Residential Services

Committing to renewable energy at home for most people just means installing solar panels. But renewable energy options now cover much more than just solar power. Renewable energy sources currently make up about 35.5% of the UK’s electricity supply, read on to find out how you could be part of the renewables revolution:

Air Source Heat Pumps

Air source heat pumps aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing items to have on the side of your house along with making space for a plant room inside your property. Gas boilers definitely win over for not needing such extensive space or the outdoor equipment but realistically time is now running out for gas boilers now the ban has been implemented on installing them in new build properties after 2025.

Air source heat pumps quite literally use air to create heating or hot water for both domestic properties. The size of the heat pump can vary depending on the heating demand of the property you are catering for. The efficiency of heat pumps all depend on the weather outdoors and often air source heat pumps work better at temperatures over 10 degrees. You might be thinking when is England over 10 degrees in winter? Don’t worry, air source heat pumps still work but their efficiency drops slightly, originally manufactured in cold countries like Sweden to cope with extremely cold climates.

The cost of air source heat pumps isn’t actually as bad as many people may think, they can start as low as £8,000- £10,000 for a domestic property depending on the size, insulation and heating demand.

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Surprisingly the ground generally maintains a heat of 10 degrees despite snow and cold conditions which allows ground source heat pumps to maintain their efficiency, unlike air source heat pumps which are dependant on what the weather is doing.

Ground source heat pumps are more suitable for properties that have a high demand for heating and hot water, they involve high installation costs due to the requirement of groundworks to put them in place and also need a large amount of land to be able to put in the framework.

The cost of ground source heat pump installations all depend on what you are going for, the bigger the heating demand the more evasive the works would be to install. As a general guide you would be looking at £20,000 plus.

Solar Panels

There are generally two types of solar panels used; Solar PV and Solar Thermal. On average 3.9% of all of the UK’s electricity is provided through solar panels.

Solar PV Panels rely on photovoltaic (PV) cells to turn the sunlight into electricity, the final product all homeowners need. The electricity produced powers anything running in your home at that time and sells the unused back to the electricity grid. It also means that if your electricity demand exceeds what your panels are producing then that is provided from the grid like normal.

Solar Thermal panels turn sunlight into heat instead of electricity. This means less bills for heating and hot water. The only downside to this would be most people shower at night time when it is dark meaning the solar panels wouldn’t be the likely source for your heat.

Getting solar panels seems like a difficult decision especially in England as it isn’t always sunny. Despite the fact it uses sunlight to create electricity it will still work when the weather isn’t as bright, however this does reduce the panel capacity to around 50%. Usually solar panels are installed on the roof of the home, outbuilding roofing, but can be ground mounted.

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are used to create electricity from the wind. The electricity produced can be used to supply back to the grid or for a specific purpose. This is one of the most economical ways to create electricity along with solar panels as mentioned above.

Surprisingly wind turbines actually provide a large amount of the electricity for UK homes and business. In 2017 they produced 14.8% of all electricity consumed by the UK. Would you have thought they did that much considering you don’t see them around all of the time? There are roughly 9,700 wind turbines in the UK alone.

Currently there is a project called The Hornsea Project Two which is due to be completed in 2022. This aims to create enough power for 1.3 million homes.

If any of the above options intrigue you and you’d like to find out more about how you could install them at home please do get in touch.

The second in our ‘Ask an electrician‘ series, written by the experienced electrician team at Opulous, looks at the history of something we all take for granted – the National Grid.

The National Grid is something every electrician needs to know about! It’s the high voltage transmission networks that covers Great Britain connecting power stations and major substations to your home and workplace. You may know it from the pylons and power plants situated across the country.

The history of the National Grid

The first evolution of the ‘grid’ was founded in Newcastle in 1901 by Charles Merz powered by his Neptune Power Bank Station. Whilst this only covered Newcastle, by 1912 it was the largest integrated power system in Europe. In 1926 the introduction of the Electricity (Supply) Act recommended that a ‘national gridiron’ system should be created to solve the problem of Britain’s poor electricity supply. This first National Grid linked 122 power stations using over 4000 miles of overhead cables. During the blitz this national system proved to be invaluable when power stations in South Wales could provide emergency power to London when Battersea and Fulham power stations where damaged through airstrikes.

The UK Grid is connected to adjacent European electrical grids that are used to feed demand and supply across our neighbouring countries such as France, the Netherlands and Irelands. The Grid is constantly being upgraded and maintained to prevent power cuts and faults. Due to the supergrid infrastructure it is estimated that a power cut due to lack of generate power occurs in 9 out of 100 winters. In the last 20 years there has only been one power cut due to a higher demand than available supply.

How is electricity delivered to your house?

1. The national grid provides the electricity generation and transmission across the supergrid.
2. Your local distributor or DNO is responsible for delivering electricity safely to your home via towers, cables and meters.
3. Your supplier such as the Big Six or Social Energy sell you electricity by monitoring your usage and setting a tariff.

In case of a power cut you should contact your DNO or phone 105 for an up-to-date status of any supply problems in your area.

What energy sources supply the National Grid?

Websites like Gridwatch produce a live report of which energy sources are feeding in to the National Grid. Currently the UK’s primary source of electricity production is CCGT. Combined Cycle Gas Turbines use Natural Gas to power a turbine which turns a generator, a second system uses the heat to produce steam which is also used to turn a turbine and power a generator. Whilst this generation method is particularly efficient, is relies on a natural gas of which the UK can only produce around 44% of its demand. The majority of the additional 54% comes via pipelines from Europe and with 36% of Europe’s gas coming from Russia. As the amount of gas that can be extracted from the North Sea declining and relationships with Russia becoming ever more tenuous, it is more important that ever that we continue as a country to invest and implement more renewable energy solutions on a commercial and domestic scale. In 2017 the UK was the only EU country to reduce power usage. Overall electricity demand has fallen by 9% in the past seven years.

The future of the National Grid

A recent report by the Committee on Climate Change is looking to ban gas hobs and boilers so the way newbuilds are designed will in turn shape the Grid’s future. With changes in consumer behaviour such as future uptake on high efficient heating methods like heat pumps and the further adoption of electric vehicles, our demand on electricity will only grow. How the National Grid develops its renewable resources and how the architects of tomorrow begin to design our houses will have an impact of price and how we use electricity day-to-day.

To speak to an experienced electrician about any aspect of your home’s electricity supply please get in touch, we’re a friendly bunch!

Improving your health is probably high up on your list of New Year resolutions, but how about thinking about improving the health of the environment? Here’s our suggestions for energy efficient New Year’s resolutions for your home that will also save you money.

#1 Switch off more

A simple yet effective way of saving energy is to turn off electrical appliances at the wall socket, especially items such as TVs and computers that use standby and idle mode.

Households within the UK waste £227 million a year by leaving household appliances on standby and the average household can lose up to £80 per year from their appliances being left on. Smart WIFI plugs can be turned on or off through your phone or by a voice assistant which is a brilliant gadget for those with busy lifestyles who are always in a rush, or for those who are just simply forgetful.

 #2 Install a solar system in your home

The only things needed to create solar energy are the sun and a solar panel. So all of the energy created is entirely clean and not polluting the environment around us. Solar panels don’t add to rising Co2 emissions that are damaging the world like fossil fuels do. Solar panels are not only effective for the environment, they are also effective for your bank account.

By including in your new year resolutions one to install a solar system to your home, you could earn back at least £400 for a 4KWH system per year. So, you could be even earning money while you’re helping with keeping the environment green.

#3 Check your home insulation

During winter months poor housing insulation can make a huge impact on your energy bill as a house’s heat is lost through its walls, windows, doors and roof. An un-insulated home within the UK can lose on average up to 60% of its energy through the walls and roof.

The higher quality the insulation installed in your home the less heat will escape through these weak points of the house, this will reduce environmental impact and keep the heat inside your home.

#4 Switch to an electric car

Switching to electric cars is a huge boost for the environment as electric cars don’t emit any polluting substances into the atmosphere which assists and improves air quality, particularly in built-up city areas like London where air quality is at its worst. If you own an electric car you can also drive all over London free of charge without having to pay the Congestion Charge. This one of our new year resolutions could be a huge benefit if you regularly drive into London.

Having an electric car charger installed at your home is simple and cost-effective as you would be simply running your car off free solar energy. There are also an exploding number of charging points dotted all over the UK, currently adding up to approximately 14,000. You can see where these charging point are located by using Zap-Map.

These are just four ideas to make 2019 a greener and more environmentally friendly year for you and your home. For further ideas on how to save money on energy bills at home, including installing solar panels and electric char chargers just get in touch!

As a landlord there are a number of safety obligations you must follow to keep your tenants and property safe. Failures to follow the regulations could lead to hefty fines, invalid insurance and injury to the occupants. So here’s our easy guide on how to be a responsible and compliant landlord.

Do landlords need to have all their electrics tested annually?

• By law you must ensure that all electrical installations in your rental property and in a safe condition at the beginning and end of each tenancy. Whilst an EICR or Electrical Installation Condition report is not legally required for smaller rental properties, getting an electrician to carry out this testing every 5 years is the best way to ensure the electrics are safe and haven’t deteriorated or been damaged.
• If you are the landlord of a house of multiple occupants (HMO) defined as a property occupied by 3 or more people who form more than two households such a student house, then a EICR needs to be carried out every 5 years by a registered electrician to comply with the law.

Do landlords need to PAT test?

• Whilst Portable Appliance Testing is not a legal requirement, the law does state that all electrical equipment within a rental property must be safe to use. If you’re a landlord who provides any white goods or a furnished property, then you are responsible for any electrical equipment you provide your tenants. Should an accident occur due to an unsafe electrical appliance you will be liable. The easiest way to avoid this to get a registered electrician to carry out annual PAT tests on all the electrical goods you provide. Although you would still be liable for any faults, a PAT test will check for both visual defects and internal. A qualified PAT Testing specialist will be able to perform tests and checks on a variety of appliances using PAT testers that will be able to show if the appliance has passed or failed testing including earth continuity, lead polarity, and insulation resistance, among others for more advanced testers.

Fire and CO Alarms in rental properties

• All private landlords in England must have a smoke alarm installed on each level of their property. The alarms must be tested and working before the start of each tenancy. A CO alarm must be fitted into any room containing a solid burning fuel appliance such a coal fire or wood burning stove. Non compliance can lead to fine of up to £5000 by the local authority.
  

  Nest Protect Co2 and smoke detector

• Smoke & CO alarms such as the Nest Protect are becoming more and more popular with landlords as they can notify the landlord when the alarm is going off, a useful feature for when the property is vacant.

The above rules don’t just apply to landlords; AirBnB hosts also fall under this umbrella as paid-for accommodation is classed as rented property for these regulations.

Our next blog on HMO’s is coming soon!

Since our last blog in June about electric cars and installing an electric car charger at home, a whole host of manufacturers have released details with their upcoming fully electric vehicles. With UK grants to PHEV (plug-in hybrids) due to end in November, the car giants are racing to bring out EV’s with the newest battery technology ensuring a longer journey time and avoiding the dreaded range anxiety.

One of the most regular complaints we hear about electric cars is how they always look different to the standard petrol or diesel models. Cars such as BMW i3 and Nissan Leaf are reviewed as quirky and futuristic, whilst consumers are screaming out for vehicles that look normal. It appears that manufacturers have listened and the new releases on to the market look, well, like normal cars!

Trying to compete with Tesla, Audi have released their first standalone electric model the Audi e-Tron. With two motor’s jointly producing 300kW of power, this full sized SUV is capable of 0-62mph in less than 6 seconds. This car can go the distance as well with a range of up to 248 miles per charge. The model debuts Audi’s virtual wing mirrors, replacing traditional glass mirrors with a camera that streams onto a display mounted into the front doors.  And this isn’t the last of its innovative technology – the e-Tron route planner calculates your route showing electric car charger stations and incorporates the estimated charge time into the traffic data to calculate your arrival time. The e-Tron is currently available for pre-order, we anticipate this car being very popular so placing a deposit is advised.

Also debuting its first fully electric performance SUV, Jaguar has released the I-Pace. A bold move by an established premium car manufacturer, Jaguar have produced the first car in the market that can rival Tesla’s premium EV dominance. Containing two motors this SUV can manage 0-60mph in a swift 4.5 seconds and claims a mammoth 298 mile range. A sportier alternative to the Tesla model X, this car is definitely worth a look if you’re after a high tech family SUV that’s packed with futuristic features.

Tesla’s model 3 due to be released into the UK in 2019, is the brand’s first sensibly priced fully electric car. Smaller than the Model S and Model X, there are already half a million paid deposits. The Model 3 is designed to be the safest car in its class. With a range of up to 310 miles per charge and 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds, a price of $35,000 makes it one of the most affordable cars for its range on the market. Unfortunately, you cannot use the Tesla Superchargers (Tesla’s own electric car charger) for free, unlike the other models. But this well engineered car will definitely persuade more people to switch to EV’s.

For details of how to install electric chargers at home if any of these models have prompted you to make the switch to electric get in touch!

How to reduce your winter electric bill

As the days get shorter and the temperature slowly starts to drop, our homes use more and more electricity. The need and desire to stay inside and keep warm means that our central heating goes on and our lights come on earlier and earlier in the day. Bills can escalate over the winter but there are easy energy saving tips you can follow to minimise your use of electricity, keep your bills down and help the environment.

Here are Opulous’s top energy saving tips to get your home ready for winter and help you save

• Switch your old fashioned halogen lamps over to LED – LED technology has come a long way over the last couple of years, meaning that all standard halogen house lamps can now be upgrade with there more energy efficient younger cousin LED.
• Upgrade your heating controls to include a smart thermostat – devices such as the Nest Thermostat learn your behaviour and controls your heating and hot water whilst the app enables you to turn it off and on, up or down when you’re away from home.
• 90% of your washing machine energy is used to heat up the water so washing your clothes at a lower temperature is an easy way to save electricity.
• Switch energy providers every time your contract ends – you can use comparison website to find the best deals for your usage.
• Ensure empty spaces like your loft are as insulated as possible – for some properties it is possible to save the money spent on loft insulation the following year.
• Make sure your boiler is serviced annually to ensure it’s running as efficiently as possible.
• Deal with the draughts – gaps in your doors, windows and floors can let the cold air in and the warm air out.
• Avoid leaving appliances on standby – switch unused device off on the socket to avoid unnecessary electricity from being used. Even unused mobiles chargers use power when left plugged in.

For more energy saving tips at home and to find out how we can help you with all your domestic and commercial electrical needs please get in touch!

Your home’s electrical system is more than just a bunch of wires – it’s a complex system, carefully designed to deliver all the power you need for modern life. An expert electrician knows his/her way around your home electrics – but how much do you know, or need to know?

If you rent or own your home the domestic electrical system remains a mystery to most home dwellers. Unseen and silent, it delivers powers for heating, cooking and entertainment 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. How it works only becomes of interest when something goes wrong.

So back to basics:

National Grid

The National Grid own the transmission network in England and Wales, helping to connect homes and business to the substations across the UK.

Our transmission network consists of over 4000 miles of overhead lines, nearly 1000 miles of underground cables and 346 substations. It’s their cabling that provide the electricity direct to your home. If you have a power cut in your area, you should call 105 for help and advice.

 Electricity Provider

Your electricity supplier is the company you choose to buy your electricity from, and who you pay your bills to. Part of what you pay is is given to the UK Power Networks for running and maintaining the electricity cables in your areas. Electricity enters your home at the service bow and a meter measures how much electricity flows into your system. Gas and electricity suppliers are responsible for providing and fitting smart meters for everyone in Britain by 2020.

Smart meters offer automatic meter readings, avoid estimated bills and provide an in-home display in pounds and pence. You can check with your energy provider whether smart meters are available in your area.

Consumer Unit

Your consumer unit also referred to as fuse board is the box that distributes the electricity around each circuit of your house. The consumer unit contains the main switch which is used to turn off the power to your entire home if necessary.

If newer, your consumer unit may contain an RCD or a residual current device, this clever switch will trip and disconnect the supply if dangerous conditions arise.

Each circuit of your property should be protected individually by an MCB or miniature circuit breaker. These trip when detected a fault on the circuit such as an overload. These can be easily reset, but if a circuit continually trips it would be best to contact an electrician to investigate the issue.

The IET wiring regulations or the Wiring Rules as they were first known have been around since 1882, quickly becoming the standard for electrical installations across the UK.  But let’s take a step back in time to look at the evolution of ‘The Regs’ and what any electrician working in your home should know.

1882 – With the world’s first public electricity supply installed into Goldaming, Surrey; replacing the gas based streetlights with electric versions. In 1882 the Rules and regulations for the prevention of Fire Risks Arising from Electric Light was published. Commonly know as the Wiring Rules, this document was circulated across government departments. It featured just 21 items, with advice to the electrician such as “Fuses are the very essence of safety. They should always be encased in incombustible cases. Even if the wires become warmed by the ordinary current, it’s a proof that they are too small for the work they have to do and ought to be replaced by larger wires”.

1887 – After the success of the First Edition, a 2nd Edition was released in 1887 with a number of new rules.

1889 – The Society for Telegraph Engineers and Electricians became the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the IEE Wiring Regulations was created.

1897 – The 3rd Edition released in 1897 was renamed General Rules Recommended for Wiring for the Supply of Electrical Energy.

1903 – This year saw the first transatlantic radio broadcast between the United Stated and Great Britain. The 4th Edition published in the same year was the first to introduce some definitions and certification. The regulations stated that any electrician should produced a signed declaration confirming that an installation was compliant with current rules. Whilst regulation 48 stated “Fuses may be considered too large if they are not warm to the touch on full load and too small if they hiss when moistened”

1907-1916 – The 5^th, 6^th and 7^th Editions were published in quick succession as more homes and workplaces had electricity installed. These editions were release in an attempt to keep up with the large quantity of new electrical products reaching the market.

1924 – With the UK’s first Labour prime minister in power, the 8^th Edition – Regulations for the Electrical Equipment of Buildings featured different cable sizes for the first time. The National Register of Electrical Installations Contractors (NREIC) was also formed in this year, later becoming the NICEIC.

1927 – The 9th Edition was published.

Does your electrician know his wiring regs?

1934 – The 10^th Edition saw the first use of separate sections, this helped electrical contractors navigate this ever growing document.

1937 – The new Electricity Supply Regulations allowed suppliers to inspect electrical connections before they were connected to public supply. Whilst the only statutory requirement of an electrician was a insulation test, this was to confirm that the installation was safe.

1939 – The beginning of World War One saw the release of the 11^th Edition, with a revised issue in 1943, a reprint with amendments in 1946 and a revised section in 1948. This period saw the introduction of the ring circuit.

1950 – 12^th Edition was released followed by a supplement called The Regulations for the Electrical Equipment of Building in 1954.

1955 – The 13^th Edition was a major step in the world of electrical contracting as electricity supply companies began to take more of an interest in installation practices. This edition included non-mandatory recommendations on good practice for any electrician. This edition was reprinted in 1958, 1961, 1962 and 1964 mentioning PVC cables for the first time.

1966 – the 14^th Edition saw the first mention of the word ‘bonding’ and was reprinted over seven times.

1970 – The 14^th Edition was reprinted with metric units for the first time.

1981 – The Regulations for Electrical Installation or 15^th Edition allowed for a greater level of harmonisation with the rest of Europe, following the UK joining the European Economic Community in 1973. Practices such as supplementary bonding were expanded on – regulation 413-7 required the bonding of all metallic items. This lead to the installation of supplementary bonding of baths, hand rails and boils.

This was also the first year that the coloured cover was agreed. With a cover price of £50 each reprint would be released in one of five colours – red, green, yellow, blue and brown.

17th Edition of Wiring Regulations

1991 – The introduction of the 16^th Edition also brought with it the first certificates including test results and an inspection schedule for electricians. This edition was reprinted 4 times.

2004 – the Part P of Building regulations came into operations and the 16^th Edition was renamed the BS 7671:2001 requirements for electrical installation, The IEE Wiring Regulations. This made is a legal requirement for all domestic installation to comply with a set standard.

2006 – The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) was created by the IEE and Institution of Incorporated Engineers joined.

2007 – The 17^th Edition was released after a committee of delegates representing the electrical industry reviewed the previous edition. They also welcomed comments from members of the industry to input on future regulations. This edition provided engineers with more detailed regulations surrounding the use of residual current devices or RCD’s.

2013 – The 17^th Edition was amended to included a new section on electric car charging.

2015 – The last amendment made to the 17^th Edition was to include information of switchgear assemblies. This led to plastic consumer units becoming obsolete due to fire risk and their metal version being installed.

2018 – This year saw the introduction of the 18^th Edition, which will see all practicing electricians retrain to follow the new regulations. Issued on the 2^nd July 2018, a six-month grace period allows both the 17^th and 18^th Editions to be practiced until 31December 2018.

We will be publishing a series of blogs on how the 18^th Edition will effect your home and what to look out for when booking a electrical contractor. Keep an eye out for our blogs!