Going Solar? Check Your Roof First!

Going solar can not only reduce your heating and electricity bills but it can also reduce your carbon footprint too. If you are lucky enough to generate more electricity than you use, and you sell your excess back to the National Grid, then going solar can also earn you an extra income too. This is the dream for most people who make the switch to solar but before you make any firm plans, you need to know if your property and roof are suitable for solar panel installation.

Is Your Roof Right for Solar?

For solar panels to work effectively your roof position and location must be right. Before you make any plans you need to check this first. The best pitch for a roof is between 30-40 degrees and ideally it should be south facing. Solar power works from the sun’s light so you’ll also need unobstructed sunlight throughout the day to effectively generate solar power. If the location of your home sees heavy winds and snowfalls then this could affect the efficiency of solar panels too.

Heavy Burden?

Solar panels are extremely heavy and they take up a very large part of your roof. If your roof is not strong enough, or if it’s seen better days and is in need of repairs then it’s important that this is seen to first. If your roof needs expensive repairs or modifications then this could add considerably to your costs make your investment not quite so worthwhile.

Checking that your roof is suitable before you make a commitment to solar heating or electricity can not only save you time but it can save you money too.

Cut Your Carbon Emissions and Your Fuel Bills with an Air Source Heat Pump

It sounds almost too good to be true: cutting your fuel bills and your carbon footprint – yet with the simple installation of an air source heat pump you really could achieve both.

Air source heat pumps work by collecting the inexhaustible and free supply of outdoor air and converting it into either heat or hot water for the home. As almost 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions are produced from domestic heating systems the new air source heat pumps are very good news indeed.

Heating Water or the Home

Air source heat pumps are available as two different systems:

Air to Water Heat Pumps: Air to water heat pumps collect and absorb outside energy which is transferred to a unit to provide a home with hot water. The pump has an external collector that’s fitted outside, a heating or hot water distribution unit, a heating delivery system and a hot water store. This type of air pump is great for large radiators or under floor heating.

Air to Air Heat Pumps: Air to air pumps work in the same way as the air to water pumps but they covert the outside air into heat which is distributed around the home. The distribution units are small making this a perfect heating system for flats or small houses.

Better for Your Pocket, Better for the Environment

Air source heat pumps are designed to produce heat and hot water from the never ending supply of air and they do so without producing carbon emissions.

If you have the outside space to accommodate an air source heat pump’s external collector this form of heating is a truly sustainable and greener method of heating homes and water.