Articles by Argile

A thermal energy meter calculates energy by combining a flow rate and a temperature difference between supply and return. For it to be enforceable in a collective system, it must be a “thermal energy meter” covered by a type approval under the European Measuring Instruments Directive, Directive 2014/32/EU (MID), and its implementation in France. The same directive also sets the applicable metrological classes (notably 2 or 3 depending on use), giving you a simple criterion to include in the technical specification, alongside the inseparable trio of flow meter, matched pair of temperature probes, and calculator. During installation, the manufacturer’s instructions remain the reference for mounting direction, supply or return location, upstream and downstream straight lengths, and sealing, because an unmatched probe set or non-compliant hydraulics can make the measurement unusable if challenged.

6 min read

On a wall-mounted boiler, you read gauge pressure in bar on the heating circuit, which should be checked when cold. In residential systems, the usual target is generally 1 to 1.5 bar cold on the gauge, a value consistent with static head (around 0.1 bar per metre between the boiler and the highest point), as noted in manufacturers’ manuals and the filling rules for heating systems (DTU 65.10). On two-pointer gauges, the adjustable pointer is just a setpoint reference; only the moving pointer measures pressure.

6 min read

To stop a quote from getting lost in the pile, set a first follow-up at day 3 after sending, then a second at day 7 if the client still hasn’t decided. These benchmarks come from BTP sales tracking (FFB, “Relancer ses devis”), and should then be adjusted to the contract value, because a major renovation is usually decided over several weeks. The safest approach is to manage by status, sent, opened, followed up, awaiting decision, signed or archived, and to trigger reminders automatically when you send the quote, with a scheduled call slot when you are on site. A follow-up that converts always brings useful information: price validity, installation availability, or a technical clarification, never just more pressure.

6 min read

To price a renovation without falling into the ratio trap, start from a net cost estimate built line by line, then move to the sale price with a clear multiplier. In practice, your labour hours are locked in on a minimum base of 7 hours per day and per worker, as set out in the French Labour Code (35-hour weekly legal working time). This base is used to convert each trade package into hours, add mobilization and demobilization, protection, stripping out, waste removal, scaffolding and travel, then factor in site overheads, general overheads and margin, while allowing for a written contingency for unknown existing conditions.

5 min read

In underfloor heating, you are dealing with trapped air when air comes out at the manifold and the flow rates recover; you are dealing with sludge when the flushing water turns blackish, with marked temperature differences between loops and flow meters that stay low even though the circulator is running properly. Treatment is carried out loop by loop at the manifold until you recover even return temperatures, then the system is refilled with filtration, a magnetic sludge separator and inhibitor to prevent recurrence within two seasons. To frame the work and the evidence you need to keep, rely on the current energy-savings certificate scheme dedicated to heating system sludge removal, which sets the eligibility conditions and the required traceability.

6 min read

After a renovation, the gap between theoretical savings and actual bills often comes from a rebound effect, typically measured at around 10 to 30% of the expected gains, when comfort is increased (setpoint temperature, heated rooms, duration). These benchmarks are recalled in ADEME publications on renovation and usage, and they never replace proper commissioning checks (airtightness, settings, balancing, ventilation). On your quotes, protect yourself by stating a reference temperature, a usage scenario, and the list of settings and tests carried out at handover, so that behaviour changes and installation defects are clearly distinguished.

5 min read

In renovation work, sobriety is first and foremost about the need, before efficiency: it covers everything that reduces usage or the level of service required (setpoint temperature, operating hours, heated volumes), whereas efficiency improves the performance of a system for the same service level, and substitution replaces one energy source with another. The most solid reference for framing these three levers remains the ADEME report “Sobriété énergétique”, which distinguishes between “sobriété”, “efficacité” and “substitution”. In practical terms, on site you can include measurable settings in your quote, such as a heating setpoint of 19 °C in living spaces, a benchmark value promoted by ADEME and widely reused in its practical guides.

5 min read

Between the signed quote and the final invoice, every re-entry wastes your time and opens the door to errors. By moving to a well-structured progress billing setup, you track site progress at the right pace, without hurting cash flow or the client relationship. The idea is simple: one database, clear stages, and documents that generate themselves without redoing the work.

5 min read

When a client asks you for summer comfort without blowing up the energy bill, you have a straightforward card to play, provided you know how to size it and set the right operating framework. Performance depends mainly on the available air and its humidity, so a quick calculation and a few site checks make all the difference. With the right benchmarks, you can set realistic expectations and avoid disappointing installations.

5 min read

Between quotes coming in one after another, sites to run, and teams to coordinate, a good management software package can quickly become your best conductor. The right choice, followed by a properly structured rollout, saves you time from the very first weeks without disrupting your field habits. You keep control of your margins, schedules, and follow-ups instead of chasing information.

5 min read

On site, a few centimetres’ difference is enough to throw off a quote, a materials order, or a grant application. With a simple method, you can secure your quantities at the preliminary takeoff stage, then make the as-built measurement reliable without spending your evenings on it. The result: fewer back-and-forths, fewer disputes, and margins that hold.

5 min read

Between scheduling, crews, and clients, you are often the balancing point on site. Structuring this role means improving margin without burning people out: fewer surprises, tighter hours, faster decisions. Here is a straightforward approach to clarify responsibilities, set the right KPIs, and make profitability visible week after week.

5 min read