Articles by Argile

Indoor air quality is often decided at night. When a bedroom isn't properly renewed with fresh air, humidity and CO2 rise, and sleep becomes lighter and more broken. As a tradesperson, you can fix this without overengineering. Proper sizing, well-placed extract points, controlled flow rates and simple maintenance turn discreet ventilation into real nighttime comfort.

5 min read

The French indoor-air value for formaldehyde changed on 1 January 2023, and not in the direction everyone expected: the 30 µg/m³ long-term figure disappeared, replaced by 100 µg/m³ over a short exposure. Plenty of trade literature still quotes the old value, or a 10 µg/m³ deadline that never came into force. Here is the current text, and the labelling thresholds you actually select products against.

6 min read

In a house, the cold zone beneath living spaces can undermine comfort and drive up heating needs. As a tradesperson, the right choice is made on site: insulate the ceiling when you need to protect the rooms above quickly, or the walls when moisture and thermal bridges set the priority. With a few simple checks, you secure the solution and the job runs without surprises.

5 min read

The choice between a complete replacement window and changing the glazing alone is settled first on funding, then on the state of the frame. The French CEE sheet BAR-EN-104 explicitly excludes simply replacing glazing, and MaPrimeRénov' has no longer funded glazed elements as a standalone measure since 1 September 2026. A client with tired double glazing in a sound frame therefore falls outside the grant schemes, whatever level of intervention is chosen.

5 min read

At rafter level, U = 0.16 W/m².K asks for around 210 mm of mineral wool at λ 0.035, close to 230 mm off the slope once the lining is on. Approved Document L says so itself in Table 4.3: where that would limit headroom, a lesser standard may be appropriate.

6 min read

When the goal is fast, stable hot water with no tank, installation quality makes all the difference. As a tradesperson, you control the points that prevent temperature swings and callbacks: real flow rate, pressure drop, scaling, settings. Here we go straight to practice, so you can size accurately and install cleanly on the first visit.

5 min read

When a heat pump runs year-round, well-executed maintenance avoids silly breakdowns, secures performance, and protects your reputation on site. Between regulatory obligations, leak checks, and useful adjustments, it's well worth setting up a simple routine and tracking it properly. That saves time and leaves less room for callbacks.

5 min read

On a solar hot water system the backup fuel does not only change the hydraulic layout: it changes the water heating efficiency figure the system has to declare. With a Joule effect electric backup, 36 to 60 % is enough depending on the tapping profile. With a gas backup, the equivalent requirement is 95 to 120 %. Here is where that gap comes from and what it means for product selection, pipework and paperwork.

5 min read

On site, nothing beats a field measurement to know whether the air is actually moving as intended. With the right instruments and a simple method, you quickly spot underperforming vents, imbalances between rooms, and common causes like clogging or leaks. The result: you save time on adjustment, and you secure the final quality before handing over the job.

5 min read

Between the street and the living space, a garage or a conservatory can become a real ally. Well placed, this "in-between" zone cuts the wind, limits temperature swings, and eases the load on the heating system, provided you treat sensitive points like junctions, doors, and ventilation. For you, tradespeople, it's a simple angle to build into the diagnosis and the quote, without adding needless complexity.

5 min read

Natural gas, propane and butane are not separated by a vague performance level but by four quantities that drive the hardware: calorific value, density, supply pressure and Wobbe index. Those are what set the injector diameter, the burner pressure and where the storage can go. Here is the reference table and what each gap demands at commissioning.

5 min read

With a multi-split system, the right number of indoor units is the one that matches the living spaces and usage patterns, not a one-size-fits-all rule. As a tradesperson, the challenge is simple: cover the right volumes without oversizing, while keeping the installation tidy, accessible and easy to balance. Starting from the floor plan, the gains and the installation constraints, you produce a clear quote and avoid callbacks.

5 min read