Find a Shop Fitter you can trust in Tyne And Wear.

If you’re thinking about the possibility of installing a ground source heat pump in your home, then it’s normal to consider how efficient they’re in heating up a house before going ahead to make a purchase decision. In this article, we are going to address this question to help you make an informed purchase decision.

We know you’d prefer a single, accurate answer to this question, but the fact is, there are several influencing factors that can play a key role in the efficiency of a ground source heat pump installation. These factors include whether or not the property is well insulated, the fitting of a well designed system and the quality of its installation, the heat source that’s being used as well as the heating distribution system and its size ( under floor heating or radiators ).

The Coefficient of Performance ( CoP) measurement is used to imply the efficiency of a heat pump. This is basically the ratio between the amount of heat energy generated by the ground source heat pump and the amount of electrical energy or fuel it consumes. Therefore, the Seasonal Coefficient of Performance ( SCoP) is usually taken as a realistic measurement to cover throughout the year as its based on CoP at varying conditions as well as a standardized climate.

You must, however, note that there is no established Coefficient of Performance for ground source heat pumps as they can be influenced by a lot of factors as well as testing conditions. When they’re properly fitted, ground source heat pumps can achieve a quite high Coefficient of Performance.

Generally, a ground source heat pump can generate about 3 to 4 kilowatts (kW) of heat for every 1 kilowatt to electricity or fuel it consumes. It’s able to achieve a higher efficiency when compared to its counterparts by using the freely available heat energy from the ground.

How To Lay Tiles On Concrete

Installation of tiles on concrete sub-floors can be done with relative ease under adequate guidance. Here is what you have to do.

lPrepare The Concrete Subfloor

• Ensure the concrete is dry, clean and must be at least 6 weeks old.

• If there are dips and humps, level the concrete using a levelling compound.

lSet Out

• Working from the centre outwards, take a measurement of the floor (both length and width) and draw a cross at the centre.

• Lay out the tiles from the cross with a space of 3mm between each tiles. This will allow for movement stresses within the floor and later to be filled with grout upon installation of the tiles and adhesive dried.

lCut The Tiles

• Due to the particularly had nature of some floor tiles such as natural stone and porceclain, high quality tools are usually required to produce a clean cut through the tiles. With the help of an electric wet cutter alongside a slide cutter and nippers, your job would be made a lot easier.

• For a better result during intricate cuts, make use of a cardboard template.

lFix The Tiles

• The tiles should be fixed using a cement-based adhesive.

• Ensure to refer to the packaging or product data for the mixing ratios information.

• Stir the mixture till its lump-free

lApply The Mixture

• Spread the mixture onto the concrete sub-floor to create parallel ribs with the help of a floor trowel.

• Push the tiles into the parallel ribs.

• Clear out any excess adhesive from the tiles surface with a damp sponge.

• Do not walk on the tiles for at least 2 hours.

lGrout

• Once the adhesive is dried, wipe out any dust, adhesive or dirt from the tiles’ gaps.

• Mix about 4 to 5 parts of grout powder with 1 part of water and ix together.

• Apply the mixed grout diagonally across the tiles using a soft rubber grout float.

• Wipe out excess grout from the tiles surface and allow the tiles to dry.

• Stubborn residues can be cleaned using any washing up detergent with warm water within 24 hours after grouting.

How To Hire A Handyman

With so many individuals having not-so-good experiences with handymen, hiring one can be a very difficult task. If you’re also looking for the best way to hire a handyman, then you’d have probably heard some stories of them not showing up, not returning calls or delivering an awful service after promising heaven and earth.

However, the reality is there are also a number of people who have enjoyed the several handy skills these “small job guys have got. Some who actually return calls, show up and also come true of their promises. So how do you become one of those people that’ll have a great story to tell about these handymen? Well, in this article, you’d probably learn a thing or two on the best approach to hiring a handyman that’ll not only provide you with a high quality service, but also display an all-round professionalism and excellent customer service.

• Be Organized. Make a list of all repair and maintenance services required and establish a budget for them. You can use free online pricing tools like Home Advisor’s True Cost Guide to learn more about repair costs.

• Prioritize Your Tasks. Your repair list should be made in order of priority.

• Compare Your Prices. Ensure that your handyman is familiar with the repairs and compare the prices. The handyman’s price quotes can be a little bit higher, but more attention should be placed on obviously inconsistent pricing.

• Search For References. It’s important to request references of previous work. If the handyman has low quality work samples or negative references, then you might want to steer clear and find another handyman.

• Discuss Payment. If you have multiple projects to be done, it’s advisable to structure your payments around task completions. Do not even consider hiring a handyman who requests a full upfront payment.

More than being just a pesky nuisance, fleas are actually a risk to the health and overall wellbeing of your pets. As a result, when discovered in your personal space, there’s a need to do all in your capacity to ensure they’re totally eradicated. If you wish to learn an effective way to get rid of fleas, then you must go beyond simply learning a few tips on bathing your dog. This isn’t battle that can be won at once, it’ll take days or even weeks due to the life cycle, habits as well as abilities of the fleas. To get started, here’s what you need to know about getting rid of fleas in the house.

To get optimum results from a deep clean, there’s the need to take out  and wash all bedding including pet bedding. Also, take the pets out of the house and move the furnitures in order to fully expose all the hidden areas in the house. Once done, the next step would be to vacuum the space thoroughly ( using the beater bar style as recommended by the experts) and dispose off the vacuum bag or wash the waste container after vacuuming. Vacuuming does not only make the area clean and clear out the flea dirt, but the suction also forces larvae to come out of their insecticide-resistant cocoons quickly which goes a long way to simplify your work when you introduce the treatment.

The vacuum deep clean task should be repeated every other 10 days for about a month based on the severity of the flea infestation as well as the frequency at which you spot the fleas when cleaning. What’s more? The pet bedding should also be washed every week for about a month to prevent the re-infestation of the pesky bugs. It’s however important to note that if the problem is a serious one or you house infested is a heavily carpeted one, steam cleaning may be necessary once you’re done with the vacuuming.

A pitched roof is a type of roof that is defined to have a sloping surface that has an angle that is greater than 20 degrees. Pitched roofs offer a more classical appearance. They remain the most communal and effective answer in wet and cold weathers to guarantee all-out protection.

Eaves

In the roof, the lower part of the inclined roof which is prominent outside the external face of the wall. The chief purpose of eaves is to pour the rainwater from the roof straight on the exterior wall. It also provides protection from sunlight. Eaves are sometimes decorated to an architectural beauty.

Gable

The Three-sided higher part of the wall at the end of a ridge roof.

Flashing

A band of impermeable material, typically metal, used to eliminate water from the intersection between a roof covering and another part of the structure. Flashings are provided to stop moisture from inflowing the wall and roof through joints in copings, parapet wall, and other infiltrations through the roof plane.

Hip

The Hip is defined as the exterior angle, which is generally greater than 180 degrees, which is formed at the inclined ridge of the roof slopes.

Ridge

The ridge is defined as the horizontal intersection made by the rising roof surfaces that are inclined in opposite directions.

Purlins

Purlins are the horizontal members which are laid on the principal rafters which help to support the common rafter of a roof. This is usually done when the span is large. Purlins are made from wood or steel. The top surfaces of the purlins intend to be unvarying and plane.

Fascia

This is the wooden board that is fixed to the feet of the common rafter at eaves. The Fascia helps the lowest ends of the roof covering material to rest on it.

Rafter

One of the major structural components of a pitched roof is a rafter. The rafter generally begins for the support of the roof to the ridge or hip. The purlin is supported by equally spaced rafters used side by side.

The A-G scale refers to the energy efficiency of your boiler. G-rated boilers are the least efficient, and give you less heat and hot water for your money. Installing an A-rated boiler will reduce your energy bills and carbon emissions. Don't compromise on cheaper, lower rated boilers, you will save yourself more money longer term with an A-rated model.

A Structural Engineer is quite likely to be a participant of the ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) or a registered member of IStructE (Institution of Structural Engineers) and also will probably have after his or her name the letters MIStructE, FIStructE, MICE or FICE. Structural Engineers with these letters after their names are referred to as Chartered Engineers.

It is usually encouraged that you involve the services of a Chartered Engineer as opposed to an Engineer that is not chartered but it should be noted that there are some Engineers with significant experience who are not chartered. The choice is yours.