With winter truly on its way now, Fulcher Edwards Ltd have been installing more electric heaters for homes and businesses the last few weeks in St. Albans, London and surrounding areas. One thing we have had to make our customers aware is what type of heaters are now available, especially if they are replacing old ones.

From the 1^stJanuary 2018 the Lot 20 Regulations came into play which was one of the largest upheaval to the electric heating industry as it changed the amount of available products manufactures could sell. Under the new  Lot 20 legislation, all local space heaters for sale in the EU will have to adhere to these new rules or they can no longer be sold.

So, what does that Lot 20 mean for the consumer? Lot 20 was created so that all energy-using products would have a framework of basic requirements to make them as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. When you consider the amount of energy we use on a daily basis, it’s easy to see why this legislation is so important.

Electric radiators, infrared heaters and panel heaters are all classed as ‘fixed electric local space heaters’, and they must have at least a 38% efficiency rating if they have a nominal heat output above 250W. Other electric heating solutions such as portable electric space heaters, storage heaters and heaters below 250W, have separate efficiency targets. Efficiency is determined by how many energy saving features a heater has now.

Which provided a helpful breakdown on their website with how compliance is now achieved with heaters available today under the new Regulations;

Portable heaters must have: Mechanic thermostat room temperature control as a minimum.

Optional additional energy saving features: Presence or open-window detection – the heater is equipped with an electronic device that automatically reduces the temperature when no person is detected in the room or if a window is open.

Remote control via an app – control temperature via a companion app on your phone or tablet  Adaptive start control.

This is not something our clients don’t need to worry about as our approved wholesalers and our electricians and staff at Fulcher Edwards know about Lot 20, therefore we can advise you of what is available now and what might be different from your existing heaters.

If you need any advise on a new electric heater installation or would like a free quotation then please get in touch via our online contact form on the website or on 01923 616985. If preferred our email address is info@fulcheredwards.co.uk

Fulcher Edwards Ltd carry out a lot of Electrical Installation Condition Reports aka EICR’s, EIC Report, Home Buyers Certificate, Landlords Test, Periodic Inspections in St. Albans & surrounding areas and usually after we send the EIC Report we have a lot of questions especially if it reads Unsatisfactory.

Depending on the size of the property will depend how big the report is but some can be quite a few pages long, especially for commercial premises. within your EIC Report there is an Observations and Recommendations Page, sometimes more than 1, that basically lists the items, descriptions and codes. Each observation has been allocated as appropriate a code which indicates to the person(s) responsible for the installation, the degree of urgency for remedial action.

At the bottom of each of these pages there is a description of codes which are as follows;

C1 – Danger Present – Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action required.

C2 – Potentially Dangerous – Urgent remedial action required.

C3 – Improvement Recommended.

FI – Further Investigation Required Without Delay.

If your EIC Report is deemed as Unsatisfactory then your chosen electrician in St Albans, London and Herfordshire will also send you a quotation for the remedial works for your consideration. Fulcher Edwards Ltd usually breaks the quote down into the relevant coding for ease for our customers.

We usually go through the recommended remedial works with our customers so they know what to expect so they can plan appropriately and they get us booked in as soon as they can.

We always advise our customers not to panic when they see a C1 or C2 on their EIC Report but to take it seriously and aim to get it rectified ASAP.

If you are considering an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and want to know more about what is involved with having one, or maybe you want to discuss an Report you have had carried out, then why not get in touch on 01923 616985 or info@fulcheredwards.co.uk and we can advise accordingly.

If you are responsible for a business premises and your staff within that premises, fire alarms are one of the best ways to keep people safe, and are a vital part of your health and safety strategy.  This includes almost all buildings, places and structures other than individual private homes. In fact, property and business owners are required by law to make sure premises reach required standards of fire safety.

Current UK fire alarm regulations state that all business premises must have ‘an appropriate fire detection system’. That means that if there’s a fire, there needs to be a way for that fire to be easily detected and for anyone in the building to be warned easily.

Here are our 5 top tips to consider when installing and maintaining a fire system in your business premises:

1. Make sure you have the correct type of fire alarm system. It sounds obvious, but you need to ensure it is the best fit for your premises anyone in the building. Not all areas will require the same level of protection.
2. Make sure you use a “competent person” to design, install, test and maintain your fire alarm system.
3. Keep maintenance a top priority. It’s extremely important that the system is maintained regularly and thoroughly to keep it in full working order.
4. Make sure your Fire Risk Assessment is current and fit for purpose, and you have an Emergency Plan in place.
5. Regularly review and refresh the fire alarm system, procedures and staff training.

There is also a complex system of grades and categories that state how your fire alarm should be constructed, installed, tested and which areas it should cover.  The best way for you to know what’s right for your property is to get advice from registered and Approved Electricians in St Albans and London.