What’s hot in solar?
We’ve taken a look at what’s hot in solar energy to see you through an energy efficient summer outside.
•    Solar powered watches: Solar powered watches have been around since the 1970’s and are a worthy investment for kids and adults alike. Save yourself time and money with one of these, now available cheaply and in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Make sure you’re on time for the festivals and don’t miss your favourite acts.

•    Wind-up radio: if you’re going on a camping trip but can’t quite face the silence of the great outdoors, a wind-up radio is a good compromise!  Requiring no batteries, a wind-up radio just needs a few hours of sunlight to generate play.

•    Solar mobile phone charger:  keeping your phone charged isn’t always easy when you’re on the move, camping or simply too busy getting ready to jet away somewhere. Solar powered phone chargers are an affordable, eco-friendly and easy-to-use solution to charging on the go.

•    Solar power shower: solar showers are ideal for anyone who wants to stay fresh while on the move. The travel shower consists of a portable container of water which heats in sunlight, an attached shower head and the flexibility to hang from any branch you may be roaming near. These are a brilliant solution to staying clean while on the move and save you shower time when you finally get home!

These affordable, handy gadgets make it possible to take our energy efficiency outdoors and experiment with fun ways to be more eco-friendly. For more information about solar power in your home, check out Glow-worm’s dedicated page on Clearly Solar – tweet us and let us know about another other solar product you recommend for use at home and when out and about.

Such is the success of the Ultracom, the experts at Glow-worm been working hard to create the  new  Ultracom2 – a new addition to the Glow-worm high efficiency boiler family, and an evolution to the Ultracom range which comes in a range of combi and system models.  Not sure what that means?  Read our quick guide here.

The Ultracom2 cxi and sxi models replace the original Ultracom cxi, cx and sxi models, and are now available to buy from a reputable installer alongside its firm friend the Which? Best buy award winning Ultracom hxi open vent range.  So, no matter what type of boiler is right for you, you’ll find a perfect home heating solution at Glow-worm.

The Ultracom2 is virtually silent in operation and comes with an easy to use one button/one function interface so operation is simple.

SEDBUK (the body behind rating boiler efficiency) has rated the Ultracom2 A – which is top of the class!  So as well as getting a reliable boiler you know it’s efficient too, which is great for the environment and your purse strings.

It’s all in the controls

The boiler can be fitted with your choice of either an optional analogue, digital or external control option providing great flexibility to ensure the boiler works with your lifestyle,

Alongside the launch of the Ultracom2, Glow-worm has also introduced the Climapro2 RF; a new intuitive control which works with all Glow-worm A rated boilers.  The Climapro2 RF makes heating control even more precise and can provide an additional 2% onto the SEDBUK rating of your boiler.

Interested in upgrading your boiler to a Glow-worm high efficiency A rated model?  Contact a local installer in your area by searching for your nearest installer here.

Want to know more?  View our online technical videos at the Glow-worm installer site on the Ultracom2 and Climapro2 RF.  For help, advice and to find out more about having an Ultracom2 installed in your home, please contact a local installer here.

As long as the heating is off and the windows are open, we otherwise don’t need to worry about the temperature of our homes. Right? Wrong. Experts at Glow-worm suggest that in fact the summer can be the best time to settle down and pay your heating equipment some vital attention!

Here’s why:

•    Lots of people wait until their boiler has already broken before getting it serviced, but this leaves you at risk of getting caught out in the cold winter months and stuck with no heating.  Play it safe and organise an annual check-up in advance of the cold weather.

•    The cost of an emergency boiler replacement in the peak season can far exceed the cost of getting a regular annual check up earlier on in the year, so though it may seem an unnecessary expense at the time, you could be saving yourself cash in the long run.

•    Engineers tend to have more availability in the summer, when they aren’t getting called out to emergency boiler repairs, so they can work around you more easily.

Glow-worm’s online installer locater tool can help you easily find your nearest installer if you’re considering a new boiler or just want to discuss the best options for you and your family.

More and more of us are also considering alternative energy sources.  The Energy Saving Trust provides a pretty comprehensive guide on the different types available, click here for more information.

Renewable energy is incredibly important to us here at Glow-worm; our increasing range of renewable technologies is already helping many of you to avoid using the traditional energy sources that contribute towards climate change.

Did you know that over 25% of all carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change come from home energy use?

By using renewable energy in your home you can avoid using energy sources that contribute to climate change.

Our Clearly Solar range, the Glow-worm solar thermal product, allows homeowners to produce energy from the sun.

Our newest addition to the range is the Clearly Hybrid, a product which combines the environmental benefits of an air to water heart pump with the practicality of a high efficiency boiler to create the UK’s first hybrid renewables system.

Due to launch in autumn 2010, the Clearly Hybrid is the first heating system which takes energy prices and outdoor temperature into account – it switches between a traditional gas condensing boiler and a 5kW air to water heat pump according to the most cost effective method of heating the home at the time.

Once installed a Clearly Hybrid system is adaptable to energy price changes, ensuring that the homeowner completely benefits from any developments in gas or electricity tariffs and supply.

We’ll be covering the launch of the Clearly Hybrid system in some detail over the next few months so keep your eyes peeled on the blog for the latest news.

If you’d like more information please email info@glow-worm.co.uk.

With millions of us enjoying the season of sport with the tennis and the FIFA World Cup in South Africa via the comfort of our own sofa, homeowners should be aware of the easy ways in which they can save money in and around the house during the summer months.

Closing the blinds before the sun gets a chance to heat up the house will keep your home cooler during the day. Then open windows at night to cool the house down.  This should reduce your reliance on dehumidifiers and electric fans.

A lot of us forget to clean or change the filter on our dehumidifiers. Clean it about once a month and change it annually so if you do need to switch it on, you can do so knowing you’re using less energy to keep cool.

Try to run appliances that give off heat – such as your dishwasher and dryer – at night when it’s cooler.  Your air conditioning won’t have to work as hard to maintain a cool temperature.

Try switching off the drying feature in your dishwasher and let dishes air dry to save energy.

Check the Energy Saving Trust website for a list of the latest integrated digital televisions, which can save around £7 a year and 20 kilograms of CO2 each year compared to a traditional set top box.  So you can enjoy the summer sport and know you’re doing so whilst also reducing CO2 emissions!

For a longer term investment why not consider the benefits of solar thermal panels, like our Clearly Solar range, which uses the heat from the sun to heat hot water for the home.  For more information and a detailed quote from an installer in your area please contact our team via the website by clicking here.

Fingers crossed for a good result in the summer sport and for sunny weather for the UK!

As such, it can be a pretty daunting experience what with so many different products to choose from and a host of websites providing the ‘ultimate guide’.

First things first – we’d recommend that you acquaint yourself with the renewable energy guide on the Energy Saving Trust’s website.

If you decide that solar is for you; be sure whether you want to invest in solar thermal or solar PV.
Solar thermal will harness solar energy for thermal energy i.e. heat as opposed to solar PV which helps generate energy into electricity for household appliances and lighting.

Glow-worm Commercial Director; Darren Finley advises the following tips to ensure you get the best from your installer:

-    Ensure your installer has had the necessary training; BPEC or LOGIC are standard industry qualifications.
-    Ask your installer to size and price the system.  If you’re unsure who to consult, ask a reputable solar thermal product manufacturer, like Glow-worm, for details of recommended solar thermal installers  in your area by calling 01773 596092.
-    Do as much research as you can on solar products – see our advice on Clearly Solar
-    Glow-worm’s straightforward solar thermal solution here.
-    A correctly sized and installed solar thermal system can contribute up to 60% of your domestic hot water needs.  Your installer should be able to help estimate savings and payback time fairly accurately once he or she has completed an inspection.

Solar thermal is a sound investment – as well as helping to reduce the cost of energy bills, renewable products or green features it can also help your property to be more appealing to potential buyers in the future.  In the summer months when temperatures improve many homeowners find that they don’t need their boilers on at all; all their hot water requirements can easily be met by Clearly Solar.

Click here to read more about the Renewable Heat Incentive, a Government scheme set to launch in April 2011, to provide individuals and businesses with support to switch to renewable sources (like Clearly Solar) for heating.

On this penultimate day, we’ve pulled together some key information and thoughts on the issues affecting homeowners – particularly in relation to renewable products and technologies.

Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have all promised to improve energy efficiency, and while the government launched its Pay As You Save (PAYS) scheme late last year, it seems sustainability is high on the list for the three main parties consideration.

Through the PAYS initiative, DIY Britons are provided with incentivised loans to carry out green home improvements.  The success of the scheme remains to be seen of course.

A recent blog post by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) outlined its concerns for a suitable strategy to encourage more homeowners to improve their homes in order to meet carbon targets, later highlighting that the campaign “…seems to be gaining pace with politicians and those of us lobbying them.”

As a result RIBA has called for the next Government to retrofit 4 million homes within the lifetime of the next parliament.  In the same post RIBA also reported on the ‘Cut the VAT’ coalition (of which RIBA is a member), which “proposes a cut in VAT on home maintenance and repair to 5%.”  The coalition also asserts that by lowering VAT, more homeowners will take up the offer of eco-fitting their homes, particularly if at the same time they are putting in a new kitchen or bathroom – but is this enough to achieve target and will our political leaders take note?

Environmental policy

Let’s take a look at Labour’s environmental policy and see how it compares to the other two main parties:

Labour’s energy and climate-change policies include:

• Achieving around 40 per cent low-carbon electricity by 2020
• Creating 400,000 new green jobs by 2015
• Making greener living easier and fairer through ‘pay as you save’ home energy insulation
• Energy-bill discounts for pensioners
• Banning recyclable and biodegradable materials from landfill

The Conservative’s environmental policy

Key environment policies include:

• Working towards zero waste
• Providing incentives to recycle
• Encouraging sustainable water management
• Work for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy
• Offering every household a Green Deal
• Transforming electricity networks with ’smart grid’ and ’smart meter’ technology
• Expanding offshore wind and marine power

The Liberal Democrat’s environmental policy

The Lib Dems believes it is the only party willing to make the tough choices to stop “real and dangerous” climate change.

Key environmental policies include:

• Pledging that at least 20 per cent of energy and 40 per cent of electricity will come from renewable sources by 2020 rising to 100 per cent by 2050
• Seeking to toughen limits on pollution across Europe
• Introduce a supermarket ombudsman to get a fair deal for farmers
• Ensuring guaranteed fair prices for energy consumers
• Making energy suppliers ensure homes are well insulated
• Roll-out of smart metering in five years
• More investment in public transport to cut emissions

(Source Environmental Policy: General Election 2010: 12th April 2010, Louise Gray, further information available here)

Hanging in the balance

A lot of information for us all to digest.

And with recent media speculation on the likelihood of a hung Parliament, what bearing will this take upon our Government’s approach to the environment and green technology for homeowners?

Some of the likely effects of a hung parliament on homeowners were recently outlined by consumer affairs correspondent Harry Wallop for the Telegraph – click here for the article in full.

Phil explains that the days of doing up a house quickly to make money are long gone and that any enhancements should be made so as to make a property ‘a place to take pleasure from [rather than]… simply turning a fast buck along with some profit on top.’

Extensions, new kitchens and bathrooms were unsurprisingly at the top of the list.  But the finer details and essential maintenance were also areas of concern; both for homeowners and for potential buyers long term.

The Home Information Pack (HIP) includes a certification on the property’s energy performance – known as the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).  When you do come to sell your property potential buyers will be privy to the information in both the HIP and EPC.  Some believe the contents of these documents can potentially make or break a deal, and certainly few people would disagree that they do have significant bearing over the eventual sale price.

Loft insulation, double glazing and even use of energy saving light bulbs all factor in the rating your property achieves.  Likewise, the energy efficiency of your boiler will also make a difference.  Is it a gas guzzler or an energy efficient A rated model, like our super efficient Ultracom?  Can we increase the emphasis here in any way?

Not only could these improvements make your house more attractive to potential buyers and achieve a better price long term, these changes could also save you money and, as Phil so rightly pointed out, make your home a place to truly take pleasure from.

Some things in life are impossible to read – but your boiler shouldn’t be one of them.

We recently asked you to come forward and feedback, via the blog, on how our boilers functioned, particularly with respect to boiler controls.

Andrew Slater, Technical Support Manager at Glow-worm has highlighted a few instructions which are commonly queried by customers calling in.

F4     credit gas meter may have run out
F5    overheat, please check your user manual for reset advice
F9    low pressure, please check your user manual for top up advice
F22    low pressure/poor circulation – possible air locks, try bleeding the radiators
F26    poor circulation – possible air locks, try bleeding the radiators

For more information please refer to your boiler manual.