Thermasys

This is our 2nd christmas living in our new self build home built with Oakworth Homes Timber Frame & heated using an Air Source Heat Pump installed by Thermasys. The incredible efficiency of the new build is far better than we expected, with energy bills being just a small fraction of our previous homes which were a similar size.

The combination of quality installation and low air leakage through the timber frame is the key to efficiency and this means the air source heat pump to cope with the wintry temperatures , (as low as -14
C last season) and still providing the comfort expected in any new modern home.

This remarkable efficiency has been achieved by using a quality frame with factory installed insulation, premium thermal breather membranes and the all important attention to detail by the frame erectors, creating a tight structure with little air leakage through the external envelop.

This combination of construction and heating is highly recommended, and we will definitely use this method of build on our next self build home.

(Blog by John Warrington – Customer of Thermasys & Employee of Oakworth Homes Limited)

Self build can be an extremely satisfying experience. When all your planning and hardwork come to fruition, there is no better feeling than sitting back and admiring your handy-work.

There are, however, some pitfalls along the way to avoid. Here are some tips andpointers to steer you in the right direction.

Construction Method

It makes sense to build the most thermally efficient dwelling they can for their budget.Why waste all that expensive energy! To most self builders, this means a timberframe structure with high levels of insulation.

Timber frame has lots of benefits such as:

• Speed of build – putting you in control from an early stage

• Design flexibility – lots of light, galleries, vaults, open plan – all possible

• Dry construction – no lengthy drying out and shrinkage

• Sub- contractors – ability to keep your options open and pick the best

• Environmentally friendly – timber is the ultimate renewable resource

• Thermally efficient – timber is a great insulator

Insulation

Using a timber frame structure enables you to build in insulation the level that you want – over and above the building regulations minimum is standard for most timber frame projects.

The more insulation you put into the build mean the lower the running costs when you move in. This means that you get a return on your investment. When you are planning your project, it is natural to think about those nice things like kitchens and such like. If you can keep some budget for as much insulation as youcan, you can have the best of both worlds!

Renewable Energy

Okay, so you have a very efficient, beautiful timber frame which doesn’t want to let go of your valuable warmth – how can you heat your house for as little as possible?  Ground source heat pumps provide all your heating and hot water for very littlerunning costs. Once the kit is installed, you can let them run, and run, and run – for about 30 years usually.

If you don’t have the ground available, why not opt for an air source heat pump –quiet, efficient, capable – they do the lot!

If your alternative is oil, the financial arguments are compelling. Plus, you can receivepayments from the Government which means the pump can pay for itself in 5 years depending on your usage.

Thermasys also offer underfloor heating systems designed for you, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery and solar panels – photovoltaics for electricity and solarthermal for hot water. There has never been a better time to go green – with Thermasys as your partner you can’t go wrong!

Installing a ground or air source heat pump to your new home has never been so compelling as once again, Russian gas supplies have been restricted to Euro countries giving refreshed concerns about UK fuel povety.

Freezing weather sweeping across Europe has led to a shortage of vital Russian gas supplies to several countries, officials say. An EU energy spokeswoman said eight countries had seen a reduction in gas due to increased demand in Russia. She said the situation was not an emergency but was being monitored. “I can confirm that there has been a decrease in gas deliveries in various member states – Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Italy,” EU spokeswoman Marlene Holzner said.

“It’s not a situation of emergency yet,” she added.

Correspondents say the sudden drop in Russian gas supplies – which pass through Ukraine – is raising fears of a repeat of a crisis in 2009 when tension between Moscow and Kiev cut supplies to parts of Europe for about two weeks.

Gazprom, the Russian gas export monopoly, said on Friday it was supplying as much gas as it could spare.”We are doing everything possible… all the systems are working in a stable manner,” spokesman Sergey Komlev said.

Installing either a ground or air source heat pump to your new home is without doubt a sensible choice. Using renewable technology to convert the suns warms to heating at hot water for your home not only provides long term savings it removes our reliance on gas or oil as a main souce of energy. This not only reduces anual running costs, it removed the risk of fuel povety.

For more information on how a Thermasys system can benefit your home, please call 0114 2561552 to speak with one of our engineers.

When considering the preferred Heat Pump to have installed, it is worth considering a number of factors. Once the actual considerations of sizing the heat pump have been addressed and you will have a short list of units which will suit the size of house, heat distribution system and the geographic location etc. How do you then decided which of these units will be the best for you?

It is now key to consider how long you are expecting to live with the heat pump, as there may be cost savings to be enjoyed over the 25 year life expectancy of the unit, which will more than offset the additional cost of the initial installation. Some heat pumps sacrifice running costs and COP’s in order to maintain their output during colder times of the year. Whilst running costs can only be estimated before the installation and the actual figure will only be realised once you have lived with the heat pump. It is always beneficial to have some thought for the likely annual costs. If the budget allows, it may be beneficial in the longer term to look at paying a little bit more for a more efficient Heat Pump. This can re-pay you annually with lower running costs and so over the life time of the heat pump can be a far cheaper option. The cheapest install is not always the most cost effective from an overall project view point. For more information on how a heat pump can save you money, please call a member of our team on 0114 2561552.

Hello and welcome to the first Thermasys blog.

Thermasys specialise in the design, supply, installation and commissioning of renewable energy systems and heat distribution systems throughout England & Wales. In line with our expansion program and to ensure we can continue to offer the high levels of customer service we pride ourselves on we would like to welcome two new members to the Thermasys team Andy Lewis and Joe Cotterill. Andy has been appointed as Business Development Manager for the south of England and Wales. Andy has a wealth of experience in the construction and project management sectors and has been busy attended several training courses and improving his knowledge of the renewable energy sector since joining us in December. Joe joined the team in January as a first year apprentice and is over the moon that he has got a job in the renewable energy sector and can’t wait to get on site to gain some installation experience. We are currently looking through applications for a full time heating engineer with NVQ level 3 qualification with a view to setting someone on in the near future.

If you would be interested in the position please send a covering letter and CV to our Operations Manager Chris Hind at our Sheffield office or email it to c.hind@thermasys.co.uk.

Welcome to our Blog. Here you will find interestign articles on everything renewable, from heat pumps to solar and wind energy.

if you have any burning questions regarding anything renewable please email us and we can write a detailed answer to your query here on our blog.