Tal Potishman asked:


The earth’s crust consists of many natural chemicals including aluminium which makes up eight percent of our earth’s outer layer. This metal can be found in many applications including every day cans, through industrial applications to complicated aeroplane parts. The heating industry has recently taken to aluminium because it conducts heat easily, is flexible and is very lightweight. Recently, in increasing numbers of central heating equipment manufacturers have been exploring ways to make radiators and other heating component out of aluminium.

The Romans and Greeks were the first to use aluminium, using effectively an aluminium salt for dyeing. However, the pure form of aluminium was first found at the end of the eighteenth century. The pure form of the metal can be very hard to find but in spite of its elusiveness, many industries began implementing aluminium with some regularity by the beginning of the nineteenth century, growing substantially in the twentieth century.

Currently aluminium can be found in many everyday objects like jewellery, computers and other electronic devices and packing materials. One of the main reasons aluminium is so popular is that it has very high corrosion resistance levels. Alongside its light weight and flexibility, resistance to corrosion is one of the major reasons that aluminium is a prime candidate for repeated recycling, making it very popular in our eco-friendly society.

Over the last few years, manufacturers of central heating equipment have started using aluminium for cooling and heating systems both for domestic and commercial applications. Two of the most popular heating components to recently be switched to aluminium construction are heating coils and copper tubing.

Over the last few years several manufacturers of central heating components have taken up this metal and started building radiators completely out of aluminium. Although still a minority, there are many customers that chose to purchase the aluminium radiators instead of traditional radiators because the aluminium radiators last longer and does not need as many repairs over the years. If the component does need repairing, the repairs can be carried out quickly because of the pliable nature of the metal.

In addition to buying aluminium heating and cooling kits, many have started buying aluminium windows to help lower their heating and cooling costs. Aluminium windows help regulate the temperature of a room by making sure that the air outside of a room does not influence the temperature of the air inside of a room. Many users have reported a significant reduction to the cost of their heating bills, as the level of insulation is improved. Other uses for aluminium in heating and cooling include the use of aluminium foil for lining ventilation ductwork, floor panel ventilation grilles, and refrigeration coils.

Aluminium is one of the most versatile materials found within the earth’s crust. Because there is so much of it and the fact that it is highly versatile, aluminium can be used by almost every industry. The heating industry has proven that aluminium can be used for just about anything and they have gone to great lengths to implement this versatile material.



Brian

Tim Carr asked:


s we have come to expect a certain standard of living as the norm. It is somewhat understandable that we take modern appliances and the advances in technology for granted as we have seen so many dramatic changes in the last decade never mind the last century to the extent that we consider now consider progress to be inevitable.

However, we would only need to cast our minds back a short time to see how different our lives were in the not so distant past. It wasn’t uncommon in the last century for people to go weeks or even months without washing. In fact, people were generally unaware of the link between hygiene and health. Not so today. A Norwegian engineer by the name of Edwin Ruud invented the automatic storage water heater in 1889 which eventually led to the invention of showers.

Nonetheless, progress took its time back then so even after the war entire families often shared bath water. The water for the bath was heated in appliances on the stove and then poured directly into the bath with jugs. The bath also had to be emptied in the same way. Not many of us today would be able to cope with that in our busy schedules.

Today, we get up in the morning in our centrally heated homes and switch on the kettle for our coffee; we turn up the heating if it’s too cold, run a hot bath or take a shower without a thought. Hot water is readily available on tap and in constant supply. Can we imagine what our lives would be like without it?

There is little doubt that how we live now bears no resemblance to how our parents and grandparents lived only a short while ago. Take something like central heating for example. The first form of central heating was invented by the Romans around 2000 years ago and was a crude form of under-floor heating. It was hugely labour-intensive and so affordable only by the affluent. It wasn’t until the 1960’s and 1970’s, only a few decades ago, that new inventions led to central heating becoming a feature in around 30% of homes in the UK. Prior to that heating was usually by a coal fire or stove and was generally limited to one or two rooms in the house, often the kitchen, where most of the family congregated most of the time.

There is little doubt that hot water technologies have dramatically changed our lives. They have improved our level of hygiene and consequently our health as well as our life expectancy. Today we don’t have to be wealthy to stay clean, warm and comfortable in our homes. Over 90% of homes in the UK now have central heating and even the smallest of homes has a bath or a shower with hot running water.

Modern water boilers are the culmination of years of innovation and research. They come in different forms to suit different purposes and are highly efficient, safe, and relatively inexpensive to run. They have also dramatically changed the way we live and indeed, expect to live our lives.



Charlie

J Tillotson asked:


It’s much easier to save money on your gas and electricity bills in summer, isn’t it? You don’t need to keep your heating on, the long days provide more natural light, and cold food is so much more appealing in hot weather.

But what can you do to save money in winter, apart from wearing jumpers or cardies all the time? Surely there must be a better - and less bulky - solution?

One solution that will benefit you all year round is cavity wall insulation. You can expect to pay around £500, based on a three-bedroom semi-detached house, for the initial installation, but as it can save you roughly £90 per year in heating costs, it pays for itself reasonably quickly.

It also helps the environment, as CO2 emissions are reduced by about 750kg per property. To put this all into perspective, if every house in the UK had their cavity walls filled, we could heat approximately 1.4 million homes every year.

Loft insulation has a similar benefit. Because hot air rises, a large percentage of the heat in your home is lost through your ceilings. Having your loft insulated can prevent this.

For those of you with central heating, try using a timer: most boiler units have them. Set your heating to come on for an hour before you get up, then an hour in the afternoon (if you’re at home), and an hour or two in the evening.

If you’ve followed all the steps above, this should be enough to keep your home warm all day, and save you quite a bit of money in the process. For example: the average radiator gives out 2,000w of energy per hour. It will take two units of electricity to run such a radiator for one hour.

If you’re paying 8p per unit - most suppliers charge between 4p and 12p per unit - this would cost you 16p per hour of heating. If you have your radiators on for 18 hours per day, you’ll be paying £2.88 for a full day of heat.

Doesn’t sound like much, but if you add that up over three months, you are looking at nearly £260 spent on heating alone. Now, having heating on for just four hours a day, using the same amounts as above, will come to just under £60. Speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

If you’re not sure how much your gas and electricity is costing per unit, take a look at your last bills. If you think you are paying too much, why not think about changing your supplier to find one with a lower unit cost?

Sometimes, comparing gas and electricity suppliers online can save you more than you might think. You would be surprised how many households are actually paying more than they need for their home comforts.



Julio

Mark Fynn asked:


While many people think that underfloor heating is modern technology in fact the basic principles go back thousands of years. It was the Romans that harnessed the science of heated air so that they could provide heat to their Villas and Bathhouses. The Romans enjoyed their luxury and as their empire stretched into Countries with more cooler climates in Europe they needed to ensure that a welcoming heated environment was waiting for their legions after a long days march.

They were quick to understand that warm heat rises so the best place for it to be circulated from was from under the floor. With the aid of a real fire stoking up the heat the warm air was circulated around a labyrinth of vents so that the heating was distributed evenly.

The very same principles are used today but instead of a real fire creating the main source of heat we have fuel efficient boilers. Where the vents provided the distribution modern technology provides the option of a network of piping or heated elements. Todays systems are state-of-the-art thermostatically controlled so you can be sure you have the exact living temperature that suits you evenly spread throughout the room.

There are two types of underfloor heating, wet and dry. Wet is the most common and just means that the heat is distributed along a network of multi-layered pipes that loop backwards and forwards in a circuit across the room. These pipes are connected to a manifold and from there to the boiler. As the cooler used water comes back into the boiler it is reheated and circulated again by a pump. Leaks are very rare and this is because the actual pipework under the floor has no joints, it is just a continuous length of pipe that us placed in continuous u-turns. The only joints are above ground where they connect to the manifold.

The other type of underfloor heating system is the dry and this uses heated elements inside insulated modern materials to provide the heat. The element is energized and de-energized as it receives room temperature feedback from the thermostat sensors.

Though the cost of installation is higher than the average central heating system is much cheaper to run so the investment can have very quick returns. This is because the heat produced is just above room temperature. Old fashioned radiators always had to be used very high so the heat had a chance to be distributed in colder areas of a room.

Many people are concerned about having to remove the tiled floor and the mess and inconvenience that this may cause. The facts are that the old tiles can remain where they are and grooves inserted into the tiles for the pipework to sit into. Once the pipes have been laid you can retile over the pipes by applying a thick layer of adhesive. The old tiles provide the perfect foundation so that the new tiles can sit level without much manipulation.

The benefits of underfloor heating are numerous. The main advantage is the quality of heating that the room receives. It is an even heat that is completely controlled by thermostats so you have the perfect temperature. The heat is dispersed though the floor so that you get the maximum benefits unlike wall mounted heaters and radiators that dispersed heat 12-inches above the floor. The water temperature is normally between 45 and 65 degrees which is much lower than the standard central heating radiator. This temperature will ensure that the floor heat would be between 25 and 29 degrees.

Underfloor heating also creates more space as the system is invisible under the floor. They are also better for health reasons and child safety. Dust mites eagerly congregate in out of the way places such as old ugly wall heaters and radiators and this used to effect people with allergies and asthmatic conditions. Many children unfortunately used to scold and burn themselves on piping hot radiators and heaters and this meant that parents had to box them in for protection. This had a negative effect on the heating as much of the warm air struggled to escape the boxed in cover. Underfloor heating provides optimum health benefits for people with allergies, asthma and excellent safety care for children.

Underfloor heating also runs quieter than the conventional central heating systems. It is also worth considering the value that underfloor heating can have on your property. It has always been a great selling point because people will always consider it state-of-the-art and not something that would see in every home.

Underfloor heating has very few negatives but numerous positives. If the initial investment was a problem then why not consider fitting it yourself. You only need very basic do-it-yourself skills so it is worth considering. With so many advantages over conventional heating systems I think you will find that underfloor heating will become more common as more and more people come attuned to the benefits.



Edwin