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Published 23 Sep 2013

It's Our Anniversary!

It’s our anniversary! One year ago in August the first sheep was sold. One year ago in September Chimney Sheep Ltd was incorporated.

So what’s happened in that time? The product range has grown from 3 to 9 sizes of sheep, as people have kindly got in touch with their various chimney dimensions.

The product has been tested by the University of Liverpool School of Architecture with very favourable results – more about that later!

The selling target we set ourselves has been doubled.

Chimney Sheep has featured in national newspapers and was on the BBC Radio 2’s innovation slot in February which did amazing things to Google Analytics (and the sales figures!) Distributors from Australia and New Zealand have expressed interest.

Chimney Sheep Ltd was one of a dozen low carbon start-up companies selected to be “incubated” at the Birmingham Science Park.

Chimney Sheep Ltd is a finalist in the CN group business awards in the New Business of the Year category. It’s also a finalist in the Green Business awards, in the energy efficiency service category.

To be honest, this is far more than I ever expected or even dared dream of in the first year! It hasn’t been without its stresses but it’s the challenges that make life interesting, eh?

And what a brilliant bunch of customers! People that totally “get” the product even though there’s hardly been any information about heat loss up chimneys. That diagram from the Energy Savings Trust showing the bits of house that your heat escapes from doesn’t even mention chimneys. And it really means such a lot to me when people take the trouble to get in touch and let me know that they are happy with their sheep, that they notice a reduction in draughts, that they are turning their thermostats down…it really makes me happy!

So, what’s planned for next year? Well, that report I mentioned should be ready for release soon. I’ve just ordered 2.5km of Herdwick wool felt. How many sheep is that?? It means we’re committed to selling at least three times what we did last year.

HMRC have set a challenge: for chimney draught exclusion products to be recognised as “official” draught exclusion or insulation products eligible for a lower rate of VAT, we have to campaign to get the law changed.

We’ve got evidence that the Chimney Sheep™ saves around 4% of household heat loss, so it’s time to get the powers that be to acknowledge what we do and get us included in the insulation club. Something tells me we’re going to be busy!

energy Savings Trust heat loss diagram does not mention open chimneys

What about the chimney, Energy Savings Trust??

Sally Phillips

Inventor of Chimney Sheep

birthday
chimney sheep
PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

55.00 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.

No chemicals are used in the construction or the functioning of the filter. 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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