Earlier this year, we worked with this customer in Bath who has had a Solar PV system for seven years and was looking for help to lower their electric and gas consumption and keep their carbon footprint in check.

After a face-to-face consultation with our renewables team to look at the existing solar panel system, our experts went through all the potential options to come up with a total install package to help meet this customer’s objectives.

We identified that they could harness the excess solar power generated from their PV panels by using a battery backup system with a Solar Diverter.

In this instance the best solution was to use My Energi products due to the versatility in using a battery & hot water storage and also possible future demand for car charging.

We also recommended looking at alternative energy suppliers to help keep costs low.

For example Octopus Energy provide reasonable off-peak rates during the hours of 00:30 until 4am* meaning the battery can be topped on days where excess solar gain is not possible.

The installation of these products require support from qualified electricians and this is where having an all-service team of heating engineers and electricians means we can provide the installation both quickly and easily.

For a project like this, the installation typically takes only one day on site.

Our electrician attended to install the My Eddi (which is linked with My Hub, an app monitoring) and put in a 8.2 Giv Energy linked to a Giv Energy 3.6 AC coupled inverter, to ensure this wouldn’t affect the current feed in tariff. This package will also include a dedicated power supply in an event of a power outage.

In this case the customer works from home two days a week, so the team prioritised the hot water to be charged in the morning with any excess solar power generation to be diverted to the battery.

The battery discharge times can be set so the home benefits from maximum usage from the battery at times convenient to them, helping to consistently reduce running costs.

Once the system is set up, the customer can download the My Hub App onto their chosen smart device and is shown in detail how to monitor and use the system for maximum benefit.

We check in on the customer one month after fitting the system to see how they are doing.

In this case we are pleased to report that their energy costs have been significantly reduced by reducing gas consumption as well storing excess electricity into the batteries for night time use. They reduced their electricity by 50% in a month.

They haven’t explored the off-peak tariffs available yet but said its next on the list to do.

This is all part of the service and why people choose Gregor Heating to help them make the right home heating choice.

Through the Gregor Guarantee, you are guaranteed expert and friendly advice and service to find the right solution to keep you and your home warm & cosy.

Check out our Which Trusted Trader for reviews and recommendations.

*Tariffs quoted at time of writing.

The post How battery backup can add value to your solar PV system appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

When this happens problems can occur and it’s hard to know what to do. We hope that this provides you with a quick checklist outlining the common problems you might experience when you turn your boiler back on.

Please remember, do not attempt to fix anything without expert help. If you are in doubt, give the Gregor Heating service team a call on 0117 935 2400 to book your boiler service or repair.

Is it turned on?

If you have no heating or hot water the first and most obvious place to start is to make sure that the boiler is switched on at the mains (you’d be surprised how many times this happens to people).

If your boiler is still not responding, this can be for a number of reasons but first it’s worth trying to follow instructions for re-setting it. This usually works.

Check the fault code

 If you’ve tried resetting your boiler and it still isn’t working, it may be showing a fault code on the display. This will give a good clue as to what’s wrong with it, so refer to your manufacturers handbook or call a registered Gas Safe engineer who may be able to help.

Check the boiler pressure

A boiler won’t function if the boiler pressure is low. If your boiler pressure is low then you can take simple steps to reset it.

Checking the pressure of your boiler is easy.  Look at the built-in pressure gauge and if you find that the needle is below 1 and going into the red, then this indicates an issue with low boiler pressure, which means your central heating system won’t work.

There are a number of reasons why this may be happening – a couple of areas you could check include a water leak in the system, around the filter or radiator valves, or perhaps you have recently bled the radiators causing the pressure to drop.

You can try re-pressurising the system yourself by checking instructions via your heating systems’ manual or looking online for some help. A useful guide here.

Check the thermostat

 If the thermostat is turning the heating on or off when it’s not supposed to its worth looking at what might be causing this.

A few checks to make that can be easily overlooked include checking the batteries are working and that it is in the on position and set to the correct settings i.e. time and schedule – it’s always possible that it could have been knocked or changed if there’s been a power cut.

One other consideration to make is that your home might be warmer than you think and a thermostat won’t allow the boiler to heat your home higher than the temperature it has been set at. If its set lower than 21degrees it might not work, if this is the case then try increasing it in very small increments until you find the temperature that’s right for you.

If none of the above apply it’s possible that your thermostat may have malfunctioned or lost accuracy over time, in which case it is probably time to consider a replacement.

Check if the boiler is leaking or dripping

 If your boiler is leaking water, it could be down to a number of things. The most common cause is a broken internal component, such as a pump seal or pressure valve.

You may also find your boiler is leaking around the pipes or tank – this can be a result of corrosion or in some cases where the system has not been fitted properly.

In any case, we recommend calling out an engineer who will be able to diagnose and fix the issue for you – do not try to fix it yourself.

And remember, at any point if you smell gas don’t attempt to reignite the boiler – contact the Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999.

If you didn’t manage to get your boiler serviced before the busy months, then get in touch with our team today to arrange a service, which we recommend is done annually. Call us on 0117 935 2400.

The post Turning your boiler on? These are the common problems you might face appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

When a major problem came about with the heating system in Meadow View, a group of properties in Highbridge, our team was on hand and happy to help.

Residents at Meadow View faced problems with an inefficient heating system that included high energy bills meaning that, at times, they could not have the heating on which was not ideal, particularly during the colder months and SWHS wanted an urgent solution.

Our renewable technical manager, Richard Blackmore, was called in to assess the properties found flaws that were causing the problems and made a recommendation on how best to fix it.

The solution was to replace the ineffective 12kw heat pump with a 5kw one with a cylinder. The existing air to water heat pumps and hot water cylinders were replaced with Mitsubishi Ecodan pumps, cylinders and associated controls.

The work commenced with a test using two houses before completing the scope of work across 13 properties within ten weeks.

The upgraded cost-effective systems considerably improved the energy efficiency enabling the residents to have heating that doesn’t break the bank and resulted in reduced running costs of 30% and overall a much better quality of life for all.

Tenant feedback to SWHS has proved to be some of the most positive comments the Society have ever received and the work featured in their tenant’s magazine.

All in another day’s work for the Gregor team in keeping residents warm & cosy.

Pictured: Gregor Heating’s MD, Steve Gregor, (sitting left) with SWHS team.

The post Resident heating woes resolved thanks to new heating system appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

Let’s face it, Siberian winds bringing snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures are not a boiler or central heating system’s best friend.

Here at Gregor Heating, our team are doing everything they can to help and the most common issues being reported to us can often be resolved quickly and easily.

Blocked condensate pipes

This is the most common problem for boilers breaking down in freezing conditions. Usually the small white pipes on the outside of the building get frozen. They can be unfrozen by simply pouring hot water or putting a hot cloth / water bottle onto them.

To find out more watch this video from Worcester Bosch

Low or no pressure in the boiler

With boilers under extreme pressure to work even harder in cold conditions, they might need a helping hand to do so. Check your boiler pressure. The ideal pressure should be between 1-1.5 bar when the boiler is off (or sleeping) and should rise to 2 bar when on.

If a red warning light shows, or your pressure is lower than 1 bar, then the water in the boiler may require topping up to help re-pressurise the system. Check your manufacturer’s handbook for more advice.

To find out how, watch this video from Worcester Bosch

Keep warm in one room

Our best advice for the short term while you have no heating or hot water is to stay in the warmest room of the house. Closing the curtains can keep a lot of heat in, wrap yourself up in extra layers and, if you can, use an electric heater. Also make sure you drink lots of warm drinks and it is also important to move little and often.

If all else fails then call out the experts. We always do our very best to speak to each and every customer with the resource we have available so thank you for bearing with us.

Keep warm and safe everyone, and don’t got outside, unless you really need to.

The post What to do when your boiler stops working in extreme weather conditions appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

Recently, a 92 year old resident in Chywoon Gardens, Redruth, was struggling with her heating bills. The property in question had an electric boiler and night storage heaters – not the most efficient heating arrangement!

We therefore spoke to Wales and West and had the property connected to mains gas. This done, we installed a new, efficient Worcester Bosch gas boiler and central heating system together with a new thermostat and radiator where they could be easily accessed by the resident.

Our engineers worked around the resident and got everything in just one day.

Debbie Hill, Housing Officer at The Guinness Partnership said

“The Gregor engineers were outstanding – they arrived at the crack of dawn and let themselves in (I supplied them with keys and alarm fobs) and worked until late without stopping for a break. They caused the minimum of disruption and put everything back in place leaving everything clean and tidy. I have also spoken to a couple more residents who have had heating installed and they sang the guys praises.”

As a result of the new install, the tenant has an energy efficient property and should have reduced heating bills. Alongside this, they won’t have to struggle to change the thermostat. All in a days’ work!

The post Working with The Guinness Partnership appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

The only requirement is an immersion heater with a dedicated circuit to the same consumer unit as your Solar PV system. Excess electricity can also be diverted to other devices of your choosing.

Read more about it here. 

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