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Posts Tagged ‘heat<’
Mr-Skill was very interested to learn that the LED Light revolution began as far back as 1962, when they started out as semiconductors that generated light when electrons reacted in electron holes. Essentially, the interaction releases energy – which we call photons – which in turn create basic light through a process referred to as electroluminescence. Now it is never our intention to get too technical in our articles, so we will attempt to keep things as simple as possible from hereon. If you want more technical data, find an electrical specialist right here on Mr-Skill. 
Different LED Colours
The P - N junction of the diode determines which colour the LED light will turn out to be. It could create white, red, green, blue or even amber light. The junction controls the mixing level of positive and negative power. This in turn uses variable energy gaps that we measure in specific wavelengths to identify with the different colours of the spectrum – to the human eye, this translates to visible light.
Do LEDs Save Energy?
Certainly they do, especially when compared to conventional incandescent bulbs, which are renowned for their energy inefficiency. In fact, around 90% of the energy consumed by a traditional bulb converts to heat – hence the scorch marks often visible on a ceiling above an electric light bulb missing its shade! LED lights consume around 75% less power by comparison, and produce 3.4 BTUs per hour as opposed to the 85 BTUs put out by an old-style bulb.
The Proof of the Pudding
The good news is that LED lights draw around 2 to 10 watts of electricity when in use. This equates to around a third to one-thirtieth of the power drawn by a conventional bulb. Add the fact that LED’s last between 35 to 50 times longer than a traditional bulb (and up to 5 times longer than fluorescent tubes) and you should get an electrical quote to change all your lights without further delay. Mr-Skill is a magician rather than a mathematician, but even he can see the enormous power-saving potential across the National Grid in years to come.
Cherry on the Top 
One of our regular London electrical experts tells us that LED lights perform at their optimal brightness the moment you switch them on. Very useful for the vehicle, railway and aircraft industries, and that is for sure!
Tags: bulb, colours, comparison, diode, electrical quote, energy, energy saving, find an electrical specialist, heat, incandescent light bulb, junction, LED, LED light, london electrical expert, negative, photons, positive, power, power saving, variable
Posted in Electrical Work, Project Advice | Comments Off
Now that the cold weather has moved on, it’s time to be thinking of your central heating system with a view to some maintenance. Just like a car, regular maintenance on your core heating system is vital. Left to chance, you could end up facing enormous bills for entire system replacement, where routine inspections could have avoided all that.
Thermostat Check
Modern home heating systems allow you to control the degree of heat through a conveniently mounted thermostat – it’s usually located in the hallway passage.  In the warmer months you can switch off the thermostat or set it well down, so that the system never actually kicks in. Keep in mind that thermostats can develop faults, but replacing them is probably a job best left to an expert – you can find a heating technician right here on Mr-Skill.
Other Areas You Can Check
Assuming you are quite familiar with your central heating system, there are some tasks you could perform yourself. Remember though, that the skills level is moderate, indicating that we assume a minimum level of knowledge and experience here:
- Furnace Filters – These should be changed each year, especially if you have furry friends such as cats and dogs. Moreover, if you run air-conditioning in the hotter months, you can expect more dust and fluff in the atmosphere of your home. Dirty furnace filters are easily detected when the central heating struggles to push warm air about.
Interlude: Don’t forget that central heating systems cost a lot of money, so rather than fiddle with them yourself, get a heating quote right here on Mr-Skill.
- Internal and External Wall Vents – It is essential to clear obstructions from the vents to ensure efficient air flow. Inside, you should check for household dust and insects, whereas outside vents tend to clog with leaves and other debris. Don’t forget to keep your cold-air return vents clear as well.
Cautionary
Pilot Light Inspection – About the only other routine maintenance you can perform yourself, is to check the flame-quality of your central heating pilot light. With the prevalence of natural gas these days, you should see a clear blue flame. If it’s yellow or orange in appearance though, then a problem is indicated, so find a heating technician without delay.
A Little Knowledge Can be Dangerous
One of our London heating experts laughs to himself when he gets called out to fix a problem caused by a DIY “heating expert”. He says that the old adage “penny wise and pound foolish” is so relevant to his line of business!
Tags: Central Heating, dust, find a plumbing-heating-and-gas expert, flame, furnace filters, heat, knowledge, leaves, london heating specialist, maintenance, plumbing-heating-and-gas quote, thermostat, vents, warm air
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | Comments Off
Whether you Find a Decorator on Mr-Skill or do the job yourself, you inevitably end up with left-over pots of paint. Those with just a few scrapings in them are best thrown away. Those still at least a quarter full could be worth preserving for touch-up jobs.
 Reseal Quickly – Air is the enemy of paint because paint’s supposed to dry in its presence. Clean both lid and tin carefully where they come together. Insert a sheet of film or tinfoil. Close firmly to achieve an airtight seal without causing any distortion.
Label the Tin – Begin to clean your brush by painting a colour-patch on the tin in a way that does not cover up any important information. Use a laundry marker to note the dates when bought and used, and the colour code if the paint was specially mixed.
Store Away Sensibly – I know a London Painter who insists in storing paint tins upside down so that the paint remains above the film and not beneath it. I’ve followed his advice and found it works quite well. In any case, store the tin away from extreme heat and cold.
 Using Old Paint – Paint has a limited shelf-life and many manufacturers suggest that it should be used within a year of being purchased. Don’t be tempted to bring down the cost of a Decorating Quote by using paint that’s gone beyond its usefulness. In any case, make sure it’s strained through a fine mesh sieve or piece of muslin, and into a clean container and well stirred.
Storing paint is really only really useful when you have a plan to use it shortly. This could be when you are half-way through an upgrade, and just want to brighten up a wall. In other instances it may just be an excuse to accumulate more clutter.
Be brave. Know the difference. Why not give your old paint tins a fresh view on life instead.
Tags: air, airtight, clean, close, code, cold, colour, container, date, decorating quote, distort, film, find a decorator, foil, heat, label, left over, leftover, london painter, mark, muslin, paint, patch, pot, reseal, sample, scrap, shelf life, shelflife, sieve, store, strain, tin
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
There’s nothing quite as annoying as having a badly-fitting outside door, especially on a winter’s day when there’s gale outside. It’s amazing how much harder central heating has to work, and what this costs. Don’t just sit back and accept this. Either Get Door Fitting Quotes on Mr-Skill, or have a crack at it yourself.
 Draught-Proofing Strips – The handiest solutions are the rolls of sticky-backed foam that hardware stores all sell. The upside is that the result is instantaneous. The downside is they soon wear out. At best, this is a cheap stop-gap measure.
Sealing Door Bottoms – Gaps at the bottom of doors are a common problem where tiles have replaced a thick-pile carpet. You could try a draught-excluder, although in my experience these don’t always work particularly well. My advice would be to Find a Door Fitter and ask them to attach a matching piece to the bottom of the door. That way the problem should go away, permanently.
While You’re At It - Check out other suspect areas by holding a burning candle near the letterbox and keyhole. Flaps and keyhole covers become sticky and it’s in human nature to adapt to almost anything. It could be an idea to check all the other doors and windows too. You never know what’s there until you look.
 Safety Warning – When I mentioned that I was writing this, my friend the London Door Fitter who hangs out in Charing Cross whistled sharply. I think I may have mentioned him before. Don’t make the place completely airtight, he grumbled. Air still needs to move around the house especially when your central heating and gas appliances are working.
This information comes to you with compliments of Mr-Skill. That’s the matchmaker website that connects customers with tradespeople. Use us with confidence anytime you like. We only recommend first-class craftspeople whose rates are reasonable too. You can trust them to get the job done properly.
Tags: airtight, appliance, bad, bottom, carpet, cheap, door, doot fitting quotes, draught, exclude, find a door fitter, fit, foam, gale, gap, heat, key, keyhole, letterbox, london door fitter, outside, roll, tile, window, winter
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
With winter upon us – and a freezing one at that – many people across the United Kingdom are experiencing problems with their guttering. These can include gutters filled with ice collapsing, and nowhere for water to go when the thaw comes. Is it possible to prevent this? Well, we can’t prevent a blizzard, but we can Find a Roofer to take preventative action for us.
 These are some of the things worth considering when you are busy getting Roofing Quotes.
• When snow gathers on a roof it should thaw gradually without causing problems. But, if you have heat build-up above your ceiling then it might melt all at once, blocking gutters that then freeze up. Two things to do. Check your ceiling insulation, and make there’s provision for any heat to escape.
• Ensure the water entering your gutters can flow smoothly through the down-pipes. This means cleaning them thoroughly twice a year (before and after winter) and testing them from time to time.
• Matt, my London Roofing friend swears by heat tape you can stick along the gutter. Personally, I don’t feel that this is necessary provided you keep them clear.
 • Snow guards can provide an extra line of defence, especially if you live up in the north, and they can help keep the gutters clear in summertime too. In fact, I strongly recommend them.
Hopefully you did this already and your gutters won’t come crashing down from the weight of ice this winter. Please do be careful about venturing on the roof yourself to clear excessive snow. It’s just not worth taking risks.
And that’s where Mr-Skill comes in. Did you know that you can Find a Gutter Man right here who’ll clear your blocked gutters promptly, as long as it’s not actually snowing? All our trades come highly recommended too, and rated by our customers. What’s more, you pay nothing for our services.
Tags: blizzard, ceiling, clean, clear, collapsing, down pipe, find a roofer, freeze, freezing, gutter, gutterman, heat, heat tape, ice, insulate, london roofing, melt, roofer, roofing quote, snow guard, test, thaw, ventilate, water, winter
Posted in Roofing, Gutters & Drainage | Comments Off
Posted in Kitchen Fitting on Jan 23
Granite has become popular in kitchens for a variety of reasons. These include heat resistance, easy cleaning and the stunning look that granite adds. If you need to drill a hole, have the right tools and know what you are doing,  you might not need to find a kitchen fitter to do this for you. If the answer’s NO to any of these questions though, you’d be wise to seek professional assistance here.
• Think about things carefully for a while because you can’t un-drill a hole. Visualise using it afterwards, by way of a dry run.
• After measuring and re-measuring several times put a cross of heavy-duty paper masking tape where the hole must go. Measure once more, and mark the tape with a clear black dot.
• Place a BRAND NEW masonry bit in your electric drill and tighten it. If you think this is a false economy compare the cost with buying a new work top.
• Put on your SAFETY GLASSES. Position the drill bit on the black dot and begin drilling slowly  off-impact. Make sure you drill perpendicularly, and don’t over-work the power tool. Many london kitchen fitters release the bit from time-to-time to avoid dust build-up.
• NEVER FORCE a power tool. Let it do the work. And whatever else you do, take your time and keep your mind on what you’re doing. If you need a bigger hole you can use a cookie cutter bit.
If you don’t have the time for things like this or are otherwise unsure, why not get kitchen fitting quotes on Mr-Skill instead? As customer you pay NOT A PENNY for this service. Moreover, you could also find out what other people think about a particular kitchen fitter you could be interested in. We have many customers who agree this is a great idea!
Tags: bit, disinfect, drill, eye protection, find a kitchen fitter, granite, heat, hole, impact, kitchen, kitchen fitting quotes, london kitchen fitter, mark, masonry, measure, perpendicular, safety, safety glasses, tape, think, tighten
Posted in Kitchen Fitting | Comments Off
Posted in Electrical Work on Jan 23
The last thing you need in any circuit is a dry joint, by which I mean two wires twisted round each other or even worse. In a home, this can cause the power to keep on tripping, while in the low voltage world the result is a random electronic fault.
 From time-to-time it’s necessary to get a soldering-iron out. Before you rush around looking for an Electrician Quote it might just be possible to do the job yourself.
• Preparation Clean both parts that you are planning to solder into a joint. Hardened, damaged wire is a recipe for disaster so make sure everything is shiny new by stripping off a fresh end. While at it, remove any vestiges of solder if you’re repairing an existing joint. That’s because solder does not stick to itself at all well when not fresh.
• Tinning Heat each surface in turn until it just melts a bead of solder. Work this back and forth until you see a little amber liquid appear. That’s the tinning that’s the meat in a good joint. It will be HOT. Allow the material  to cool down naturally before you touch it with your hands.
• Soldering Mount the larger of the pieces to be joined securely in a vice. Heat up its surface until solder melts instantly on it. Place the other tinned piece in the pool of solder, remove the soldering iron, and wait until the surface of the melted solder goes slightly dull. Allow the joint, which will be HOT to cool naturally.
If you have a soldering iron that’s in good order and you have the time, you don’t really need to Find an Electrician, do you? But beware one thing, and that’s a bad joint. A London Electrician I know tests his apprentices’ work by seeing whether he can pull it apart.
Tags: bead, circuit, clean, cool, dry, electric, electrician quote, electronic, find an electrician, flux, fresh, heat, hot, joint, london electrician, melt, preparation, remove, solder, solder iron, strip, tin, tinned, vice, wire
Posted in Electrical Work | Comments Off
Posted in Electrical Work on Oct 11
I was chatting to an old friend of mine the other day, a London Electrician, and we got around to the cost of electricity. That’s not just the increasing bill you pay of course, it’s also the hot air you generate that adds to global warming.  A fair amount of what electricity costs the world comes down to carelessness and stupidity, and owning inefficient electrical equipment too.
It’s no longer good enough to Find an Electrician to install an efficient solid plate electric hob these days; you also have to use it properly. For if you do not, then the savings the clerk told you about could just as well go up as hot air.
• Use fairly heavy-duty cookware that retains the heat as opposed to warming up the kitchen. Forget about buying boxed pot and pan sets – these are actually rubbish although they may be acceptable in China still.
• Buy quality pots and pans sold separately so you can choose ones that fit the hob plates accurately. They may be slightly larger than required, but never smaller unless you want to cook the handles and your hands. Ensure the bottoms are exactly flat by placing them on a sheet of glass – uneven bottoms equal poor hear transfer.
•  As soon as the product starts to cook turn down the setting so you just sustain the rate. This ensures more tender food that shouldn’t stick. Keep the lid on to optimise the use of energy.
• Turn the electricity off a short time before the food is cooked and let the accumulated heat complete the job, then let it rest for a few moments longer before you serve it. You’ll be surprised how much tastier food is when not blasted on high heat, and how your electricity bill comes down.
Getting Electrical Quotes on Mr-Skill to install new cooking equipment is only half the energy conservation battle won. You also have to use it properly to maximise its contribution, which is why we provide this information as a service. Good luck and long service from your new cooking hob.
Tags: bill, bottom, careless, cook, cookware, cost, electricial quote, electricity, energy, find an electrician, flat, glass, global warming, heat, heavy, hob, increasing, kitchen, level, lid, london electrician, pan, plate, pot, rest, saving, size, solid, stupid, tasty, tender, transfer, use, waste
Posted in Electrical Work | Comments Off
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