British Gas Boilers come in all shapes and sizes, as long as it’s gas!

That’s perhaps not surprising, as the UK’s biggest energy company is all about gas, although it does sell electricity to its customers as well. But British Gas boilers are basically available in three types: Combination Boiler, Regular Boiler and System Boiler.

Combination boilers are the most popular, because they suit modern, smaller dwellings that have maybe one, at most two bathrooms, and a medium sized central heating system. This is important because a Combination Boiler is all about supplying water when needed; on demand in other words. You turn on the hot water tap and out comes the water at the appropriate temperature. The central heating system signals it needs some hot water and, low and behold, the boiler turns on and provides the heated liquid.

Regular Boilers do all that of course, but in a slightly different way. It heats water and then stores it in a hot water tank for later use. In that case, it’s not hot water on demand, but stored for later use. And that makes a regular boiler slightly less efficient (doesn’t benefit from on demand principle which means that energy is only being expended when people, or the radiators need it) and more expensive (a hot water tank, as well as a header tank and more pipework are needed for a regular boiler).

A system boiler can be regarded as a modern version, more efficient version of a regular boiler system and is marked out by having all the key operating systems and controls all built into the boiler unit itself, which makes it cheaper and easier to install.

It’s the age of the Combination Boiler and when it comes to British Gas boilers, this is likely to stay the most popular type for many years to come.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

The title British Gas Homecare has taken on a new meaning thanks to the energy company’s decision to sponsor the Home Move Box.

British Gas Homecare is behind a latest marketing initiative – called Home Move Box – which sees it agreeing to provide home movers with a number of incentives and offers built around energy and home services.

British Gas is a lead sponsor of the scheme, joining the likes of B&Q, Clipper Tea, John Lewis, Pepsi Co, Proctor & Gamble, Nectar, Sainsbury’s Energy, Screwfix and Wickes.

The Director of Communication and Brand Marketing at British Gas, Mr Will Orr, said: “With so much to think about when you move house, we wanted to provide people with services and offers that mean their energy needs are sorted from day one.”

The Home Move Box is essentially a box of household special offers and items, all of them deemed essential, which are delivered to home movers on the day of the move, for free.

It’s reckoned that some 20,000 homes a month will receive the box. British Gas see it as the ideal opportunity to help customers get the right sort of start in their new homes.

The box, which will feature the British Gas logo and branding, will include key discounts and major incentives. This will include:

• a free EnergySmart electricity monitor which allows customers to not only monitor their consumption on a accurate basis, but also allows detailed monthly billing;
• some 25% towards a new front door lock;
• when customers sign up to a British Gas energy and HomeCare 100 plan, a total of 3,000 Nectar points;
• some £150 towards a new boiler (an energy efficient model);
• energy customers get help with insulation.

The Home Move Box director, Mr Charles Wasdell, said: “We are delighted to have British Gas on board, and it’s12 month commitment to us is testament to what we are achieving as a company. The Home Move Box currently offers brands a direct way into over 20,000 households a month, at a time when choosing new utility suppliers and making new purchases for the home is a necessity.”

Certainly a new meaning for British Gas Homecare.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

The most popular type of British Gas boiler sold these days is the gas combi.

And for anyone unsure why the most popular British Gas boiler sold is the Combi, they have to consider two issues. Gas is the most popular fuel type in the UK and the Combination boiler currently reigns supreme in terms of the types on offer.

It’s also likely that despite the recent problems over supply – having to swap from being a net producer, to a net importer, gas will still be the most widely used source of energy.

Because although the North Sea gas fields might be on their last legs, the supply of gas on a global basis is comparatively plentiful. Norway is a huge producer of gas, as is Russia and the Middle East. Indeed, industry figures suggest that the gas reserves around the world are simply huge and will last for at least 50 years on current consumption levels.

So although the UK has security issues (in a world war scenario), the island nation would be extremely vulnerable to having its energy supplies cut, there are few alternatives. Oil is a world commodity and the horrifically high prices are unlikely to go down, and will if anything go up, which makes it the least popular choice for heating the home. Nuclear power was the great white hope until the world’s media got an eyeful of what happens to a nuclear power station when the systems crash. So, we’re left with gas.

And gas boilers, the combination being the leading variety, are nowadays extremely efficient. The good old combi is a comparatively old technology (think the water geyser) which has found a new lease of life thanks to the need for super efficiency. With its on demand hot water ability and its lower installation, and operating costs, the gas combi boiler is set to be on top for some decades to come.

And that is why it is the most popular British Gas boiler; a reflection of people’s needs in the house and of their equal need to save money.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

The parent company of British Gas has published its 2010 corporate responsibility report which sets out what it believes to be its progress as set against its objectives.

British Gas is owned by Centrica and both concerns believe that they have made significant advances with their environmental ambitions. The overall objective is to mitigate the effects of its environmental impact.

It highlights a number of key points, including the fact that British Gas already installed 195,228 smart meters last year, which goes against the overall target of, by 2012, of two million installed.

Secondly, that the Group’s carbon intensity from its UK power generation has dropped by 25% in 2010, to 277g CO2/kWh. The target by 2012 is 270g CO2/kWh.

Thirdly, that in its desire to have achieved a 20% reduction in carbon footprint generated by its company vehicles, travel and offices by 2015, it has already gained just over a 11% drop.

Fourthly, that British Gas had throughout last year, supplied energy efficiency products to its customers that had the equivalent lifetime carbon saving of just shy of 16 million tonnes.

Furthermore, it revealed that in terms of its global position, it achieved a 13th position in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for 2010 for achieving a 92% score.

Just what exactly that might mean for the environment is unclear, but experts recognise that blue chip companies have to take the lead in showing that meaningful carbon reduction is possible.

Environmentalists might have their doubts, but British Gas and its parent Centrica has at least made some big steps in the right direction. 

Guest Article by Neil Camp

 A leading consumer website is warning that half of the competitive online energy plans, including one offered by British Gas, have been pulled off the market and more are likely to follow.

The British Gas online tariff is priced at a very competitive £895 a year, but observers wonder how long they can keep this price at that level.

EDF Energy and npower have already pulled the plug on their most competitive online plans to new customers.

Their action has meant that the average price of the best energy deal has rocketed by nearly 4% to £947; up from £913, a hike of £34. The only reason why this average is not higher, is because British Gas has kept its cost down.

But with rumours that British Gas is about to pull their plan, users are being urged to take action before being disappointed.

The energy expert at uSwitch.com delivered the warning in no uncertain terms:
“This latest move by two of the big six suppliers to remove their most competitively priced plans off the market suggests that the current crop of best buy plans are not going to be around for long. I would urge people to snap up a deal now or risk seeing the last competitive plan slip through their fingers.”

And with energy prices set to rise further over the coming months, those that would appreciate the lower online tariff prices definitely need to hurry before all the best deals disappear for a very long time.

Guest Article by Neil Camp