According to many eco-experts, the current government is in danger of setting too many targets that it firstly cannot hope to reach and secondly, seeking a way out with loose definitions.

And a large number of organisations and activists are becoming a little worried as to the increasing levels of confusion.

Take carbon zero homes for example. The government has a target that all new homes after 2016 should be carbon neutral. Very laudable, yet since the government announced this target in 2006, the construction industry has spent years trying to define a carbon neutral home.

The backdrop to this target is more government ambitions, such as reducing U.K. CO2 emissions by 2050. And housing is one of the areas where many hopes are invested. This housing sector is responsible for around 25% of all U.K. emissions. And given that 35% of the housing that will be around in 2050 is likely to be built from now, it is clear why such an emphasis is being placed on low and zero carbon new homes.

When the target was first envisaged, carbon zero status was achieved when a property, over the course of a year, would emit no carbon emissions from its appliances, heating and lighting. This usually meant that a housing development would be carbon neutral by making use of off-site technologies.

Great, but there followed some months of studies which examined the feasibility of such off-site measures. In short, many of the original recommendations and methods of achieving a zero carbon status home were deemed to be unworkable.

So, a new set of standards were prepared which introduced a range of allowable solutions. This included such old on-site stalwarts as low energy lighting, better insulation and alternative fuel use.

In short, the construction industry is still somewhat confused as to how new homes can become carbon free by 2016, given that the debate between on-site and off-site solutions continues.

And this, say the experts, is one of many areas in which confusion reigns. If the government worthy targets are going to have any hope of being met say many in the sector, then some joined up thinking will be needed, and quickly.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

It isn’t often that we get something free in this world however British Gas are offering a free heating and energy assessment to anyone who rings and makes an appointment. Obviously you have to be at least interested in buying either a new boiler or a new central heating system from British Gas to take advantage of the offer but it is a no obligation quote and you aren’t held to anything once the assessment is done.

The Assessment
The process is simple – you just ring up British Gas on 0845 074 5994 and make an appointment for a fully trained heating advisor to visit your property. Once they arrive they complete a full energy assessment of your property and of your existing central heating system to see where improvements can be made. Following the assessment, your personal heating advisor will calculate how much money you could be saving on your gas bills by having a new system fitted and they will also make a number of recommendations regarding which gas boiler and heating system to have installed. At the same time the heating advisor will explain the payment options available to you so you can make a decision without worrying about where you’ll find a few thousand pounds.

Following the Assessment
Obviously British Gas don’t expect you to make your mind up on the spur of the moment and so the no obligation quote they give you stays valid for a number of months. If you decide to take advantage of the quote then it is another simple phone call to book the installation date. However, if you decide against it then you haven’t lost anything and you won’t be continuously contacted by British Gas in a bid to change your mind.

Why take Advantage of this Offer?
The main reason as I see it is because it is absolutely free and even if you decide to ignore the quote and the heating advice that British Gas give you then at least you have found out how energy efficient your home is – or isn’t as the case may be. Plus because British Gas are such a reliable and well-known company you can trust them to be telling you the truth with regards to the efficiency of your heating system and the improvements that can be made, should you decide to have the work done.

So in conclusion, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the free no-obligation heating assessments being offered to all householders by British Gas are a top idea and that at the end of the day you have absolutely nothing to lose by taking advantage of the service. You might even find that with the variety of payment options and plans available you can actually afford to replace your boiler or your central heating system and start saving the money that British Gas say you can.

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

Most people haven’t heard of the term ‘Power Flush’ however the process may help to quieten your heating system and give it a few more years of service. Basically this is a full cleansing process which uses a series of chemicals to wash out rust, sludge and other contaminants from your radiators and pipes so that they work much more effectively. Not every system needs a power flush however and having one when you don’t need it can be expensive, so how do you know when the process is needed?

The signs to watch out for

The main indicators that your central heating system could do with a flush include cold areas on the radiators, a noisy boiler and pipe work, radiators that are slow to warm up and discoloured water coming from the radiators when you bleed them. Most of these symptoms can be due to a simple ‘air in the pipes’ problem and bleeding each of your radiators might fix them. If not however then a power flush could be the only answer and although the process can be expensive, you’ll notice the difference in terms of heat efficiency almost immediately.

What does power flushing involve?

The whole point of the power flushing process is to clean out the central heating system so that hot water can circulate to all areas. The first step is to find a good plumber that has previous experience of this process and that has the necessary tools to do the job. This may sound like an obvious thing to say but bad plumbers have been known to cause more damage to the boiler and heating system than it’s actually worth.

Your plumber will begin by attaching a high flow/low pressure pumping unit to the central heating system before adding the necessary chemicals. These strong cleansing chemicals help to break the crust that develops on sludge before breaking it down and washing it away. They also clean out any other gunk that may be lurking in the pipes, including particles of sand and flakes of rust. When the system is deemed to be clean a descaler is added to combat limescale and a corrosion inhibitor to stop any further rusting.

The entire power flushing process takes around 6 hours for the average sized central heating system although some badly effected homes may take an entire day. Not surprisingly, the process doesn’t come cheap and in some areas of the country a full flush can cost upward of £1200; the average price however is around £500 if done properly and by a reputable company. You should make a point of asking though if all of the chemicals are included in the quote as some companies charge extra for the descaler.

Although the power flush process is quite expensive it can save you an equal amount of money on your heating bills within a couple of years and in most cases your central heating system will run as quietly and efficiently as it did when it was first installed.

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

If you happen to be a summer baby and prefer to stay warm all year round, then you are going to need some form of heating in your home during the cold winter months. For most UK residents, central heating is not a luxury, it’s essential. Whatever your home heating requirements happen to be, you need to consider whether your system is capable of getting you through the coldest winter weather!

Fortunately, there are lots of central heating solutions available to suit every home heating situation and every pocket. Cost is usually one of the most important considerations and if you fail to budget carefully you could easily end up spending a lot more than you bargained for.

Consider the most popular choices currently available, namely, water-heated systems, under-floor heating or central air systems. All these heating systems can now be ordered from the comfort of your own home, and if you have the will, the expertise and the patience, you can even consider doing the installation yourself.

Firstly, let’s consider a central heating solution based upon an air-conditioning system. Most of these systems require complicated installation of circulation ducting around the house to help ensure the even distribution of heat. Some allow the control of temperature for individual rooms throughout the house, but not all. The great thing about central air-conditioning is that it will provide cooling in summer months as well as heating in winter so you can maintain comfortable temperatures all year round.

Under-floor heating systems are a popular choice with some households because they are so unobtrusive. Special elements are installed to heat the room up from underneath the floor. The temperature for each room can be controlled individually and you can also choose to restrict the number of rooms heated if you have a tight budget to consider. This can be a cost effective and efficient way to heat your home and will definitely be popular with your family pet as they will be warm wherever they are in the room!

The UK’s most popular central heating choice is a network of radiators linked to a water heating system. These are designed to pump warm water throughout your house by a circuit of copper piping and radiators to provide your entire home with heat and hot water. Modern central heating systems often feature ‘combination’ or ‘condensing’ gas boilers and these provide some of the most efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for home heating. They are also easy to install, easy to use and largely maintenance free. Other boiler options include oil burning, solid fuel burning and electric powered boilers.

Finally, one important factor to consider when choosing which heating system to install is how cost-effective and energy efficient it will be to run. Systems that run on electricity can be very expensive indeed, especially if you intend to run them continuously. Oil and coal fired systems can be similarly costly and sometimes subject to wild price fluctuations. Wood burning boilers can be cost-effective if you have ready access to a cheap supply of fuel but this can be difficult for town and city dwellers. Gas is not only the all round best value, it’s readily available to all but the most remote of households and incredibly energy efficient. For further information about gas boilers and detailed reviews, visit the boiler review section of this site.
 

Guest Article by Max Rickman

Replacement boilers are often quite expensive and so it is vital that you choose the correct model to suit you and your home first time. As well as being the right price, your new boiler should also meet a number of other criteria. So for example:

• All new boilers have to have an efficiency rating of either A or B. Those with an A rating tend to cost slightly more however they will save money on the heating and hot water bills in the long run.
• Your new boiler should be as easy to install as possible so there is little or no disruption to your house or daily life. Choosing a boiler that has to go on a different wall or in a different room to your current boiler can cause problems, especially with regards to the flue. Easy to install boilers are often easy to maintain and service as well which means less hassle during its annual check-up.
• You should also be able to work your new boiler without having a degree in engineering. Simple controls and easy to program timers are a standard feature on many new model boilers however some still have more complex systems that may need a bit of working out.
• It is important that you choose a boiler with the correct power output for the size of your home. Fitting a high powered boiler in a one bedroom flat is going to result in a large waste of energy and on the other hand, fitting a low or medium powered boiler in a large (3-4 bedroom) house with more than one bathroom might result in low flow rates when several water outputs are being used at the same time.
• Most new boiler models have low CO₂ and NO_{x ­}emissions which mean they are better for the environment. Some are lower than others though and it might be worth taking this into consideration along with the energy efficiency rating.
• Storage space is a premium in most family homes and by choosing a combination boiler rather than a regular or system boiler you can do away with the hot water tank in the loft or the airing cupboard. Combination boilers are recommended by most gas engineers today because of their efficiency and also because they need a lot less space in the house.

So as you can see there are quite a few factors to look at and research before buying a new or replacement boiler. Taking a little time to assess the features of different boilers can save you a lot of time and trouble when having it fitted and a fair bit of money on future heating and hot water bills – which is surely a bonus in anybody’s book.  

Guest Article by Clare Lynock