Cut Energy Costs This Winter With BLT Direct

After a brief Indian summer where Britain spent a week walking around in flip-flops and sunglasses, the UK has finally succumbed to it's trademark cold winter. With the onset of wind, rain and even some snow forecast, temperatures have dropped dramatically within the last few weeks and residents of freezing Britain will be turning up the heating for the first time in months. Not only is the meteorological climate dropping, but the economic climate is facing tough times, with energy providers driving prices sky-high and making it more expensive than ever for people to heat their homes through winter.

BLT Direct, a leading UK supplier of light bulbs, is offering the perfect method of saving money and to even out the energy bills. Their range of energy-saving lightbulbs come in all shapes and sizes, at a budget price to suit everybody. Energy-saving bulbs have dramatically reduced running costs, consuming much less power and resulting in lower electricity bills. The bulbs are also much longer-lasting than conventional halogen bulbs, lasting for up to 15,000 hours and practically ridding us of the need to replace them, saving even more money.

The Energy Saving GU10 Light Bulbs are now popularly considered as a direct replacement for the standard halogen bulbs which are slowly being filtered out of production. The bulbs fit any GU10 light fitting and come in a range of different colours and wattages. The shape of the bulbs and the lighting they produce make them perfect for accent and effect lighting. It's been predicted that GU10 lightbulbs can provide up to an 80% reduction in running costs, leaving you with much more money to keep the house warm through the colder months. The bulbs are environmentally friendly and highly luminous thanks to state-of-the-art technology. BLT Direct has the GU10 lightbulbs starting at just £4.99 each.

BLT Direct also provides direct energy-saving replacements for GLS bulbs. The energy-saving lightbulbs are exactly the same size as the standard GLS bulbs but instead of consuming pointless energy, they are more energy efficient, reducing costs and protecting the environment whilst still providing the same amount of light. With the standard incandescent bulbs slowly being taken off the shelves, now may be the perfect time to stock up on their environmentally-friendly replacements, just in time to cut down your energy bills over Christmas.

With the days becoming shorter and the hours of darkness becoming longer, it's important that your energy-saving light bulbs last, as during winter we need to use artificial light for much larger portions of the day. BLT Direct's fantastic Dusk To Dawn Sensor Lamps have a unique sensor built-in which automatically switches on the light at nightfall and off again when the sun comes up the next morning. For areas that require constant illumination throughout the night, such as landings or hallways, these cutting-edge light bulbs are the perfect choice. The lifespan of these bulbs is estimated at around 8,000 hours, and they are fitted with a bayonet cap which will fit a large number of existing light fittings. The Dusk To Dawn Sensor lamps are currently on sale at just £15.99.

To find out more and order online, visit http://www.bltdirect.com

BLT Direct – One-Stop-Shop For Christmas Lighting Needs

Supermarkets have already started to stock up on advent calendars and tinselly decorations, with Christmas offers appearing in adverts on television. Consumers are urged to start their Christmas shopping early to get ahead of the crowds and the inevitable onslaught of celebrity books, calendars, DVDs and other novelty items will soon be upon us.

It is often remarked that Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier every year, but there's no harm in being prepared for the festive season. When it comes to decorating the house over the Christmas period, everyone wants to have the stand-out house on the street. All it takes is one person to place a light-up reindeer on the lawn and the whole street will be in silent competition over whose house can look the merriest. With the darker nights drawing in, why not provide some cheerful lights on the outside of your house to alleviate the gloom as the cold winter weather sets in?

BLT Direct, an online supplier of lighting solutions, is home to all your Christmas light display needs, whether it be the traditional fairy lights or the more modern energy-saving models hitting the shelves. To add a classy touch to your array of lights, choose the Snowing Outdoor Icicle Lights, starting at £39.99 for an 8.9 metre set and going up to £79.99 for a fantastic 27.9 metres. The LED lights have low energy consumption and are brighter than conventional bulbs. With 8 different pulsating settings controlled by a remote, you can really get that wintery feeling of icicles on your roof. The set also includes a static mode to act as ordinary fairy lights, sure to brighten up any window display.

If you're looking for something a little more discreet in your Christmas decorations, BLT Direct's range of Christmas tea lights are perfect. With three different styles, a Santa, a snowman and a tree, the battery-operated lights are great for brightening up your Christmas dinner table or for placing along the mantepiece in between your Christmas cards. The LED lights change colour and add warmth and simplicity to to any home over the festive season.

If you already have your Christmas lights display under control, why not think about giving a light-based educational gift to one of the younger members of the family? BLT's excellent selection of Educational Lighting Sets make great gifts for children or grandchildren, providing entertainment and helping them to learn about lighting, electricity and electronics, in compliance with the Key Stage 1 & 2 curriculum.

To find out more and order online, visit http://www.bltdirect.com

What Are Solar Photovoltaic Systems?

In recent years there has been a lot of emphasis placed on conserving energy, being energy efficient and being eco-conscious. With the planet heating up at an alarming rate, measures are being taken to slow the onset of global warming and we are constantly encouraged to be more conscious of our carbon footprints.

There are many ways we can all go about being more 'green' and environmentally friendly. Recycling is more commonplace that it has ever been before, more people are abandoning their cars to cycle or use public transport, Fairtrade and organic products are taking up more and more aisles in our supermarkets – but what of the more dramatic ways of cutting our carbon emissions?

Solar panels have long since been in the periphery of public awareness – we have known that they exist but haven't come across them too often, especially not in homes. But now in these eco-conscious times they grow more and more popular in domestic use and are completely viable as a way of generating your own power and cutting costs of energy bills. The correct term for the systems is 'photovoltaic' – photo coming from the Greek word 'phos', meaning 'light' and volt, an electricity measurement unit. Literally, photovoltaic translates as 'light-electricity'.

How do these systems work? Solar photovoltaic systems are panels which have a thin layer of semi-conducting material placed over the top, not dissimilar to the smaller versions used on calculators and watches. When this material is exposed to sunlight, the electrons inside the atoms which comprise the material are knocked loose and flow through the material to create what is known as a direct current, or a DC. The direct current cannot be utilised to power a home and so it is channelled into an inverter, which transforms it into an alternating current, or an AC. The alternating current can then be used to heat your water and supply your home with electricity.

The system is eco-friendly and a great way to play your part in protecting the environment, but there are also cost-related benefits that add more weight to the cause. Not only does converting to solar energy diminish the worry of ever-rising energy costs from all the main companies, you can also turn a profit. Any energy not consumed by your home can be sold back to the national grid – the average 4-bedroomed house fitted with 2.5kw solar panels using a normal amount of electricity can earn up to £850 per year tax-free by selling back their generated energy.

To find out more about using solar panels in your home, visit www.ellwoodelectrical.co.uk or Tel: 01473 712 868.