Eco Friendly House And Garden

These days, can you just pick a chair you like the look of?

Of course you can, but do you want to? I mean, what is the history of that chair? Is buying it going against some of your principles? Have you been paying to NOT buy that chair – and then buying it anyway?

I mean where your chair comes from, what it is made of, who made it and how it was made are all important ethical and environmental issues – as well as how that chair got to your store, how it is held together, and what will happen when you don’t want it anymore.

And is it even safe to use?

If you donate to or fundraise for wildlife, humanitarian or environmental charities you should consider these questions in detail – otherwise you could be causing the very problems your charities are trying to prevent.

By not thinking about the direct and knock-on effects of what you choose to buy – and therefore endorse – you are not only wasting your time and money – you are helping to destroy the very things you believe in.

Does that chair look better in your home that that tiger did in a jungle?

If you could actually see that painted chair off-gassing volitile chemicals in your nursery – would you still want it in your home?

The above examples just tell you what actually does happen in all these cases – but just because you can’t see it at the time – it doesn’t mean you can ignore it.

Study The Facts:
It is very easy for all of us to just carry on as ‘normal’ and buy whatever we want when we want to – and that may still be true for food and medicines – as these are human essentials and people aren’t willing to change that much.

But buying non-essentials like chairs and other furniture and nik naks should really be considered in a lot more detail as you have a clear choice about what you do and don’t buy. And when you buy anything – you are saying to the manufacturers that you agree with, or at least are not bothered by, what they are doing.

If you buy non-FSC wooden furniture you are saying that you don’t mind if rainforests are destroyed along with the animals and plants living in them. You are paying them to destroy an ecosystem.

If you buy non-organic or high VOC paints and adhesives in your chairs you are saying that you don’t mind if animals as well as our own air and waterways are slightly polluted with potentially dangerous or toxic chemicals. You are paying to risk the lives of both people and animals – and ultimately our food crops and drinking water.

photo credit: PINTOY®

The Grey Areas:
Of course, there are always a whole range of factors that go into making a chair, and what you feel strongly about – but say the perfect eco and human friendly chair = 10 points.

Even if everyone only settled on a midway chair or 5 points that is still going to make a huge difference to our planet as well as the lives of individuals. Ironically it is probably schools, nurseries and offices which buy all the worst furniture as the wholesale companies they use for practicality don’t often have such green credentials.

So the very place where young people play and eat, and the very places where adults spend most of the days are causing a huge dent in this 5 point average life.

I know price and ease of purchase are huge factors working against you buying the best eco products – but it isn’t just your choice of chair you are making – you are helping to choose the future, your family’s future.

So next time you really need a new chair – think about what else what you could be losing in exchange.

Shouldn't being eco friendly be easier than not being green?

Why do so many eco friendly alternatives mean 'putting yourself out' or taking longer to get things done?  When you are a busy mum or are running a tight business – green alternatives should be making your life easier – not slowing you down!

So, I have found a few great eco inventions that could make being eco aware that much easier – and hopefully save you time and money along the way…..

Whole House Switch Off:
Why waste time checking all your plugs and appliances are switched off before leaving the house – because if you are in a hurry – you might not be so thorough!

By wiring up your whole home – or just parts of it – to 1 single 'OFF' switch your life couldn't be easier!  Obviously it won't be linked up to your fridge and freezer, or anything else you need to leave on – but all the lights, TV's and other appliances will switch off until you return home!  Easy.

Power Aware Cord:
If you don't fancy a giant one off switch, then maybe glowing power cables can make it easier to see if things are switched off before you go to bed rather than climbing behind units and cabinets to check the wall switch.

Strida 3 Folding Bike:
Rather than having to carry around your bike seat, take spare clothes to work or wipe oil off your trouser leg – you could ride a tiny folding bike instead!  Gone are the days when a bike was in 1 piece and you needed to worry about leaving it outside.  No more riding in the rain or catching your shin on the pedals when pushing your bike into the garage! 

This neat little bike folds up so easily and is so portable that you have nothing preventing you cycling to work or town knowing that you can still pop inot the shops – or catch a bus if it starts raining!  And they are thinking of making an even smaller, lighter version too….

Eco Friendly Room Dividers:
There are several different eco friendly room dividers on the market that can change the appearance and layout of a room without resorting to stud walls, re-decorating or demolition. 

Either made or felt, wood, eco-friendly plastics or strengthened cardboard and designed in a modular fashion – these 'walls' could be made, shaped or moved to suit your needs – without great cost.  And coming in a variety of colours – they could act as temporary 'wall paper' as well then changed with the seasons being used again and again over time.

Just keep them coming…. We need more like these……

Using aprons and covers for furniture isn't just something nans and great aunties do – it's eco thinking!

We all know that the key to eco friendly living is making good things last longer – rather than throwing away cheap items and buying new ones instead.

And what better way to protect something valuable or just something that you don't want to have to replace that often, than using a protective cover when necessary.

I don't mean covering your carpet in plastic sheeting all year and not letting anyone sit on your furniture – I am just thinking of the simple ways to make your household items last that little bit longer - by reducing waste, and saving you some money in the long run too.

Protect Your Belongings.

Needless to say that when you go out in the mud and rain – you don't put on your Sunday best!  When painting your home I'm sure there won't be a silk blouse or sparkly evening dress anywhere in sight.

It's because you don't want to ruin something unnecessarily when you could have worn something less valuable – or something already dirty instead.  

So why, when you cook your favourite Mexican or Italian dish, don't you protect your everyday clothes?  No doubt you are entertaining friends or have just got in from work – so why aren't your 'nice' clothes worth protecting to?

photo credit: Leszek.Leszczynski

A simple apron – whether practical or indeed comical – could stop fat, dressings and sauces splashing onto your everyday clothes.  You might even make it into 'your thing' – like 'Sarah always has some comedy apron on' – no doubt leading up to whole host of crazy birthday presents from your friends and guests! 

You might be thinking – "but I can just wash the food off" and you are completely right – but at what cost?

Wash, Scrub & Tumble:

Most outer clothes can be washed less frequently than other garments – for example how many times do your socks get washed in relation to your overcoat?

But washing comes at an environmental cost, as do the washing chemicals for heavy staining, the hot water and the subsequent spinning and drying.  So why would you want to create more work for your household appliances and add to your growing budget?

An apron can be used day after day without excessive washing – basically you expect to have a dirty apron – that's what they are for!

And you clothes stay cleaner for longer, can be worn more than just the once in most instances and you will use less energy and resources per cooking experience.

And it's not just aprons that protect your clothes of course; so raincoats, Wellington boots, coveralls, and well worn clothing that you kept hold of over the years can all be used when things are going to get dirty fast!

Protect Your Home:

And it's not just your clothes that need protecting – your furniture and fittings could do with a little help too.

Rather than replace the whole entrance carpet due to the patch of muddy wetness near the door – why not buy a nice rug that covers that area and create a shoe storage area that will keep the mess contained.  That way you only need clean, wash or replace that rug instead of the whole downstairs!

Similarly, make a cover for the footstool that can be cleaned seperately, use a table cloth, tea and plate coasters as well as investing in a pair of slippers or house shoes for everyone to keep the whole place in perfect condition.

Other kitchen tips might include things to reduce the amount of cleaning you need to do and so reduce the chemicals needed.  For example invest in proper microwave containers to prevent explosive splashes up the interior and buy smaller oven trays as and when so that you don't have to clean a whole tray to cook 3 sausages or a few leeks!

And when you choose replacement fittings, appliances and paints, etc – look for the one you like that might last a bit longer depending on your families needs.  For example, darker wall colors in homes where hallways are narrow, so that things that bang against the walls don't leave obvious marks, and coarser darker carpets and rugs in home with back gardens that lead straight indoors – especially where dogs and cats are involved, as I know they don't wipe their feet!

Even internal doorways can become worn down through repeated use, so maybe consider rugs there too, and moving the furniture around always keeps the carpets fresh in a room where a 'pathway' seems to form – like around your bed or along the hallway between dining room and kitchen or wherever.

By protecting the small part of the whole item that will bear the brunt of your actions – you can make the whole item last longer, and you will soon see the eco (and financial) gains from your actions.

Take inspiration from the tricks of historical homes – and reduce your impact!

If you have ever visited a historic house that retains a certain amount of it's true furnishing – then you could be inspired to try the same.

Now obviously, many historic houses have things that any modern eco friendly home should avoid – like extensive glazing on northern facing walls, trophy animal heads from overseas and dinner parties with 11 courses – but they also have some great ideas that you might need to investigate a little further to see the eco benefits to.

One recent idea that took my fancy was a room decorated with curtains instead of wall paper.  Now at first glance it seemed totally overwhelming and somewhat odd – but on speaking to the room steward it all made sense.

Eco Friendly Furnishings:
It turns out that this 'curtain' room was infact a money saving (and personal preservation) idea that incorporated great eco design – stolen from Norman castles and Tudor mansions!

Now, stone walls were no fun – and were very cold infact – so people from history used to create great tapestries that they would hang on the walls of their castles to keep the heat in!  Yes, these tapestries were beautiful in their own right and may well have portrayed a great battle or a great hunt – but they were really for stopping the cold.

If you have ever watched period dramas, they were also used to hide 'secret' doors and to create an image of wealth and prosperity!

And – the eco friendly part – could be changed to suit the mood without being destroyed.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life:
Say you wanted to change your bedroom design.  You would no doubt have to change the wallpaper, paint over existing walls and even the curtains or blinds would have to go.

Now, say you were able to 'peel off' the inside of your bedroom and keep it somewhere safe until you wanted it again – wouldn't that be a great idea?

Well, that is exactly what these wall 'curtains' allowed the home owner to do.  They wanted lighter, brighter and fun designs for the room in the summer; and maybe heavier, cosy and darker colours in the winter to help keep the place warm through the colder months.

So rather than having to destroy one interior to replace with another – and spend money and resources in the doing – they just got the winter curtains out of the loft and changed them over instead!

An instant change of room could be achieved without wasting any more money or materials.  Great for important meals, important visitors or for added wear and tear if it was a kids room!

photo credit: SimonCMason

Modern Twist:
I know you might look a bit odd in your city apartment if you started hanging curtains in every room, but you could use modern tapestries or other materials to cover large sections of wall and still look 'normal'.

Kids could have their rooms painted in a neutral colour and then have removeable embellishments to suit their fancy – like giant curtains on the window wall that don't just stop at the window's edge but continue to the floor and walls – or curtains they can draw on with washable inks.

Maybe they could have great big removable stickers that they could move around the room as and when they fancied a new scene – or even use wipe-clean pens to draw their own wall designs.

You shouldn't need to destroy a whole interior to change your rooms – and obviously any materials hung over doors and windows (and external walls) can help to reduce heat loss at the same time.

We all like change – just do it responsibly!

There is a way to save electricity that doesn’t involve any nagging!

Instead of always ‘reminding’ the kids to turn off that light and to not leave the TV on standby; and your partner to stop using the washing machine half empty and to only boil as much water as they need – nip it in the bud!

There is now an easy way to stop extra electricity being used in your home that could reduce your usage by around 10% without anyone even knowing.

They would be helping to save energy and lower your energy costs whether they left the lights on or not!

photo credit: CresySusy<

How’s That?
The standard voltage in the UK is variable – meaning that you regularly get more into your home than you actually need.

The appliances in your home work on a wide range of voltages – and they all have a minimum amount to get them started.  However, they will all keep working as normal with extra voltage – and you won’t even know they are using more electricity than they need!  

So, if they work at a basic minimum – why let them run on more? More electricity costs more money and releases more carbon……

And it would seem that too much electricity running through appliances all the time can actually shorten their ‘lifespan’ to a certain degree – so you will need to replace them more often – which is especially true for lightbulbs.

So, What Can You Do?
Well, why not limit the voltage entering your home to a standard level?

What if you could fit a special meter onto your power supply to make sure that you never got more energy than you actually needed: I mean; would you pay for 30 litres of fuel for your car everyday if you only needed 25? I didn’t think so…..

Therefore, by restricting the voltage that reaches your appliances and lights to around 240v means that they will all still work perfectly – and you won’t be wasting any energy.

And the beautiful thing is that you don’t have to worry about switches, buttons or stand-by – it basically works behind the scenes.  Once fitted it requires no maintenance, upgrades or alterations.  It just keeps saving you energy!

That way – if you do actually manage to convince your kids to switch off their Playstation – you will be saving even more!

Choosing the right plants could help rid your home of toxic fumes!

We all know that our furniture, carpeting, toiletries and paints all leak out potentially harmful chemicals – but sometimes we can’t buy chemical-free eco friendly everything – so what can we do about it?

Well, there have been a great many studies conducted about our homes, trends in furnishings, chemical usage and lifestyle questionnaires by all sorts of agencies – including NASA – that we have a great deal of knowledge about reducing our exposure.

photo credit: marcusrg

Obviously not bringing it into our home in the first place is the perfect answer – but we know that this isn’t a viable answer for most people – and can be very expensive in some cases.

Going Green:
Well, luckily, many of the surveys have worked out that plants can create a more healthy environment in the home or office to counter the effects of these gases and chemicals in the air.

Certain plants have even been found to actually ‘suck’ such toxins out of the air as part of their natural actions as a plant!

Plants ‘breathe’ in a different way to humans and so their actions whilst sitting their seemingly doing nothing in a pot could be freeing your home of bad air and making your home more healthy!

Plants in certain rooms or close to where you spend the most time can be most effective as they are clearing the worst areas first and fastest – so beside your desk, your bed and in newly furnished or freshly painted rooms.

Problem Areas:
There are some places and times where there will be more chemicals released than usual, and these include the obvious ones like: new carpet, decorated room, varnished floor etc.

But there are also some places or things you might not think of:

Ceiling Tiles – give off formaldehyde and benzene
Cleaning Products – give off ammonia when used
Cosmetics & Nail Polish – can emit alcohols and acetone upon application
Photocopiers – regularly emit trichloroethylene, xylene, benzene and ammonia
Your New Curtains – give off formaldehyde
Grocery Bags – also give off formaldehyde when new
Paper Towels – give off formaldehyde as well!
Even Pre-Printed Paper – contains acetone

And don’t forget that we as humans give off chemicals when we breathe, sweat, wear make-up, deodorant and hair products – so in a stuffy office – you are inhaling your own and other staffs bio effluents!

The Results:
Now, I’m not saying that you should fill your homes and offices with plants – but a few here and there in the right places could make the world of difference to you in terms of reducing headaches, rashes, allergies and general tiredness.

photo credit: bfishadow

And in the right pots and sizes – they can help to relax you as well!

Now, the lists below are their common names, but look an image of them up before you buy as some are very common plants that you might already know about – and others might be totally the wrong shape of size for your home.  And check out the care instructions too as some need direct sunlight, and some only like shade!

Plants that remove formaldehyde best:
Boston Fern, Florists Mum, Gerbera, Bamboo Palm, Dwarf Date Palm.

Plants that remove xylene and toulene best:
Areca Palm, Dwarf Date Palm, Moth Orchid.

Plants that remove ammonia best:
Lady Palm, King of Hearts, Lily Turf, Lady Jane, Florists Mum.

And best plant for bioeffluents:
Peace Lily.

photo credit: Tahmid Munaz™

So get yourself to the garden centre!

Make some time to go to a show to get some top tips for your eco friendly house and garden!

The whole show doesn’t have to be uber green – just on the right theme, and then you can go and pick out the bits you like and put pressure on the companies that are not offering what you want!

Many tips and tricks for home redecorating or garden landscaping don’t have to be new-fangled and complicated – there are many things that we can do that are eco friendly without even trying!

Also at shows, you get to see products that aren’t found in supermarkets due to their ‘rules’ on listings, like biodegradable toiletries, organic foods and fair trade supplies.  You just won’t find these on the high street – so they bring them to the shows so you can get hands-on experience with them rather than blindly ordering things off the Internet!

1) The National Home Improvement Show - Earls Court, London
With over 18 exhibitors being from energy efficiency companies and talks and seminars from environmentally active lecturers and TV presenters – you know you could be on to a good thing here!

Take your pick from all the departments including renovations, kitchens, bathrooms and gardens as see if you can get some great advice on using the right resources, getting eco friendly appliances and other homewares as well as sustainable produced garden furniture and buildings.

2) The National Wedding Show – NEC, Birmingham
If you are even remotely thinking of getting married – then you must consider a trip to a wedding fair.  Weddings can cost at least £20,000 for a simple affair – so if you are after an eco friendly wedding, then you had better plan in advance to make sure that you get the best products and services booked up in advance – rather than have to settle for second best when you run out of time!

And, there are bound to be things involved with a wedding that you hadn’t really even considered looking in to like car hire and tablecloths!  At a show like this – they have already done all the thinking; just turn up with a notepad and pen and comfy shoes!

3) Mind, Body & Soul 2010 - Olympia, London
Take a day out to unwind from the stresses of life – and try out some of the great relaxation remedies, complementary therapies and practical sessions.

Find yourself surrounded by experts on stress, therapy, yoga and many other well known and well used techniques that could help you realise your potential and make some serious changes in your life, your work or your free time.

Raised Garden

4) Grand Designs Live – NEC, Birmingham
Covering everything from food to flowers, lofts to landscaping and from sash windows to sustainable sheds!

Seriously, it’s not just about buying a plot of land or derilict church and building a massive monstrosity on it like the earlier Grand Design TV Shows – its all about making things better, more eco friendly and long lasting – and not just for 1 home – but for whole communities.  

5) The Baby Show - Earls Court, London
Come here and find out about everything you will need for your little one before they arrive – and for your growing ones who need some new inspiration and equipment – or for yourself to help cope with the new lifestyle that is shaping your every day life.

Not only will your get the chance to try out all the existing products that are new to you – there will also be innovative products and companies out there with something new to the whole world!  Whether it’s a new eco friendly material, new biodegradable toiletries or organic baby foods – you can bet that it is all here!

So, what are you waiting for - make some space in your diary….

We bulk buy products to be eco friendly – so does a bigger house give the same benefits?

We’ll not if you are just a single person or a couple – but what if you involved the whole family or some friends?  And I don’t mean join some commune or hippy campsite – although they are both options for some people.

What I am talking about is a great idea for saving energy, combining skills and resources as well as improving everything else ‘in bulk’.  So how about it?

The Theory:
I would love to live in a large home surrounded by land – but I know this would be a bit selfish in the overall scheme of things – so how about a compromise?

How about planning to live in a house with other people, whether they be my mum or sibling – or even friends – And it doesn’t need to be as bad as it sounds: you would plan to buy a property that still allowed you your privacy, for example a 3 story town house, divided into 2 sections or a detached property with a ‘granny annexe’ as part of it.

This way, you can pool resources too, like a joint investment in a garden allotment, solar panels, wildlife garden etc, as not only will you have more combined finances with this arrangement – you will also have a larger amount of space to work with.

2 couples living in townhouses may only have a small courtyard garden and a thin sliver of the terraced roof – but combine those 2 mortgages or using a larger deposit could mean you are able to buy detached, with more garden, off road parking, fruit trees, a larger roof and less overheads: only 1 TV license, one Council Tax, lower energy costs (the first so-many units are higher priced), lower food costs (buying in bulk), the list goes on……

It has all the same advantages as buying a 2 litre bottle of shampoo rather than 4x500ml bottles – but on a much larger scale!

Other Benefits:
For starters, all the maintenance costs will be shared between you all, insurance bills and repairs will all be halved – so more money to spend on green investments.

The security of your home will be increased as when you are away, the other people will probably still be around – and the animals and plants can carry on growing while you are busy.

Magazine subscriptions can be shared, and days out can be treated as ‘family’ tickets as there will always be enough people to make up the numbers! Less cars even, depending on your situation – and more shared journeys – or less journeys even; well if you are going to the store – then your flatmates don’t need to!

Food should never go out of date if there are twice as many people around to eat it – and if you ook together then imagine the energy savings!  And there will always be enough dirty dishes to fill the machine – and clothes for a full wash!

And can you imagine how great it would be for the kids to grow up in a friendly environment where they can learn skills from all the people around them, and live in an house with a bit of character and a large garden with chickens in it!

Sounds perfect – I just need to find some similar-minded friends…………

Is the old-fashioned paper magazine got to go if you are trying to create an eco friendly house?

Well, This is one that even I struggle with, as I love to hold things in my hand when I read them – especially if it about something that I am passionate about.

But should I feel guilty about all that paper, all that ink and all that postage?  Should I be scrolling down on my computer instead?

So, to help you decide, I am giving you the green versions of all the problems along the way - and why paper doesn’t have to be physically recycled to be eco friendly!

The Paper:
No longer does a magazine have to be made with illegally or unsustainably ‘farmed’ virgin pulp from the rainforests of the Amazon or Borneo.  It can be made from either recycled paper, or from FSC certified wood.

The first option means that you are actively making all your other recycling worth while as you are creating a market for used goods – and the more people that buy recycled goods, the more recycling we will see as a whole.

The FSC certified paper will mean that the paper you are reading has not been sourced from anywhere that is damaging the environment or the habitat that it came from.  And as new trees are planted all the time to keep the woodlands balanced, more carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere than if the existing ‘older’ forest remained intact.

The Ink:
There are many different inks available today that are less polluting than existing versions, and those that are made with vegetable oils are becoming much more common.  This trend means that the components of the ink are now naturally degradable rather than releasing man-made chemicals into the environment.

There are also techniques that mean that less ink is used per letter typed, therefore reducing the volume or ink used per magazine.

The Postage:
Many magazines are now packaged in biodegradable clear packaging – which will clearly state how to dispose of it – but there are many that are not – so you may need to write to them and ask why?

Also, many magazines (even those in biodegradable wrapping) and those who write about global issues, still fill their magazines with advertising material, which ultimately weighs down the overall package. 

Not only are these ‘leaflets’ making the postal service use more fuel to transport them (imagine 10,000 people all getting sent the same 3 leaflets extra – it soon adds up for more fuel), but they will no doubt get put straight into the recycling bin, as most people just want to read the magazine, not read about greener grass or an over 50′s health plan!

The Opposition:
So, should we all read our magazines online instead?  With no paper, ink, postage or deforestation to worry about it should be an easy decision, right?

One clear benefit will be financial – but not for you and your friends. If you can’t pass on your old magazines to your friends and family anymore, then they will all have to buy their own copy – which will mean that ‘real’ eco magazines will get 1000′s more £’s or $’s to put towards their green causes!

But on the not-so-positive side – well, lets just think about this first:  How green is the computer, laptop, e-reader or smart phone you are reading your online magazine on?

Now I know that there are many computers involved in the making of the paper magazine these days, but that’s where it stops.  So unless you have an eco friendly branded electronic device – how many rare minerals and toxic compounds have been used to create your ‘online magazine’?

And, are you charging your laptop or ‘phone with renewable green energy – or are you still using the uber polluting coal-fired electricity to keep your devices going?

And one final point is what will I read in my doctors waiting room if all magazines are online only?  Will the surgery need to provide e-readers for us all?  Or will we have to bring our own?

A friend recently fell in love with my bathroom after a nights sleep-over!

I have underfloor heating in there, and she just loved stepping out of the shower and onto a lovely warm floor!  The heating was installed in the bathroom and the kitchen after we moved in, and I love it!

We originally had it installed when we moved into an old Victorian terraced house - with little space for a modern kitchen – and no discernible bathroom!  The bath was sitting in a lean-to at the back of the property, with pipes running down the wall for taps and a creaky and gappy wooden door out to the garden!

We had to re-design the back of the house to fit a real bathroom and didn’t want to waste an inch of what space we had with radiators – so did a bit of research on our options for heating the 2 rooms.

I was very pleased with the result, and have not regretted it at all.

So, How Did We Do It?
Firstly, we consulted a plumber as we were needing to fit a new condensing boiler at the same time.  He said that he had been fitting more an more underfloor heating systems in the past few years – and he even had it in his house too!

It’s really simple to do as well if you are laying a new floor – as we were – and you just need to lay enough flexible cable under the surface to create an even spread and then lay the floor as usual.  We had tiles in the bathroom and bamboo in the kitchen – not a problem he said.

It also turns out that there are many other benefits to underfloor heating other than not needing to cover your walls in radiators when you really need another cupboard there!

The Main Benefits:
Where shall I start – there are so many? 

Well, for starters it is more energy efficient to run this type of heating over conventional central heating, and the average home could increase efficiency of the whole system by between 10-25% – this can rise to around 60% more efficient in offices with high ceilings. 

Think of the money and energy you could be saving – plus being warmer in your own home or office!

The main reason for the savings is because radiators heat the room by convection; that is all their hot air is forced out of the radiator and then it rises up the wall towards the ceiling.  It only descends into the room after it has cooled slightly – and then heats your head while keeping your feet cold! 

Added to this, it is standard practice to place radiators underneath windows to counter the draughts – but inevitably helps you lose heat out of the windows before it even hits your ceiling in the first place!

Also, the pipes leading to the radiators are usually running along your walls are boiling hot - losing heat as they go (well, if the pipes feel hot, then they are releasing that heat before they get to the radiators)!  Finally, your radiators need the temperature of the water inside to be around 60-70 degrees to be effective - a temperature that can only be reached by burning gas and fossil fuels.

The exact opposite is true of underfloor heating.  Firstly, the heat rises slowly out of the floor creating an ambient temperature and no draughts.  It doesn’t move warm and cold air around the room, taking dust and allergens with it – it just creates a warm room and warm toes!

Secondly, all the pipes are under your floor so are only ‘losing heat’ up into your home – which is just where you want it.  And, there is no risk of children or the elderly scalding themselves on the pipes or radiators – all the heat is safely underground.

And thirdly, underfloor heating can run at a much lower temperature, therefore can be powered by energy sources such as solar and both air and ground source heat pumps instead of burning coal, oil or gas.

Further Benefits:
There are other benefits to this form of heating other than just more efficient heating and money saving running costs, and they include:

Reduced Allergies – With no convection currents circulating around your home, you will have less trouble with floating allergens and dust.
Better Design – With no bulky, hot radiators around your walls and hallways, you can change the layout of your home to suit you – not to simply ‘fit’ in.
Reduced Maintenance – With no fiddly radiators and pipes to clean, dust or paint, you can keep your home clean and tidy – or even repaint it – without having to spend extra time, energy and resources working around these space-wasters!
Less Stress On Your Boiler – Running at lower temperatures will be better for the life-span of your boiler.

So, don’t put ‘new slippers’ on your shopping list for gifts – put ‘underfloor heating’ instead!