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The world is rapidly shifting toward sustainable solutions, from electric cars to renewable energy powering homes and businesses. Heating is no exception. Electric heating has evolved significantly, shedding its reputation as an expensive and inefficient option. With cutting-edge advancements from leading manufacturers, it’s now shaping to be one of the most practical, eco-friendly, and cost-effective solutions available.   Busting the Myth: Is Electric Heating Expensive?  A common misconception is that electric heating is costly to run. However, modern electric radiators are designed with energy efficiency at their core. Features like smart thermostats, precise heat control, and advanced insulation minimise energy waste and help lower running costs.    As Atit Chopra, Product Development Director at Beldray, explains in Ideal Home :   “Using an electric heater to heat single rooms or smaller spaces can be more cost-effective than heating your whole home with central heating.”   Electric heating allows users to heat only the spaces they use most, offering targeted warmth without the inefficiencies of a full central heating system. Similarly, with the increasing uptake of solar power in homes today, electric heating can work in tandem with renewable energy sources to further reduce costs.    Why Electric Heating is Gaining Momentum   According to Professional Electrician Magazine , several factors are driving the shift away from gas heating systems:   Legislation:  Government policies now require all new homes to meet a minimum EPC rating of C, encouraging energy-efficient solutions.   Lower Installation Costs: Electric heating is more affordable to install compared to gas systems and requires less maintenance.   Technological Advances:  Innovations in electric heating technology have improved efficiency and lowered costs.   Ecological Awareness:  Consumers are increasingly opting for clean, sustainable heating solutions to reduce their environmental impact.     Additional Benefits of Electric Heating   Effortless Installation: No need for extensive pipework, making it ideal for refurbs and new builds alike.   Smart Technology: App-controlled thermostats allow users to adjust settings remotely and monitor energy consumption in real time.  Enhanced Safety: Electric systems eliminate risks associated with gas, such as carbon monoxide emissions or burst pipes.   Sustainability: When paired with renewable energy sources like solar panels, electric heating becomes one of the cleanest and most economical options.   Electric Heating Options at 7 Core Electrical   If you’re considering electric heating for your next project or your own home, here are some top-performing options:    Ecostrad iQ Ceramic Radiators   Relaunched this year, this WiFi controlled electric heater has been improved with your needs in mind. This ceramic heater puts efficiency first; it holds warmth over time but also cools slowly maximising efficiency and reduces running costs.    Key Benefits:   WiFi-controlled    Stylish anthracite or ceramic finish    Motion sensor mode    Multiple modes: Comfort, Eco, Anti-frost   10-year warranty   Outputs from 500W–2000W   Promotion Alert: Buy two (2) or more Ecostrad iQ Ceramic radiators between December 6–24, 2024 and be entered into our draw to win a £200 Amazon Voucher.    More details of the Ecostrad promotion. Rointe Kyros Radiators   The Rointe Kyros radiator combines comfortable heat output and energy efficiency. A perfect installation for commercial or residential properties. The radiator includes a visual menu, smart timer and 4 editable pre-programmed settings making it a very easy and intuitive product to control.     Key Benefits:   Fuzzy Logic Energy Control for optimized energy savings   Open window sensor   High-quality aluminium build for long-lasting heat retention    Robust manufacturer warranty   Electrorad Contract Panel Heaters   The Electrorad Contract Panel electric heater is a sleek, modern heating solution designed to meet the demands of both residential and commercial spaces. This radiator combines advanced heating technology with user-friendly controls for optimal performance and is competitively priced.    Key Benefits:    Lot 20 compliant for energy efficiency   WiFi-control available  LED control pad for ease of use   24/7 programmable system   The Shift is Happening    As we embrace electric vehicles and cleaner energy sources, electric heating is naturally becoming the next big step. It offers an opportunity for contractors to provide cutting-edge solutions that align with growing demands for sustainability and energy efficiency.  So, the next time you’re planning a project or even for your own home, why not consider electric heating—it’s not just the future; it’s the smart, efficient choice for today.   Contact your local branch or enquire here for more information and prices.      Sources:   • Professional Electrician Magazine  https://professional-electrician.com/features/choose-electric-gas-heating/       • Ideal Home: Electric Heating vs. Gas Heating  https://www.idealhome.co.uk/house-manual/heating/are-electric-heaters-cheaper-to-run-than-central-heating

What is smart technology? Is the world heading that way and why? Buckle your seatbelts were going to be discussing the crazy world of smart technology. Now when we say smart tech there are usually two reactions, the first being overwhelming excitement for in-use products and the future potential or a strong wave of dread. But why do people have either reaction? Uncertainty. Another big factor is, without saying, the wide range of dystopian, technologically advanced worlds that we see in films, shows, books and games. We have developed a flight or fight response by consuming these. What is smart tech? Smart Tech comes in many forms, from the phone in your hand to your ring doorbell we all have at least one piece of this tech. Some love it, some hate it but we all use it. In a nutshell, smart tech is a technology which uses big data analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to provide cognitive awareness to objects which were in the past considered inanimate. What are the benefits? Not only does this tech add simplicity to your life it also saves you money, and who doesn't like some extra pounds in their pocket? Most importantly it helps conserve energy. Helping the planet and your bank account by: Reducing electricity bills, Reducing water bills, Making your home more durable, It also improves your mental well-being due to a sense of accomplishment from doing your bit for the environment and from saving money. Especially with the cost of living crisis. “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” ― Albert Einstein Going Green Why is going green so important? The big Global Warming, we've all heard of it but what exactly is it and what can we do to stop it? Global Warming is the long-term heating of the earth's surface caused by human activity. The best way to counteract the effects of global warming is to go green. But what exactly is that? Going green is simply being mindful of your impact on the earth and the ecological balance to preserve the planet, its natural resources, and its ecosystems. By making your home more energy efficient you can make a huge positive impact on the environment, on your mental well-being and on your bank account. Smart Homes But how do smart products help? The reason why smart products are so useful in combating climate change is energy conservation and seeing your usage, therefore, meaning you will be more likely to use less. Smart lighting can make a great impact on your home's energy expenditure and carbon footprint. Lighting is so important as 17% of a home's carbon footprint is caused by lighting. With smart lighting, you can control your lights via an app. Smart plugs also allow you to set timers so you are never using more electricity than necessary. Where can I get smart home products? At 7 Core we stock a wide range of smart products. The leading supplier of smart products that we supply is Link2Home. We stock smart plugs, smart thermostats, smart lighting, and smart doorbells just to name a few. We also stock smart car chargers for both commercial and residential use. As well as the great products above we will also take care of all your solar needs, stocking solar panels to suit your home. Whatever your requirements we have you covered.

We’ve all done it, bought that beautiful centrepiece light fitting made of pure Japanese oak with decorative metal bits hand folded by the monks of Tibet (lighting designed by Luxicore Lighting obviously), had the fitting installed with Led lights, gone to turn it on and boom! There it is, that buzzing sound decides to appear, the same one that emanates from the front lawn whenever Fred, next doors son, decides to spark up his half-broken scooter. The question is why? Well, there are a few reasons for this, the first and most common one is that you’ve bought a dimmable lamp and the dimmer simply doesn’t work with the LED lamp you’ve bought. The easiest way to avoid this is to buy a new dimmer that has the ability to be programmed, since the discovery of the issue a few people have come up with a really positive solution but, to be honest, the best way to get the right thing is simply to get down to your local 7Core Electrical and ask for just that, a programmable LED dimmer. So now we’ve swapped over the dimmer and the buzzing continues to sound like a swarm of hornets playing mini kazoos. The next easy step is to check if there’s anything that might be causing interference like a TV, radio or that tesla tower you set up in the living room. If there might be anything in the room causing a frequency interference then simply switch it off and see if the buzzing stops, problem solved! This generally shouldn’t happen with the better-quality LEDs and might mean you need to look at investing in a slightly different setup in order to watch the housewives of Blackpool with the lights on. But yet again the buzzing hasn’t stopped and all of a sudden there’s a smell like the Australians next door have thrown another shrimp on the barbie (here’s looking at you, Dave Maynard). This is a sign of a significantly more worrying and sinister issue; this could mean that there is an electrical fault in the line and your best course of action is to turn the lights off and if you can, isolate the circuit. Once you’ve done this call a competent electrician IMMEDIATELY! It might be a 5-minute job to solve for an electrician but unchecked could lead to some serious consequences. So hopefully after reading this you’ve ditched the Tesla tower, changed the dimmer and not needed to call out the electrician but have a beautiful centrepiece lighting without the unpleasant sounds to boot. There are other reasons LED lamps make a buzzing sound and if the above doesn’t solve it there’s plenty of other forums and blogs that can arm you with the required knowledge but if that’s too much for you there’s plenty of lighting designers and consultants that would be happy to help (we live for this stuff let’s be honest).

Regularly we hear people ask the question, which home automation system should I use? Well, in an ever-expanding market this is a hard question to answer but here are 3 helpful tips for making sure you’re heading down the right path. 1 – Are you starting from fresh or are you swapping out your old switches and sockets? The way you install the system will define its limitations, many of the retrofit systems will require some additional rewiring but nothing too taxing (like the Octo system); whereas starting from fresh means rewiring the whole house, but rewiring does mean THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER. With the rewired systems you can switch the lights on with a single word or close the curtains with a tap of a mobile phone and never have to worry about Fred next door peeping in your living room again when you’re lying about watching your favourite episode of EastEnders. Looking at the retrofit systems such as Octo these are super quick and easy to install with amazing connectivity but you can’t attach any motors or link it to a system like Alexa. 2 - What do you want the system to control? The systems you install from fresh can encompass a lot of different functions but do have a few limitations (you will still have to get up to blend margaritas). The retrofit systems on the other hand whilst easy to install and very easy to control come with quite a lot of restriction; take the Clicksmart system from Scolmore; It can be designed to work most if not all on/off, dim or movement functions across a whopping 40 easy to install modules all from a smartphone. But to be able to get more units across more than 30 meters you’ll have to start investing in additional smart boxes and extenders which all of a sudden start to weigh on the old purse strings. 3- What’s your budget? So having read up to this point you’re probably sitting there and going, well I might as well start from fresh, I might have to pay a bit extra for installation but even the retrofit needs some wiring and starting from fresh I can do almost anything, I could even set up a home automated nerf gun to stop Fred’s damn cat from leaving its “mark” on the front lawn!!….yes you could, starting from a measly £10,000 before installation or programming (back to spraying the cat with the hose). Whereas it’s somewhat restricted counterparts such as the Click smart or Octo system can be bought and installed through an entire house from as little as a grand, they can also be programmed by most tech-savvy users. I hope these little tips help in your journey to finding the right home automation system for you, but if you’re still left with more questions than most of the general population after watching Inception, then drop an email to one of the team at 7 Core Electrical.

A lot of people get confused over IP ratings, even those that have been in the industry for YEARS but they are so important. The last thing you want is to try to light up your pond and accidentally end up making a quick and easy way to boil thousands of pounds worth of koi carp! (especially when you can’t do the chips at the same time). So, breaking IP Waterproof ratings down bit by bit, IP simply explains what the regulation is (boring I know), ingress protection. Right, now the easy bit is done with, the next part is understanding the two digits. The first digit indicates what size solid object you can prod into the product. In the regulations it's done from 0-6 with an inclusion of an “X”, The X mark simply means that the person that made the product doesn’t believe this part of the regulation is relative and hasn’t tested it (move it along guys nothing to see here). 0-6 have pretty specific guidelines with 0,1,3 rarely being seen so to not bore everyone we will move on to the commonly used bad boys 2 - protects against solid objects no greater than 12.5mm 4 - protects against solid objects no greater than 1.0mm 5 – protects from dust 6 – yeah, no dust is getting in this bad boy, fully dust-tight. So pretty simple. Now on to the tricky part, the second digit tells you how much water can get into the product which in the world of electrical goods is pretty significant. It’s a similar format to the first digit in that it has a rating that goes from 0-8 with an “X” for not tested but to really throw a spanner in the works there’s a 9K (no this isn’t a crazy high-resolution TV were talking about). Again there’s a few that don’t really get used but the full range is still important in this part. 0 – not protected, this product might as well be a goldfish bowl 1 – protects against water coming vertically at it but still not really intended for water 2 – a bit of tilt (15 degrees) it won’t take on water 3 – can take a hit of water with a big tilt (60 degrees) 4 – it can take water from all sides but not a lot! 5 – now were talking, this bad boy can take a hit from the water jets, Karcher here I come 6 – it's braced for the high seas! And no water from the Karchers getting in here 7 – now we're talking serious protection, at 7 are going down as low as a 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. 8 – this product is sleeping with the fishes! 8 means fully submersible usually up to about 3 meters 9K – now were talking specialist high powered jets at close range So now you know what IP rating is best for you to be able to fire your jets at! (no not the aeroplanes)