Friday, August 21, 2009

Role of Energy Performance Certificate Advisors

Who needs an Energy Performance Certificate?An Energy Performance Certificate, also known as EPC, is the rating given to specific properties in the United Kingdom region. This grading is normally done for four or more bedroom houses and is used to encourage households to achieve optimum energy efficiency. An Energy Performance Certificate is part of the Home Information Pack. The agent or the seller is required to commission the certificate which is issued by accredited agents called Energy Performance Certificate assessors. The information collected by the assessor includes the location and construction. He is also required to check the fittings such as heating and insulation systems. What information does an Energy Performance Certificate provide?An Energy Performance Certificate is a certificate indicating the energy efficiency of a home. This assessment is indicated through grading which is done on a scale of A to G with the houses belonging to category A being the most energy efficient and having the best energy saving techniques. The environmental impact of the house is also indicated by the Energy Performance Certificate with the houses in Category A having lesser carbon dioxide emissions. An average home in the United Kingdom gets a D or E rating. Steps are suggested in the Energy Performance Certificates so that homes can improve their energy consumption pattern and save money.Who are Energy performance certificate advisors?Energy performance certificate advisors are the same as Energy Performance Certificate assessors. These advisors are members of an accreditation scheme and adhere to its code of conduct and procedures. They are called so, since, along with assessing the energy efficiency of homes, these professionals are also required to give advice regarding the steps that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency of the house, to improve the efficiency ratings of the house and to save money on energy consumption bills. How can environmental-surveyors.com help?www.environmental-surveyors.som is the official website of Wilbourn Associates which is a firm of professional chartered environmental surveyors. Although there are many firms offering similar services, Wilbourn Associates are the best in the field. The firm employs expert Energy performance certificate advisors who can assess the energy efficiency of a house and also issue the performance certificates. Not only is the firm involved in helping their clients check the land contamination or asbestos contamination on their sites, it also helps them clear their property of those contaminants. On the official site, you can find information regarding the services offered by the firm which include environment screenings, environmental impact assessments, and the assessment and issuing land quality statements. If you need help regarding clearing any issue related to land development or assessment, chances are that the articles on the site related to these issues will be of help to you.

Fuel Saving Products

With the continual rise of gas prices it has become a wise decision to buy a car that saves fuel. A statistic says that as many as fifteen percent of car buyers reject a certain car model because they are not satisfied with its fuel saving features. Even more, some consumers rule out from the very beginning certain car models, such as SUVs, because they have very poor gas mileage. Advice on how to improve gas mileage can be found almost anywhere – magazines, web sites, etc.- but can you really turn them into an everyday habit? Will you be able to drive slower every day or maintain the same speed at all time or use air conditioning to the minimum because it is known that fuel consumption will be increased . Of course, changing the oil and the air filters on a regular basis will ensure an improved gas mileage, but fuel saving won’t be spectacular and these procedures are not cost-free. Therefore, more and more consumers turn to a product which saves fuel. The fuel saving products on the market fall into several categories. One of them is gas additives. It is based on a very sound mechanism and it’s very effective as far as costs are concerned. Its efficiency has been demonstrated scientifically and when using such a fuel saving product, you needn’t worry about low performance or increased exhaust emissions or short engine life anymore. The testing of these fuel saving products is done according to established standards. Not only don’t they have a negative effect on the environment, but they are actually environment-friendly. How do these products work? The process is quite simple. The hydrocarbons in the gas have the tendency to curl up and form clusters, making it impossible for the oxygen to reach the fuel entirely. For this reason, the gas hydrocarbons burn only partially and what isn’t burned will result into exhaust emissions. The fuel saving products work to ease this process and make exhaust emissions lower. Fuel saving additives can be found in shops or on the Internet. Regardless of the form they come in, that is liquid or solid, s tablets, they share a characteristic, which is that every product which saves fuel needs to be added when filling up the gas tank. Like many other products in the field, fuel savings products need to be used several times before their effects will become apparent. It is also important that you stick to same fuel saving product and remember that the effects will be obvious only after several fill-ups of your tank.Fuel saving products improve the maneuverability of your car and the drivability of your engine because they release the engines components in general and the fuel injectors in particular of any possible deposits, while others provide the fuel system of your car with moisture. A product that saves fuel is most likely to have been tested and registered so it’ s safe to use, but you have to make sure that these conditions are fulfilled. The fuel system of your vehicle will definitely not be harmed and you can relax about the exhaust emissions as well, because a fuel saving product will certainly not increase them. Tests of the products can be done in independent labs but that doesn’t make them less reliable. The most common way to test a product which saves fuel is to compare the test results on the same car, tests which has been performed with and without a fuel saving gas additive. An effective way to ensure low fuel consumption is to make changes in your driver behavior. However, since this will most certainly not be enough, your satisfaction is guaranteed with a fuel saving product. Saves Fuel, Fuel Saving

Spa Water Treatment Options

Since mankind decided that hot tubs would be fun we have had to face the challenge of keeping that water clear and safe. Chlorine and Bromine have been in use since almost day one. Both have their advantages. They kill everything. The down side is also that they kill everything. By that I mean that Chlorine and Bromine are both caustic chemicals. That is both how they function and what makes them less desirable. Not only do they kill germs and bacteria but they are harmful to your skin, hair, bathing suits, spa jets, pump impellers, pets and environment. With the heightened awareness of the environment and our own physical health, there has been a wide variety of alternatives to the old standards.Minerals can be used to treat the spa water with less harmful effects. First, Copper can be used to treat your water and keeps stuff from growing in your water. It is a lot safer for your skin, hair and health, and won’t cause premature break down of your pump and jet components. Still, because it does a good job of killing things you need to use care when you empty your spa. Some areas have banned using copper to treat water because if it does end up in the water shed it will kill fish and algae.Another popular choice is Silver and zinc. I would just recommend sticking with the liquid based versions. You should never use anything directly in the filter area of the spa because you do not want the risk of anything being sucked into the water pump.Ozone can also be effective in water treatment. It works by exposing ultra violet light to air which forms an energetic oxidizer. It destroys algae, viruses and bacteria. Again you should know how to use your system properly. Avoid over exposure to ozone while using the spa. No ozone bubbles should be entering the spa during occupancy. Also you should not be able to smell ozone while you are in the spa.One thing that a lot of spa owners forget about is checking your spa water pH. Maintaining the proper pH level can greatly improve the effectiveness of the water treatment. Spa water that is not properly balanced can cause irritation to eyes, and mucous membranes. Just because you keep a handle on your chemical treatment, do not get lazy about checking the pH.Finally, circulation of the water. Stagnant water, especially warm stagnant water is a breeding ground for life. Regular circulation of the water for significant periods of time will reduce the need for chemicals and increases the effectiveness of the spas filtration. It is better overall for your spa pump to run for three to four hours at a time for two to three times per day as opposed to running for thirty minutes at a time ten times per day. If your spa only runs for thirty minutes it does no have enough time to properly filter all the spa water.The bottom line is that yo want to be able to enjoy your spa for years to come. However like your car, regular maintenance can have a profound influence on that. If you maintain your car, change the oil, replace the filters, rotate the tires, you stand a much better choice of enjoying your vehicle with fewer unpleasant surprises. The same goes for your spa.