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Published 01 Oct 2024

NEW REPORT! Savings Calculations from using a Chimney Sheep from the University of Liverpool

The University of Liverpool were commissioned to assess the energy savings from blocking a chimney using a Chimney Sheep. Airflow in buildings is a complicated thing, but there is something unique to chimneys that means that the airflow out of them can be calculated more readily than draughts in leaky parts of the building. 

They used a powerful software called DesignBuilder to model the use of a Chimney Sheep in three different locations in the UK: London, Liverpool and Aberdeen. They modelled it in three different house types: end of terrace, detached and eco-refurbished. 

It's not a very long report so if you're interested you can read the whole thing here. 

But here are the salient points: 

  • The use of the Chimney Sheep in a typical three bedroom terraced house results in a total cost saving of £178.38 for the house in Aberdeen, £154.45 for the house in Liverpool and £137.67 for the house in London per annum when gas is charged at 12 p/kWh.
  • Blocking a chimney with a Chimney Sheep is almost as effective as blocking it off permanently, with the added benefit that the Chimney Sheep is removable should the fire be required for secondary heating.
  • Blocking a chimney in the summer during hot weather makes the home more comfortable by keeping out the heat.
  • Using a Chimney Sheep to block the chimney saves an average of 0.19 tonnes of CO2 per year. Multiplying this number by the estimated 11,068,800 houses with chimneys in England gives an approximate reduction in CO2 emissions of over 2 million tonnes per year if Chimney Sheep were to be used in every dwelling with a chimney in England.

NB that's over 11 million homes in England alone! (based on National Statistics for England Housing data, that doesn't include the rest of the UK). It's not a surprising result, if you consider that having an open chimney is like leaving a window open all the time. What is more surprising is that blocking the chimney is such an easy way of saving energy, money and CO2 yet it is still not a mainstream measure. It's getting there though. 

 

 

Sally Phillips

Inventor of Chimney Sheep

carbon savings
chimney draught excluder
draught proofing
energy savings
University research
PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

44.00 GBP

How does it work?

This ingenious washing machine microfibre filter kit uses cartridges to physically catch and retain the fibres that come loose when you wash your laundry. Each cartridge will last around 15-20 loads of laundry and is easily replaceable in just a couple of minutes.

Fibre retention is based solely on physical retention with the help of clever patent-pending technology.

You can also send the used cartridges back to us and we'll forward them on to PlanetCare. They will ensure that they are reused or recycled.  This ‘closed loop’ system ensures that there is minimum wastage throughout the whole process.

Something to think about:

Doing the laundry can have a huge environmental impact, whether that be using tonnes of energy running the washing machine and tumble drier - or the pollutants that are released from the products you use. Using a microfiber filter is just one way of reducing that impact. Why not make a few more changes - we've tonnes of handy tips in our blog.

 

What's in the box?

You'll get everything you need to fit your PlanetCare washing machine filter with these handy starter kits, meaning you can get it in place and start catching microfibers straight away.

The Mini Starter Kit includes:

  • 1 housing top with a cup, 1 holder, 4 screws, 1 tube (1.5m), 1 silicone lubricant, 1 counter, and 3 filter replacement cartridges.
  •  3 cartridges. These can last up to 60 washes.

The XL Starter Kit includes:

  • 1 housing top with a cup, 1 holder, 4 screws, 1 tube (1.5m), 1 silicone lubricant, 1 counter, and 3 filter replacement cartridges.
  • 13 cartridges. These can last up to 260 washes.

    Note: All the filter cartridges are 100% recycled and refurbished for use again and again via a closed-loop service.

       

      Is it easy to install?

      The microfiber filter is very easy to install. In fact, for most washing machines this process takes less than 10 minutes. The filters are compatible with all types of washing machines.

      There's actually a handy how-to video and a useful installation guide  you can take a peek at if you need a little bit more guidance.

      It’s a good idea to position it high enough above the floor/surface so the cover can be removed to change the filter and position the device so that it is easy to screw the cover back after each filter change.

      Please note: you will need 13 cm on the side of the washing machine and approx. 60 cm in height clearance so that you will be able to easily unscrew the housing and change the filter comfortably.

      The filter must be placed outside the washing machine on the drain hose. It should not be raised above the height of the drain hose exiting the washing machine. The hose length should be held to a minimum. Raising the filter and a long drain hose will both reduce the efficiency of pumping and filtering and should be avoided.

       

      What are the dimensions of the filter housing?

      The filter housing alone, without any attachments, measures the following:

      • height 325 mm, width (hose attachment direction) 122 mm, and depth 130 mm.

       

      Is the microfiber filter easy to use?

      For the first load, just make sure the filter cover is replaced correctly and screwed tight before using the washing machine. Try a short wash and make sure all connections and covers are fixed and watertight.

      It’s also a good idea to hold the top of the device when replacing the filter cover to avoid putting pressure on the bracket fixings when unscrewing the cover.

      After that, you do not need to do anything until the cartridge is full.

      >Easy!

       

      How does the closed-loop system work?

      When your cartridge is full you can send it back to us directly, simply go onto the delivery website Parcel2Go and produce a label to send the cartridges to us, don't forget to include your order details as we'll refund you the postage cost. We then send these off to PlanetCare who disassemble the cartridge and remove the fibres and filtering medium.  This is done in a controlled environment, ensuring that caught fibres do not pollute water or the environment.

       

      What does Planetcare do with the fibres?

      >At the moment PlanetCare is safely storing the used filtered materials. Once they have sufficient quantity, they will reuse/recycle it all. At the moment they are planning to reuse the materials by converting them into insulation mats. But, they're always on the lookout for viable solutions and will choose the best available option to reuse/ recycle the fibres.

      The waste will never be burned or sent to a landfill!

      The remainder of the cartridge is cleaned, and fitted with a new filtering medium ready to be used again.

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