Ambrose Barlow

Posted on April 9, 2023 by Phil Beardmore

I often get asked, “which is better, heating the whole house, or just heating one or two rooms”? Recently (October 2023) my central heating system broke down and so I had no option but to only heat one or two rooms, using portable electric radiators, for a period of 14 days. So once my […]

Sep

In December 2022 I was contacted by a household in Coventry who had a heat pump installed in 2010, but it wasn’t performing as well as expected. The house had a number of insulation measures fitted so they were a bit puzzled as to why it was struggling to heat the home. I was […]

Sep

Your 15-minute neighbourhood energy expert … that’s me, and my small team of helpers. If I can walk to your home or small business in 15 minutes or fewer, then I will give you a 5% discount on my energy advice services. My office base is at the Old Print Works, Birmingham, B12 9AH, […]

Jul

In 2022 I gave energy saving advice to Selly Oak Friends Meeting House, through the Footsteps programme. One of the things I found was that because they have high ceilings, they were wasting heat due to a stratification effect. This is when warm air rises to the top, and pushes colder air downwards. I advised […]

Jul

I was not at all surprised to read a recent report from Citizens’ Advice which said that homeowners who want to fit energy saving measures, do not wish to take out unsecured loans to fund them. My experience is that able-to-pay homeowners see energy saving measures as a home improvement project, to be […]

Jul

A lot of people have been asking me … is it true that there is going to be a new government grant scheme for energy saving measures? The answer is yes. The “Great British Insulation Scheme” is a significant increase in grant funding for household energy saving measures that is available to: […]

Apr

In the March 2023 Budget the Chancellor announced a tax break that allows businesses to deduct 100% of capital spend on ‘plant and machinery’ against taxable profits. That’s 25p of corporation tax saved per £1 invested. Energy saving measures such as energy efficient machinery, heating and ventilation systems, and solar panels, will qualify. The […]

Mar

One of my earliest memories is going to see a pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Rep Theatre on a school trip. So when the Rep Theatre asked me to help them with their energy use just before Christmas, I got the chance to meet Jack himself backstage while I was looking […]