Ventilation specialists S&P UK has expanded its range of high efficiency heat recovery units to include the RHE 15000, offering the highest rate of air flow designed for large spaces – a significant upgrade in capabilities for the range. It comes at a time when there is a huge importance for delivering fresh air into buildings, such as colleges, offices and hospitals. The RHE range uses a Thermal Wheel Heat Recovery to gain the optimum thermal efficacy with a sophisticated control system. With an increase in demand for fresh air, the RHE 15000 can deliver 4 m³ per second, making it highly suitable for schools and colleges, commercial offices and retail. The unit can be supplied as a standard part or customised to meet specific application requirements. S&P UK most recently supplied an RHE 15000 as a custom order to include an electric heater to City College Norwich, where the unit was craned four storeys high onto the roof of a major £9.1 million extension under construction. “We have been supplying the RHE product for a number of years but by expanding the range, this allows the option for us to supply this product with a much higher airflow. As with all our products, we offer our own technical expertise so we worked with the M & E subcontractors for this particular project from recommending the RHE 15000 as the most suitable product based off drawings provided, right through to site installation,” said Lee Page, sales director at S&P UK. The RHE air handling series are designed for internal and external siting and, as with all S&P products, the units come with a two-year warranty. The custom made RHE units can be manufactured by S&P with a lead time of around 3 weeks from order to shipment. S&P is a leading global fan, air movement and ventilation systems manufacturer with over 10,000 products supported by personalised technical support. The Spanish owned S&P Group, whose global operations span over 90 countries, includes major R&D centres in Europe, Singapore, USA and Brazil.

Humidifiers come in all shapes and sizes, from cheap, cartoon-shaped styles to expensive, massive machines. Did you know that you can actually have a humidifying component installed into your HVAC system? There are pros and cons to every type of humidifier. Find out which choice is right for you and your home. Adverse Effects of Dry Air There are many perks of whole house humidifiers. Firstly, you need to figure out if a humidifier is necessary for your environment. An easy way to test the humidity in your home is by purchasing a small detection device. These are usually inexpensive and can tell you the percentage of humidity in your space. Generally, you want the percentage to be around 30 to 50. After you exceed 50, the chances of mold growth greatly increase.  If you’re dealing with dry air under 30 percent humidity, you should look into upping the moisture in the air around you. Dry air can cause physical and structural effects, including:  Dry skin Irritated nasal passages Scratchy throat Chapped lips Respiratory issues Increased static Peeling wallpaper and paint Increased heat usage If you’re in a dry environment, the air will feel colder, prompting you to crank up the heat. This not only wastes more money and energy, but it also adds to the dryness in the air. If you’re feeling or noticing any of the above issues, it may be time to look into a humidifier.  Portable Vs. Whole House Humidifiers There are several different types of humidifiers, each with positive and negative attributes. Some of the most common include:  Central (or whole home) Cool mist (ultrasonic) Warm mist (evaporators or steam vaporizers) Combination (with air purification) With so many options on the market, it may be difficult to choose. You may have heard that portable humidifiers are prone to mold growth. This is one of the drawbacks of a separate machine. According to Stanford researchers, portable humidifiers need to be cleaned every three days. Otherwise, you could be doing more harm than good.  Bacteria thrives in moist areas, and if your humidifier isn’t cleaned, it can turn into a breeding ground. If you choose a portable version, you must keep on top of maintenance. Otherwise, harmful mold spores can be released into the air. Mold can damage your health and property, sometimes more than dry air. Humidifier systems that are integrated into your HVAC system mitigate this risk. They often come with automatic regulated systems that detect the moisture in the air and adjust accordingly. While the whole house system still needs to be cleaned, you can do so annually rather than every three days.  Additional Humidifier Uses Dry air can affect many unexpected areas of your life. Along with the aforementioned negative effects, low humidity can lead to other issues. For instance, if you have musical instruments made of wood, wood flooring, or other valuable wood furniture, it can crack due to a lack of moisture. Furthermore, if you have trouble sleeping, white noise of a humidifier can help. Many people sleep with a white noise machine or fan. Why not use a central humidifier and work on alleviating other troublesome issues at the same time? There are many surprising benefits of adding moisture to the air. Just make sure you do so knowledgeably and maintain the integrity of your home and body.

Working as an electrician is a career that is both satisfying and rewarding in equal measure, so it is no surprise that plenty of people aspire to entering this profession, and there is also a large amount of demand for experts in this field nationwide. Of course there are a few obstacles to overcome and requirements to fulfil along the way, so here is a look at the main steps you will need to take to become a fully qualified electrician. Focus on relevant subjects at school If you are still in full time education, but you one day hope to become an electrician, then it is worth thinking about which subjects will be most valuable once you embark upon your chosen career path in the future. Both physics and maths are useful for electricians, as are technical subjects. It is also important to develop good English skills, as while the job may be hands-on in a lot of respects, it still requires plenty of reading of technical documents, and being able to interpret potentially complex instructions successfully is definitely important. Choose training courses First and foremost you need to make sure that you have the right education and training under your belt in order to work at the forefront of this industry niche and also command the most competitive salaries. There are a whole host of electrician training courses available, as well as different routes to take, some of which may suit you more than others depending on your existing experience and your circumstances. For example, many electricians get their start as part of an apprenticeship scheme, which will see you stewarded through the learning process by an existing specialist. At the same time you may also choose to participate in a Level 3 qualification scheme, at the end of which you will receive an NVQ diploma in a particular area, such as electrical maintenance or installations. It is this combination of training and on-the-job experience which allows new electricians to accumulate the abilities and knowledge that will ultimately allow them to qualify and seek full time employment. One thing worth noting is that training courses also differ in terms of the length of time they take to complete. For an NVQ-level qualification you will need to spend between 2 and 4 years completing the course in all, which of course requires that you factor in the combination of studying and practical working. Shorter courses are available, such as becoming a domestic installer, which can be completed in around a month. However if you want to attain a nationally recognised qualification, then you will need to make a commitment for several years to achieve this. Find work once you are qualified While you may be capable of completing the training needed to become an electrician, the next challenge on the road to making this your career is actually getting a job after you are finished with your studies or your apprenticeship. If you have been part of an apprenticeship scheme, then you may be able to move straight into working within the organisation that you were apprenticed by, and this is usually something that larger operations may be more willing to accommodate, although it is not a given. If, on the other hand, you have qualified with a study-only Level 3 NVQ diploma, then you will need to look for your first job in the industry. As there are lots of construction and housing projects ongoing nationally at the moment, you may find that being flexible in terms of where you are based could help you a lot, as there may be more demand for electricians in a particular location so long as you are willing to travel or even relocate for the work, if only on a temporary basis. Another option is to work independently as a domestic electrician, seeing to the needs of customers in a given geographic area and effectively being your own boss. This is potentially appealing because of the level of control it gives you over the trajectory of your career, but also daunting because of the additional admin involved in running your own business, even as a sole trader. Hopefully you will now have the means to make your way in the world of work as an electrician; just remember that with patience and perseverance, it could be an ideal career for almost anyone, and will remain in-demand for as long as people and businesses need buildings to occupy.

Hopefully, the next few months will see a major uptake in many sectors across the UK. I’m not just talking about the throngs descending on the nearest pub garden when opening again (although what a thrill that will be). I’m looking at key sectors which will be attempting to ramp up production and efforts to pre-pandemic levels. With the likes of the hospitality, tourism & food/drinks industry aggressively pushing to capacity in time for what will hopefully be another great British summer, one area which anyone running operations should be thinking about right now is refrigeration. In cases where a business has been operating minimally or could be ready to push to meet demand, you never want to be caught out with something going wrong. Not only will it disrupt operations, but a broken refrigeration system could come back to bite you with hefty costs and billings; the last thing anyone wants! Thanks to the refrigeration experts at Star Refrigeration, who are helping businesses throughout the UK have a better understanding of industrial refrigeration, here are some of the key areas a business may want to look at to ensure you are optimising and improving refrigeration as we get closer to summer and units are put to the test. Hopefully, by looking into some of the areas highlighted here, your business may take some preventive measures, or at the very least, talk with your refrigeration suppliers for advice. Servicing Let’s start with the most important area first. With everything that has gone in in the last year and a bit, you may have completely forgotten to get your units serviced. If your systems haven’t been used much, you shouldn’t expect to find yourself asking a supplier for any major upgrades. What you should be concerned about are spare parts, or rather, understanding the need for parts after servicing. Any reputable engineer should be able to carry out a comprehensive check of your system and let you know if anything looks like it may need replacing in the near future. Any business running a bespoke/custom internal system should ask their engineer are there are any unique parts that should be sourced and kept spare in case of emergency. It’s one of those cases where a minor cost now could help prevent losses when something goes wrong. Also, ask your engineers if any areas within your system require routine/out of hours maintenance. For example, you may have pumps or condensers in desperate need of maintenance checks which can’t be down during normal hours. Once again, it’s a case of after-hours work saving you in the long run. Planning Anyone who knows their stuff should have contingency planning in place when working with chillers. I like to pose the importance of planning with an example dilemma: Imagine you were making 100 litres of ice cream on a summer’s day, when suddenly your chillers all stop working. Would you be able to instantly know how long it will take to get those chillers working again, how much product you’ll be expected to lose, and what temporary solutions you have instant access to? It is surprising to me how many business owners don’t have emergency planning in place. You might be lucky that your refrigeration company has some level of contingencies as standard. Still, I highly recommend you get in touch and ask. If they don’t, ask why and how much it will cost to have a full site survey carried out. Bill Management Last but by no means least, I want you to look into bill management. If your company has been keeping costs to a minimum these last few months, and you’re expected to use refrigeration more in the next few months, get in touch with your provider and ask if they offer any form of system monitoring or analysis. Like a watched pot not boiling, unmonitored units can see your bills soar. Star Refrigeration estimates that “90% of energy costs in the cold storage sector can be attributed to refrigeration”. Most people would never imagine it being so high! Contact your provider Now that you’ve read through this, I hope you have come to realise that all these efforts boil down to getting in touch with your suppliers and asking them what supportive services they provide. It’s always a case of “don’t ask, don’t get”, and a simple call is the easiest way to keep refrigeration bills down at a time of year when dependency is at its highest.

Electrical fire is one of the most common sources of residential and commercial fires all over the world. Depending on its severity, it can lead to either minimal damage or a massive property loss. What’s worse, however, is when it takes the lives of hundreds of victims.  Sadly, some people appear to never learn from the devastation caused by electrical fires. Many residential and commercial property owners still ignore the importance of implementing safety measures, such as the use of short circuit protection devices in their household and commercial buildings. What Is Circuit Protection It’s not only the responsibility of owners to ensure that their property’s electrical wiring is safe enough to protect its residents from the occurrence of electrical fires. Every country also has specific electrical codes that engineers and electricians are required to follow when building houses and other infrastructure. Once faulty electrical wiring is identified as the main reason for a fire’s occurrence, this inability to meet the indicated standards has serious legal repercussions for these involved professionals. Another source of electrical fires is a faulty appliance or an ignored worn-out electrical wire. This type of problem is usually avoided through the practice of circuit protection. Circuit protection works by adding extra devices or equipment to an electrical circuit. Conveniently, different types of circuit protection equipment are readily available in the market that can help eliminate the massive danger and property loss resulting from these preventable events,  Using circuit protection devices ensures that the wirings are protected under faulty conditions or when there’s a sudden spike of high current. These devices and equipment are designed to protect the circuit from total damage by cutting the current flowing on it, whenever it detects excessive current in the electrical wirings. Different Types Of Circuit Protection Devices And Equipment There are many circuit protection devices already available in the market. Deciding if it’s the right one for your household or property will depend on their usage and how they work. Below are some types to consider: 1. Fuse  For starters, it’s important to note that electric current flows from the source to the load. A good example of source is your house’s circuit breaker, while loads refer to any of your electrical appliances.  As a circuit protection equipment, fuses have strips that bridge the current flowing from the source to the load. Its strip is designed to melt when an excessive amount of current passes through it. When this happens, this will cause the strip to separate. Upon melting, the bridge no longer exists, stopping the current flow from the source to the load.  There are different types of fuses available in the market. Most common are the cartridge type and screw-in type fuses, but they all generally work the same.  2. Circuit Breakers  Generally speaking, electrical guidelines require a proper size of circuit breakers for electric circuits. Unlike fuses that you can only use up until the strips have melted, circuit breakers work differently. Circuit breakers have a bimetallic strip, which is a kind of metal conductor, that doesn’t need to melt to be triggered. This strip is connected to another piece of metal conductor inside the circuit breaker, which is then connected to the output or outlet. Overcurrent results in too much heat. Once this gets detected by the bimetallic strip, it’ll immediately bend, making the piece of a metal conductor lose contact with the source.  Nothing is technically broken, which means that together with other metal conductors inside the breaker, it’ll still be good to use even after getting triggered. What needs to be done is to simply move the circuit breakers’ lever to close the circuit once again. This will allow the current to flow without replacing any part. There are many types of circuit breakers. The most common is the Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) and Residual Current Circuit Breaker with Overload Protection (RCBO). These two are frequently used in both residential and commercial establishments as they only require low voltage power distribution. Their main difference lies in the fact that Miniature Circuit Breaker can only be used against short circuits and over-currents, while Residual Current Circuit Breaker with Overload Protection can also protect against earth leakage current. 3. Surge Protection Device (SPD)  Your electrical appliances or electrically powered gadgets have a specific voltage requirement that it can accept. For example, your television needs 120 volts from the outlet to function. While a voltage lower than 120 can make no harm to your television, an amount higher than 120 volts can cause serious damage to it.  Surge Protection Device eliminates overvoltage in appliances or load. It’s connected to the source and load in a parallel circuit to provide protection. Once overvoltage occurs, this device conducts the excess voltage to the ground.  4. Residual Current Device (RCD)  The worst scenario that can happen because of faulty electrical wiring or appliance is getting someone electrocuted. More than properties, human lives should be the main priority in adding circuit protection devices to electrical circuits.  If you mistakenly touch a live wire or a faulty appliance, the Residual Current Device may save your life. This device immediately cuts the current once it detects that electricity is flowing in an unintended path, like your body. This is its way of eliminating the risks of humans getting electrocuted.  This is one of the unique features that an RCD has that fuses and circuit breakers don’t.  5. Thermal Protectors Thermal protectors are generally designed to protect a motor from overheating by cutting the current flow when its temperature goes too high. This prevents the motor from severe damage and becomes a cause of fires. Thermal protectors work similarly to circuit breakers. They have bimetallic strips inside, which bends when heated and causes the circuit to break. Once the bimetallic strip cools down, its metal contact will go back to its original state and close the circuit once again. Choosing The Right Electrical Products And Services  By now, you’ve learned in this article

Airthings, makers of the best-selling indoor air quality and radon solutions for businesses and professionals, has launched its View Plus indoor air quality monitor, including the brand’s most advanced air quality technology to date. View Plus is a battery operated device which includes sensors for particulate matter (PM), radon, carbon dioxide (CO2) and much more, along with a customisable display for easy visualisation. For businesses, View Plus is the most comprehensive indoor air quality monitor to complement the Airthings for Business solution, helping create healthy, productive, and energy-efficient indoor spaces, whether it be a school, office or a restaurant. According to the World Health Organisation, 9 out of 10 people breathe unsafe air on a regular basis. The effects of allergens, pollution, wildfire smoke, radon and airborne viruses impact the health of people all over the world, yet these invisible enemies often lurk freely in our everyday environments without the ability to detect them. View Plus is here to change that and offer a level of control over the air that has never been possible before. By monitoring for PM, radon, CO2, humidity, airborne chemicals (VOC), temperature, air pressure, and even outdoor air quality, View Plus displays a comprehensive spectrum of insights and provides a glance into air quality in a way that is easy for anyone to understand. View Plus for Business also includes a light and noise sensor, as well as occupancy data and the Virus Risk Indicator. Invisible to the naked eye PM detection is a new addition to Airthings’ range of product capabilities and will provide a level of insight into air quality, both at home and at work. The term “particulate matter” describes microscopic particles in the air, which can include anything from dust and pollen to pollutants emitted from car exhaust, industrial activity, wood-burning stoves, smoke from wildfires, cooking, cigarette smoke, and pets, and more. While invisible to the naked eye, the impact of PM on our health can be colossal – it can irritate lungs, agitate pre-existing conditions such as asthma, and can even contribute to serious illnesses, such as heart attacks and coronary artery disease. The only way to combat PM in the air is to gain awareness of its presence and take informed action; which is where View Plus can help. The product features a built-in particle sensor that can detect PM2.5 and PM1, and provide users with continuous access to data, as well as notifications to alert about changes in the air. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen the levels of awareness about air quality increase dramatically,” said Oyvind Birkenes, CEO of Airthings. “We decided to develop View Plus to help people everywhere understand that they have more control over their air quality than they might think. Our mission at Airthings has always been to educate people and foster constructive conversation about how air quality can impact their health and daily lives. With View Plus, we can empower people and businesses to learn about the air quality in schools, offices, or even their favorite restaurants, in a way that is constructive and easy to understand.” Customisable to everyone’s needs With a sleek and minimalistic design interface that will fit seamlessly in any building, View Plus adapts to the surroundings, showing the most relevant data based on the location. It also allows for customisation options for users who want to prioritise the air quality data that matters most to them – whether it be PM, radon, CO2, humidity, or something else. Gaining an understanding of the air with View Plus is as easy as waving a hand in front of the device for a colour-coded air quality check. Users can log into the Airthings Dashboard for in-depth insights into the air or open the Airthings app for a quick and easy view of the air quality levels. The View Plus for Business is wireless and connects to the Airthings for Business solution over SmartLink using the Hub, allowing for a battery life of up to four years. View Plus can be placed in any school, office, restaurant, or other commercial buildings—making for a convenient way to transform indoor air quality from an invisible threat to a visible, understandable, and controllable aspect of life. Airthings for Business has been developed to allow businesses to monitor, visualise and control indoor air quality to ensure a safe and healthy environment for staff. This in turn improves general health, wellbeing and productivity of the workforce. Set up in a matter of minutes, the wireless monitors run on long-lasting batteries, making the solution easily scalable and customisable to any new or existing space.