Articles by Argile

On a heating installation, a well-chosen, well-set expansion valve can make the difference between a stable machine and an intervention that drags on. As a tradesperson, this saves you time at start-up, fewer callbacks for lack of comfort, and a clearer read on symptoms when things drift. We cover the concrete roles, the main types, and the right on-site reflexes to avoid the pitfalls.

5 min read

Between a heat pump and a gas boiler, the difference isn't only in the quote: it's also in the environmental impact over the equipment's entire life cycle. This article details the Base Empreinte® ADEME emission factors, the SCOP assumptions to use in retrofits, the role of the refrigerant (R32 vs R290), and gives sourced orders of magnitude for your on-site recommendations.

5 min read

On a quote or an audit, the same gas can display two calorific values, and the gap is not a minor detail. GCV and NCV change the result, so your billed kWh, your stated efficiencies and your comparisons between solutions. By mastering the conversion ratio, you secure your pricing and avoid endless arguments at the end of a job.

5 min read

At your clients' homes, a poorly used heating appliance can quickly show. Odours, smoke at start-up, deposits on the glass — indoor and outdoor air both suffer. As a tradesperson, you control the right habits. Correct sizing, a suitable flue, regular servicing and simple lighting advice change everything, bringing real comfort and lower emissions.

5 min read

On a job, heat is often the item that weighs heaviest in the carbon footprint. When a neighbourhood is supplied by a network, your role is to check what's actually behind the substation and steer the client towards the right settings, at the right time. Wood energy, heat recovery, geothermal, gas top-up — the mix is evolving fast and it's changing how you size, balance, and control an installation. By understanding the sources used and their constraints, you secure performance and gain credibility when questions about decarbonisation come up.

5 min read

In a large building, heating is never a "detail": it's a line item that weighs on your costs, your job-site timelines and client satisfaction. With forest wood chips, you can aim for a robust solution built to run for a long time, provided you size the output, storage and feed system correctly. You gain peace of mind by planning fuel logistics, delivery access and maintenance right from the quote stage.

5 min read

In collective housing, hot water quickly means large volumes, morning and evening peaks, and zero room for guesswork. As a tradesperson, your real strength is translating the building's actual usage into an installation that's well-sized, efficient and simple to operate. Here we cover field method, sizing benchmarks and pitfalls to avoid, to prevent both cost overruns and callbacks.

5 min read

On a ground-source heat pump job, horizontal ground loops can make all the difference when the plot allows it. You gain in simplicity of installation, with work that's often easier to plan than a borehole, while giving your clients a stable, discreet solution. The idea is to secure performance without complicating your site logistics.

5 min read

On an energy renovation site, every oversight costs time, and sometimes a grant. With a well-maintained digital model, you visualise the existing building, coordinate the trades and lock in your insulation and equipment choices before starting. The result is fewer back-and-forths, more accurate quotes, and a client who finally understands what you are proposing.

5 min read

On site, nothing beats an actual measurement to settle whether a wall is holding up or dragging down the whole work package. With a heat flux meter, you get a concrete diagnosis, without any dismantling, to secure your insulation choices, your quotes, and your results. In a few hours to a few days, you turn a hunch into usable evidence.

6 min read

When a client wants to move off gas, it's often up to you to quickly decide between an individual solution and a collective option, without promising the impossible. Between power constraints, available space, noise, connection work and support schemes, the right choice is decided on site, not on a product sheet. With a simple site-visit and costing method, you secure the decision and avoid callbacks.

5 min read

When a job site lacks thermal mass, summer overheating and heating swings come back quickly, even after good insulation. By integrating phase change materials into a partition or a lining, you smooth out the temperature without adding weight to the structure or eating into your schedule. It's a clever solution to offer wherever every centimeter and every degree counts.

5 min read