Articles by Argile

On a job site, the difference sometimes comes down to a few decimal places. Concrete, brick and concrete block don't have the same thermal conductivity, and that changes everything about insulation thickness, thermal bridge treatment and budget. As a tradesperson, you save time when you know what to expect from a wall before you even talk about wool, panels or render. Here we lay out the orders of magnitude simply, so you can decide quickly and accurately.

5 min read

A solid traditional wall dries inwards. Once the outside face is rendered, that is the only drying path it has left, and internal wall insulation is what closes it. The water vapour resistance factor puts a number on it: 1 for mineral wool, 60 for expanded polystyrene, 150 for extruded. At 120 mm that is 12 cm, 7.2 m and 18 m of equivalent air placed against the masonry.

8 min read

A condensate pump is not an accessory, it is a safety device. Its total head has to be calculated, its high-level contact has to shut the boiler down, and the applicable standard is BS EN 12050-2, lifting plants for faecal-free effluent.

6 min read

A twin energy solar cylinder is not just a vessel: it is a product whose energy efficiency class decides whether the job qualifies for support. At 500 litres or less, schemes typically require class C at minimum, which caps standing losses at around 62 W for 200 litres and 72 W for 500 litres. Here is how to read that criterion, and how the pipework can destroy it.

5 min read

Before starting a renovation, your clients want concrete answers, not bad surprises mid-project. A poorly vented wastewater system, a saturated septic tank or a badly placed outlet, and the schedule derails, with costly rework. By checking a few simple points during the initial site visit, you secure the project and keep control of quality.

5 min read

A 1970s house is often a job that hides surprises, but also real potential for quick wins. You have to work around period insulation, ventilation that's sometimes absent, and equipment nearing the end of its life, all while keeping a workable schedule and budget. Here, we start from the concrete details to help you secure your choices and move forward without guesswork.

5 min read

When renovating a workshop or a small industrial site, the right emitter is the difference between a job that goes smoothly and a commissioning process that drags on. You need robust heating that's simple to install, heats up quickly, and stays consistent with an existing boiler or a future heat pump. Here are the concrete reference points to keep in mind to choose correctly, without wasting time on unnecessary options.

5 min read

A hatch is judged on a single figure, its U-value, and that follows directly from the thermal resistance of the panel. Against a cold loft ceiling that has to reach R ≥ 7 m².K/W to earn a grant, a panel at R 1 lets seven times more heat through per square metre. Here is the conversion, the area ratio that puts the defect in perspective, and the treatment of the junction.

5 min read

Reusing an existing duct rather than running new ductwork is often the only workable option in renovation. It still pays to know what the energy calculation makes of it, because three solutions built on the same duct are scored very differently: from 1.17 to 2.24 m³/(h.m²) of conventional flow, a factor of two between best and worst.

6 min read

When a client wants better comfort without blowing the budget, it's often the order of work that makes the difference. As a tradesperson, you can avoid false good ideas by reading the home as a whole — first limiting losses, then sizing the heating, and finally securing air quality. With a simple method, you move faster, and your projects deliver on their promises.

5 min read

On site, a few degrees of difference can be enough to throw off a heating setting or a heat pump tune-up. With a reliable measurement that's readable remotely and logged over time, you save time on diagnosis and cut down on client callbacks. Here's how to sort through the right criteria to choose and install without bad surprises.

5 min read

You have clients who want to heat better, without blowing up the bill or depending on a single energy source. By combining a wood stove for cold snaps and a heat pump for the rest, you gain in comfort, control flexibility and continuity of service. The challenge is sizing the whole system correctly and orchestrating the controls, so it runs simply and cleanly on the job.

5 min read