Friday 8 October 2010

delonghi convector heaters

With regard to convector heaters the Delonghi convector heater really merits a lot of praise. The many bonuses and safety features on this heater make it easy to use and very safe. If you’d like to know more about the type of Delonghi heater that you should buy, then you can check out the user reviews from the websites where they are being sold.

These heaters have a lot of extra features that some of the other makes do not have and they tend to be more cost-efficient too. A great safety feature of these heaters is the inclusion of an alarm which sounds if the heater gets knocked over to make sure that you will be able to rectify this before your carpet or floor gets damaged. And if it is knocked over, it will automatically switch off to make certain that as little damage is done as possible.

The next great feature of the Delonghi convector heater is the fact that it has a 24-hour timer. This means that you can set it to switch on and off during the day – as you need the house or room to heat. For example you can set it early in the morning and then later in the afternoon before you get home.

It’s possible to heat a room to the required temperature and then maintain that heat with a Delonghi convector heater because of its unique thermostat. Once the room reaches that particular temperature the heater will switch off. And if the temperature of the room starts to drop again, the heater will switch back on and heat it back to the optimum temperature again.

You can choose between three settings which are 1Kw-Low, 2Kw-Medium and 3Kw-High. These settings allow users to choose their own desired temperatures. You can also choose to blast the room with warm air for a top up or to get the room heated up quicker with the turbo boost setting.

With regard to heating your home with a convector heater, a Delonghi really is a preferred choice and especially if you have children or pets. It’s more inexpensive than other types of convector heaters and it has plenty of safety features which makes it so popular. When you need information on which Delonghi heaters are the best then you should take a look at the many Delonghi convector heater reviews for advice.
delonghi convector heaters

Sunday 3 October 2010

convector heaters vs fan heaters

Convector Heater Vs Fan Heater.


If you are considering buying a heater to keep you warm during the winter then it makes sense to find out as much as you can about the different ones which are available. Since they are so popular, it is important to ask the question convector heater vs fan heater. What is the difference and which will be the better choice?

A radiator is another name for a convector heater. When we talk about radiators at the moment, we ordinarily mean the oil filled fin heaters and these work by heating the air that surrounds them. This means that the air comes in contact with the hot fins and heat up. When this hot air rises, it heats up the room.

However a fan heater uses a fan which blows onto a hot plate or coil and this then forces hot air out into the room.

Both these forms of heating are very effective. But there are some differences between them which you might want to know about. The first difference is that a convector heater is completely silent, while a fan heater makes a background sound which might vary from soft and discreet, to loud and rattling, depending on the make and model of the heater.

Another thing which differs between the two heaters is always that many persons believe that fan heaters tend to dry out the room which they are heating. This could cause breathing predicaments for the inhabitants of the room. It could also lead to some forms of colds and flu - even Bronchitis. There is not as much chance of the air drying out with a convector heater.

A fan heater or a convector heater? This question is best answered when considering your personal situation and preferences. There are several options in terms of make and model in both categories and both are reasonably child and pet friendly.

It is up to you to decide which one you think would suit you better and when you have experienced it and are happy with it, you can join the debate on fan heater vs convector heater.

One of the best ways to warm up your home or office is with convector heaters. But when it comes to these you may want to find out things like convector heaters vs fan heaters.
convector heaters

Saturday 2 October 2010

underfloor heating pros & cons

Underfloor heating pros and cons

Underfloor heating can keep cold floors and rooms toasty
Considering underfloor heating for your home? Our pros and cons can help you
decide if it's a good choice for you.
Underfloor heating: the pros
Underfloor heating is a modern and high-spec feature - allowing you to enjoy
the luxury of warm floors during cold winter mornings and even providing a
good selling point to push up your property's resale price.
A large system can do away with the need for bulky radiators, offering extra
space and a clean decorative finish.
Underfloor heating is thought to be a more efficient way of heating a room -
where that room's walls, doors and windows are well insulated - because of
the way the heat is distributed.
Radiators rapidly heat the area immediately around it, with the heat rising
and slowly distributing around the rest of the room. An underfloor system
heats a larger surface area from the floor upwards at a lower temperature,
resulting in a more consistent temperature.
Pros at a glance
• Provides warm and cosy stone and tile floors
• Can replace radiators in a room, freeing up wall and floor space and
offering a high-end finish
• Lots of flexible options available, covering different flooring types
• Possible to install in a new-build or retrospectively
• Off-the-shelf products available for competent DIYers to fit

Underfloor heating is a high-end luxury product, rather than home heating
essential

Underfloor heating: the cons
One common complaint about some underfloor heating systems is the slower
heating time compared to other forms of heating - so a room or area can take
longer to heat up, depending on the system, though it will also take longer
to cool down. 
This can be an issue if you need immediate warmth in a room and are
depending on the underfloor system to provide it, though a good system
should have controls to allow you to pre-programme it to switch on
beforehand.
Not all heating systems will provide a total heating replacement for
radiators, either - smaller systems will work to keep your floor warm, but
won't necessarily be designed to heat up the rest of the room, so you'll
need to pay for both forms of heating.

And because underfloor heating isn't suitable sitting underneath fittings or
furniture, it could restrict the layout of a room in the future - or require
re-laying - should you come to redecorate it.
An underfloor heating system can be pricey to install, maintain and run,
particularly if it's supplementary to your main heating system - and is
generally seen as a luxury extra rather than home heating essential.
Cons at a glance
• Can be expensive
• Retrofit installation of underfloor heating can be a upheaval
• Not all underfloor heating systems can replace radiators as the main
heating source
• Longer heat-up times
Electric VA water underfloor heating
The type of underfloor heating system will depend on the size and shape of
the room you're heating, and whether you're installing the system retrofit
or as part of a whole refurbishment project.
A water-based underfloor heating system generally requires more depth space
for the pipes, making it the trickier of the two to install retrospectively,
as there might not be enough space beneath your flooring. 
Electric systems tend to be easier to fit in small rooms or awkward spaces.
Some electric systems can be fitted by competent DIYers, though hiring a
qualified electrician to wire the system up is advisable.
Similarly, you'll need to call in a professional to set up a water pipe
system - as they'll need to lay the pipes beneath the floor (along with the
other recommended floor insulation and screed) as well as linking it up to
aboiler, ground-source heat pump or solar water heater system.

best heater

do you know what a smart meter is? 4 in 10 of us dont!

Four in ten consumers know what a smart meter is
Just four in ten consumers in the UK know what a smart meter is, research
from uSwitch.com has revealed.
It found that while 35 per cent of homeowners have heard of the device, they
do not actually know what it does.
The survey is published after BusinessGreen.com reported that energy
minister Charles Hendry is considering moving the rollout of the energy
monitoring technology from 2020 to 2018.
However, the comparison website found that some homeowners feel that the
devices might provide too much personal information to utility providers.
Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, commented: "Smart
meters have the potential to revolutionise the way households view their
energy usage and how they interact with their supplier.
"But without the right education and information we are in danger of seeing
consumers switched off before smart meters are even switched on."
The survey did reveal that 73 per cent of consumers would use the
information provided by smart meters to be more energy efficient.

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http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Resources/Energy-saving-news/Energy-savi
ng-products/Four-in-ten-consumers-know-what-a-smart-meter-is?utm_source=feed
burner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+EnergySavingTrust+(Energy+Saving+T
rust)

Saturday 25 September 2010

buying heating oil during the summer and save money

*i found this great little article for those of you who have oil heating at your home.*

*Should you buy your Heating oil over the Summer Months? No Need for Storage? Save Yourself Thousands of Pounds Today!*

*As a consumer should you buy Heating oil in the summer?*

The obvious answer is yes, because demand is less in the summer, therefore prices should be cheaper. Now is this an over simplification of the pricing strategy for heating oil, since it is subject to worldwide supply and demand? Certainly but the general rule still applies. Cheap heating oil is more readily available when the overall demand is low.

*What Drive’s Heating Oil Prices?*
Heating Oil is a commodity and is traded on the futures market by traders betting on the relationship between supply and demand at a fixed time in the future. Traders base their decisions to buy or sell on expectations of future oil demand versus current reserves and anticipated production. Future demand can be tricky to predict and reflects traders’ interpretations of economic growth indicators.
*
What are the Tea Leaves Telling Us?
*Many people on both sides of the Atlantic have been concerned about the affects of the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. No one is sure at this point both the full effect of the oil spill and the corresponding moratorium on drilling in relation to the UK’s supply of heating oil this winter. However, the supply of heating oil is not being adversely impacted at this time. Depending on the length and extent of the suspension on drilling by the U. S, prices could be negatively affected in the future.

That anticipated impact may be minimised to some degree by the current economic indicators, which are leaning toward moderate growth with no real signs of a significant increase in activity. While we would all like to see this improve, in the short term, it could restrain demand until production is restored.

*What should you do as a consumer?*
As with most things in life, planning ahead usually renders the best results. heating oil suppliers have to buy the oil as well, so the better they can plan their needs, the better bargaining position they can assume. This applies to consumers as well, when planning for this coming winter.

If you are looking for a heating oil supplier, contact one of the UK’s national and local Supplier to discuss your coming needs. They will provide you with the best plan to minimise your cost and still be prepared, regardless of the severity of the season it will fluctuate. Many of the large companies have the resources and a fleet of trucks to meet your needs, no matter how large or small, and they will always be there when you need them the most.

Nick Sykes (Director) – Red diesel supplier and heating oil supplier . Birmingham Fuel Oils are a National and Local UK supplier of fuel oils and lubricants. We provide fuel and lubricant related products to business and domestic customers across several markets and industries. For fuel oil or lubricant related products contact: Director – Nick Sykes Tel – 0844 812 4967 Email – nsykes@birminghamfueloils.co.uk www.birminghamfueloils.co.uk We operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week and we guarantee we won’t be beaten on price or service

oil filled radiator

free energy advice in norwich

Make the most of... free advice!

Building on the huge success of last year’s free events for people across the city, this autumn sees even more on offer.

The 2009 Make your money count events focused on giving people free advice on how to make the most of their money.

Boyd Taylor, financial inclusion manager at Norwich City Council, said: “Last year we helped hundreds and hundreds of households make their money work smarter for them, whether that was through budgeting better or making sure they were receiving all the benefits they are entitled to.

“This year we’ve got more partners on board to make even more of a difference.”

This year’s series goes one step further - adding free information about how to combat fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty basically means when a household cannot afford to keep itself warm enough. It can be caused by low income, high fuel prices, or poor energy efficiency and use around the home.

Called ‘Make the most of...’ the events will provide free support and advice to people on how to make the most of a range of things, from their boiler, to their income.

All events will have housing benefit staff, members of the city council’s money advice team, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Money Advice and Budgeting Service, Care & Repair from Orbit Housing, the Energy Saving Trust and GoWarm - tackling energy efficiency and fuel poverty in the east of England.

Free internet access will be available for people to help compare utility suppliers, and potentially swap to get a better deal. To use this service, people must bring along their annual energy bills, including usage figures.

Come and get some free, friendly support from us on:

29 September 11am to 4pm, West Earlham Shopping Centre
5 October 11am to 4pm, The Norman Centre, Bignold Road
8 October 11am to 4pm, Thorpe Sure Start centre
9 October 11am to 4pm, Belvedere Centre, Belvoir Street
15 October 11am to 4pm, Bowthorpe shopping centre
18 October 9am to 5pm, Blackfriars Hall - older people’s event
27 October 11am to 4pm, Greenfields, Fiddlewood

PLUS:

* Free internet access to compare utility suppliers (please bring
your annual energy bills that also show how much you use).
* Give you some tips on how to make the most of boilers in council
homes.
* Free electric blanket testing at the older people’s event at
Blackfriars Hall. You must book in advance through Norfolk’s
Trading Standards team on 0344 800 8020 or
trading.standards@norfolk.gov.uk, from Monday 27 September.

All events will have housing benefit staff and members of the city council’s money advice team there for you to speak to.

To find out more please contact Boyd Taylor on 01603 212458 or emailboydtaylor@norwich.gov.uk

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Thursday 23 September 2010

EDF Energy unveils EcoManager

EDF Energy unveils EcoManager energy monitor Wireless device will
'transform' energy use

EDF's EcoManager energy monitor and controller

Energy supplier EDF Energy is giving away an energy monitor-style gadget
that allow users to monitor and control electrical appliances, such as TVs,
stereos, and microwaves, from anywhere in the house.

Like regular energy monitors, the EcoManager displays the amount of
electricity being used and how much it's costing the consumer. However, the
ability to see how much individual appliances are using, particularly when
they're left on standby, is a feature we've not seen before.
Switch off appliances remotely

The user plugs the appliances they want to keep an eye on into transmitter
plugs, which relay real-time energy use information to the display unit.
These appliances can also be switched off completely from the display unit –
meaning no more journeys around the house switching things off individually.
EDF Energy's business-to-consumer director Jim Poole said: 'Customers can
plug the devices into existing sockets and transform the way they monitor
and control their energy use.'

The EcoManager is free to customers that sign up to EDF Energy's standard
tariff for 18 months (if you leave early, you'll have to pay a £50 fee to
cover the cost of the device). Alternatively, it's on sale direct from the
supplier's website for £70, which makes it far more expensive than any of
the energy monitors we've tested(our cheapest Best Buy costs less than £30).

Free EcoManager offer not the best

However, buying outright is probably a better bet, according to Which?
energy monitor researcher Hazel Cottrell: 'If you're tempted by the free
offer then bear in mind that EDF Energy's cheapest online tariff, Online
Saver v7, is substantially cheaper than its standard tariff. 
'For example, an average dual fuel household in the East Midlands switching
from the standard tariff to Online Save v7 could buy the EcoManager outright
and still pocket almost £80 extra due to the lower prices. And as EcoManager
works with any electricity tariff, they could save over £150 by switching to
Eon's SaveOnline 3, currently the cheapest tariff in their area.'

'Whether you need the added functions of this energy monitor is another
question. There are plenty of actions you can take to cut your energy bills,
so before you splash out on the EcoManager, make sure you've checked out the
simple tips in our guide to using less electricity first.'
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