As of today we are proud to announce we are part of the Mcs scheme, we can now offer grants and feed in tarriffs from the government for the installations of solar hot water and heat pumps ie ground soruce and air source. For more information check out the links below
Available right now are heat pump units for conservatorys or even main living rooms that will produce heating and cooling for all round comfort, prices average at around £1400 inc vat fully installed and some installs are now considered for the Green payments which could mean £850 in grants for fitting a heat pump. So if your heat pump install is fitted to Mcs standards by an Mcs company (which we are just waiting for our paperwork to come through) an istall could cost as little as £550 using the grant vouchers.
For more information or details get in touch,
kfiskplumbingandheating@yahoo.co.uk
kfiskplumbingandheating.com
01480 403694
07875602919
Posted by: admin : Category: LatestPRICE OF DOMESTIC FUEL OIL DOUBLES – LEAVING HOME OWNERS LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES
Homeowners with oil- fired boilers have faced unprecedented price rises, making it hugely costly for the hot water and heating in their homes, with many considering what options are open to them such as using lower cost biofuels.
15 June 2011 – Homeowners that are not connected to the mains gas network have few alternatives to installing an oil-fired boiler running on fuel oil that heats their water and keeps their homes warm. The 1.5 million homes in the UK with oil-fired boilers have not only just gone through two successive cold winters but have also sustained substantial hikes in fuel oil prices; in many cases causing real financial hardship. In addition, many households have also found it difficult to get their fuel oil tanks replenished due to problems in the supply chain. It’s hardly surprising that they are looking at alternatives in order to reduce their spiralling heating and cooking bills. Along with important energy efficiency measures such as improved insulation and alternative sources of renewable energy, some are looking at changing or adapting their boilers to use biofuels.
Biofuels are created from either recycling used cooking oils or are processed direct from plants such as soya or rapeseed that are grown specifically for fuel oil. Biofuels are not always suitable for burning in domestic boilers and may result in damage to the system if used. The Heating Helpline has learnt that the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) and others are working with the Government to produce a new blended bio-heating oil which will be suitable and eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) when it becomes available in October 2012. RHI will offer financial incentives provided by the Government – effectively grants – for a range of technologies, and boilers running on the new blended bio-heating oil will qualify.
However the Heating Helpline warns that making the change to biofuels will require professional advice. Bob Towse, Technical Consultant to the Heating Helpline, comments, “When switching to biofuel-burning boilers, either by making adaptations to existing boilers or installing new equipment, it is vitally important to consider a number of issues such as:
the reliability and continuity of local supplies;
the storage of this fuel type: this needs to be carefully managed as biofuels readily absorb water. It will be necessary to buy a new bio-compatible oil storage tank and to adapt your boiler and fuel lines as some existing parts are not compatible with biofuel;
awareness that biofuels can react differently with common materials causing them to perish and corrode, such as rubber seals in fuel pumps and filters;
the need for special burner nozzles and supply pipes to cope with the new fuel properties: biofuels are thicker and heavier with different burning characteristics than conventional mineral oil fuel oils;
ensuring that a knowledgeable, qualified and registered heating engineer carries out the work.
The Heating Helpline, which is backed by the Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association (HVCA), advises that for your safety only qualified and registered heating engineers should carry out work on boilers and heating systems in the home. You can find your nearest reputable, registered heating engineer by calling the Heating Helpline on 0800 840 4069, or visit their website at: http://www.heatinghelpline.org.uk. Alternatively visit the government backed TrustMark website at: http://www.trustmark.org.uk.
Water Softeners, Plumbing and Hard Water
Hard water can have devastating effects on your plumbing and causes all kinds of problems from blocked pipes to build-up of limescale in the bottom of your kettle. Check for a slimy white substance forming in the pipes or kettle. Certain areas of the UK are affected more than others, and the hard to very hard areas are mainly located in the South of England, including places such as Bedford.
But what is it about hard water that causes limescale build-up? In contrast to the North of England, in places like the Lake District, the south has large deposits of chalk in the ground. Much of the water is pumped from these chalk areas which means there’s a considerable amount of magnesium and calcium in the water.
A simple test to check whether or not you have hard water would be to find an empty bottle, put in some washing up liquid and fill it half way with water. Shake the bottle and take a look at the reaction. If you find lots of suds, foam and bubbles, you have little or no hard water. If you find a ‘soapy film’ on top, then you most likely have hard water. With hard water, no lather is produced, which can mean an unproductive shower or bath!
The most common method of reducing or removing hard water is by using a water softener. These machines are specially built to turn magnesium and calcium in to sodium, creating soft water out of hard water. By a process known as ‘ion exchange’, the water passes through a special salt (sodium) soaked bed of beads.
This process reduces or eliminates the build-up of limescale and helps to preserve piping and water boilers for a longer period of time.
For a range of water softeners check out the link below.
After months of waiting the RHI feed in tarriffs have been confirmed by the government, the links to follow will explain all.
With energy prices constantly rising, we at K Fisk Plumbing & Heating want to try and publicise alternative heating methods such as solar and heat pumps, but there are small things that you can do around the home to help save energy and more importantly your money!!!
Please take time to read the link below, it maybe worth more than you think!!
Solar thermal installations can now be completed from £2900 inc vat, and you wont have to replace the cylinder, plus our MCS accreditation is nearly complete so you will be able to recieve the feed in tarriff from the Royal Heat Incentive . Please call us for a full survey and estimate.
The UK Government has now announced the introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) from 2011/12 as part of their Comprehensive Spending Review.
The scheme is expected to be launched in late summer 2011. Further details along with tariff levels is expected to be confirmed by March 2011.
What is it?
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is designed to provide financial support that encourages individuals, communities and businesses to switch from using fossil fuel for heating, to renewables such as wood fuel.
How the scheme works
If you replace your existing fossil fuel heating system (e.g. gas, oil or coal) with a renewable technology (e.g. wood fuel) you could get paid a set amount each year as an incentive for you to reduce your CO2 emissions and help prevent climate change.
The Government are not proposing to measure the heat generated from installations. Instead, an estimated figure will be used to work out payments.
The estimated figure represents the amount of heat energy needed to warm the home and/or hot water and will vary by house age and size, as well as by technology.
It has been proposed that payments would be made annually to householders.
Eligible technologies
* Air, water and ground-source heat pumps
* Solar thermal
* Biomass boilers
* Renewable combined heat and power
* Use of biogas and bioliquids
* Injection of biomethane into the natural gas grid.
Renewable energy is the energy that can be produced using free sources ie the sun or heat being stored in the ground. All renewable energy is eligible for grants depending on the renewable source that is fitted. Any renewable that has been fitted after July 15th 2009 will be eligible to claim a yearly feed back tarriff from the Renewable Heat Incentive as of April 2011 making renewable energy not only viable for people but also money saving. As an example a regular ground source pump installation will cost between £10,000- 15,000 depending on ground loops and bore holes, this may sound steep but as of Aprill 2011 this average house will be paid in the region of £2,000- 4,500 possibly more just for using a reneable energy. Not bad when you look at how quick the pay back will be, so say the heat pump cost roughly £1000 to run a year and you were paid £3000 just for installing the renewable source, you will not only be getting free heat but will be getting paid £2000 a year on top.
A guide to the tarriff levels being brought in can be found on the Renewable Heat Incentive website.
Solar hot water is the most commonly fitted renewable in the uk as we speak, mainly for the cost and the ease of installation. An average 3 bed family home could have solar panels fully installed in the region of £3,500 upwards, you would also be eligible for a grant of £400. Solar works best when pointing south, anywhere towards north and the heat being absorved will be poor. Solar can provide between 50-70% of your hot water needs annually depending of course on the weather. Solar does collect heat even on the cloudiest grey days and will work all year round providing up to 100% hot water in the summer. Also as of April 2011 the feed in tariff will be providing pay back of 18p per kwh produced, so again not only will you be getting free hot water but you will be getting paid for using a renewable technology.