Articles by Argile

Free cooling cools a home with whatever is already cooler outside, night air or the ground, without running a compressor. It comes in three families (night purge ventilation through the windows, the bypass of an MVHR unit, geocooling on a ground-source heat pump) and only works when nights drop well below indoor temperature. On the regulatory side only new build is quantified, by the 350 °C.h of RE2020: in a retrofit, your written commitment on the quote is the only document anyone can hold you to.

9 min read

Sizing a heat pump is not a commercial judgement call: BS EN 12831 gives you the design heat loss at the design outdoor temperature, and good practice caps the machine at that figure rather than above it. The safety margin added out of habit is what causes short cycling. Here is the calculation method, the bracket to work within, and the mistakes that cost you a job.

5 min read

When a prospect compares three quotes in five minutes, your edge isn't decided on price, but on the trust you inspire. As a tradesperson, you can take back control with simple, visible proof: verified reviews, job-site photos, deadlines you keep, clear explanations. And above all, a squared-away first contact, because that's often where everything gets decided.

6 min read

Demand is changing, your clients no longer want a single isolated step, they expect a complete, readable pathway, with results delivered. For you, it's the opportunity to become the single point of contact who steers, coordinates and secures the project, from diagnosis to handover. With a clear offer and reliable partners, you gain value, margin, and referrals.

5 min read

On a job, knowing exactly when to stop heating isn't about comfort, it's about control and lower bills. With a simple calculation method, you can justify this threshold to the customer and set your controls according to insulation, building thermal inertia and free gains (sun, usage). The result: less overheating, cleaner regulation, and works whose impact shows up in consumption figures.

5 min read

On an energy retrofit job site, everything often comes down to the order of operations. As a tradesperson, you save time, secure performance and cut down on rework when you start with the right measures at the right moment. From the building envelope to the systems, here's a simple method to help you decide fast, without guesswork or overpromising.

5 min read

A well-chosen roof window means less overheating in summer, less loss in winter, and a comfort you feel from the very first night. For you, as a tradesperson, it all comes down to two simple points to secure on site: the actual thermal performance of the whole unit and effective blackout options suited to how the room is used. By mastering these choices, you save time on installation, cut down on callbacks, and deliver a clean, durable result that's easy to explain to the client.

5 min read

When a client wants comfort in both summer and winter, you have to decide quickly between output, efficiency and placement, without turning the job into a headache. With a good reading of room-by-room needs and a few points of vigilance on noise, units and controls, you can offer a solution that both heats and cools, while staying simple to maintain.

5 min read

You have clients on oil who want to cut their bills without jumping straight to all-electric. A hybrid system lets them keep the safety net of a backup boiler, while covering most of their needs with a more efficient solution when the weather is mild. The payoff: a job that's easy to explain, quick savings, and a transition that reassures, for them and for you.

5 min read

A well-installed heat pump is often the difference between a delighted client and a job that drags on through after-sales service. As a tradesperson, you have three simple levers, proper sizing, clean settings, and a well-prepared hydraulic circuit, to secure performance and consumption. And when everything is squared away from commissioning, profitability follows, with no vague promises or mid-winter surprises.

5 min read

On an external wall insulation job there is not one thermal resistance threshold but three, and they do not measure the same thing or come from the same texts: 3.2 m².K/W on the complete wall under the trigger-work obligation, 3.7 on the insulation alone for the BAR-EN-102 certificate sheet, and 4.4 for external insulation in the MaPrimeRénov' guided route. Mixing them up means pricing a thickness that will not pass inspection.

5 min read

When your clients want to renovate without getting lost in grants, quotes and technical choices, you're the one who brings order to it all. With a simple 5-point method, you save time, secure the job, and explain the value of your recommendations more clearly. Enough to move quickly, with no vague promises or unnecessary complexity.

5 min read