Let’s start by saying here at GFD HQ we accept no responsibility for any errors in regard to the above photographs we simply plucked them from the internet as examples of individuals real life photographs of these two events in the noted locations.

So what is in a name? We now know that if that name is Abigail or Barney at least for the short term the memory will be of a recent storm – which here at GFD HQ simply makes us ask the question – Why? The storms that hit the UK in the main are not hurricanes, tornadoes or some other climatic event with catastrophic consequences they generally consist of some high winds generally less than 70 mph, some heavy rain with occasional flooding and if it is really bad some snow. In the UK we have had storms of this nature for generations and no one bothered to name them – so why do so now, the answer must surely be something to do with marketing and making the Meteorological Office seem a bit more modern and trendy, but we have to admit our first thought was – which great think tank came up with the idea and how much did it cost? The chosen names are not just plucked out of the air on the day of an expected storm – a lot of thought has gone into this as nicely described by the BBC News article “Nigel and Steve among new storm names”

So Nigel and Steve are in the list and we have already had Abigail and Barney which leaves us with the prospect of looking forward to, Clodagh, Desmond, Eva, Frank, Gertrude, Henry, Imogen, Jake, Katie, Lawrence, Mary, Orla, Phil, Rhonda, , Tegan, Vernon and Wendy – if we had not removed Nige and his buddy Steve the sequence would have of course been alphabetical and read boy girl etc all very nice. At GFD HQ we have a feeling the Met Office may be trying to introduce a new form of gambling and vet soon your nearest Met Office will be offering odds on the severity of each of these storms – somewhere near you there may be a window with a poster displaying the following

Even money Tegan

2/1 Vernon

4/1 Eva

8/1 Clodagh

10/1 the field

We know that after recent government cuts independent departments have to become more self financing, but this is maybe a step too far.

All in all twenty one names have been chosen so we had better batten down for a long hard cold windy winter if all of these are to be used this year.

Recent surveys suggest that up to 11 % of your properties core temperature can be lost through badly fitting(draughty) or poorly insulated doors in fact a recent Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) study advised that, insulated doors are the third most cost effective Energy-saving home improvement that it is possible to make a replacement boiler and cavity wall insulation being the most cost effective savings.

Current legislation requires that all new doors sold and fitted in England & Wales must have a “U” value not exceeding 1.8W/m2K and the lower level of (1.6W/m2K applying in Scotland).

The U-value of a door is a measurement of its energy efficiency, the lower the value, the more energy efficient it will be.

 

Energy efficiency and be given a simple A-G rating. A high performanceSimilar to electrical appliances, doors can now be tested for their

insulated door will have a minimum energy rating of ‘C’, and above

Avoid doors with a rating of ‘D’ or below.

The rating your door will be influenced by its glazing content.

Every Door from the GFD Group comes with its own individual

energy rating certificate which are generally between A and C.

One of the very best ways to keep out the winter chill is with either a new front door or new windows and here at the GFD Group we may well have your perfect solution with one of our online sales websites –

For composite doors the places to look are –

Timber Composite Doors,

Global Door, Fusion Door,

Composite Door Prices and

For windows

Global Sash Windows

The minute you install a new front door or sash window from anyone of the GFD Group companies you wipe out the 11% heat loss because all of our doors and windows are both thermally efficient and draught free.