How Do Air And Ground Source Pumps Work And Why Are They Such Money Savers?

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Did you know that the government could pay you for using renewable heating methods in your home? Our team of highly skilled and professional gas safe plumbers incorporate a wide range of microgeneration energy sources into the renewable energy packages that we offer to our clients. This includes air and ground source heat pumps. If you are unfamiliar with this method of heating, let us explain how it works and why it’s such a great way to save money on your energy bills.nnBoth air and ground source heat pumps are renewable energy options that function by absorbing heat from natural sources through a series of buried underground piping networks. The contained water is then heated and distributed around your home through your boiler, radiators and/or water underfloor heating system. Much like water underfloor heating, air and ground source pumps function at a far lower temperature and last much longer than gas and oil systems. Although this heating method will never be completely carbon neutral as it runs off electricity, it does provide a more environmentally friendly option for heating your home. Having this system in place means that your heating is operating free of the major carbon emissions that come as an unwelcome side effect of traditional heating methods. There is a lot to consider when contemplating making the switch to renewable energy- here are just some of the many benefits this form of heating has to offer

Advantages of Air and Ground Source Heating

  • Under the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI) set up in the United Kingdom, you may be eligible for quarterly payments.
  • Once installed, these heat pumps won’t just heat your home, they can be reversed in summer to function as a cooling system.
  • After the installation process is complete, air and ground source heat pumps require minimal maintenance.
  • Air and ground source heat pumps are cheaper to run than gas and oil boilers, which means that your monthly payments will be much more affordable.
  • They have a longer life span than other heating methods (lasting up to 50 years after installation).
  • They are suitable for installation throughout the United Kingdom and planning permission is generally granted to those seeking the installation of air and ground source heating For further information, please check with your local authority before commencing any work.
  • These heat pumps are environmentally friendly and greatly reduce your carbon footprint.

Disadvantages of Air and Ground Source Heating

  • The initial installation cost can often be high. However, it is important to note that these systems offer longevity and require little to no servicing after they are installed. If you would like to know the costing of a project like this, get in touch today for a free and no obligation quote.
  • These can be complex heating systems to install, but with an experienced team in place, this isn’t something that will greatly impact you our lifestyle.

What To Consider Before Installing Underfloor Heating In Your Home

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As the winter weather starts to settle and spring approaches there seems like no better time to think about underfloor heating for your home.

Having this system installed in your home can be disruptive, making spring the optimum time to get the installation process underway ready for the colder months. This will limit the amount of disruption to the heating system you already have in place and you wont have to battle the cold because you’ve had to turn your heating off for the time it takes for the underfloor heating system to become operational.

A few things to think about before installation:

  • Installing your new underfloor heating system over the warmer months gives you time to prepare for winter.
  • During this process you might also like to consider whether or not you want to remove or keep any radiators in the rooms you’re planning to heat with your new underfloor heating This isn’t an essential step, but it is something to consider before installation.

How does underfloor heating work?

Our underfloor heating system circulates heated water throughout your property via a network of concealed pipes under your floorboards that are connected to your boiler. Unlike other traditional heating methods such as radiators and electric heaters, the underfloor heating systems that we put in place are completely hidden, meaning that there is no impact on the aesthetics of your property at all. You wont have to worry about unsightly radiators that stick out against your décor.

We stray away from the out-dated method of electric underfloor heating and instead we choose to install water underfloor heating systems, which not only provide our customers with the best possible product available on the market but also reduces your carbon footprint and works at far lower temperatures, making them the perfect choice for installation in conjunction with other renewable heating systems, such as biomass boilers, ground source or air source heat pumps, and solar powered heating systems. You are then able to connect your water underfloor heating to these systems instead of your boiler if you wish to do so. Water underfloor heating provides you with more choice and freedom to manage how you heat your home.

Here’s what you need to know about the installation process:

This process is a relatively simple one for our team of expert plumbers. However unlike electric underfloor heating, which a person who’s confident in their DIY abilities could successfully install on their own, water underfloor heating systems are on the more technical side of things, so it is best that you let a professional fit this for you.

The Many Benefits of a Biomass Boiler

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Is a Biomass Boiler Suitable in my Home?

A biomass boiler can be used for commercial and/or domestic use, as well as for district heating applications. For domestic heating purposes, a biomass boiler can be very appealing with the positives aspects greatly outweighing the negatives. The main domestic biomass fuel is wood in the form of logs, or wood pellets and chips, all just as effective and readily available to buy at nearly every large supermarket around the United Kingdom. However, this is not the only option available to you, a biomass boiler also runs just as efficiently on a wide rage of fuels such as animal, food and industrial waste as well as some high-energy crops produced by farms all over the world, such as maize.

The preferred form of biomass boiler is the wood burning stove, which is an incredibly popular choice among homeowners in the UK, as they are able to heat an entire house if there are chimneys installed. They also come in all shapes and sizes, adaptable to each individual’s atheistic wants and needs. Many industry professionals have said that stoves which burn wood pellets are also much easier to clean and maintain. This is because they produce much less ash than coal burning stoves and open fires. Additionally, this means that the chimneys throughout the house will need to be relined less often.

For Industrial Use

Energy intensive equipment, which is essential for industrial use, used up a vast amount of power, which makes installing a biomass heating system a favourable option among many business owners, because it is not only effective at reducing fuel costs, but it also greatly improves your companies carbon footprint. This also of course reduces supply chain requirements in the United Kingdom, and stimulates growth through a major reduction in overheads.

Biomass heating is particularly beneficial where process heat is required, for example in breweries, distilleries and food processing. A commercial biomass boiler provides a guaranteed return on investment and has also been supported and encouraged by the UK Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, which was introduced in April 2014. Additionally, you are able to claim under you annual investment allowance. These are just some examples of how beneficial a biomass boiler can be in your home or workplace.nBenefits of a biomass boiler for industrial and domestic use include:n

  • Greatly reduced fuel costs.
  • Protection from gas and oil price increases.
  • Carbon neutral fuel.
  • Reduces your property or businesses carbon footprint.
  • Investment opportunity, which is guaranteed to provide a return in profit.
  • The installation of a biomass boiler in the workplace has proven to be an extremely useful educational tool, and can lead to great public relations as well as the introduction of Corporate Social Responsibility programmes that are available throughout the UK.

You can find out more about our Renewable heating systems by clicking this link, or if you have any questions you would like to ask us, or would like your free quotation, get in touch with our friendly and helpful staff today, by calling 01473 320 350 or emailing services@aesnational.co.uk – We look forward to hearing from you.

Proposed Changes to the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), December 2016

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On December 14th, the UK government set forth several proposed changes to the existing domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, which they intend to implement in the spring of next year. The proposed changes to the scheme, which was launched in April 2014 and aims to encourage continued installation of renewable heating systems among householders and businesses – namely Solar Panels and Biomass Boilers, in addition to Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) and Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) – by providing financial incentives, are as follows:

Current Tariff Proposed Tariff Percentage Increase
Air Source Heat Pumps 7.42 pence per kilowatt-hour (p/kWh) 10.02p/kWh 35%
Ground Source Heat Pumps 19.10p/kWh 19.55p/kWh 2.36%
Biomass Boilers 5.14p/kWh 6.44p/kWh 25.29%

These proposals are fantastic news for anybody looking for a greener, more cost-effective alternative to traditional oil and gas boilers, such as Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps, which can be used particularly effectively in conjunction with underfloor heating on all ground floor areas, using lower heat to provide the highest level of comfort heating achievable. As AES National Managing Director, Marcus Horner, comments, “We are incredibly proud to be able to provide renewable heating systems for our customers, as they not only helps them to save money on their heating bills and reduce their carbon footprint, but also helps them meet Standard Assessment Procedure ratings. The recently-proposed changes to the Renewable Heating Incentive provide an even bigger incentive to take the plunge into renewable heating, and as long-time advocates of these systems, we are thrilled that our existing customers will shortly be seeing an even bigger reward for their investment.”

In addition to the tariff increases outlined above, domestic heat demand limits have been proposed, which will limit the level of support any household can expect to receive in terms of their heat demand. These limits have been proposed at 20,000kWh for Air Source Heat Pumps, 25,000kWh for Biomass Boilers, and 30,000kWh for Ground Source Heat Pumps. No limits have been proposed for Solar Panels. As such, all new Air and Ground Source Heat Pump users that apply for support would be required to have their property’s heating requirements monitored via electricity metering.

If you have any questions about these heat demand limits, or would like a free quotation, get in touch with our friendly and helpful staff by calling 01473 320 350 or emailing services@aesnational.co.uk – We look forward to hearing from you.

Four Reasons Why Underfloor Heating Should Be Your Early Christmas Present

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The further we venture into winter, the colder and harsher the weather grows, and the more we here at AES National find that the orders for underfloor heating increase. While one of the main benefits of underfloor heating is the ability to warm up formidable hardware floors when the temperatures drop, there are also some other really key plus points to consider.

Underfloor heating is safe and good for your wellbeing

Underfloor heating removes the need for radiators and run on much lower flow temperatures, meaning that there is no risk of burning to small children or vulnerable individuals. Furthermore, the safety element is reinforced by the fact that underfloor heating produces considerably less dust than conventional radiators. Not only is this great for cutting down cleaning time, it’s also beneficial to those who suffer from asthma, allergies or respiratory problems.

Underfloor heating gives you more freedom

Another key benefit to underfloor heating is the extra freedom it allows. Placements for convential heating systems have to be considered when placing furniture and homeware items, and often the perfect envisioned layout is disrupted by a stubborn corner radiator. With underfloor heating, however, you can place and replace your furniture items at any time, allowing you to take control of your room design.

Disabled Bathroom Adaptations

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According to the government’s latest disability prevalence figures, there were an estimated 11.6m people living with a disability in the UK in 2011/12, with around 6.5m of those suffering from impaired mobility. As these figures rose steadily year on year throughout the preceding decade, it’s likely that they are set to rise even further in the coming years. Additionally, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over rose from 15% to 16% over the last 25 years (equating to a total increase of 1.5m), and experts predict that the number of those aged 85 or older is also set to rise, reaching 3.2m by the year 2033, and accounting for 5% of the overall UK population. This means that it is becoming increasingly more vital to make sure homes can be readily adapted by experienced professionals who are experts in their trade, in order to make the everyday lives of the elderly and disabled safer and more convenient. A disbaled bathroom adaptation can achieve just that.

Although many elderly and disabled people are looked after by carers or family members, the percentage of the elderly living alone rose by 10% between 2001 and 2011, and with 13% of those aged 60-74 reporting difficulty bathing, the fear of slipping and falling in the bath or from the toilet is a daily concern. Having the necessary bathroom adaptations installed can make the world of difference, helping to mitigate this fear and allowing them to live more independently in their own homes.

AES National has an extensive team of experienced designers and plumbers, who are on hand to install a range of appliances to make your bathroom (or your loved one’s bathroom) both safe and stylish.

Our bathroom installations and disabled adaptations include:

Walk in Bathtubs

The side of a walk in bathtub is fitted with a door, allowing those with impaired mobility to access it without needing to lift their leg over the threshold of the tub. As the door is completely sealed, there is no risk of water spillage whatsoever, and the bathtub’s fast drainage capabilities mean that there is minimal waiting needed before being able to exit.

Grab Bars

Grab bars can be fitted to a bathtub, shower, sink or toilet, giving you a sturdy object with which to steady yourself while lowering and lifting yourself. Our experts will help you to choose a bar that is safe for your weight and the correct size for your bathroom to accommodate, in addition to how many individual bars you will need.

Wet Room and Vinyl Flooring

Wet rooms have a wide range of benefits, from improving accessibility to increasing the value of your home. However, as they essentially turn the entire bathroom into a washing area, great care must be taken to ensure that yours has the correct flooring. We not only fit non-slip title flooring to pre-existing wet rooms, but can also install underfloor heating to make sure that they remain warm and that the area dries out as quickly as possible. If you don’t own a wet room, however, we also fit stylish bathroom vinyl flooring, which is comfortable, durable and entirely waterproof, helping to keep you safe from slipping.

Most recently, we have designed and fitted two quality bathrooms at the Ufford Park Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk. AES National Managing Director, Marcus Horner, comments, “we are incredibly proud of the quality of our bathroom installations. Not only do our engineers and plumbers have the experience and qualifications for both design and installation, but we also have the knowhow to help the elderly and disabled to feel safer and more confident in their own homes.”

For a free quotation, or more information about our wide range of disabled bathroom adaptations, get in touch with our friendly and helpful staff by calling 01473 320 350 or emailing services@aesnational.co.uk – We look forward to hearing from you. 01473 320 350 | services@aesnational.co.uk

AES & Gas Safety Week – Fighting for a Gas Safe Nation

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We are proud to have supported Gas Safety Week 2016, that took place earlier this month.

Gas Safety Week is an annual event intended to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is co-ordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work with gas appliances.

At AES, all of our engineers are on the Gas Safe Register, ensuring that they are fully qualified and experts in their field. Not only does this guarantee they will get the job done right every time, it also offers the peace of mind that your safety is at the forefront of their minds. When an AES engineer comes to visit you, they will always carry their Gas Safe Register ID card, and you can also check on their membership by visiting www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or calling 0800 408 5500.

On top of ensuring that your engineer is Gas Safe Registered, there are a number of simple precautions you can take to make sure your home is safe. This is important, as badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year, thousands of people across the UK are diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning, which is a highly poisonous gas. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it, but it can kill quickly with no warning.

To keep safe, you should:

  • Check your gas appliances every year. Gas appliances should be safety checked once per year, and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe engineer. Tenants – make sure the landlord arranges this, and encourage your customers to set a reminder so they don’t forget at www.staygassafe.co.uk.
  • Check for warning signs that your appliances aren’t working correctly e.g. lazy, yellow or orange flames, instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, and too much condensation in the room.
  • Ensure you know the six signs of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.
  • Install or service your audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in the home.

AES are dedicated to fighting for a Gas Safe Nation alongside Gas Safety Week. To ensure you and your appliances are properly protected, get in touch with AES today on 01473 320350, or email services@aesnational.co.uk.

AES Heating & Plumbing – Central Heating – Ticking Both Boxes

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It has recently been reported that a self-employed gas engineer from Middlesex has been fined for safety failings after carrying out an unsafe installation of a combi boiler. An investigation by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that on 7th February last year, the engineer, Michael Efthymiou, of Nursery Gardens, Enfield, Middlesex, left the boiler in place with significant safety failings that left the property’s tenants in significant danger of a carbon monoxide leak or gas explosion. Efthymiou was found guilty of breaching both Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which states that it is the duty of every self-employed person to ensure that their services do not expose persons other than their employer to risks to their health or safety, and Regulations 27(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

The real worry when it comes to this story, however, is that Mr Efthymiou was a fully-certified, card-carrying member of The Gas Safe Register. As we stressed in one of our recent blogs, it’s never too early to start thinking about arranging a boiler service ready for winter, and if – as it appears – even ensuring that your engineer is a member of the Gas Safe Register cannot guarantee your safety, you’re likely thinking, “What can I do?”

Well, it’s worth noting that, as a self-employed engineer, Mr Efthymiou would not have had the backing of an established, reputable company such as AES National behind him, to provide him with the appropriate training, resources and support that are needed to ensure that an installation is carried out to the absolute highest standards. In addition to being a listed provider on OFTEC, an accredited GOLD installer of Worcester Bosch Boilers, and a registered member of Gas Safe (previously known as Corgi) for over two decades now, we also ensure that our team is big enough to be able to handle workloads of any scale and scope. Currently, we have a team of over a dozen Heating and Plumbing professionals with an extensive range of expertise, who can provide one another with any support that is needed to give our customers peace of mind that they, their property and their loved ones are in safe hands.

The Gas Safe Register is a fantastic organisation, and is by far the best marker and regulator of quality in the industry, but this story just goes to show that no single safeguard can be entirely fool-proof. We therefore recommend that you also take into account whether your gas engineer has the support they need to maintain the highest standards of both safety and quality. Of course, there are many trustworthy self-employed gas engineers out there, but when it comes to safety, you really can’t be too careful, and by ticking both boxes, you can rest assured that the job will have been done right.

If you need an emergency plumber or a skilled Gas Safe engineer for installation, repair or boiler service any day of the week, or would like to find out more about our wide range of products, including gas and combi boiler systems, get in touch with our friendly and helpful staff today – We look forward to hearing from you: 01473 320 350 | services@aesnational.co.ukn

Residential Sprinklers Extinguish Kitchen Fire

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A supported living property based on the third floor of a flat complex in Epsom experienced an accidental kitchen fire in the early hours of the 29th June. Luckily, thanks to a concealed fire sprinkler head in the open plan kitchen, the fire was extinguished within minutes.

According to the fire safety organisation, FireSafe, around seven thousand people a year are injured in kitchen fires, with nearly two thirds of domestic fires happening either during or following cooking. It’s unlikely that individuals will own a fire extinguisher in residential properties, which is why it is so important to have life-saving precautions – such as concealed fire sprinklers – installed.

The accidental kitchen fire occurred just after midnight at 00:04 whilst the resident was asleep in their bedroom. Whilst fires themselves are dangerous, the smoke can be even more deadly, especially when individuals are sleeping and unaware of the developing threat.

In cases like this, smoke detectors are effective in alerting residents to the fire, but do nothing for quelling the threat. Whilst smoke detectors are now installed in over 80% of all UK homes, their presence alone cannot guarantee absolute safety. Residential sprinklers are set off directly by heat and only those in the vicinity of the fire discharge, meaning that when a kitchen fire accident happens, the flames are quickly and effectively extinguished within minutes, with the absolute minimum risk of water damage.

Property developers are increasingly recognizing the benefits that residential fire sprinklers can have; the supported living flat that the accidental fire occurred in was fitted out with concealed sprinklers in line with the rest of the property. Not only do these provide peace of mind to residents and their loved ones, they also provide key relief to the already strained fire services.

Whilst the fire service did attend the third floor flat to confirm that the fire had been extinguished and that there was no further threat, fire sprinklers have proven to save the emergency services both time and money in water expenditure. Without having to dispense gallons of water to quell fires, both the expenses of the visit and the time on the scene are decreased. This means the fire service have more time and resources to attend other critical incidents.

Luckily, in this instance, there was minimal damage and no injury. However, not all cases turn out so well. Another accidental kitchen fire in the stately Cupola House of Bury St. Edmunds nearly destroyed the property in 2012. This dealt a shocking blow to the town as the Cupola House was a Grade 1 listed building.

AES Sprinklers – Cupola House

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Built in 1693 by Thomas Macro, the stately Cupola House is one of Bury St Edmunds’s most iconic buildings. It therefore came as a great blow to the town when a kitchen fire almost entirely destroyed the property in June of 2012.

It didn’t take long, however, for work to begin on restoring the Grade 1 listed building to its original glory. The task of rebuilding Cupola House was awarded to Bury-based contractors, Seamans, and following extensive consultations with statutory bodies such as English Heritage, work commenced on 13th January 2014.

This began with providing heavily reinforced concrete foundations to the building’s basement, and has been followed by numerous other challenging tasks to strengthen its structure, such as erecting a steel frame (spanning four of the property’s five floors) to be sympathetic to what remained of the original oak frame, and completely dismantling an 11m chimney in order to rebuild it to a height of 22m.