Energy Saving Shop

All I want before Christmas – is electric heating…

2011-10-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

Another year has flown by and before we know it, winter, and more importantly, Christmas, will be upon us again. Who knows what weather awaits us this year? It could be more of the ‘Indian Summer’ we have just experienced. Or perhaps, a repeat of last years winter wonderland - the spectacular yet grim, slippery and freezing snow-blanketed Britain. As we try to prepare our bank accounts for the dreaded winter heating bills, gas prices are increasing constantly, and are much higher around winter time. But it’s not all bad news, as something else is also on the rise – electric heating.

The Energy Saving Shop supplies a wide range of Electric Heaters, and the full selection of Haverland’s ‘Designer’ range of wall mounted electric heaters. So let’s sit down, preferably with a hot mug of cocoa, and take a look at electric heating.

Electric heaters give you total control over the running and cost of your heating system. With exceptionally precise thermostats they can be controlled individually or with a standard central heating panel. They require very little maintenance and no annoying annual service. Having fewer components there is less to go wrong, and what could be worse than the heating breaking down in the middle of a blizzard?

Every Haverland radiator is supplied with a three year electronic guarantee and a ten year radiator block guarantee. And with Haverland’s advanced thermo-dynamic media, such as fluid, gel and dry stone, you’ll never need to bleed a radiator again. All Haverland models are slim, stylish, noise free and can be fitted almost anywhere. They are simple to use and install, and make use of ‘clean technology’ meaning no staining, dust or soot.

What’s even better is that the Energy Saving Shop has some of the best prices available, and all of Haverland’s wall mounted electric heaters are usually delivered the next day. Take a look at our electric heaters page, where you can find energy saving heating solutions for homes, shops, hotels, care homes, anywhere they may be required.

Forget the ‘cosy’ fireplace. Get snuggled up around your Haverland electric heater this winter, and erase all worries of heating bills, broken boilers and the guest room that’s always cold. Don’t we already have enough to worry about… like if we remembered the cranberry sauce?

Recent developments at the Energy Saving Shop

2011-07-06T04:55:00.000-07:00

As you have probably noticed, we've been especially quiet here at the Energy Saving Shop. We've recently made some big changes to the website that have taken much longer to implement than we had planned.

The website now has a brand new filter system that is designed to make it much easier to make your way through our fantastic range of products. We've also removed the confusing 'drop-down boxes' that many of you didn't like!

We're always pleased to hear from our customers and to find out what you like and don't like about the website and service. So, if you have any suggestions, comments or feedback, we would love to hear from your. Click here to contact us.

We've also got some great news and would like to introduce the newest member of our team, Felicity Lumb. Felicity has joined our website team and we're looking forward to getting to know her better.

2035... where will you be?

2011-03-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

If someone asked you where you were going to be in 25 years time, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t know. You probably wouldn’t know where you'd be or what you would be doing. Whether we will be driving flying cars or sleeping in floating beds. One thing that is for certain is that almost everything you buy this year will be out-of-use, out-of-date or out of guarantee. Apart from…

The most recent addition to the Energy Saving Shop; the stunning Konstsmide ‘Classic’ range of outdoor lantern lights. The whole range comes with a 25 year guarantee. So, if you bought your outdoor lighting today, not only would they still work like new and look fantastic, they would still be covered by the Konstsmide guarantee. If you choose from our great range of energy saving light bulbs and led light bulbs, not only will you have incredibly durable lighting, but you will use up to 80% less energy and save even more money!!

View our fantastic range of lantern lights.

Energy Saving Revolution - Part IIII... cheap and easy energy saving!

2011-01-26T02:03:00.000-08:00

Today's blog is the second part of the under £50 energy saving shopping list. So far we've looked at how you can save energy for free, energy saving light bulbs and LED light bulbs and energy monitoring.

So, after you have identified where you can make savings, you decide you want to start taking control of your energy usage - the next step is to look at some home automation products. We've already covered the Home Easy range in a previous blog, however, the Home Easy range has some great products to help you control what energy you use.

For example, there are some great remotely controlled sockets and switches, lighting heating and cooling; for both in the inside and outside. We also have the great Standby Saver products from Ecotek (as featured on Dragon's Den). These can be remotely controlled to kill all standby power. This is particularly handy for hard-to-reach sockets, such as behind the television - saving as much £572 million in the UK.

Visit the Energy Saving Shop to see these great products and start your energy saving revolution!

Energy Saving Revolution - Part III

2011-01-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

The last couple of blogs have shown you a few ways you can cut your energy bill and save money, and won't cost you a penny. If you want to save even more energy, here are a few suggestions, all for less than £50.

The first, and most obvious choice is energy saving light bulbs. Switching to energy saving light bulbs or led light bulbs could save you as much as 90% compared to standard incandescant bulbs. We covered this in more detail at energy saving light bulbs in a previous blog (click here to view).

Over the last couple of years, LED technology has gotten better and better and there are now replacement LED light bulbs for almost every light bulb style and variant. Prices start from £3.99 and can potentially save you hundreds, paying for themselves in a matter of months. Click here to view the blog on LED light bulbs.

One of the most effective ways of saving energy, is knowing where and what energy is being used. Energy monitors, and the brand new Ecotek Appliance Monitor, will all show you how much energy you are consuming, allowing you to decide where you can make the best savings. Both of these are available for less than £50, and will help you save hundreds.

Visit the Energy Saving Shop and view our range of energy saving light bulbs, LED light bulbs and energy monitors, and start saving more energy and even more money!

Energy Saving Revolution - Part II

2011-01-10T01:36:00.000-08:00

In the last blog we looked at 'turn it down or turn it off'; 5 simple and free ways of saving energy. There are many ways we can all save energy (and money!), and all it takes is a little motivation. Today's blog has at look at even more free ways that you can save energy.

As gas and electricity prices are set to continue rising, every little thing we can do will make a big difference. So, try the following tips and see how much you can save.

1 - Fill it up - when using your washing machine, dishwasher or tumble dryer, always do a full load. One full load uses less energy than two half loads. There is an old myth that filling your washing machine doesn't get your clothes as clean - according to product review organisation, Which?, this simply isn't true.

2 - Only as much as you need - The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs suggest that we could power nearly all the street lighting in the UK simply by only boiling as much water as is needed.

3 - Pull them shut - In a typical home, as much as 20% of lost heat is due to draughts. A great way of reducing this is to close your curtains at dusk.

4 - Home energy check - the Energy Saving Trust has an online Energy Saving Calculator that can help you save as much as £250 per year. Take a few minutes to fill in the short questionnaire and see how much you can save.

At the Energy Saving Shop, we're always looking for new ideas to save energy. So, if you have some tips of your own, why not let us know, and, if you have tried our tips, tell us how you get on?!

New Year Resolution? How about an energy saving revolution?!

2011-01-04T02:50:00.000-08:00

As we start 2011, it's that time of year when we begin thinking about year ahead. So, why not make one of your New Year's resolutions to become energy saving. If reducing CO2 emissions isn't enough incentive, then think of the ££££'s you could save!

Over the next few weeks, each blog will give you ideas and tips to save energy depending on your budget. Today's tips won't cost you a penny to do!

Saving energy for free is simple; just remember to turn it down, or turn it off! So here are 5 'turn it down or turn it off' tips.

1. Lighting - turn it off! Turning your lights when you leave a room will save money on your energy bills and bulbs won't need replacing as often.

2. Heating - turn it down! Turning your thermostat down by just 1°C could save as much as 10%, or around £55 per year.

3. Hot Water - turn it down! If you have a hot water cylinder, this should be set to 60°C/140°F.

4. Appliances - turn it off! According to the Energy Saving Trust, the UK wastes as much as £740,000,000 every year by leaving appliances on standby.

5. Taps - turn it off! Dripping taps waste as much a full bath, every week.

These simple solutions could could save £££'s on your energy bills... so just remember 'turn it down or turn it off'.

LED Christmas Lights - Making christmas brighter and your energy usage lighter!!

2010-11-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

As Christmas creeps up on us, one of the questions we often get asked is... 'Can Christmas lights be energy saving?'.

Often seen as a necessary evil, Christmas lighting pops up all over the country around this time of year. As with most types of decorative lighting, Christmas lights can be quite inefficient and expensive to operate. However, the latest ranges of LED Christmas lighting are not only energy saving, but look great as well. As part of our mission to bring you the greatest energy saving products, the Konstsmide Christmas lighting is the latest range to be added to the website.

The LED Christmas Lights range from Konstsmide has some great ideas for decorating your home, including tree lights, decorative lighting, outdoor lighting and much more. All of these products use low energy and highly efficient LEDs that not only look great, but will save you money!!

Top Tip

To help save even more energy and money, adding some of the Home Easy range of automation products will allow the christmas lights to be remotely operated, giving you greater control of the energy usage and reduce wasted energy.

GU10 LED Bulbs - Setting the mood this winter... and saving £££'s!!

2010-10-28T02:53:00.000-07:00

Up until recently, dimmable LED's were a bit hit-and-miss. They were either extremely expensive or, due to the complex design, didn't last anywhere near as long as non-dimmable options.

Over the recent months several great dimmable LED's have been released onto the market; including the Aurora PAR 16 8.5W GU10.

The fantastic Aurora dimmable GU10 led bulb has a power rating of 40 lumens per watt giving it a Building Regulations Part L1 approval. The high power CREE LED's give a typical output of 300lm and will outlast their halogen equivalent by 17.5 times.

Compared to a 50W halogen equivalent, the 8.5W Aurora LED GU10 (based on 4 hours a day usage at 9p per k/h) would save £5.45 EACH per year, and over £101 over its 35,000 hour life. Not only is this GU10 incredibly stylish, it's even more efficient.

Click here to buy GU10 LED bulb, or click here to view the rest of our energy saving light bulbs.

Electric Heating - the future of central heating systems?

2010-10-22T02:01:00.000-07:00

For many years, the debate between electric heaters versus gas central heating systems has leant in favour of the latter. However, with price of gas constantly rising, and major technological advancements, are electric heaters now looking more beneficial?

As the price of gas and petrol rises drastically, the government and energy companies are searching for renewable sources of power. As these become more widely available and fruitful, the gap between the cost of gas and electricity will widen; making electric heating, even more so, the better choice.

For some people, particularly in remote areas, small villages and often in apartments, flats and conversions, gas central heating isn't an option, narrowing the choices further. Oil-burning central heating systems are the final alternative. Unfortunately, as with gas systems, the costs to run and maintain are constantly rising.

There are increasingly more and more efficient forms of electric heating now available; including both wall mounted electric heaters and underfloor heating. They offer higher efficiency and give you a much greater control over usage. For example, room temperature can be controlled with more accuracy allowing you to use different settings in different rooms, heating only the areas you are using at that time; all of which can be remotely operated.

One of the main expenses with conventional gas central heating is maintenance. Having an annual service and, often costly repairs, certainly make electric heating the better option. Some manufacturers offer up to 10 year guarantees on their products further increasing the attractiveness of electric heating.

The final argument has always been that electric heaters have no style, particularly storage heaters that tend to be big and bulky. However, the latest ranges have a 'show-home' appeal and would compliment any design scheme. Slim stylish and highly efficient, electric heating has been utilised throughout continental Europe and the US for many years, the UK finally looks set to see the same benefits.

For further information about electric heating, have a look at the 'Designer' TT and brand new 'Designer' Ceramica range from Haverland and the Electrorad Digi-Line.

Plug-and-Play energy saving... How Voltage Management saves you money!

2010-10-14T00:35:00.000-07:00

Voltage management isn't new technology. It has been used for many years within industrial applications, making huge savings on electricity bills. Now, however, it is available for your home.

Voltage management is one of the greatest energy saving products available. It works by controlling the flow of electricity in to your home avoiding the constant fluctuations that occur throughout the day. By reducing the flow and maintaining it at around 220V, you increase the efficiency of your appliances and saves energy and money at the same time.

Fitting a voltage management unit (the VPhase VX1, for example) can save you as much as 17% on your household appliances, such as fridges and freezes and even on energy saving light bulbs and led lights. Simply fit (must be done by a qualified electrician) and forget about it, instantly saving around 10% on your electricity bills. With a life-span of around 25 years you could potentially save thousands!!

Start saving today and buy your Vphase voltage management unit at the Energy Saving Shop.

2010-10-13T02:04:00.000-07:00

There are now more reasons than ever to buy energy saving light bulbs

Energy saving light bulbs have always been a bright idea - for your pocket and the environment. They use up to 80 percent less electricity than a standard bulb, but produce the same amount of light.

So, in other words, in one wise purchase you can save money, and energy, whilst helping to fight climate change too.

The Energy Saving Trust's light bulb Pepsi challenge found that half of the people could not spot the difference between traditional light bulbs and energy saving ones. That's the good news, now here's some more.

Since light bulbs were first invented technology has moved on a lot, and so has the way they look. For every type of bulb you use to light your home, there are now stylish energy saving equivalents.

So how much could you save?

Depending on how long your lights are in use everyday, just one energy saving light bulb could save you an average of £2.50 per year, and around £6 for brighter bulbs or those used for longer periods. The second major benefit of energy saving light bulbs is that they last around 10 times longer than standard bulbs. So, just one bulb could save you up to £40 before it needs replacing. For the average household, you could save around £37 per year and £590 over the life time of all the bulbs. And yes, this does take into account the slightly higher costs for an energy saving light bulb.

So how do they work?

It's quite simple really, energy saving light bulbs use between a fifth and a quarter of the electricity of standard bulbs to generate the same amount of light. So where you would normally use a 60W bulb, you will only need an 11-14W energy saving equivalent. For a quick guide, have a look at the table below.

So don't stay in the dark any longer, click to switch to energy saving light bulbs today and see how much you could save!

2010-10-11T02:26:00.000-07:00

LED’s… Lighting the way for the future

As we become more conscious of the need to reduce energy consumption, new technologies are beginning to develop. The biggest improvements, particularly in lighting, are the use of LED light bulbs, lamps and tubes. The low power usage and high light output make them perfect alternatives to standard incandescent and even halogen bulbs.

So what are the benefits?

In traditional lighting sources, light is produced by heating a filament, gas discharge or converting ultraviolet radiation through fluorescence. All of these require much more energy to produce light than LED light bulbs, and waste away as much as 98% of that energy as heat. LED’s, on the other hand, convert a tiny amount of power input into pure light and very little else.

LED lights have a much longer life span than standard incandescent and halogen lighting. Some research suggests that one LED light will last as long as 50 halogen bulbs. Initially, LED’s are more expensive to purchase, however they have a payback of around 1-2 years and will constantly reduce energy bills thereafter. LED lighting systems are also suitable to be powered by solar solutions.

What should you look out for?

The only disadvantage with LED lighting is that they aren’t always as bright as the bulb being replaced. Although developments in the industry are reducing and eradicating these differences, always check LED lighting by lumens and beam angle and not just by wattage. ‘Lumen’ is the measure of brightness and checking the beam angle will ensure this light isn’t highly concentrated to a small area.

So how much could you save?

For example, if you replaced just one 35W halogen bulb with the GU10 LED bulbs equivalent 4W, you would save £2.38 per year on your electricity bill and as much as £65 over the life of the lamp. These figures are on the assumption of only 3 hours usage per day, and on this basis the LED lamp would last 27 years.

To see how much you could save click here to use the savings calculator – or buy led light bulbs and start saving!

Can floodlights really be energy saving?

2010-10-08T01:44:00.000-07:00

For many, the most criticised luminaire ever produced is the wall-mounted domestic security light. Using crude technology and high-powered halogen bulbs, floodlights and security lighting are generally inefficient and expensive to use.

In recent times, LED lights in general have seen many advancements and are constantly evolving; becoming increasingly cheaper to buy. The latest range to be added to the Energy Saving Shop is the highly efficient LED floodlights and LED garden lights from Deltech.

The IP67 rated 16 0 -LED Deltech floodlight operates at only 9.6W compared to it's 60W incandescent equivalent; saving over £4.91 per year and £136.08 over its 30,000 hour life (based on 3 hours per day at 9p per kw/h). Click to view the energy savings calculator and see the savings for yourself.

View the NEW Deltech LED floodlights and LED garden lights range for further information or to buy.

iCage - Ansell's Innovative Fire Rated Downlights

2010-09-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

The iCage fire rated downlights from Ansell are the latest innovation in downlighting. Their patented and registered design incorporates 'cool cage' technology that allows for almost any bulb to be used; making it highly energy saving too.

The open cage allows the installer to fit CFL energy saving light bulbs or LED light bulbs, making them ideal for use in new builds. Combined with their stylish and contemporary design, they are ideal for retro-fit installation as well.

Designed with efficiency in mind, the i-Cage comes with a whole host of Building Regulation accreditations, including Part L (conservation of fuel and Power), Part B (30, 60 and 90 minute ceiling fire safety), Part C (moisture
protection) and Part E (acoustic resistance).

The iCage has many applications for both the home and business. The IP65 rated downlights (protection against dust and moisture) are particularly ideal for use in bathrooms and kitchens.

To see these and many other fire rated downlights, visit the Energy Saving Shop

2010-07-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Home Easy... Maximising efficiency with maximum control

The best way to reduce energy wastage is to take control of energy usage. In the UK alone, we waste as much £572m per year and 3.1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions just from leaving things on standby. Using home automation products can turn everything off by simply pressing one button.

The Home Easy range from CH Byron is one of the most cost-effective on the market and can be used to control almost everything within your home from lighting and heating, to appliances and even door access. The Home Easy range is a wirefree range designed to remotely control your home, and everything can be operated from a single hand held remote control (Home Easy Remote HE100); you can even control them from your mobile phone using the SMS Base station if you are away.

The products are simple to install and easy to use and are categorised into four main areas - all of which are compatible with each other:

On/Off
Timer & Dimmer
Outdoor
Ultimate

Using the Home Easy range allows you to take control of your usage; whether that's through remote control, switches, sensors and/or timers. The range come in a variety of finishes and, will not only save you energy and money, but can be used to compliment any design scheme at the same time.

Visit the energysaving-shop to view the range and begin controlling your savings.

2010-06-17T01:56:00.000-07:00

Shedding some light on lighting...

Understanding the benefits of using energy efficient lighting is easy; save energy, save money, save the environment. However, understanding the technical side of lighting is a little more complex.

To help do this, today's blog will try to help you understand what is meant by lux, lumens and candela - all terms used to explain lighting.

From the '70's onwards, lighting was measured in terms of Candela; which is defined as the power emitted by a light source in a given direction. The formula for working out candela is quite complex, however, the general rule of thumb is that one common household candle produces the intensity of roughly one candela.

A lumen, on the other hand, is a measure of the power of light perceived by the human eye. It is often referred to as the total amount of visible light in a defined beam or angle. Over the last few years, particularly with the development of LED lighting, there has been a shift towards measuring in terms of lux.

Lux is different to lumens as it takes into account the area that is being covered by the light source. For example, if a bulb emits 1,000 lumens over a one metre area, it will light up with 1,000 lux. However, if this same light is spread over a larger of area of 10 metres, this produces a dimmer light of only 100 lux. The formula is 1 lux is equal to 1 lumen per m2.

For a quick comparison guide, see the table below.

Now you understand how it works, click to visit our energy saving light bulbs and start making your savings!

10 ways to save energy, money, and help prevent climate change

2010-05-24T03:30:00.000-07:00

There are many ways that we can all make a difference to our energy consumption that will save money and the environment. The most simple of which don't even cost anything to do - they are simple solutions that really will reduce energy usage and the amount you spent.

Here are some simple measures you can do right now...

1. Turn your thermostat down - You could save as much as 10% on your energy bills by reducing the room temperature by 1°C. That's an average saving of £55 per year.

2. Is your water too hot? The Energy Saving Trust recommends your cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F.

3. Close your curtains at dusk - this helps insulate your room and stops heat escaping through the windows. You should also check for draughts around windows and doors.

4. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room - surely this one is obvious, right?

5. Don't leave appliances on standby - a survey by the Energy Saving Trust found that the average household leaves 12 appliances on standby or charging. It's also suggested that around £740m (yes, thats £740,000,000) is wasted every year in the UK by not turning things off properly.

6. If possible, fill up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher - one full load uses less energy than two half loads. There is an old myth that filling your washing machine doesn't get your clothes as clean - according to product review organistion, Which?, this simply isn't true.

7. Only boil as much water as you need - The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs suggest that we could power nearly all the street lighting in the UK simply by only boiling as much water as is needed.

8. A dripping hot water tap wastes more energy - not only can this waste more energy and leave stains on your sink units, in one week, enough water to fill a bath is wasted. This is money sent (excuse the pun) straight down the plug hole.

9. Use energy saving light bulbs - they last up to 10 times longer than ordinary lamps and save around £40 per bulb. Read our full blog on energy saving lighting coming soon.

10. Do a home energy check - complete the Energy Saving Trust's Home Energy check and see how much you could save.

2010-05-20T03:15:00.000-07:00

Apple Electrical energysaving-shop.co.uk goes live!

After several months of preparation and developing the site, we are now live! The 20th May is a historic event in the world of Apple Electrical. The next milestone is the first order... when will this arrive?! Will the first order be rewarded?!

Come and check us out at http://www.energysaving-shop.co.uk/.

Thanks for your patience
All at Apple Electrical

Welcome to the Apple Electrical Energy Saving Blog

2010-04-30T02:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Apple Electrical Energy Saving Blog. Over the next few months we will endeavour to become a great resource for energy saving facts, figures and guides. Based in the East Midlands, our new website is due to go live in early May and bring some of the latest and greatest energy saving products and solutions right at your fingertips.

It's been a tough few weeks developing the website and making sure everything is ready to be launched. We've got some great products and brands; such as lighting solutions from Aurora and Robus, heating solutions from Heat Mat and Haverland, the ingenius energy saving products from Ecotek (as seen on Dragon's Den) and the futuristic range from Home Easy that allows you to text home and turn your heating on if you wanted. But don't worry, we will bring you much more information soon... so keep coming back to see us!