Articles by Argile

A ground floor over a crawl space is treated from underneath, against the retrofit U-value Approved Document L expects. What decides the price is the clear height under the joists, the state of the substrate and the ventilation of the void, all recorded during the survey. Here are the thicknesses per insulant family, the feasibility conditions to write into the quote and the points that carry your liability.

5 min read

The choice between logs and pellets is not settled by what the client feels like doing. Ecodesign sets two sets of emission limits depending on whether the boiler is manually or automatically stoked, and a manually stoked boiler needs a buffer tank while an automatically stoked one needs a silo. Those requirements, plus the space available and the delivery access, are what decide the fuel.

4 min read

On a window-replacement job, the method is decided at the survey. Frame condition, plumb, clearances, sill, jamb linings and added thickness: what you record on site drives the airtightness, the performance you put in writing and your own liability. BS 8213-4 sets the survey duty, Approved Document L sets the product threshold.

6 min read

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

When a client hesitates between heating and insulation, it's often the right moment to propose a winning duo. By combining a properly sized heat pump with external wall insulation, you secure comfort, reduce heat demand, and avoid an oversized unit that disappoints in use. With the right site method, you turn a vague request into a clear, costed, reassuring plan.

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

On a ground source heat pump, the horizontal loop is decided by the plot, not by the catalogue: clear area, plant access, soil type, no future loading over the trenches. On the paperwork side, the grant runs through MCS certification and a room-by-room heat loss calculation, not through a rule of thumb on floor area. Getting that wrong is a job that does not qualify.

5 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

On site, it's not the technical work that wastes time, it's hesitation at the moment of deciding. When you set a clear framework from the start, you secure the quote, align the client, and avoid the backtracking that eats into your margins. Here's a simple method for choosing the right criteria, in the right order, and moving forward without ambiguity.

5 min read