A New Year is upon us and you have probably already made plenty of resolutions regarding your personal habits.
We here at Sparks like to make more general goals and would heartily recommend you take 2019 as an opportunity to save on your energy bills, especially during what promises to be a frosty start to the year.
So if you're thinking to save money (and energy) on your bills this year, you could start by making some adjustments in lighting and ventilation.
Using (green-i) PIR sensors - save the energy lost by those leaving their lights on
How many times was the light in the toilet left on accidentally, and how many times did you come home from work to find out that the light in the children's bedroom has been on for quite a while?
While at the office, how many times did you simply forget to turn OFF the lights in a certain room, and the next day the lights were still ON?
It's time to change this. CP Electronics, one of the world's leading brands in energy-efficient controls for heating, light, and ventilation, uses cutting-edge technologies and innovations to prevent wasted energy.
We have written previously about the benefits of their range of Green-I energy-saving products.
The wall-mounted PIR sensors ensure that your precious heating and lighting won’t be put to waste, as they only activate upon detecting infrared radiation emitted from people’s bodies.
We here at Sparks provide a range of CP Electronics switches and covers, as well as a highly useful multi-function remote for Green-I devices and switches.
We would particularly recommend the Single Channel Dimmer with PIR and Adjustable Timer, whose switch has a built-in presence detector to help you save energy; if there is no movement your lights will switch off.
When used in conjunction with the remote handset, it can be utilized for dimming and accessing the array of switch functions.
There are a multitude of PIR switches and sensors available at Sparks, including this External Black PIR Security Motion Sensor.
This fully automatic outdoor security light is capable of controlling up to 1000W of lighting and, during the day, an inbuilt photocell saves electricity by deactivating the attached lighting system.
It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications, including car parks, driveways, stairways, patios, porches, entrances, and so on.
Using LED lighting, indoors and out - save energy being lost by the less-efficient outdoor lighting
When it comes to lighting - especially outdoors - the electricity bill goes over the top; the LED floodlights offering 500W halogen or more or the wall lamps each having 50W simply makes the electric meter speed up.
Especially with longer nights and shorter days, there's a need to turn ON the light outdoors - but can we do it without wasting too much energy and money?
The switch in focus to LED lighting can be seen in how many capital cities across the world ushered in the New Year in 2019 - from Beijing to London, LED light shows greeted massing crowds.
New York made the switch in 2012, implementing over 1,200 LED light fixtures for a display that was 5-8 times brighter and was 73% more energy efficient than its predecessor.
We would strongly recommend you follow the examples of modern cities celebrating the New Year and make the switch over to LED Flood Lights for your own outdoor areas.
With impressive IP ratings and slim, attractive appearances, Sparks have a plethora of such energy-saving outdoor LEDs to light up your garden, when the skies above seem perpetually dark or grey during the winter months.
For instance, the Compact Black LED Flood Light provides a powerful, crisp 4000K of light that has 85% lower running costs compared to its halogen equivalents.
Combine this with its inbuilt PIR sensor and think of the money you could save throughout the course of 2019!
Ventilating properly - guarantee your health whilst retaining heat and save energy
Health should always be top of your priorities when entering the New Year - and no we’re not talking merely about getting a new gym membership.Poor ventilation can lead to condensation and black mould, which may lead to medical problems for occupants of your home.
'Whole home ventilation' is a concept that is important - for both your well-being and your energy bills. During winter we tend to try and trap as much heat in as possible and it is essential we recycle this hot air properly - and we would advise a combination of a positive input system along with a negative air pressure system.
We have great options in both these areas, such as the Airflow iCONstant HT, a continuous axial fan with a unique setup and diagnostic LED light.
The economical and intelligent nature of this device ensures that running cost are kept at an absolute minimum, with adaptable trickle speeds beginning at 6 l/sec which takes a mere 1.07W to power.
Looking at the air pressure system, the Envirovent heatSava is an excellent heat recovery unit that feeds in through the wall.
It’s primary functions are to improve indoor air quality by reducing condensation and mould problems, while recovering up to 75% of indoor heat that would otherwise be lost. So with the New Year ringing in, you are probably pondering on improvements to be made in your household.
We at Sparks would highly recommend you start the year by getting some peace of mind about your energy expenses and the healthy ventilation of your home.
