Solar Lights – An Easy Way To Save on Electricity

I love those solar lamps. We had them in our yard, as well, and they are not that expensive. They’re all the rage now and give a little zing to your landscaping. I love that they are insurance for the environment by not having to use more electricity and they are beautiful. Functional and lovely. Can you ask for more? One word of warning – if you start with the solar lamps it leads to even more thoughts of solar energy! We want to put solar panels on our next home improvement projects.

Solar lights have been on our radar lately, especially with our plan to reduce our electricity costs. We’ve been wanting to tackle some outdoor projects and installing solar lights seemed like a good way to combine an outdoor face lift for the home with the cost savings of solar energy. After spending what seemed like hours at the home store poring over the different varieties of path lighting. we finally made our decision. Of course, I want you to benefit from all of our research, so here are the benefits we’ve found with solar lighting.

Solar lights don’t use electricity. Since we’re on this crusade to save money and energy, I love this feature of solar lights. These lights don’t draw on my home’s power at all. They do, however, take a little while to “charge” from the sun, so don’t expect them to be crazily bright when you take them out of the box.

Solar lights are easy to install. I have to admit that, although I love home improvement projects, electrical work really intimidates me. In fact, that is the one type of project that I tend to let my husband take over. Fortunately, solar lights are really easy to install. The lights are mounted on yard spikes, so all you have to do is to push them firmly into the ground. Done!

Solar lights are safe. Having installed these path lights into the yard, I don’t have to worry about a dog digging into the wiring for the lights. These lights don’t have wiring. I also don’t have to worry about my husband electrocuting himself while he tries to wire something into the house.

You can pick solar lights up cheaply if you time your purchase correctly. Now, we didn’t do this in our house. Unfortunately, we weren’t sure last winter that we were going to be doing this project, and I didn’t want to buy something and have it sit in the garage for years. If I had it to over again, however, I would have purchased them last winter. Learn from our mistake and plan ahead for your purchases.

How Much Should A Commercial Heating Sales Engineer Earn?

Or, to put it another way, how much could a commercial heating sales engineer be earning?  If you read some job adverts it might seem easier to estimate the length of a piece of string. Start analysing the figures behind the headline OTE and it won’t be long before you’re tied up in knots.

Getting Down to Basics

A basic salary will typically range between £36K and £44K for a sales engineer in the commercial heating sector. Bonuses, however, can add anything between £3K and £50K – making a big difference to potential earnings.

Size Matters

Working for a smaller company will probably mean earning a higher basic but less bonus. That’s generally because small firms are less well known within the industry and bonus opportunities are a bit harder to come by. A good level of bonus from a small to medium sized commercial heating manufacturer will be around £8-10K. The bigger and better known the company, the higher the bonus potential, although basic salaries will probably be less.

Hitting the Bullseye

You’re already thinking about how much you should be earning and the job adverts are telling you what you could be earning.  So how do you make sure you’re being paid what you feel you deserve? If your ambition is to earn between £50K and £60K hitting target is the best way to achieve it. If you’re hitting target and earning less than £50K you’re probably underpaid!

Bonus Numbers

If you’re good at your job, achieving your targets won’t be too much of a lottery. The small print of your bonus agreement may still leave you spinning though. Some firms include a team element to the bonus giving you an extra payout if the regional team hits target. Others will only release part of the bonus if you achieve a personal development target. Our advice? Check the small print, do the sums and keep your eye on the ball to make sure you’re achieving in each specified area.

Simply the Best

There may not be many companies out there offering OTE figures of 100K these days but it is possible to get close if that’s what you’re looking for. The best packages are those that fit the company. In other words, if you’re working for a big name in the HVAC industry with potential to further your career and achieve high sales it’s only fair that the basic is a little lower. A smaller company selling less well known products should be offering a slightly higher basic with less reliance on bonus to make up the number.

Remember: When it comes to career progression, salary is the ultimate indicator but the best packages aren’t always those offering the highest numbers.

How The Green Deal Will Affect Your Career In The HVAC

The Government is on a mission to encourage Britain’s 26 million households and 4.5 million businesses to save energy. There may have been a big fanfare to announce the launch of its well publicised Green Deal but what does it mean for those working in the HVAC sector and should HVAC manufacturers be rolling out the red carpet?

High Demand

The most recent figures suggest people are really switching onto the Green Deal. More than 9000 Green Deal assessments took place in the first two months of the scheme and there seems to be genuine interest from domestic energy users who are struggling with rising gas and electricity bills. The fact that consumers are enthusiastic means landlords and businesses are likely to see the benefits to. The message for those working in the HVAC industry is that if this trend continues they should definitely be gearing themselves towards this potentially lucrative new market.

Bright Ideas

The latest thinking in the industry is that HVAC manufacturers will need to look at their product ranges and assess their efficiency credentials if they are to maximise any Green Deal opportunities. Products that can be sold on their energy efficiency benefits are therefore likely to have a bright future and new product development and innovation should probably have a strong focus on energy saving.

A Warm Glow

If your company is an approved supplier under the Green Deal, this fact will undoubtedly leave a warm glow in the hearts of potential clients and customers and will ultimately be likely to win you a share of the flourishing green market. Likewise, if you are looking to further your career and can demonstrate a thorough understanding of how the Grean Deal is shaping the industry, you’ll be turning the heat up on your job prospects.

Fanning the Flames

The enthusiastic response from home owners has already inspired 48 firms to become authorised providers according to the latest figures with more than 800 registered to carry out installations. The general feeling in the industry is that as the Green Deal catches on there will be an ever increasing demand for expertise in this area creating new opportunities for HVAC manufacturers and those working in the sector.

Full Steam Ahead

Some of the biggest names in energy and efficiency are putting their money where their mouth is to push the Green Deal forward. The Green Deal Finance Company (GDFC) has signed financing agreements with the DECC , the UK Green Investment Bank and stakeholders such as British Gas, Kingfisher, Carillon, PwC and npower to provide financial support for Green Deal Providers to put together and promote Green Deal Plans. Not only does this present opportunities for HVAC businesses, it also provides a secure future for sales professionals with knowledge and experience of energy efficiency technology or products.