LEADING ELECTRICAL BODY ADVISES HOMEOWNERS IN WALES TO SWITCH TO SMART AND SAVE


With the start of a New Year presenting the perfect time to take stock and make changes for the better, NICEIC is advising homeowners in Wales to make the switch to smart technology in order to save on the annual energy bill. Over the course of 2017, all ‘Big Six’ energy providers announced price rises for those on standard tariffs, 1 with British Gas introducing a huge 12.5% increase in September. Collectively, the result was an estimated average energy bill value of £1258.55. With further price hikes likely, NICEIC, the UK’s leading name for electricians, is urging householders to invest in smarter solutions in order to negate some of the extra cost. Darren Staniforth, NICEIC’s Technical Development Manager, comments:


“The cost of installing


products to create a smart home have come down considerably over recent years, making it much more appealing to the mass market. Better still, the beauty of today’s offering is that it can be up-scaled or downsized dependent on each individual’s needs and budget –covering everything from the control of heating, lighting, home entertainment, security and other domestic functions. For householders looking to join the smart scene this


year and, in turn, save considerably on their energy bills, NICEIC offers some top tips: • Energy efficient lighting – replacing traditional lights with super-efficient LEDs is one of the easiest ways to cut energy costs. They can save you money in the long run as they typically have a life of 50,000 hours and reduce energy costs by up to 90 percent.


Watch Live Six Nations Games at St David’s Hall!


LOOKING for the perfect place to watch live Six Nations coverage in the heart of the city centre? St David’s Hall are showing all three of Wales’ home Six Nations games: • Wales vs Scotland – Saturday 3 February, 2.15pm • Wales vs Italy – Sunday 11 March, 3pm • Wales vs France – Saturday 17 March, 5pm


Entry is free and the bar opens at 10am. For more information, visit www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk or call the Box Office on 029 2087 8444


While it, of course, all depends on what types of lights you have, how many and how often you use, one recent study estimates homeowners could save a whopping £232 a year by making the switch to LEDs.3 • Smart thermostats – As heating is one of biggest users of energy in the home, investing in a heating control system, such as those produced by Hive and Nest, makes great financial sense. Working in conjunction with a smart device, these clever systems enable users to turn their heating on and off remotely, set specific temperatures and can even ‘know’ to turn down the heat when someone leaves the building or if the weather changes • Energy efficient appliances – from smart washing machines designed to fit more clothes at fewer loads and operate on times of low electricity usage, through to smart fridges that turn themselves off to save on money, the options for more cost-friendly appliances really are endless. So, if you are buying a new appliance this year the recommendation is to seek the most efficient option possible for your budget. You can search for a registered electrician in your area by visiting www.niceic.com


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Cardiff & South Wales Advertiser - Friday 2nd February 2018 - 11


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