SWITCHING TO EFFICIENT ELECTRIC HEATING CAN BENEFIT HOMES IN FUEL POVERTY

Whilst many look forward to the winter months and cosy dark nights, the harsh truth for a lot of people is that it’s a time of the year that causes anxiety as fuel poverty continues to affect a huge amount of households across the UK.

In a recent government survey, it was revealed that more than 2.5 million households in England in 2017 were in the bracket of fuel poverty. That is more than one in 10 households in England and around 3.5 million in the UK as a whole.

Another government report stated that in 2016 those 2.5 million homes were unable to pay the costs associated with heating their properties without falling below the poverty line – an increase of 69,000 on the previous year.

There are lots of factors that play a part in causing fuel poverty. Insulation, glazing and building fabric all contribute to how much it costs to heat a property, but incorrect, inefficient or inadequate heating systems remain the biggest cause of financial concern in fuel poor households. This is particularly evident in homes using traditional electric heating, something experts Tansun wants to change.

Around 2.2 million households in the UK are electrically heated, which accounts for 8.5% of all homes. This includes storage heating (1.7million), direct acting heating systems (0.5million) and heat pumps (less than 0.1million).

For those living with outdated electric heating, such as storage heaters, then upgrading to a more efficient solution like radiant heating is the best way to start saving money. Upgrading to panel heaters like Tansun’s new infrared radiant panels will help transform the way people heat their homes and commercial buildings. Stylish, discrete and unobtrusive to blend into any environment, Tansun infrared radiant panels are the ideal indoor heating solution for both commercial and domestic applications. The radiant panels are developed to provide even heat distribution to gently warm people and objects before targeting the surrounding air. Each panel uses advanced heating technology designed to be environmentally friendly and remarkably energy efficient, resulting in energy conversion rates of around 98%.

In 2017, 16% of electrically heated homes in England and 748,000 Scottish households were living in fuel poverty, with 203,000 Scottish homes categorised as living in ‘extreme fuel poverty’. This means more than 20% of the occupants’ income is required to heat the property.

By improving the efficiency of electrically heated homes with new technology, it is possible to reduce a combined £160 million fuel poverty gap for more than 450,000 households in England and Wales. Due to their reliability, 1.7m properties in the UK are using storage heaters, mainly in the privately-rented and social housing sectors. The average storage heater is more than 20 years old and operates at less than 38% efficiency, compared to infrared heating which is 100% efficient. Around 70% of these are manually-controlled and old models, dating back decades.

For those with traditional storage heaters that are in need of replacement, infrared heating should be considered not only because it is smaller and more aesthetically pleasing than a storage heater but more importantly it is the cheaper and more efficient option to use going forward. It is important that homes should be future-proofed for low-carbon heating going forward, and by installing a reliable and virtually maintenance-free system like radiant heating panels residents are making the first step in making substantial savings.

All of Tansun’s products are made in the UK and are designed using premium components. The company has been established for 35 years and pioneered the concept of radiant electric heaters alongside Philips technology. Tansun has the largest range of commercial, industrial and domestic radiant heaters in the world, providing maintenance-free, safe and healthy radiant heaters for many heating applications.

Tansun heaters are available with a full range of energy-saving controllers which further enhance the efficiency of the products.

Further information is available from Tansun on 0121 580 6200, by emailing sales@tansun.com or by visiting the company’s website at www.tansun.com .

PLUMBING SPECIALIST HAS NEVER LOOKED BACK AFTER TAKING THE PLUNGE WITH WUNDATHERM

Compatible with sustainable heat pumps, solar panels or any existing gas/oil boilers, the Wundatherm underfloor heating system by heating experts Wunda Group plc can be laid by any competent tradesmen, including builders, carpenters and tilers.

The company wants more tradesmen to gain from the profitable benefits of Wundatherm, a rapid response wet system with no need to dig up floors, so has asked one of its most valued customers why they use Wunda and why they keep coming back.

PW Heating and Plumbing Engineers is a loyal customer to Wunda Group and have been servicing the South Wales area for more than 20 years. A supplier and installer of commercial and domestic heating and plumbing systems, Managing Director Patrick Whitehouse reveals why when it comes to underfloor heating he won’t go anywhere else.

After starting in the trade aged 16 as an apprentice, Patrick now runs his own business in gas plumbing and heating.

PW has used Wunda as its supplier of underfloor heating for around 10 years. “I find the technical side is very good and if you pick up the phone someone is always there to give you an answer and of course the products are good quality,” says Patrick, “and I think the most important thing for everybody in the trade is that it is the right price. The next day delivery is an added bonus.”

“I found out about Wunda through doing a lot of work in the area, speaking with a friend who had used them and after speaking with a local installer. I was then led to more people who use Wunda, including a very close friend who is also a heating engineer. There is also lots of positive feedback on a few industry Facebook pages and they are one of the bigger players in the industry.”

He continued, “Over the years, we’ve installed underfloor heating from scratch in new builds and renovations and we’ve used Wunda’s overlay system and pretty much every product they supply as it’s simple to fit and is always evolving. I have found that the overlay system is really popular at the moment as it is ideal for conservatories and newer houses where people are looking to take their radiators out and put underfloor heating in without too much disruption. There have always been reservations with underfloor heating as people are concerned about how much mess it creates or that it’s going to be too expensive to fit because you have to dig the floors up, but you don’t need to worry about any of that with Wundatherm and that’s why it is a really good alternative to radiators.”

“For us, we go with what we know and when I’m happy with something I don’t need to go anywhere else,” says Patrick. “I fitted some underfloor heating a few years ago in a conservatory and came to see Tom at Wunda and he explained to me the thermal element of it and how quickly it spreads the heat and I was so impressed that I’ve used it whenever we’ve had the opportunity.”

“I’ve installed around 15 systems for people doing home renovations. I had used other products before I started to use Wunda, but heating is moving on rapidly, and I’m pleased that every time I look at Wunda Group there’s something new.”

But it isn’t just the product that Patrick likes. “Wunda provides a really good service including support on a Saturday which many of the big players don’t.” He says, “If there is a problem on a Friday night or a Saturday morning then with many underfloor heating companies there is no help available, but Wunda cares a lot about the customer service side and when I phone in I get to speak to the same people and get a dedicated account manager, and that matters to me when I’ve got to place an order.”

“When placing an order, Wunda provides plans and drawings and I never have a problem if I stick to the diagram, especially as the drawings are so detailed. I wouldn’t swap to another supplier now, lots of people in the industry like to try out new products but when I find a good product that is always developing I don’t need to go anywhere else.”

Wunda’s new Rapid Response® Wundatherm system is incredibly easy to install, with no mess or drying time and is extremely durable. The lightweight low profile boards are just 16 or 20mm thick, heat up in minutes and are suitable for any floor finish including carpet, vinyl, Karndean, Amtico, laminate, wood, ceramic and stone tiles. Once installed, floor heating pipe is laid into the pre-formed grooves in the boards and the system is ready for immediate use.

Wunda prides itself on first class quality and customer service, providing free technical support six days a week, and provides the specialist service of detailed layout plans for all bespoke systems free of charge to trade customers. With these layout plans to hand, tradesmen can have complete confidence in laying the boards and installing the Wundatherm system.

To see Patrick in action, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AEvh044_JE&feature=youtu.be

For further information on the Wundatherm underfloor heating system or a free estimate, call 0800 083 2677, email: plans@wundagroup.com or visit the website www.wundatrade.co.uk