Articles by Argile

Three things are settled on a refrigerant line before the torch is lit: the filler metal, which follows the parent metals and not habit; the nitrogen purge, which decides whether oxides end up in the expansion valve; and the regulatory status of the circuit, since an assembly brazed on site is not hermetically sealed equipment. That last line moves the leak check threshold from ten tonnes of CO₂ equivalent down to five.

5 min read

When the volume of water heats up, it expands, and that's often where problems start: rising pressure, a valve spitting water, callbacks. As an installer, choosing the right vessel capacity secures the installation from the moment it's filled and avoids repeated adjustments on site. Here's a simple method, with the right parameters to record, for sizing correctly without oversizing.

5 min read

In a renovated home, what people actually feel doesn't come only from the number on the thermostat. It's the balance between heat and humidity that makes the difference, especially once insulation and airtightness step up a level. As a tradesperson, you can help clients avoid rooms that "heat up but still feel cold," windows that bead with condensation, and air that leaves people tired. With a few good settings and the right material choices, you make the result visible — and above all, pleasant to live with every day.

5 min read

A tightness test on pipework is not a matter of judgement, it is a numbered procedure. BS EN 806-4 sets the test pressure at 1.1 times the maximum design pressure and defines the pressure drops allowed between each reading. The report that comes out of it is what you will produce at handover.

5 min read

A domestic condensing boiler produces in the order of 4,000 litres of condensate a year, at a pH of 4 to 5. No national rule requires that condensate to be neutralised before it reaches the wastewater network, but the pipe material, the fall and the local drainage rules do decide whether the installation survives.

6 min read

Mould does not appear because the air is humid, it appears because a surface has dropped below the dew point. At 19 °C and 60 % relative humidity that point is 11.1 °C: anything colder condenses. It is the only calculation that ties heating to damp, and it decides whether you treat the ventilation, the fabric or the heat source.

7 min read

When a system needs to be shut down for water, everything comes down to one simple point: being able to cut off and drain quickly, without flooding the site. As a tradesperson, you save time with a few regular checks, a firm shut-off, a leak check, and a quick clean of the mechanism. The result: fewer callbacks, and cleaner repairs, even in an emergency.

5 min read

"Anti-burglary" is not a product feature, it is a test class. BS EN 356 defines eight, P1A to P5A by ball drop and P6B to P8B by axe attack, and it is BS EN 1627 that says which one goes with the resistance class specified for the whole unit. On the thermal side, laminated glass is paid for in kilograms, not in watts.

5 min read

Pellet prices are read by pack format, not by market: €365/t in bulk, €339 bagged at retail and €383 on a pallet at the latest ADEME survey. The gap between the cheapest and dearest delivered price still runs to a factor of two, which moves the margin on a job far faster than the national trend. Here are the series, the spread, and how to hold the fuel line on a quote.

5 min read

When a slab extends outside the heated envelope, heat escapes and your clients feel it immediately. In renovation, your real lever is deciding quickly between correcting it with continuous insulation or a clean structural break, depending on access, structure and finishes. With a clear method, you limit callbacks, secure the job site and gain performance without unnecessary complications.

5 min read

Air leakage through an envelope is diffuse, and no public source says how much each individual weak point contributes. What is measured, on the other hand, are the thresholds to hold, the equivalent leakage area of an ordinary dwelling and the share of heating that escapes through infiltration. Those three figures are what justify the time spent treating weak points.

5 min read

On a job site, the right choice of fluid circulating through the pipes can be the difference between a stable installation and callbacks in the middle of winter. Between freeze risk, maintenance constraints and compatibility with the heat pump or solar collectors, you need a simple, clear decision. Here's the rundown, no jargon, to keep your installs and settings safe.

5 min read