29
January
Eco Deal to save on energy efficient products
By JR | Blog
Save Money With Our Eco Deal This Spring
We’ve just launched our Eco Deal spring offer to help you save money while becoming more energy efficient with your heating system.
Do you feel like you’re wasting money on your heating because it’s not efficient? And are your bills bigger than you’d like them to be, especially during the winter months when you need your heating most? Well, switching to newer, energy efficient models can actually save you money.
And this doesn’t just have to be for your boiler. Sometimes simply switching to Smart Controls, adding new thermostatic radiator valves to your radiators, or having a system power flush can improve your heating’s efficiency.
That’s why we’ve launched our Eco Deal for this spring, which gives you 10% off upgrades to a number of energy efficient products.
Eligible energy efficient products
Products included in our 10% offer are:
✅ A-rated high efficiency boilers
✅ New radiators
✅ SMART heating controls
✅ New thermostatic radiator valves
✅ New ‘modulated’ heating pumps
✅ A system power flush
So, don’t miss out! Take up our offer by contacting us before 31st March 2021 to book in your upgrade. Quote ECODEAL2021 when you contact us.
Call us on 020 8462 8822, request a callback or email us now to start benefitting.
25
January
How to keep warm without turning up your heating
By JR | Blog
Are you worried it will cost you more to keep warm in electricity and heating, while you work from home? But it doesn’t have to be this way – read on for our tips.
Last month, we covered how to maximise your heating while at home, so here are our tips on other things you can do to keep warm at your desk, without tinkering with your boiler.
1. Keep warm with hot drinks
Put the kettle on and warm up with a hot drink. But don’t drink too much tea and coffee or else the caffeine might affect you! Try other hot drinks like herbal tea, hot chocolate or hot water with lemon. Or if you prefer savoury, try hot bouillon, hot Marmite / Bovril or soup. Plus, a hot mug will help keep your hands toasty!
2. Eat hot meals
Stews, soups, broths and other winter warmers are ideal for warming you up inside. They’ll also keep you going by sustaining your energy.
3. Grab a hot water bottle
A hot water bottle can really help your body temperature, especially if you’re stuck at your desk most of the day.
4. Keep your feet and head warm
Wear thick socks and insulated slippers to keep your feet warm. If your head gets cold or you’re a bit thin on top, wear a hat. Consider scarves and fingerless gloves too, if you need them.
Heat escapes easily from these extremities, so keeping them warm will keep your overall temperature up.
5. Layer up to keep warm
As with warming your extremities, keep the rest of your body toasty with extra layers. Think thermal vests, long-sleeved tops, jumpers and fleeces. By layering, if you do get warm, you can peel back one or two to regulate your temperature.
6. Go upstairs
Hot air rises, so if you have an upstairs, try to spend more time there. If you can, have your office upstairs. Or even move your TV to an upstairs room to be cosier and more comfortable in the winter evenings.
7. Keep moving
Get active to generate more body heat. Exercise is also good for you! Try to move every hour to move warm blood effectively around your body. This is especially helpful if you’re stuck at your desk, so you don’t get stiff or suffer from bad posture.
But you don’t have to do a full-on workout to keep warm. Just moving around for a few minutes will loosen up your muscles and warm you up. You could do some housework too – pushing the vacuum round is an excellent way to warm up!
If you’ve enjoyed our tips, why not sign up to our newsletter to receive more each month? And if you need help with your heating or to arrange a boiler service, contact us on info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback.
31
December
Meet the team: Gary Chaney
By JR | Blog
Each month, we’re interviewing a different member of our team. This month we spoke to Sale Manager, Gary Chaney.
How long have you worked for Stevenson’s?
I’ve been working for Stevenson’s Sales for 34 years. I started in 1986 as a Sales Trade Counter Assistant and became Manager within a couple of years.
What does your role involve?
As the Sales Manager, I serve and advise customers in our shop, online, by email and over the phone. I also process and dispatch orders and I’m in charge of purchasing all the products we sell.
Over the years, my duties have varied, including the development of Keston Boilers when they became part of Stevenson’s. I was their Spares Advisor and Dispatch Manager to merchants throughout the UK.
What do you want to achieve in your role?
The move to West Wickham High Street in 2017 brought us many new customers wanting different products. I love helping them find new products and we continue to evolve to meet their changing demands.
As the industry changes, so do we. The shop will continue to add new stock lines. We’re an independent retailer and there aren’t many of us left in the heating and plumbing industry. We try to offer a different experience to the national companies and there’s definitely room for us to compete with them. I’d like to encourage people to shop local and support independent retailers as much as they can.
Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I’ve actually been working in this trade in some shape or form since I was 11 years old! And I’m still passionate about it.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I’m an avid Crystal Palace supporter, both home and away. OK, the team’s not made it to Europe yet but it’s still good to dream. For me, that would compare with England winning the World Cup!
And finally, tea or coffee?!
Definitely tea! As for sugar, I say “No thank you, Turkish, I’m sweet enough!” (which might also give you a clue to the type of films I like…!)
18
December
Working from home heating tips
By JR | Blog
With a significant dip in temperatures this month, and many of us still working from home, you might be worried your heating bills will go up. But there are ways to maximise your heating, keep warm and keep energy costs down. Read on for our top tips.
1. Keep your heating at a steady temperature
Adjust your thermostat down by one or two degrees to keep the temperature regulated. This is more efficient for keeping you warm and could reduced your energy bills by around £80 a year.
If you are out at any point, use the thermostat and timer to heat your home when it’s needed. Don’t keep it constantly very low, as this is not actually very efficient.
2. Add thermostats to every radiator
With a thermostatic radiator valve on each radiator, you can personalise the temperature in every room. Keep the thermostats turned up in rooms you use more frequently but turn them down in rooms you don’t.
The thermostats adjust the flow of water to your radiators, according to the temperature in the room. So, they ensure you’re not using more water or heat than needed.
3. Close internal doors
Keep heat in the rooms you want to stay warm by shutting the door. Similarly, close doors in rooms you don’t want to heat, to stop cooler air mixing and cooling the overall temperature down.
4. Use curtains and blinds
If you have curtains or blinds, use them. Curtains are especially helpful for keeping the heat in (or out in the summer!). As it’s getting darker much earlier, draw the curtains as soon as light starts to fade, to keep the room warm and prevent drafts.
5. Bleed your radiators
If you bleed your radiators regularly, it will help prevent cold spots developing. Your boiler will need to work harder if trapped air or sludge gets in the radiators, producing the cold spots. This makes your energy bills more expensive as well as not heating your room!
Regular radiator bleeding helps to keep your heating system clear, preventing damage as well as reducing your energy bills.
6. Keep vents and radiators clear
Don’t block your radiators or heating vents with furniture or laundry. The heat will go to them instead of your room! Move furniture away from radiators to allow the warm air to circulate and dry your wet laundry elsewhere.
If you don’t have a tumble dryer, a heated airer is efficient and inexpensive to run. This also prevents damp and mould building up, which can cause you other problems in your home.
7. Claim working-from-home tax relief
If you’re having to work from home because of Covid-19 or other reasons, you may be able to get £6 a week tax relief, which can help towards your energy bills. See the Government’s website for info on eligibility and how to claim.
8. Keep your boiler maintained
Of course, keeping your boiler in tip-top condition is the best way to make sure you have energy efficient heating for your home when you need it. Be sure to contact us to get your annual heating service booked in.
Why not consider one of our heating service plans? Our service plans will help you maintain your heating system and spread the cost of your annual service and any repairs.
We offer three levels of cover to suit your needs:
Basic Plan – ideal if your boiler is still under warranty
Standard Plan – covers for your annual service and labour costs
Advanced Plan – includes your annual service, labour and parts.
We can also assist you in specific add-ons for your household electrics and gas fires, as well as landlord options.
See our Service Plans page to find out more.
At Stevenson Heating, we are Gas Safe Registered heating installers. Contact us on info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback to find out more or get a quote for improving your heating in your home.
8
December
Christmas Opening Times 2020-2021
By i-promote | Blog
We know that things can sometimes go wrong with your heating, when you least expect or need it to, so over this holiday period we will be open and available on the days given below, including by phone.
Just a couple of things to note:
1. Although we are open, quite a lot of staff are taking holidays, so we will be working with reduced numbers.
2. Our usual emergency engineer out-of-hours cover will be available every day, except the Public Holidays.
3. Days marked with an asterisk (*) may have slightly earlier closing times than normal.
Day / Date |
Shop |
Service |
Installation |
Monday 21st December | Open | Open | Open |
Tuesday 22nd December | Open | Open | Open |
Wednesday 23rd December | Open | Open | Open |
Thursday 24th December | Open * | Open * | Open * |
Friday 25th December | Public Holiday | Public Holiday | Public Holiday |
Saturday 26th December | Closed | Closed | Closed |
Sunday 27th December | Closed | Closed | Closed |
Monday 28th December | Public Holiday | Public Holiday | Public Holiday |
Tuesday 29th December | Open * | Open * | Open * |
Wednesday 30th December | Open * | Open * | Open * |
Thursday 31st December | Open * | Open * | Open * |
Friday 1st January | Public Holiday | Public Holiday | Public Holiday |
Saturday 2nd January | Open AM * | Closed | Closed |
Sunday 3rd January | Closed | Closed | Closed |
Monday 4th January | Open | Open | Open |
* Opening & closing times may vary.