and leads to asphyxiation.

So how you do you notice the signs of carbon monoxide? One of the most obvious signs is a yellow or orange flame.

Stains of burning fuel on appliances such as gas central heating boilers and cooking stoves is also an indicator. You might also look for slowly burning woods, blocked chimneys and finding it difficult to light flames.

It is easy to miss these signs, which is why it you should regularly check for leaks and hire professionals to check them for you.

Annual inspections ensure all the issues related to your gas central heating boilers are easily resolved before they cause any problems.

In addition to this, they will also help lengthen the life of your central heating boilers.

Proper maintenance is very important after making your initial purchase. Keep them properly maintained, saving money in the process.

Modern gas boilers are the most popular central heating system used throughout Europe and are extremely efficient in providing just enough heat to warm up your home without spending too much on energy source.

Modern central heating boilers are extremely efficient and many manufacturers claim they run at 97% efficiency.

Combination central heating boilers are among the most popular, providing heating on demand, without a need a water heating tank. They work best in smaller households.

UK residents are required to have their gas boilers inspected every year to ensure safety.

This responsibility falls on landlords to ensure this happens every 12 months to keep their tenants safe.

Visit the central heating boilers section for more information.

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Solar water heating is a reliable alternative to regular gas central heating systems

Posted on April 25, 2012 by davidc

This way, you can use hot water throughout the year with the system working all year round. However, you will need supplementing a boiler or immersion heater during winter.

You can even cut your water bills when sunlight is free, so once you’ve paid for the initial installation your hot water costs will be reduced.

And, for a clear conscience, solar hot water is a green, renewable heating system and can reduce your carbon dioxide emissions.

Solar water heating maintenance compared to regular gas central heating

From time to time, check your solar heating system for leaks. Anti-freeze leaks will have a distinctive and strong smell. You must contact your installer if you notice this.

In general, you should keep an eye on your system to check that it is doing what it has been designed to do.

By contrast, there are more potential problems with gas central heating systems.

This may include leaks in the central heating system, drainage problems and cracks or leaks in the hose connections.

In addition, in gas central heating systems the condensate tubes should be able to drain properly, the filter should be changed every four to six weeks, the outside of the air compressor should be cleaned regularly and the ductwork should be professionally cleaned every three to five years.

For more information on gas central heating systems or solar energy.

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Invest in solar energy panels for electricity generation

Posted on April 18, 2012 by davidc

Solar energy panels can be utilised for both electricity and heating, cutting your bills, reducing your carbon footprint and increasing the value of your home.

Solar energy electricity generation

A fantastic way to generate free, carbon neutral electricity for your home is to invest in solar energy PV panels.

You will reduce your electricity bill dramatically. The amount you will save depends on a number of factors such as the size of your system, your location, and how you use your electricity.

Medium users with a 2.5 kWp PV system could cut their bills by over a third. Better yet, these saving are likely to increase over the next five years.

With solar energy, you can be protected from some of this increase by being self-sufficient.

On top of this, you can also increase your home’s value. In an Energy Saving Trust’s 2009 survey 53% of people said they would be willing to pay more for a home with renewable resources, and nearly half said they would like to know if their home is suitable for renewables.

It is also extremely eco-friendly – solar power is clean energy resource and it’s not going anywhere.

An average solar energy system will replace dirty furl sources and save around 20 per cent of a home’s carbon footprint per year – around 1000kg CO2.

As an added bonus, the home improvement will not disrupt your life. Solar energy panels only take usually only takes a day to install, mostly occurring on the roof.

The power supply is only broken for a few minutes while new connections are made.

Visit the solar energy section for more information.

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Understanding how combi boilers work in central heating systems

Posted on April 2, 2012 by davidc

Combi boilers combine a central heating system and hot water heating found in one object.

Although they are typically quite, small and they perform well in any sized household.

In a combi central heating boiler, you will get a constant supply of hot water and it will never be depleted.

When you required using some of the warm water it was collected from the tank and inter changed with chilled water, which was heated then.

The older type heaters, which had tanks, ran out the stored stock hot water and it would take up to half an hour to heat to the water.

The also used a lot more fuel than for generating heat in tanks compared to the fresh hot water on demand.

In the old gas central heating systems, water was heated to specific temperatures.

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Check your central heating radiators for blockages

Posted on March 23, 2012 by davidc

Most modern households these days use gas central heating systems to heat their homes, and understanding how they work is very important to avoid home problems.

Gas central heating systems often comprise of central heating boilers and a number of radiators.

Central heating boilers are at the heart of a gas central heating system, pumping heated water to the pipes, which feed into the radiators to give off the heat.

Detecting blockages in central heating systems

A common problem in central heating systems is blockages. Blockages occur when pipes are obstructed gunge and debris – causing the central heating system to lose warmth.

A build up of gunge in a radiator may damage your central heating boiler because the pump motor might fail due to overexertion. This can be an expensive problem to remedy.

In order to maintain your central heating system, therefore, you must avoid harm to the central heating boiler by regularly checking radiators for potential problems.

There are a few indicators that your radiators have gunge inside them.

One obvious indicator is a when you find ‘cold spots’ on the radiator where only parts of the radiator are warm and others are cold. Check this regularly to minimise potential problems.

Visit the central heating section for more information.

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Replacing radiators in central heating systems

Posted on March 14, 2012 by davidc

Replacing radiators is not as difficult as you might imagine, although it is best to hire a professional so no mistakes are made.

If done correctly, however, the removal can be a fairly straightforward. First, switch the radiator valve all the way down to ensure the water supply is isolated.

The switch on the other side must also be switched all the way down so the water is completely cut off. Ensure any other thermostatic control device is cut off fro the radiator.

When you are sure the radiator is completely isolated from the rest of your central heating system, you must drain any remaining water from the radiator.

Use a large container to catch water from the radiator and loosen the nut on the valve using a spanner.

After the water is drained you should be able to pull away the valve and remove the radiator from the wall.

Some radiators are very heavy so you may need an extra person to carry it. Carry it outside using a hosepipe to clean it out. Radiators that are especially contaminated may require chemical cleaners.

When you affix the gas central heating radiators back to the wall, link the valves back as they were before, ensuring they are tightly connected using the same method.

Simply turn back on the valve support so the water can flow back into the central heating system’s radiator.

This is the time to check for leaks. You will need to return to the central heating boiler in order to add a little water – which you drained from the radiator earlier.

Ensure that the water is within compliance using the manufacturer’s recommended settings.

Use a radiator key to bleed the radiator till water flows – catching the water with a container.

Check the radiator a final time for any leaks.

Visit the gas central heating section for more information.

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Swap your boiler now and save money, ready for the next heating season

Posted on March 1, 2012 by davidc

As winter draws to a close, many homeowners are switching off their central heating systems.

This is the ideal time to begin preparing your boiler for next heating season so that runs at peak efficiency, saving you a vast amount of money.

Recent rises in oil prices have alerted many homeowners to the fact that an inefficient boiler will be costing you serious money.

During the spring and summer months, check your central heating boiler for leaks. All tubes that may have been plugged during the heating season should be changed and all gasketing should be checked.

Any leaking tubes or open seams should be fixed immediately.

This is especially important for central heating boilers used to generate hot water during mild weather.

Check your central heating boilers for optimum efficiency.

Central heating boilers may need replacing

Consider replacing your boiler this spring to avoid the hassle of replacing it when you really need it.

Blazes offers a superb boiler swap scheme, with money back on your old boiler.

There are a number of factors, which will affect the cost of your boiler replacement.

Fuel type: The cost of your new boiler will vary depending on what type of fuel you wish to burn. Your will notice a difference in the replacement.

Boiler type: The price may vary considerably in you are changing to a different sort of boiler. Combination boilers, for example, are more expensive to purchase but much cheaper to run.

House size: The bigger the house, the more will need heating.

Heating infrastructure: Although it is likely that you will be using your existing heating infrastructure, you may need to upgrade or extend your pipework, or add new radiators, adding an additional cost to the boiler installation.

If your central heating boiler is over 10 years old, it could need replacing with a more energy efficient model.

Blazes will change your old boiler for a brand new high efficiency one with money back on your old central heating boiler.

Boiler replacement is not as straightforward as simple swapping it for a different one. There are a number of legislative rules that must be adhered to.

Luckily, Blazes is here to help. Blazes can offer specialist advice and a FREE, no obligation home survey and quote to ensure you get the best central heating system for your home and a new boiler that could pay for itself.

For more information, visit the central heating boilers page.

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Get a generous income for 25 years with solar PV before its too late

Posted on February 27, 2012 by davidc

Maximise your returns on solar this month before solar subsides are slashed.

In April, it will be difficult to the get current rate of 21p per kWh, with every property having to meet specific requirements.

Instead householders with receive just 9p. In May, this amount will become standard.

The solar energy sector is continuing to generate decent returns, in spite of the government reducing feed-in tariffs.

Mention investing in the emerging solar photovoltaic (PV) sector in the UK, and the conversation will soon turn to government feed-in tariffs.

Any installations up to the end of March will be guaranteed to start unconditionally at 21p for 25 years.

Financial benefits if you install soon

  1. A payment of 21p is made for every unit of electricity produced.
  2. A bonus payment is made for electricity sent back to the grid.
  3. Energy bills are reduced when you utilise solar energy

The Feed-In Tariff

The FIT scheme is designed for any households, landlords, businesses and organisations.

For more information on solar energy, visit the product pages.

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Beat the freeze with a new boiler from Blazes

Posted on February 20, 2012 by davidc

With the cold season in full flow, now is the time to upgrade your boiler to an energy efficient and cost effective one.

With energy prices higher than ever, it is important to be aware of how much your boiler is costing you.

Boilers need to be replaced after 10 years because they are inefficient and cost significantly more in energy bills.

Take advantage of the Blazes boiler swap scheme and get money back on your old boiler.

There is an exclusive 10-year warranty, worth £750, on one of the best boilers in the world.

The ‘A’ Rated high efficiency, top specification Premium Dimplex central heating boiler is efficient and reliable, usually with a standard five-year warranty.

Blazes also offers exclusive extended warranties on other leading boilers - Worcester Bosch and Baxi gas boilers come with a FREE five year extended warranty worth over £350.

Other central heating companies only offer around one-year warranties.

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