10 simple ways to keep your house warm this winter

10 simple ways to keep your house warm this winter

1. Clamp down on draughts 

This one seems obvious of course but it is a crucial one. Not only should you ensure that all windows and doors are shut propely but you should also be checking them for 

2. Insulate the loft

This is not the kind of DIY job that peope love but given that over a quarter of the heat in your house is lost through the roof, it is extremly cost effective and rewarding. 

3. Buy thicker curtains

 No but seriously! Buy thicker curtains and you will lose 25% leess heat through your windows, consider thick thermal curtains. Also worth considering having curtains over external doors to prevent heat escaping. 

4. Install a chimney balloon

If you don't have a working chimney but you do have an open fire, then you'll be losing heat through the chimney. If you place a chimney balloon in the chimney and inflate it, it will trap the warm air in.

5. Move the furniture away from the radiators

If you stick the sofa in front of the radiator you'll waste a fortune keeping the back of the sofa warm. You deserve it more :)

6. Place reflective foil behind the radiators

Many people will remember elderly relatives applying tinfoil in a hap-hazard manner years ago, but it doesn't have to be noticeable, and will reflect half the heat back into the room.

7. Put carpet down

Bare, varnished floorboards have been popular for a while, but unless they are carefully filled and draught-proofed, you can lose 10% of your heat through the floor. If filling the floorboards is impractical, a carpet may be a simple solution.

 8. Consider the spare room

There's no point in heating any rooms you don't use, so turn off radiators in unused rooms, and heat the rooms you tend to occupy instead. Once the spare room gets chilly, you'll need to keep the door closed, and use a draught-excluder to stop the chill spreading.

9. Think of the oven as a heat source

If the kitchen is tyically the heart of your home, then you don't need to house to be so warm during dinner time. The warmth of the oven can keep you toasty. Get some roast potatoes in the oven and some soup on the hob and no one will notice that the house would have gone a little colder. 

10. Invest in a woodburning stove

It may seem a bit Victorian, but having a woodburner in the fireplace allows you to burn a cheap fuel, and enjoy the heat without the smoke. Burning wood costs less than gas and two thirds less than electricity, so you can stay toasty for less.

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The 10 Most Awesome Pools In the World

The 10 Most Awesome Pools In the World

 

 1. Ubud Hanging Gardens Resort, Bali

These are the Ubud Hanging Gardens, a luxury resort set in the middle of a land of volcanoes, forests, and rice terraces, in the heart of Bali. The resort and its hanging pool are perched on a gorge, gazing out at a temple on the opposite cliff.

 2. Nemo 33, Belgium

Formerly the world's deepest pool (until San Alfonso Del Mar stole that title in 2007), Nemo 33 remains the deepest indoor pool at 108 ft. Using highly filtered spring water at 96 degrees Fahrenheit, the pool is home to diving instruction, recreational use and film production. Divers can explore the system of underwater caves, and because Nemo 33 stays a constant warm temperature, they don't even need wetsuits. 

 3. Marina Bay Sands Skypark,Singapore 

The Sands SkyPark is an awe-inspiring engineering wonder. This unique structural masterpiece, designed by visionary architect Moshe Safdie, floats atop the three soaring Marina Bay Sands hotel towers 200m in the sky.

Stretching longer than the Eiffel tower laid down or four and a half A380 Jumbo Jets, with an impressive 12,400 square meters of space, the Sands SkyPark can host up to 3900 people. The gravity-defying cantilever is one of the largest of its kind in the world. From this privileged observation deck, hundreds of visitors at a time can feast their eyes on the unforgettable panorama view.

  4. Katikies Hotel, Santorini, Greece

The five star hotel in one of the most favorite European islands has a pool carved right into a caldera. The cave pool provides a shadow and a refreshing swim with a view. The hotel also has an infinity pool, situated 90 m (300 ft) above the Aegean Sea.

5. Hotel Caruso, Ravello, Italy

The infinity pool is situated at the highest point of picturesque Ravello – on the cliff, 350 m (1150 ft) above the sea. Moreover, a gorgeous view to Amalfi Coast opens. The five star hotel is also exquisite – it is established in a renovated 11th century building.

6. Joule Hotel, Dallas 

This used to be the Dallas National Bank Building, in Dallas, Texas, until someone bought it and turned it into the Joule Hotel. The people who did the conversion thought it would be cool to extrude a pool out of one of its balconies. I agree, providing a refreshing retreat on a sunny day and away from the city’s hustle and bustle.

7. San Alfonso del Mar Seawater Pool

This is the largest pool in the world, full of seawater. It's a monstrosity, and it's amazing that they ever completed it. It's 3,323 feet long—that's more than a kilometer! It covers 20 acres and, at its deepest point, it goes down 11.5 feet (3.5 meters). At this point, why don't you just get your butt into the sea?

8. Shaw House, Vancouver

Shaw House is a private 285-square-meter residence for a single person, with a bedroom, study, music room, and a lap pool located on the roof, along the west side of the house. In fact, the pool acts as the ceiling, filtering the sun light into the central area of the house. I want to live here. 

9. Aquarium Pool at the Golden Nugget, Las Vagas

 I would rather be diving than in Las Vegas, but if I had to go there, I would spend some time at the aquarium pool at the Golden Nugget hotel, in which you can swim side by side with fish and sharks

10. Tangga House, Singapore

 The Tangga House is built around a central courtyard, with the borderless pool surrounding two sides of the house and a garden growing on its roof. I don't know how expensive this is to maintain, but I wish I had the money to pay for it.

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Underfloor heating - The Truths

Underfloor heating is considered by most a luxhury good only avaliable to high earners with expendable income building new homes.  The reality of this is, whilst it can be rather costly upfront to install, the long-term costs could work out considerably cheaper than relying on traditional radiators in your home.  

Upfront Costs of Underfloor Heating

It is very important for accuracy when comparing prices for underfloor heating, the most effective way of doing this would be to consider all possible heating alternatives such as radiators and their intial cost and long-term benefits. It is crucial when comparing prices to consider the whole-life methodology. If you require any guidlines to this method, the basis can be found in the BRSIA guide BG 5/2008

Piping Costs

Underfloor heating eliminates the large cost of piping. In a traditional radiator sysyem, large sums of distribution pipes are needed to run the high tempeture water across from to from, from raditor to radiator.  Underfloor heating systems avoid this issue by strategicaly having the minifolds located within the building, which is in closer proximity to the main service runs. 

What Might an Underfloor Heating System Cost me?

Pricing of course will vary depending on suppliers & installers. however typically speaking a wet sysyem installed within a new build could fetch up to around £10,000-£12,000 including materials & instilaion. 

Cost Calculation Precautions

Be carefull, any costs that are quoted from underfloor heating companies should be closely reviewed and examined in order to determine what is exactly included. Some companies include certain costs such as the instillation layer, whilst others will leave that to the builder or installer.

Companies may include the heat source and/or it's instillation whether it be a poiler or pump within the cost. Alternatively the company may soley be connecting the manifolds to excisiting distribution piping or may use piping supplied by another party.

The room thermostats master control may not be included in the pricing or the products supplieed by them may need upgrading. Finally, the designer should be sure whether the system commissioning is included in the costs quoted or should be considered a seperate extra.

What should I expect the installation costs to be?

Including the floor instilation, instilation room & water controls, and the heating element, instilation costs could be expected to reach up to £15-£40/m². The lower end of the scale applies to larger, more commercial or industrial spaces, whilst domestic costs come in at the higher end of the scale.
 
These costs do not take into account the heat source or distribution pipes leading from the plant to the manifolds.

Underfloor Heating Running Costs

Underfloor heating running costs are lower than conventional heating systems such as radiators because of their efficiency.
Underfloor heating systems run at a much lower temperature than radiators.  Combine this with the fact that the heat is distributed from just beneath where it is most needed – foot level, means less energy is expelled on distribution heat to all areas of the room.
The air temperature of a room heated by underfloor heating is approximately 2˚C lower than that of a room heated by radiators, but feels just as comfortable. This means significantly less energy is lost and/or consumed, which reduces underfloor heating running costs.

What Should I Expect the Underfloor Heating Running Costs to be?

Because of the unique nature of each sysyem, it is difficult to produce a very accurate estimate of underfloor heating running costs. The savings you make will depend on installation details and the system’s operational factors.
However, you might make savings of up to 50%. You can expect to make the greatest savings in high-ceilinged rooms as the underfloor heating system heats only the occupied area. Lower-ceilinged rooms draw their savings of between 10% and 20% from the lower operating temperatures necessary to heating.

Choosing an efficient Heat Source

Using a more energy efficient heat source can further reduce the underfloor heating running costs of warming your home.  Heat pumps offer the best in efficient heat sources.

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Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive officially launches

Colglo are delighted to finally see the launch of the Domestic Renewable heat Incentive, the proposal had previously been in the pipeline for sometime. The launch of the scheme was officially announced by the minister of climate change, Greg Barker, on Twitter, with Ofgem accepting applications as of 8am this morning. 

Not only do we at Colglo have the resources and expertise to assist in the supply of all Bio-Mass apllications, we are already involved in supplying to the industries biggest Bio-Mass installers. Exciting times ahead for Colglo.

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Jobs boost for Deeside Enterprise Zone

We at Colglo are delighted to hear that the CSA group will be moving the Deeside Enterprise Zone in an investment that could open up more than 50 jobs for the area.

The CSA group are a risk assessment firm that cover a variety of sectors such as construction and engineering. Colglo would like to give our approval for such a proposal and welcome the groups pending arrival. 

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The evolution of water pumps

The evolution of water pumps

Introducing the new award winning DAB e.sybox   

If you look at pressure boosting pumps over the last twenty years you will quickly see they all look exactly the same, things are about to change. The new DAB E.sybox is primarily designed to increases water pressure to all hot and cold water taps within your building, but it is also designed for today. Gone are the awkward connections, inaccessible valves and expansion vessel. DAB have provided an integrated housing compartment that contains a tool kit, the installation and user guide.

This thing even has wireless connectivity, it won’t be long till someone plugs in a Raspberry Pi and starts monitoring it from their smart phone.

This modern design does not detract from its practicality though. It can be installed vertically or horizontally into small spaces, it also has flexible connections so it can sit away from walls or other obstructions.

 It is widely accepted that low water pressure in the home is an increasing problem. Any solution to this problem will have to adapt itself to the changing demands of the home. We all get visitors at weekends, some of us have children that grow at an alarming rate, and our water demands change from day to day. So any system will need to increase water pressure as and when required. The e.sybox can boost water pressure to a maximum head pressure of 6 Bar with a flow rate of up to 2 Litres/second.

Washing the car, irrigating the garden will not affect water pressure in bathroom or shower performance.

The system can be used as an e.sybox single standalone unit or as an e.sybox twin installation to give even more flexibility.

The tech specs

• Water cooled motor and sound dampening casing creating the quietest booster pump available today

• Energy efficient variable speed motor operating from 0.3 KW to 1.5 KW

• Powerful performance with Flow up to 2 Litres/second and head pressure up to 6 Bar

• Self priming suction lift down to 8 Metres

• Dry running protection

• Frost protection

• Anti-cycle protection

• Anti-vibration mountings

• Flexible installation with horizontal or vertical position also optional wall mounting accessory kit

• Variable positions for inlet and outlet pipework

• Integrated chamber with expansion vessel, tool kit and installer manual

• Wireless connectivity and modular design can expand the pump system up to a 4 pump booster set

• Optional twin pump booster set kit

 • Optional Integrated water storage tank available

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Plans for giant 220 acre Deeside solar park submitted

Solar farm would support 500 jobs in the construction phase and 27 permanent roles

Solar farm proposed for Deeside

PLANS for a giant solar park on Deeside that would support 500 construction jobs have been submitted.

An application for planning permission has been submitted by Pegasus Group, on behalf of Atem Solar Ltd, to Flintshire Council for the installation of a 45MW solar park, located north of the A548, Weighbridge Road, opposite Deeside Industrial Estate.

The proposed solar park constitutes the installation and operation of photovoltaic (PV) panels.

It is anticipated that the proposed solar park will generate up to 45,000 MWh of power annually, equating to the annual energy consumption of approximately 11,000 households and reduce Co2 emissions. The park would have around 180,000 solar panels on 220 acres.

If approved, Atem Solar Ltd would provide £1.25m toward local skills and training schemes that target young people in the local community.

Also, the proposal will support up to 500 jobs during the construction phase and create a further 27 direct employment positions, post construction. It is hoped that construction will start in summer 2014.

Key issues will include visual impact, site security and ecological impact.

Fears have previously been raised on the potential impact on fertile farmland in the area, one of the main leek growing areas of Wales.

Full assessments have been carried out by qualified professionals and the reports were submitted alongside the planning application. Atem Solar Ltd are also proposing to implement a planting and biodiversity management plan around the solar arrays to include measures to ensure a richer habitat for wildlife.

Atem Solar Ltd is developing solar energy sites across Wales and the rest of the UK.

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