Glow Worm and Worcester Bosch join the Low Carbon Solutions Scheme

Energy Smart can inform you that Plumb Center has announced key revisions to the A1 Low Carbon Solutions Fuel Switching Scheme which promise to give qualifying oil heating installers something to look forward to in 2011.  The new and improved scheme will see installers, who are registered with the scheme, walking away with £100 cashback for every qualifying fuel switch they complete.

The installer incentive comes in addition to the grant funding of up to £520 which installers are able to access for their customers through the scheme.  Being able to access this funding provides installers with an advantage over their competitors, allowing them to offer more competitive quotes and in turn to pick up more business. 

The A1 LCS Scheme has been around for a number of years and although the details of the scheme have changed, the premise has remained constant - to encourage the installation of low-carbon, high-efficiency heating systems in the privately-owned residential housing sector. 
Homes where an electric or coal-fired heating system is replaced with a new less carbon intensive gas, oil or LPG A-rated boiler - purchased from Plumb Center, a key partner of the scheme - are all eligible to apply for the grant.

Eight leading boiler manufacturers are involved in scheme - Worcester Bosch, Valliant, Baxi Potterton, Vokera, Alpha, Glow Worm, Ideal and Grant UK.

For cheap energy efficient boilers contact Energy Smart today.

Plumbing Trade Supplies - second in BBC Three’s ‘Young plumber of the year’

PTS customer Charlie King battled other plumbers from across the country and came second in BBC Three’s ‘Young plumber of the year’ thanks to a nomination from his local Plumbing Trade Supplies branch manager.

PTS Romford Branch Manager Barry Jones put 21 year old Charlie, from Entire Plumbing Ltd, forward thanks to his creative ability and determination to have his own successful business. BBC Three’s ‘Young plumber of the year’ celebrates talent across the UK, with the winner chosen by a panel of industry experts.

Charlie started out as an apprentice and it wasn’t long before he was working to get his own plumbing business off the ground, buying his first van at the age of 17 and starting his company at 18. Now fully established, Entire Plumbing Ltd installs everything from bathroom suites to solar heating systems.

Barry Jones, PTS Romford Branch Manager said: “I’ve been working in the heating and plumbing industry for 17 years and for me, no plumber has stood out as much as Charlie. He is incredibly motivated and determined which I have a lot of respect for.

“Charlie knows a lot about the industry and is already a keen user of renewables. He has been a very loyal customer of ours and PTS will be supporting Charlie all the way. He has done well to have made it to the final four and truly deserves the recognition for all his hard work.”

Charlie added: “I’m proud to have been recognised nationally for my work. Barry’s faith in my ability has given me the confidence to push myself further and I’m incredibly grateful that PTS nominated me out of all its customers to go into this competition.”

For plumbing accessories and cheap boilers contact Energy Smart today

Plumbing News, Swindon Apprentice wins BBC Young Plumber of the Year

A former Swindon College apprentice has won the BBC Young Plumber of the Year Award.

Aimee Patterson, 23, competed against hundreds of applicants for the title of Britain's best young plumber on BBC 3 last week.

Aimee, who completed her plumbing apprenticeship at Swindon College in 2008, was "over the moon" to have won.

She said: "I've got so much passion for the industry and I love what I'm doing.

"And this proves that women can do it in the industry and that we are just as good as anyone else."

Televised at the beginning of December the BBC 3 programme set the young plumbers a series of challenges.

Toilet test

The two day competition tested skills such as unblocking a toilet, soldering a "nightmare plumbing maze" and designing and constructing a fountain.
BBC Young Plumber of the Year
Despite winning the title Aimee doesn't believe that girls make better plumbers

"The worst challenge we had to do was a quick-fire question round which was horrible," explained Aimee.

"And when I got to the final we had to make a fountain - now lots of friends are taking the Mickey out of me and asking if I can make a fountain for their garden."

As the only girl shortlisted to compete for the title, the 23-year-old also had to prove herself against comments that she had "only got through because she was a girl".

"There was a comment made by one of the other contestants that I wasn't as good," she said.

"But if I'd thought I'd got through just because I was a girl I'd have gone straight away.

"I wanted to be treated just the same as all the other guys because I like to think that I am just as good as the guys."

Girl plumbers

Despite being described by the programme's judges as "outstanding" and a "great role model for the industry", Aimee doesn't believe that girls make better plumbers then boys.

"I think we're different - I wouldn't say we're any better," she said.

"I think we think about things differently and have a more methodical way.

"But I hope I've proved a point and that there are a few people out there that will now want to do plumbing because it's a brilliant industry."

PTS Plumbing Supplies tackle top running challenge

A team of PTS employees pulled on their running shoes to compete in the Great South Run on 24th October in Portsmouth, raising around £700 for Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Passing the finish line after a tough ten miles were PTS Haslemere Branch Manager Andrew Marchant and PTS Camberly Assistant Branch Manager Matthew Armstrong-Forbes. Both runners had been training hard for months before the challenge, raising money through the support of friends, family and PTS customers and suppliers.

Andy Marchant, Branch Manager at PTS Haslemere, said: “This was the first sponsored run I had ever done so it was a real challenge, but our team wanted to support the great work of the CF Trust. I am now preparing for the London Marathon in April 2011 and I hope we can rely on the same support from everyone that helped us to raise such a massive amount of money this time around.”

Keen runner and PTS Sales Representative for Leicestershire Duncan Foley also represented the North of England when he took on the Great North Run on Sunday 19th September in Newcastle, Gateshead. Duncan will be joining Andy in support of the CF Trust at the 2011 London Marathon. The CF Trust is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis.

For Plumbing supplies at the best rates available see www.energy-smart.org.uk