Category: News

What is a MagnaClean Filter?

If you know anything at all about your boiler’s pipework, you will know that over time any rust, sludge or debris can collect in the water that is circulating through the system. The sludge builds up and reduces the efficiency of your heating system and this is where a MagnaClean Filter can prove very beneficial.

MagnaClean is made by ADEY, who have products installed in millions of homes across the UK. Their MagnaClean products are manufactured in different sizes for different sized heating systems, for example, the Professional 2, the Micro2 and the TwinTech.

MagnaClean Professional Filter

Where is the MagnaClean installed

The MagnaClean is fitted to your central heating system return pipework as close to the boiler as possible. This is so that the water passing through it will have circulated through the whole system at this point.

What are the benefits of installing a MagnaClean?

There are massive benefits. Here are just a few:

It increases the life of your heating system

It makes the system run more efficiently

Radiators warm up quicker

It reduces the risk of a breakdown

The difference between a MagnaClean and a MagnaCleanse

A MagnaCleanse is not permanent. Our engineer will fit a MagnaCleanse temporarily to clean up any debris in the system. Engineers will hold an agitator (VibraClean) up against the outside of a radiator for up to 30 seconds which loosens up the deposit so that it flows around to the MagnaCleanse and can then be disposed of.

A MagnaClean will go on working all the time your system is operating, collecting the debris and sludge and storing it in its magnetic filter system.

When should you install a MagnaClean

If you don’t have one, they can be fitted at any time as it certainly prolongs the life of your system.

Particularly, if you are having a new boiler fitted, then a MagnaClean magnetic filter is very beneficial and will prevent any blockages from the first moment your new boiler starts running.

Some of our recent boiler installations have included the new MagnaClean Professional3 Sense. This allows us to monitor our customers heating systems remotely and lets us know through a Home Zone system how the levels of sludge are building up. Fitting a MagnaClean is reassuring for the client and helps us treat problems before they occur.

If you’d like to know more about MagnaClean and installation, please give us a ring or get in touch.

Bathroom Planning for busy families

Bathroom planning is key as our lives become busier and, there is nothing more relaxing than returning from a day at work to your luxury bathroom. 

Ensuite bathroom designs – 5-star luxury at home

If you’re planning to make some improvements to your home this spring, you may well have considered making some changes to your master bedroom.

Double-basin vanity units and the new double showers, ‘his and her showers’, are becoming a favourite addition to busy homes for professionals and families alike and maintains harmony in the home.

When it comes to designing an ensuite for two people it is all about considering what you want to store, will you want a bath as well as a shower? Of course, if space and money are ample, you could even splash out on twin baths – possibilities are endless.

Showers and spa-baths

New shower units, or cabins, can give you the full steam and sauna experience and large baths can offer integrated body jets that provide a full spa experience. 

Double basin vanity units and wall-hung WCs

These are all the fashion and ideal for couples who have less space but want to make the daily routine a little easier. Short of space? Why not consider wall-hung WCs and slim-lined basins?

Free-standing baths for a touch of glamour

Adding a free-standing bath to your home creates interest in the room and an illusion of more space.

Chic but compact bathroom designs 

If you are wondering if your master bedroom could fit in a compact bathroom/shower design, then think back to the last few hotels in which you stayed. Hotel bathrooms are very chic and compact, often with double hand basins, storage units and counter options plus wall-hung sanitaryware and storage to keep everything out-of-site.

Once you have planned your room consider whether your bedroom colours should complement your ensuite or whether you would prefer a contrasting colour scheme. If you consider the finish, at this stage, it will help guide you with the choice of surfaces and also the fittings that will enhance your overall theme. Don’t forget the mood lighting, re-charging points for shavers and toothbrushes and even the mirrors.

Family-friendly bathrooms

Family homes have become more multi-generational over the past decade and designing a bathroom to meet the needs of many, rather than the few, can be practical, affordable and look fantastic.

There is so much choice nowadays that finding the right storage solutions, basins, WCs and hard-wearing surfaces has never been easier. A family bathroom needs to feel welcoming for all and using a wood finish and led sensor lighting can be hugely beneficial for older and young family members. 

If there are young children in the family, then avoid angular edges and opt instead for rounder-shaped basins with more organic lines. Non-slip surfaces are essential on the floors, for both bath and shower areas and, compact baths, will help reduce water usage and be safer for smaller children. There are some excellent design choices which aid children’s independence as they grow. 

Installing underfloor heating

Are you renovating your home, planning a new bathroom or disposing of radiators or looking at an alternative way to heat an extension to your home? Have you considered underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is an ideal solution to heat a wetroom as tiles are a good conductor of heat and, its invisibility ensures that tiling on walls and floors are continuous. Your wetroom drainage will need to be adequate, and the walls and floor tanked. Another popular area for installing underfloor heating is below a large open plan kitchen/dining room. Underfloor heating is an extremely effective way to heat your home or, part of your home. Underfloor heating is growing in popularity and can effectively heat any size room. Not only is underfloor heating invisible, but its compatibility with most types of flooring provides an even heat. You can also zone different areas and control each area through a central thermostat.

Types of underfloor heating

There are two systems to choose from: a wet system or a dry system, water or electric. Every underfloor heating project is different, and we would always recommend the most efficient and cost-effective system for your project.

Wet underfloor heating system (water)

The wet system is when water is heated and pumped through pipes embedded below the floor. A wet system is generally cheaper to run than electric heating and cheaper to install in new builds and full refurbishments. A water underfloor heating system can be run using low energy usage heat pumps, and the system can be remotely controlled via PC, iPad or mobile phone. This system is the best system for a large area or multiple rooms.

Dry underfloor heating (electric)

Electric underfloor heating is relatively easy to install and cheaper in smaller areas such as a bathroom or small kitchen. It can be retrofitted in an existing home without too much disruption, and the floor height increase can be as little as 3 mm. There is a choice of different wattage options. If you are installing a wet system – ask about pipe guarantees. You should be looking at a guaranteed 50-year lifespan in accordance with industry standard DIN 4726, but it is possible to get a 100-year guarantee if this is important to you.

Best floor coverings for underfloor heating

Warm water underfloor heating works well with many floor coverings including wood, types of vinyl and carpet. Tiles are the most thermally conductive and transfer heat to the floor surface quickly and efficiently. Tiled floors are a very popular choice in kitchens and bathrooms. Engineered wood floors can be laid directly over underfloor heating systems – as a floating floor, or nailed to battens or joists.

When laying carpets, use an underlay that is not a good thermal insulator as this will allow the heat to pass easily through the layer and into the carpet. Felt and polyurethane underlays should be avoided as they affect the transfer of heat.

Bathroom makeover

Make the most of your bathroom by using a professional designer

If you are not too sure what you would like your bathroom to look like and would like to see some designs to start off with, we work with a professional designer who can create a stunning bathroom from your original ideas and wishes or present you with a completely fresh concept.

Claire is featured in the September edition of House Beautiful and talks about how she designed a small space into a modern, streamlined bathroom in a Victorian terraced house.
The bathroom, plumbing, and underfloor heating were installed by Kemco, and Claire’s ideas certainly made this small bathroom a real feature of the property.

The owners were looking for a contemporary bathroom which was simple and unfussy. They didn’t want to spend too much money. Their existing bathroom had no storage and was cold and draughty.

Claire’s project plan included the removal of the old suite, a re-route of the plumbing, the installation of new floor tiles and the suite. Plastering Interiors finished the walls in a polished cement which looked great, and we got the chrome taps powder coated black to match the dramatic black matt wall radiator.

We fitted an elegant white bath sourced by Claire which had a slim profile and was free standing with double ends. Having installed the underfloor heating and laid the encaustic hexagonal tiles, the bath looked beautifully at home and was complemented by a wall-hung vanity unit and clever recessed shelving for storage.

If you would like to know more about our designer service, please don’t hesitate to ask.