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Posts Tagged ‘Insulation<’
It may not feel quite like it yet, but with the Winter Solstice passed on December 21st, the days are getting longer and Nature has already begun to react. Plants have increased their growth in accordance with the available ambient light, and already bulbs are  gently stirring beneath the snow.
Some, come on Gardeners, it’s time to brave the chilly UK weather and start helping Nature to get going once again. Alternatively, you’re due to get those Gardening Quotes in time again!
- The Vegetable Garden. Order seed potatoes and plant out garlic cloves in pots. Dig the earth over for asparagus plantings. Mmmm – that sounds really good!
- How about an Orchard? The right time for planting trees is when the sap is down. If in the City, find a London Gardener while their rates are reasonable still.
- The Flower Garden. Remove fallen leaves. Cut down and compost annuals. There’s just so much to do, including taking hardwood cuttings of your favourite plants.
 How about a Few More Roses? Dig deeply to prevent root stock from shooting, and then plant in rich organic matter. Remember to support with stakes in case the high winds come.
- And Finally the Greenhouse. If the weather’s inclement you may like to Find a Gardener to clean inside and outside, and check the insulation. After that, you just need to do weekly visits and tidy up.
Don’t be surprised if the neighbours gawk at you out in your garden in your winter woollies. They’ll be jealous in the Spring though! There’s no need to tell them either about the wonderful Gardeners on Mr-Skill. For now at least, it’s a secret between you and me! And it’s all free too … when it comes to finding the perfect tradesperson of your dreams.
Tags: annual, asparagus, bulb, chill, compost, cut, cutting, deep, dig, find a gardener, flower, Garden, gardener, gardening quotes, garlic, green house, greenhouse, growth, inside, Insulation, leaves, light, london gardener, nature, orchard, organic, outside, plant, potato, potatoes, react, root, rootstock, rose, snow, spring, sprout, stake, support, tidy, tree, vegetable, weather, week, wind, winter
Posted in Gardening & Landscaping | Comments Off
Posted in Electrical Work on Jun 20
Did you ever wonder how the light gets from the wall switch to the light bulb? Next time a child asks you how this happens, you will know enough to tell them that in fact it  flows through the bulb back to the switch. Here’s how it happens in a little more detail. This could be handy background knowledge when assessing Electrician Quotes.
o Obtain two pieces of thin single-strand insulated wire each about one foot long, and remove half an inch of insulation from each end of both. Remove a bulb from a battery operated torch (make sure that it is working first) and one of the batteries too.
o Hold one end of one piece of wire against one end of the battery, and the other at the bottom end of the light bulb. Don’t worry. Nothing is supposed to happen. Ask a friend to help you hold the other piece of wire between the metal ring that hold the glass bulb itself and the other end of the battery.  plug in a lamp into a wall socket connected to a light switch.
o As the electricity passes through the bulb the energy causes the thin wire filament inside the glass to heat up as it causes resistance. This friction makes it glow and give off light.
This is the perfect moment to explain how electric shock works and how it harms you. If you touch a live electric wire in the house with your hand while wearing insulated gloves you should not get a shock because the circuit does not complete. Do so with bare hands and bare feet though and you could be in serious trouble. Never do this under any circumstances. Rather Find an Electrician here.
Tags: ask, battery, bulb, circuit, complete, electricalquotes, electrician london, electricity, filament, find an electrician, flow, friction, glove, glow, how, insulate, Insulation, know, knowledge, light, shock, switch, torch, wire, work
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Do you live in a cold arctic climate where double-glazing no longer keeps you warm enough, or are you feeling the effects of climate change? If so, you will be glad to know that letting in the light is no longer the only function of modern windows – modern triple-glazed windows also keep out the cold superbly well too. Before you call Window Fitters London in for quotes, it is time to remind your self of the principles behind multi-glazing.
 o Benefits: The main benefit of the third pane of glass is in thermal insulation. A warmer house needs less energy to heat it, and that is good for everybody on the planet. A secondary advantage is sound insulation – handy if you live in the City but a tad less desirable for rural lovers of Nightingales’ songs.
o Flexibility: You can install triple-glazed panels anywhere you like as windows, rooflights, doors and even viewing walls, although larger expanses will require stronger frames.
o Technology: Double-glazing has a single insulating space, whereas triple-glazing has two. As a result, there is no direct transfer of cold and far better insulation. While there is a slight reduction in transparency and light admission, the larger spreads of glass that are possible compensate for this. Modern multi-glazed windows now have the spaces between the windowpanes filled with argon, krypton or xenon gas for even better insulation.
o Frame Types: The most eco-friendly frames are made of Scandinavian hardwoods such as light oak. Aluminium and wood combinations are popular too, but the old British trad favourite White PVCu is distinctly eco-dated.
Now you know the principles of what you are looking for, why not get window fitter quotes on Mr-Skill, and find a window fitter for the New Year?
Tags: aluminium, argon, door, double, double glazing, find a window fitter, frame, glass, glazing, Insulation, krypton, light, pvcu, rooflight, thermal, treble, triple, uPVC, window, window fitter quotes, window fitters london, window pane, windowpane, wood, xenon
Posted in Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
A water heater, whether powered by gas or electricity can add significantly to the energy cost of running a modern home. Even if you cannot afford to buy the latest one (or install solar heating), there are still a number of things that you could do easily and simply to save money.
 Insulation Matters
o Water Heater Blanket – If your water heater feels warm to the touch then its insulation is inadequate, and it will reward you with a saving of between 5% and 9% when you tuck it up nicely for the winter. Make sure to leave cut-outs for access panels, manufacturer’s instructions, thermostats and safety information.
o Insulated Water Pipes – You will be surprised at how much hotter the water is in the taps when you do this simple job. You will achieve the greatest benefit by wrapping the first 10 feet of pipe (if you can reach that far) Use cable ties to attach the insulation to the pipes.
Demand-Side Management
o Fix Leaking Taps – Think about it. Why pay money to heat gallons of water that you throw away. Replacing tap washers is so easy you won’t even need to find a plumber to do the job for you.
o Install a Low-Flow Shower Head – Save up to 75% hot water while still enjoying a satisfactory shower. You will not even need a spanner, but you might need some plumber’s tape.
o Replace Water-Guzzling Appliances – Reduce hot water consumption by up to 50% by installing star-rated appliances. The modern ones are so quiet you can hardly hear them work. Need a tradesman to do the water connections for you – get plumber quotes on Mr-Skill.
Most of these alterations are so simple that you could do them in a single weekend. You are too busy for this because you work in the City? You can find plumbers in London on Mr-Skill too.
Tags: access panel, appliances, dripping tap, electricity, find a plumber, gas, geyser, install, insulate, Insulation, leaking tap, low-flow, Plumber Quotes, plumbers london, safety, shower, solar, star-rated, tap, thermostat, water heater, water heater blanket, water pipes
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | Comments Off
 With no sign of an Indian Summer this year, it looks as if autumn is well and truly upon us and time to prepare the home against the ravages of winter. Mr Skill has prepared a checklist below of the most common jobs that need to be done around your property at this time of year to ensure that, when the spring arrives, your home is still in good condition and you do not have to make costly repairs.
Dealing with the 4 Seasons
The October Checklist
Draught Proofing
 One of the biggest and most expensive wastes of resources this winter will be the heat that escapes through your un-draught proofed windows and doors. As well as wasting around £25.00 per year in lost heat, once you have properly insulated your doors and windows, you will be able to turn the thermostat down a degree or two and safe another £50.00 over the winter months.
You can get free quotes from handymen in London for draught proofing your doors and windows through our Tradesmen´s Directory, or tackle the job yourself with a little help from the Mr Skill Project Advice section.
Replacement Doors and Windows
 If doors and windows themselves are in a poor state of repair, it may be time to consider replacing them. Typical tell-tale signs are when doors and windows stick or squeak when you try to open or close them, and installing new doors and windows can add to the kerb appeal of your property as well as saving you money by being more energy efficient.
We have a number of highly rated local window fitters in London listed in our Tradesmen´s Directory, or you may choose to install a replacement window yourself with assistance from Mr Skill´s Project Advice pages.
Central Heating Systems
 An inefficient central heating system will cost you money throughout the next six to none months and potentially have its life span reduced if rust deposits and air-locks hinder the flow of water and induce pump failure. Flushing your central heating system is the best way of improving your central heating system´s performance, but it may only be necessary to bleed your radiators to ensure your house remains warm throughout the coming months.
It is a busy time of year for companies providing gas fitting services in London, so it is recommended that you use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of each page to get plumbers quotes from heating engineers in London.
Trees
 If you have trees in you garden, it is the right time of year to prune them back and remove any weak branches that may fall during high winds and heavy rain. As well as the safety aspect of not having great weights of wood crashing through your car windscreen or damaging you patio furniture, pruning your trees in autumn will allow more light to enter your home, potentially saving you money on lighting. Local gardeners in London would also suggest that the dead and decaying would is not just thrown away, but used to make stumperies for your garden´s wildlife.
Walls
 You should do a regular inspection of the walls surrounding your home – garden walls and the brickwork of the property itself – to check for cracks and damaged bricks which may suffer from the freeze-thaw effect over the winter. Our “Post-a-Job” facility will enable you to get quotes from bricklayers in London should you need to replace damaged bricks or repoint your brickwork. If the weather is kind in your area over the next couple of weeks, you may also want to consider re-painting the exterior of your property – but only once you have read our blog about “What the Exterior Colour of Your Home Says About You”!
Guttering and Roofs
 It is also the time of year to clean and repair guttering on roofs, garages and conservatories. Gutters can easily be blocked at any time of year by leaves, moss, feathers, dirt and other rubbish which has blown into them and the guttering runs can age prematurely when water fails to flow away. Whilst you are up the ladder, it is also a good opportunity to check for damaged or displaced roofing tiles which will allow the rain in and potentially cause a damp problem. A good selection of local roofers in London is available in our Tradesmen´s Directory should you find that you roof could benefit from a professional´s opinion.
Tags: brickwork, Central Heating, doors and windows, energy efficiency, Find a Bricklayer in London, Find a Builder in London, Find a Gardener in London, find a handyman in London, Find a Plumber in London, Find a Roofer in London, freeze-thaw, Guttering, Guttering & Drainage, Home Improvements, Home Maintenance, Insulation, Kerb Appeal, tradesman, windows
Posted in Dealing With The Four Seasons | Comments Off
Posted in Handyman Services on Aug 10
 London's old buildings are notorious for letting too much hot air escape! London´s notorious autumn winds can make living in an older house or flat pretty uncomfortable – and more than a little chilly. Although draughts can get into your home through doors, letter boxes, cat flaps and even key holes, windows provide the most noticeable access to the cold breeze as it whistles through gaps between the window and its frame, and your curtains sway in time with each new gust of wind.
Rather than just snuggle up underneath a blanket and turn the thermostat up, draught proofing your windows is a cost-effective way of being comfortable when the winds begin to howl. It can also save you money on heating bills, which in turn makes its own small contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. You can seek the assistance of a local handyman in London (as two pairs of hands are always better than one) or you can attempt this job yourself.
Depending on your type of window, you should find a suitable insulating tape at your local DIY store. Normally coming as a roll of self-adhesive foam rubber, strips should be placed on the frames of outward opening windows so that the window compresses the foam when it is closed and forms a seal. Care must be taken to ensure that the foam is not too thick, or the window will not close. The same principal applies to old-fashioned sash windows, although this is a much tougher job to manage alone, and it is recommended that your local London handyman gives you a “hand” with draught proofing sash windows.
Single glazed windows that do not open but somehow manage to let draughts in, can be secondary glazed by the application of window film. Although the primary function of window film is to add privacy to your home and create an attractive appearance, it can also provide a barrier to draughts. There is also secondary glazing film available in selected DIY stores, which is applied with self-adhesive tape and then shrunk to fit with a hair-dryer. Glazing film however, is incredibly easy to a) fit incorrectly and b) damage once applied, so is only suitable as a short-term fix.
If you have draughts coming through double glazing installations, it is quite possible that a seal within one of the units is broken. In this case, it would be better to consult with a local window fitter in London to obtain a replacement seal rather than installing any of the substitutes on the market which may not have been specifically designed to be effective on your type of window units.
Most window draught proofing jobs can be done from inside, but if you have a London handyman helping you out, ask him or her to check the exterior masonry (if it is accessible!). What you or they are looking for is gaps between the window frame and surrounding masonry. These gaps can allow draughts to enter the building and, if big enough, will also permit rain water to accumulate – which will eventually rot your window frames – or worse still, damage your brickwork through the freeze-thaw process.
Your London handyman will be able to offer a quote to repoint areas of your external masonry which are damaged, and you can use the Mr Skill “Post-a-Job” facility to compare their estimate of the work required against other London handymen quotes from tradesmen featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.
Tags: CO2 emissions, draught proofing, energy efficiency, Energy Saving Trust, environment, find a handyman in London, freeze-thaw, Home Maintenance, Insulation, masonry, mortar, repointing, save money, Window & Door Fitting, window film, windows
Posted in Handyman Services | Comments Off
 Now that the summer months are here, it is an ideal opportunity to find a handyman in London and get him or her to give you a hand with some of those odd jobs that never seem to get done until it is too late. One such job is draught proofing your windows and doors, and this is an excellent time of year to do get this job done because it does not matter if you have to open your doors and windows to apply the draught proofing materials throughout August. It might be a different story come November!
Not only will getting your windows and doors draught proofed by local handymen in London make your home or flat more comfortable, but you will save money as well. The Energy Savings Trust estimates that you could save £25.00 (a pony) per year by keeping warm air in and cold air out. Furthermore, as draught proofing has made your home more comfortable, you will possibly turn down the thermostat on your central heating a degree or two – saving a further £55.00 per year.
Although draught proofing is a job that you can tackle yourself, a professional handyman in London will know what materials to use and where to use them. Even though it may cost a little money for their services, the savings you make over the next few years will more than compensate for the price of the initial installation. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also qualify for a grant or offer towards the cost of draught proofing your home, and landlords can use part of their energy saving tax allowance for draught proofing their properties.
If you would like to find out more about how your local handymen in London can help you get rid of those draughts and save a pony each year, please use our “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page to request a handyman’s quote from the local tradesmen featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.
Tags: Central Heating, doors and windows, draught proofing, energy efficiency, Energy Saving Trust, find a handyman in London, Grants, Handyman Services, Home Improvements, Home Maintenance, Insulation, odd job, ventilation, windows
Posted in Save Money through Home Improvement | Comments Off
Posted in General Building on Aug 07
 According to the Independent the use of air-conditioning in the UK is forecast to increase by 50% over the next 20 years. Based on a report by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers, the newspaper claims that the increase is due to new buildings providing a greater level of customer comfort and also an increase in domestic installations.
Whereas having air-conditioning in your home was once a status symbol, with new models becoming cheaper and more environmentally friendly, homeowners are increasingly keen on their own personal climate control. New Environmentally friendly air-conditioner units are now being developed which combine evaporative cooling with materials that eliminate water from the air and thus uses only 10% of the energy consumed by traditional air-conditioning units. Not only are these units far more energy efficient than previous models, but they significantly reduce the volume of gases released into the atmosphere which add to global warming.
Selecting the right size and power of air-conditioning unit for your home requires careful calculation with consideration for factors such as south facing exterior walls, the level of your room insulation and how many doors and windows each room has. For a detailed explanation of how to calculate which air-conditioning unit is right for you, visit our Project Advice page, or have a professional local tradesman visit your home to make the calculation for you. You will find a number of experienced air-conditioning and heating engineers amongst our Tradesmen´s Directory, or you can use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page to alert local tradesmen to your request.
Please also be aware that changes to Part L1b of the building regulations that come into force on 1st October 2010 may affect the power rating of the air-conditioning unit(s) that you choose to have installed. Again, please consult your local tradesman if you have any questions about these new regulations.
Tags: air conditioning, Building Regulations 2010, Building Regulations Part L1b, climate control, doors and windows, energy saving, environment, global warming, installations, Insulation, project advice
Posted in General Building | Comments Off
Posted in Bricklaying on Jul 26
 Fly Ash is one of the residues generated in the combustion of coal and whereas it was previously released into the atmosphere, environmental regulations now insist that it is deposited in landfills or recycled wherever possible. Previous attempts to use fly ash in construction met with problems when the bricks came into contact with excessive moisture and expanded. However recent technological advances have allowed for greater pressurisation of fly ash and water in the manufacturing process to create more resilient bricks – a process which also reduces mercury pollution and means that the bricks are 20% cheaper to produce in comparison with traditional bricks.
The American Brick Industry Association has refuted claims by leading Fly-Ash brick manufacturer, Calstar Products, that bricks fabricated from fly/ash mixtures “meets or exceeds the requirements of ASTM C216 Grade SW, severe weathering, suitable for face brick in severe and freeze-thaw conditions.”
The mass production of bricks made from fly ash is claimed to be an environmentally responsible alternative to traditionally manufactured clay bricks by the Wisconsin company, however the BIA notes that the FLB bricks contain “volatile organic compounds or other toxic materials that have been a large source of indoor air pollution from paints, varnishes, and other traditional internal wall finishes.”
Although the use of fly ash in the UK construction industry has been mostly limited to concrete building blocks and the inner skins of cavity walls due to their natural insulating qualities, fly ash bricks are yet to compete with clay bricks as the material of choice over concerns about potential dioxin contamination.
As one contributor to the Landscape Online web site commented, “A bricklayer wants to know when he breaks a brick with his trowel or hammer that he is not releasing a dust of higher toxicity then a clay brick”
If you would like to find out more about other ways you can make your property more environmentally friendly, please use the site search facility for “environmental products” or discuss your requirements with one of the recommended tradesmen listed in our tradesmen’s directory.
Tags: bricklayer, clay, Construction, economy, environment, Fly Ash Bricks, Insulation, landfills, pollution, recycling, toxic dust, trowel
Posted in Bricklaying | Comments Off
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