Golden Coast says relax
Managing multiple facilities is a complex task, but with a Golden Coast heat pump you can at least be confident that your hot tub heating is fully under control. The pump uses innovative inverter technology to maintain water temperature on a low current, thereby ensuring higher efficiency. Since the pump uses far less energy, electricity bills are significantly reduced – so you need not worry about your budget. “You can relax knowing that the heat pump is only using the amount of energy you need it to, preventing any unwelcome surprises when the electricity bill comes,” explains Adam Clark, Sales Director at Golden Coast. “In fact, running costs will not only be manageable, but could be far lower compared to using electric heaters. You could save thousands of pounds by switching to a Golden Coast heat pump.” Given the amount of light and heat sources running simultaneously around a holiday park, power cuts are a common issue. But when you turn on a Golden Coast heat pump, soft start technology reduces the current peak for a seamless start up. The lower energy consumption also means you can be sure you’re using a more sustainable heating product – helping you cut your carbon footprint. The robust build of a Golden Coast Heat pump guarantees a long product life, so maintenance isn’t a problem either. The pump benefits from titanium heat exchangers which are resistant to corrosion by salt, chlorine and bromine. Even the changeable and unpredictable weather experienced throughout the UK is no match for a Golden Coast heat pump. It can operate in cold temperatures as low as -15°C, and has a heater tray element that protects the machine in colder months. The heat pump unit comprises an efficient rotary compressor and multi-speed fan motor which guarantee quiet operation with a noise level of just 40dB (that’s library level), so guests won’t be disturbed by the sound. “Our heat pump is ideal for holiday parks because it can keep hot tubs warm in any season, which provides more flexibility with facilities, and since the heat pump warms the water quickly, guests will be happy that they don’t have to wait long to use the hot tub,” assures Adam. “Whether you have one hot tub or a hundred, managing them should be stress-free, and it can be with a Golden Coast heat pump.” For more information on Golden Coast heat pumps, contact a member of the sales team on 01271 378100, email swimmer@goldenc.com or visit www.goldenc.com.
Making the fuel switch to ground source heat pumps
Stephanie Gregory, Director of Marketing, the Kensa Group, on why ground source heat pumps are the future of sustainable heating… Owners and operators of holiday and leisure parks could be saving thousands in energy costs and generating a profitable additional income stream by adopting renewable heating options. With many park sites being without access to mains gas, energy sources are often limited to more expensive and carbon intensive electricity, oil or LPG. However in light of UK Parliament passing a motion declaring an ‘environment and climate emergency’, UK businesses will need to make significant changes to their approach to energy in order to reduce their environmental impact, and help the UK achieve net zero carbon targets by 2050. One quick and easy way to achieve this is by switching from fossil fuels to low carbon heating. The lowest carbon heating solution is ground source heat pumps. By producing three to four times more heat energy than the electricity they consume, and with the growing decarbonisation of the electricity grid owing to increased contributions from wind, solar PV and hydro, ground source heat pumps carbon footprint is continually diminishing. The efficiency of ground source heat pumps provides more than just carbon savings; crucially for businesses it also provides running cost savings, and maintenance savings; energy bills are effectively reduced by a third. It is due to the efficiency and carbon benefits of ground source heat pumps that Government pays the highest tariff for owners of the technology via the Non Domestic Renewable Heat Incentives (RHI); for businesses, this provides a 20 year guaranteed quarterly income – the RHI is in place until 2021. The free and constantly replenished energy extracted from land or water sources by ground source heat pumps can be used to fulfil the heating and cooling requirements from single units to multiple buildings, as well as commercial processes, all year round. Fuelled by ease of planning, many ground source heat pump schemes feature clusters of holiday accommodation. Kensa Heat Pumps, the UK’s dedicated manufacturer – and number one supplier – of ground source heat pumps, has designed the ‘Shoebox Heat Pump’ with smaller dwellings in mind. Perfect for lodges or chalets, the Shoebox is small and quiet, and so can be installed inside the dwelling occupying minimal space. By installing individual ground source heat pumps inside each dwelling connected to communal pipework, rural businesses will receive fixed Non Domestic RHI payments based on deemed energy usage, avoiding the headaches that many with metered biomass systems will be familiar with. Furthermore, the communal pipework, pioneered by Kensa as ‘Shared Ground Loop Arrays’, an advancement in Fifth Generation District Heating, reduces ground work costs. The individual ground source heat pumps can operate independently, receive their own energy bills, and if required, switch energy supplier. Ground source heat pump systems can also be easily integrated with existing electric renewable technologies and battery storage, allowing rural business owners to become more self-sufficient. Many entrepreneurs are also using ground source technology to diversify their businesses, utilising surplus electricity to provide heat energy for new business opportunities. For more information on ground source heat pumps, see www.kensaheatpumps.com
5 gas safety tips for park home owners as part of Gas Safety Week
Jacqueline Gallazzi-Ritchie is Director of the gas safety and boiler replacement company All England Gas. Here, she shares what park home owners need to know and do to keep themselves safe. Gas Safety Week runs from 16–22 September, which means organisations from across the UK will be working to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly-maintained gas appliances. A lot of this advice tends to be aimed at those with traditional brick and mortar homes, but it’s an issue that also affects those who live in park homes. So, here, I’m going to share my top tips that will help to keep park home owners with gas boilers safe. Only use Gas Safe registered engineers It’s incredibly important that you only ever have your gas appliances installed or serviced by engineers who are on the official Gas Safe Register — you can check this by asking any boiler engineer who visits your home whether you can see their membership card. This should show a yellow Gas Safe Register triangle (not the orange CORGI registration badge that was replaced back in 2009). This card will also outline what kinds of jobs they’re qualified to work on. So, for example, someone might be able to fix your boiler, but might not have the necessary skills to install a gas fire. If they are unable to show you their membership card for whatever reason, you can check a company’s status on the Gas Safe Register website, or call 0800 408 5500 to get all of the information you need. Make sure your gas appliances are checked every year Although it isn’t a legal requirement unless you’re a landlord, I would highly recommend getting into the habit of having your park home’s boiler serviced once a year. Not only will this give you peace of mind and help to keep your family safe, but it could also help to save you money, as a Gas Safe engineer will be able to spot any issues or causes for concern. These can then be addressed quickly, before any more damage is caused. It’s also a good idea to have your boiler serviced if you’ve recently moved into a park home, as the previous owner mightn’t have put enough effort into maintaining it. It’s always better to be safe than sorry where gas and boilers are concerned! Install a carbon monoxide alarm One of the biggest dangers associated with gas boilers is carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur if your boiler becomes faulty and begins to leak this potentially deadly gas. Fortunately, you can easily protect your family from this by installing a carbon monoxide alarm in your park home. This will alert you if it detects the levels rising in the air, so you know when to leave your park home and contact a boiler engineer. Carbon monoxide detectors can often be picked up from a DIY store for as little as £20 — just make sure your chosen one has a British or European Kitemark, so you know it’s reliable. Learn how to spot and treat carbon monoxide poisoning I would also recommend learning how to spot and treat carbon monoxide, just in case. Each year, there are around 60 deaths caused by accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in England and Wales (NHS), so you can never be too careful. The main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning you need to look out for are: Tension-type headaches Dizziness Feeling and being sick Tiredness and confusion Stomach pain Shortness of breath If you suspect that you and your family are suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, turn off all gas appliances, open your windows and doors, leave your park home, contact a gas engineer, and make sure you get checked out by a doctor. You can also call the Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999 if you think there might be a major gas leak in your park home or the site you live on. Address any boiler problems immediately Finally, if you spot any boiler issues between services, it’s vital that you contact an engineer as soon as possible. If problems are left to fester, they can become much worse and possibly even dangerous. If left for too long, it’s likely they’ll cost a lot more to repair, or you might even be forced to replace your park home’s boiler completely. So, it’s must better to address any problems you notice sooner rather than later. So, if you’ve noticed that your boiler is behaving strangely — perhaps it’s making strange noises or not doing its job properly — deal with it as soon as possible. Whether you live in a traditional house or a park home, it’s vital that you take good care of your boiler. This will help to prevent it from breaking down and should go a long way to keeping your family safe if something does go wrong. So, take these gas safety tips on board to give yourself some peace of mind. Photo: © Jeff Gogarty
Esse: Contemporary Wood-Fired Stoves You Can Cook On
ESSE Engineering makes distinctively British wood-fired stoves which have provided warmth and sustenance in the great outdoors for more than 150 years. Ernest Shackleton relied on ESSE cook stoves for his Antarctic expeditions and today you’ll find ESSE stoves and range cookers at River Cottage and Humble by Nature. As well as radiating a warm and welcoming heat, ESSE’s Ironheart family of wood-fired cook stoves incorporate a range of cooking options, enhancing that ‘back to nature’ experience. Hand-built by skilled craftsmen at our factory in Lancashire, ESSE’s contemporary cook stoves offer an efficient source of ‘off-grid’ heat for almost every glamping application: from shepherds’ huts to yurts, safari tents to log cabins. And while its timeless design and simple styling may give the impression that the Ironheart family has been around for decades, this state-of-the-art piece of quality British engineering incorporates more than 160 years of ESSE cooking stove design and innovation. ESSE’s clean-burning Ironheart family features A-rated operating efficiency and is Ecodesign Ready for use in smoke control zones, but they are in the element in the wild. No gas or electricity? No problem. The Ironheart family comes into its own in an off-grid environment, making it the perfect choice for heating a luxury glamping lodge or log cabin in the woods. The Ironheart has found friends across the world. From Alpine ski chalets to the Australian outback, the Ironheart’s unique combination of rugged design and dependable performance has made it the first choice for adventurous souls and pioneering spirits around the world. The flagship Ironheart wood-fired cooking stove offers enthusiastic chefs the flexibility to bake, boil, roast and braise, while keeping the whole kitchen space warm and toasty. You’ll find an Ironheart taking pride of place in the kitchen at River Cottage, where it’s used to create a cornucopia of rustic treats ranging from home-baked sourdough pizzas to rich slow-cooked casseroles. The Bakeheart combines a punchy 5kW of heat output with the ability to boil a kettle, sear a steak and bake delicious wholesome loaves in the generous 32-litre oven, while the Warmheart offers the same heat output and graduated hotplate in a more compact package. So whether its griddling a steak in the firebox, chargrilling fresh vegetables direct on the cast-iron hotplate or baking a wood-fired pizza in the wild – you can count on an Ironheart to produce perfect results in any environment.
