Oil Installer Summer 2018 by A&D Publishing

News and views from an evolving heating world In association with

www.oftec.org

Summer 2018 Volume 12 No 2

Our brand new catalogue...

...just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to get out!

Table of Contents

OFTEC Comment & Industry News

Boiler News

4-5, 7-12

15,17,19, 21

Irish News

Technical Tips

Training News

24-26

29-30

31-32, 34

WIN AN OFTEC TRAINING COURSE – See page 32

Tank News

Renewables

Gallery

Pricing Page

36-39

Ashley & Dumville Publishing Caledonian House, Tatton Street, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6AG Tel: +44 (0)1565 653283 mail@oilinstaller.co.uk The publishers gratefully acknowledge the support of those ﬁrms whose advertisements appear throughout this publication. As a reciprocal gesture we have pleasure in drawing the attention of our readers to their announcements. It is necessary however for it to be made clear that, whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication and the statements it contains, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, or the products or services advertised. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group. Tel. 01685 388888

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Advertising Commercial manager: Margaret Major Media pack on request: margaret@oilinstaller.co.uk

News Desk Editor: Jane Raphael jane@oilinstaller.co.uk Deputy editor: Peter Clayton peter@oilinstaller.co.uk Summer 2018 Volume 12 No 2 ISSN 1755 – 3490

Reliable heating at an affordable price… In the last two issues of Oil Installer, a lot of space has been given over to information about the UK government’s Clean Growth Strategy (CGS), an ambitious road map to reduce carbon emissions that was published last autumn. The strategy could have a considerable impact on the way we heat our homes and businesses, and that could mean changes both for manufacturers and for the network of installers and servicing businesses. Previous government attempts to intervene in the heating market to support renewables, tackle fuel poverty and encourage energy efﬁciency have had mixed results. If the CGS is to get any traction, this needs to change. As a leading manufacturer, we understand the need to keep our customers happy and provide them with products that are simple to use, offer high levels of performance and provide good value for money. It’s an approach that the government would also be wise to adopt and working closely with the existing industry is the best way to ensure this happens. I’m pleased to say that there are signs this is starting to take place. Since the publication of the CGS, OFTEC has been working very hard on behalf of our industry, explaining the issues and encouraging the government to consider all the available options. This has resulted in some positive outcomes, which you can read about on page 5.

New and familiar faces at OFTEC! A warm welcome is extended to two new members of staff at OFTEC HQ. Paul Sharpe has returned to OFTEC to take on the role of compliance manager. He was OFTEC registration manager between 2004 and 2010, so he brings with him plenty of A warm welcome to Cathy Johnson, Paul Sharpe experience of the oil industry, and Gemma Bones training and registration schemes. His will now focus on consumer complaints and overdue technician non-conformances. Cathy Johnson has joined the marketing and communications team to help revitalise social media presence and to raise awareness of OFTEC as not just a scheme for oil heating and cooking but also for renewables and solid fuel systems. OFTEC is also very pleased to welcome back Gemma Bones to the registration team after her maternity leave.

Biofuel updates OFTEC recently attended Lignofuels 2018. Held in Amsterdam, the event brought together guest speakers from across Europe to update and discuss the latest developments in biofuel production from wood, paper pulp and crop residues. Whilst there is a lot of technical innovation taking place, it is apparent that frustration exists with EU bureaucracy and updating of the renewable energy directive (RED II). Now the updates are in their ﬁnal stages, the industry is looking forward to a period of stability, which is expected to increase conﬁdence with investors. This, hopefully, will allow the up-scaling of production and a fall in the price of the fuel.

While the need to decarbonise is irrefutable, we shouldn’t forget about the more immediate need to provide reliable heating at an affordable price. This has always been a strength of our industry and in most cases traditional fossil fuel heating systems can still trump the more expensive renewable options. We must do everything we can to remind our customers of these virtues because, as long as they continue, it is unlikely that homeowners will consider other options.

Niall Fay Chairman, OFTEC

Training options for new entrants to the heating industry is a hot topic that always provokes strong debate. As part of work to exchange ideas and obtain feedback from across the industry, OFTEC’s training manager, David Knipe, recently visited NVQ level 3 plumbing students from Easton and Otley College in Suffolk. The passion for learning shown by both staff and students really shone through during the meeting.

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Uniting to meet challenge of decarbonisation... by Malcolm Farrow When the UK government published its Clean Growth Strategy (CGS) last autumn, it sent a clear signal that the use of high carbon fossil fuels will need to reduce very dramatically. This must happen if the UK, and the many other countries that are signed up to the 2007 Paris climate agreement, are to meet their legally-binding obligations, designed to prevent uncontrollable climate change. It will mean major changes to the way we heat our homes – and will eventually inﬂuence and change the way we use energy in just about every aspect of our daily lives. If the 2050 deadline for the Paris agreement feels like a long way off, then think again. To meet the tough targets, the ideas set out in the CGS must start straight away and a key element of the plan is a commitment to move away from the use of high carbon fossil fuels to heat off-grid homes during the 2020s. The government doesn’t yet know the best way to do this, so it has published a formal ‘call for evidence’, designed to allow anyone with an interest in the topic to put forward their views. The deadline for submissions is the 11th June and, if you’re interested in responding, you can ﬁnd the details on the BEIS website or contact OFTEC’s marketing team who will send you a copy of the document. OFTEC has already been busy talking to the government, policy makers and

the wider heating industry to make them fully aware of the impact, challenges and opportunities arising from this plan. For example, in February, representatives from OFTEC’s Member Services Council, and additional industry stakeholders, held a constructive meeting with a representative from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) – one of several meetings with government ofﬁcials. As a result, the government now has a better understanding of the difﬁculties it faces, and a positive outcome of this activity is that BEIS has signalled a willingness to consider all credible options for how the decarbonisation of heat can be achieved – including the use of bio-liquids as a replacement of kerosene.

Potential partners

Naturally OFTEC welcomes this new willingness to work with our industry and to see us as potential partners in delivering a solution. However, we must not underestimate the challenge and any solution must be credible, affordable and sustainable. Alongside developments by the industry itself, the government has a range of options available to engineer change in the heating market. For example, it could offer interest free loans on energy efﬁciency improvements (Green Deal mk2 anyone?) or increase the tax on fossil fuels to pay for low carbon alternatives.

However, with many households in fuel poverty, or otherwise unable to easily afford expensive changes to their heating system or home energy efﬁciency, any changes will need to be carefully planned. Indeed, the government has made it clear that it is reluctant to enforce change, but this will happen for industries that are unable to provide solutions for themselves, so the onus is on us to ﬁnd a solution. Work is already underway and OFTEC is working closely with fuel suppliers, manufacturers, test houses and other industry experts to begin the process of evidence-gathering. A key task during the submission period is to review the current biofuel options and report back on initial results, which so far look very promising. Another recent development is that OFTEC and BEIS have set up and will jointly lead an industry liaison group, to pool knowledge and work together to develop appropriate solutions. This is likely to be a long-term process and could take several years, but OFTEC and its trade association members are committed to do everything they can to safeguard the interests of both our industry and the customers we serve. We will keep you fully updated on progress in Oil Installer and in OFTEC’s monthly electronic e-newsletter… but expect this to run and run!

GDPR – how it will affect you! You’ve probably noticed a few changes to the way companies communicate with you. For example, when signing up to an online email newsletter you’ll now get a request to verify your email address – this is down to the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which comes into effect from 25th May this year and will apply to all businesses, however large or small. GDPR replaces the Data Protection Act (DPA). If you store any customer or employee personal details, then you will be required by law to comply with GDPR. In brief, it means that any data held needs to be minimal and that you should only hold on to what is necessary for as long as is necessary. You will also need to take steps to ensure that any personal details you keep are held securely and that you have procedures in place to control the use of personal data.

What should you be doing?

If your business processes or holds data on employees or customers, and you are based in the UK, it is strongly recommend that you to visit the Information Commissioner’s Ofﬁce website (https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guideto-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr). RoI based companies should visit: https://www.dataprotection.ie/ Oil Installer Summer 2018

docimages/documents/The%20GDPR%20and%20You. pdf and view the 12-step guide to the new regulations. You should also complete the GDPR checklist to help you understand how to comply with the new regulations. One of OFTEC’s concerns has been about consumer data notified via the OFTEC self-certification process. We have been assured by the relevant government departments that this activity can continue unchanged as self-certification satisfies a regulatory requirement. Please continue to notify your work as normal. Don’t forget, if a customer asks you for a copy of their notification certificate (for example, due to a subsequent house sale), you can obtain one quickly and easily via your registration account at: www.ofteconline.com OFTEC has been carrying out internal reviews and audits of all personal data held within the organisation for the purpose of registration, inspection and for the sales of OFTEC Direct merchandise. We have consulted legal experts to advise us on how to keep the data we process secure and in compliance with the new regulations. As part of our review we have also checked that our contractual agreements with all our service partners for low cost insurance, fuel discount cards and discount website design are robust and in line with GDPR. 5

“OFTEC must be the voice of reason” to ensure the industry’s future Grant Engineering director, Niall Fay, officially took over the two-year OFTEC chairmanship from Nick Hawkins at last year’s annual general meeting and conference. To introduce himself to OFTEC members, Niall has agreed to address a series of questions about his thoughts, his priorities and the current challenges faced by the oil heating industry… What will be your main priorities during your tenure as OFTEC Chairman? OFTEC was set up to ensure high standards are in place across the oil heating industry, so my goal is to keep this firmly at the forefront of the trade association’s work, whether the focus is traditional kerosene-burning systems or low carbon bio-oils. Naturally, the decarbonisation agenda is also a key area of work. I want OFTEC to fight to ensure that any transition away from high carbon heating is planned and gradual, so that the industry has time to adapt. Ideally, I’d like the industry itself to lead the change, so that our destiny is in our own hands. This means there’s a need for the key players from across all the industry sectors – including fuel suppliers, manufacturers and installers – to work together and OFTEC is well-placed to lead this collaborative effort.

OFTEC’s chairman, Niall Fay, with chief executive ofﬁcer, Paul Rose

Will you be recommending any changes to current OFTEC strategies? I have been working closely with OFTEC’s executive and my board colleagues to review and adapt OFTEC’s strategy considering the government’s Clean Growth Strategy. The board and the executive are currently ﬁnalising OFTEC’s response to this new challenge. It’s essential that we work to meet the needs of the oil heating industry as a whole. We need to coordinate a strong lobby among not just OFTEC but also with other industry associations, such as those involved in the distribution and reﬁning of kerosene. The board and executive will also be devising a strategy to communicate the importance of kerosene as a heating source in rural areas, not just as part of the fuel mix but also its contribution to the economy and employment.

Is BREXIT a major concern to you and how do you think it will affect the industry? Any changes that impact on industry and the wider economy are a concern. However, it is currently still too early to know what effect Brexit will have. Grant trades across the UK and other EU member states, as do many other leading players in the oil heating sector, so friction-free movement of goods will be important as this avoids the need for more bureaucracy, which can impact on costs. The heating sector is very competitive, so keeping costs low is essential.

Apart from BREXIT, what do you consider to be OFTEC’s biggest challenges during the next two years? The decarbonisation agenda, which is happening in both the UK and Ireland, is a major challenge. OFTEC must be the voice of reason, ensuring that the scale and speed of this agenda is balanced. Consideration must be given to the effects that it will have on rural England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland and on the fuel poor in these rural areas. Handled badly, the policy will result in higher home heating costs for those living in rural areas, where kerosene is the predominate heating fuel. This could also result in an increase in the number of off-grid fuel poor households. Policy may be good in theory, but it must be practical as well and not burden householders with increased heating and energy bills at any cost.

If you had a crystal ball, what do you think you would see for the oil heating industry in ten years’ time? If there is a balanced and sensible approach, l see the off-grid heating sector gradually become more diversiﬁed, with a mix of heating types including traditional boilers, hybrid systems and fully renewable heat pump and biomass systems. If given adequate time to respond to the government’s decarbonisation strategy, oil heating will be able to retain a strong market share by moving to a renewable biofuel, a blend ﬁrst and then progressively moving to 100% renewable. Success will depend on government support to develop a sustainable capacity of this fuel, and promoting consumer acceptance by maintaining a competitive edge and offering the same value that we do now. Oil Installer Summer 2018

Clamping down on non-compliant work... A key aim of OFTEC’s competent person registration scheme is to maintain standards in the heating industry. Registered technicians are provided with the training and skills they need to offer high quality service to consumers and their work is inspected regularly to ensure that they continue to meet these high standards. The standard of work carried out by those not registered as a competent person is a major concern. A key beneﬁt of registering with OFTEC is that we operate a reporting procedure on behalf of registered technicians, enabling them to report those who are not registered and are carrying out sub-standard work. To expand this service, Paul Sharpe has been welcomed back to OFTEC as the registration scheme compliance manager. Paul worked for OFTEC up until 2010 as registration manager so he understands the industry well. OFTEC encourages the reporting of sub-standard work, particularly if the work does not comply with building regulations or is

unsafe. OFTEC has a robust procedure for dealing with this situation which falls into two main categories: 1.

Formal reports by registered technicians against a non-registered technician

Formal complaints by consumers or authorised third parties against registered technicians

Logging a report about a non-registered technician In order to investigate a complaint OFTEC needs some basic information about the location of the sub-standard work, the technician or company that carried out the work and roughly when it was completed This should be supplied by completing form R578, which can be downloaded from the website (https://www.oftec. org/Technicians/Signin) and returning it to OFTEC. Alternatively, you can call or email OFTEC with the details Please provide as much evidence as possible – photos of the non-

compliant work, quotes, estimates, installation and commissioning forms. A case ﬁle is then created, and various channels are explored to investigate the matter including discussing the situation with the end user or the person responsible for the work and then involving regulatory bodies, such as trading standards or LABC (building control) in the UK and a solicitor’s letter in the Republic. The complainant is kept informed of any action taken and sometimes case studies are published in Oil Installer.

Logging complaints against a registered technician Whilst we would hope that a technician who has received appropriate training would complete their work to the necessary standards, occasionally an important step is missed. If a complaint is received from consumers or other technicians about a registered technician’s work, then initially the original installer would be asked to put the matter right. They may also be subject to more regular inspections and, in extreme cases, their registration may be suspended. In general,

though, OFTEC is looking to support technicians and address training needs, rather than adopt a heavyhanded approach to noncompliance.

Misuse of OFTEC trademark OFTEC also welcomes reports from registered technicians or from consumers about companies which falsely claim to be OFTEC registered by displaying the OFTEC logo on their website, paperwork or on their vehicles. Often it may be due to an oversight and it may simply be that their registration has lapsed, or that they are registered under a different scope to that claimed. However, in the worst cases the attempted deception is quite deliberate. In both cases OFTEC makes an initial contact with the offending company and should they fail to remove the OFTEC logo or renew their membership, then trading standards will be contacted. They have the power to take legal action against the offending company and this is often enough to achieve the required result.

CASE STUDY

Non-compliant flue and insufficient combustion air In a recent case that is typical of the kind that OFTEC’s compliance team receives, a registered technician reported that he had encountered a sub-standard installation at a customer’s property. The technician issued a CD/14 Warning and Advice notice to the customer and sent OFTEC a copy, along with some pictures of the faults. The installation defects related to lack of suitable combustion air and inappropriate flue pipe material. This posed an immediate risk of carbon monoxide poisoning as the conventional flue was badly corroded and leaking flue gasses into the room. This was sufficient information for 8

OFTEC’s compliance team to open a case and commence investigation. The customer had already contacted Trading Standards, HSE and involved LABC in the matter. OFTEC made contact with the customer, LABC and the non-registered technicians who installed and commissioned the boiler. By doing this, OFTEC established lines of communication between the regulatory authorities, the customer and the non-registered technicians, so that if the installer failed to put the fault right, OFTEC has the support of HSE and Trading Standard routes to pursue the matter. In this particular case, the original technicians promised to do whatever work is needed to resolve the customer’s concerns.

The aims of opening cases such as these is to ensure that the installation is completely compliant with LABC because of the health and safety implications. In this particular case, the technicians in question were keen to “do a good job” but were unaware of their obligations. OFTEC prides itself on helping to support technicians by making sure they have a clear understanding of their health and safety obligations. OFTEC is also encouraging the original installers to register with OFTEC so that their qualiﬁcations are kept up to date and the quality of their work is regularly assessed by our inspectors. Oil Installer Summer 2018

Warning over imitation oil ﬁre safety valves Heating merchants and distributors are being warned about the rise of cheap, imitation ﬁre safety valves from overseas.

properties using oil fired boilers – stopping the flow of oil and protecting homes against the risk of fire if a set temperature is exceeded.

Engineering specialist Teddington has reported an increase in the number of its customers that are being offered ﬁre safety valves imported into the UK.

The device, which is OFTEC approved and comes with a three-year warranty, is installed in the oil supply outside the building, with the sensor mounted inside the boiler above the burner. The valve will automatically close if the temperature at the sensor exceeds the set value.

The Cornwall based company, which manufactures the KBB ﬁre safety valve, is now warning merchants and distributors to be wary of cheap imitations that may not be industry approved. Kenneth Maxwell, Teddington sales manager, said: “Since the beginning of the year a number of our customers have come to us and said they’ve been offered ﬁre safety valves at a lower price. “In many cases they look identical to our KBB and even have similar labelling – but they are manufactured abroad and may not be subject to the same quality control checks that we have here. “We decided to take this step and warn others because we want them to continue to buy from reputable manufacturers – ones that are industry and OFTEC approved. For the sake of saving just a few pounds, it’s not worth the risk.”

OFTEC regulations state ﬁre safety valves should be inspected annually for any signs of damage or leakage at joints with the oil supply pipe. The sensory capillary of the valve should also be checked throughout its length for any kinks or damage and to ensure it is adequately supported and protected. The correct operation of the valve should be observed using test equipment such as Teddington’s KBT1000. Teddington is a UK manufacturer based at St Austell, Cornwall. Among other sectors, it specialises in valves and electronic control devices for heating, plumbing and ventilation. www.teddingtonsystems.co.uk

OFTEC’s technical director, Tim Lock, commented: “If oil equipment is for sale at a signiﬁcantly reduced price, there is probably a reason why. The oil heating industry prides itself on its safety record and we cannot let imitation products enter the marketplace. We would always encourage people to check with us ﬁrst if they are unsure of the origin of equipment. We have a list of approved manufacturers and can advise accordingly.” The warning comes after Travis Perkins Group and Wolseley signed deals to stock Teddington’s KBB. Dennis Grogan, commercial manager, Travis Perkins – group spares, said: “The KBB is a quality product that has been protecting homes for 60 years. We’re delighted to have this agreement in place and look forward to working with Teddington for a long time to come.”

Kenneth Maxwell, Teddington sales manager

Teddington’s KBB provides essential protection for

Elmhurst Energy rebrands its consultancy services arm Elmhurst Energy has rebranded its consultancy services arm ‘Elmhurst Energy Consultancy’. The move reﬂects the transformation of the company’s business during the past 25 years – from a small family business, to an organisation working in tandem with the largest energy assessment accreditation scheme in the UK. “We felt it was time for a fresh new look for our consultancy business and we wanted a new name which better reﬂects the type of services that we offer to the built environment,” Oil Installer Summer 2018

explains Martyn Reed, Elmhurst Energy’s managing director. “Elmhurst Energy Consultancy deals in all things energy-related and works towards ensuring buildings are compliant with current regulations, standards and energy management schemes.” The company has also launched a new website, www. elmhurstenergyconsultancy.co.uk, which helps to simplify energy calculations, testing and auditing for its clients, regardless of their knowledge of buildings and energy

efficiency. The website also clarifies the regulations relevant to them when it comes to building or changing a new or existing property. “As a subsidiary of the UK’s leading EPC accreditation scheme, Elmhurst Energy Consultancy ensures that the work we undertake does not conflict with that of our members. We do this by passing any queries or work requests over to existing Elmhurst Energy assessors,” adds Martyn. www.elmhurstenergyconsultancy.co.uk

EOGB announces support for OFTEC Burner manufacturer and distributor EOGB Energy Products Ltd has announced its backing for OFTEC’s proposals to decarbonise the UK’s 1.5 million off-grid homes by converting them to a low-carbon bio-oil, a goal that supports the government’s Clean Growth Strategy (CGS) ambitions. Working in collaboration, EOGB and OFTEC are set to carry out extensive testing on HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), a renewable fuel produced from used cooking oils and vegetable fats as well as from nonfood grade vegetable oil fractions. If testing proves positive, HVO could provide a viable low carbon alternative to traditional heating oil.

Other sectors are already employing bio-liquid fuels on an increasing scale such as HGV road transport, shipping and aviation as well as commercial offgrid heating. With development and production ongoing, it is anticipated that a low carbon liquid fuel for heating could be readily available in the 2020s.

System efficiency EOGB is at the forefront of new oil burner technology, bringing to market Sapphire, the industry’s first low NOx, fully modulating oil-fired burner with OpenTherm controls. The company claims that Sapphire breaks the mould and delivers a new level of system efficiency, especially compared to standard on/off and two stage burners.

the common perception seems to be that oil heating cannot improve in terms of carbon reduction, this could not be further from the truth. “There is plenty of life left in the liquid fuel heating industry and we are working hard alongside OFTEC to prove the viability of low carbon liquid fuel alternatives to the proposals set out in the government’s CGS. “The updated Boiler Plus policy paper also overlooks the fact that many oilﬁred boilers on the market can already achieve the 92% ErP efﬁciency that will be required for any new gas boiler installations from April.” www.eogb.co.uk

The Sapphire burner has been fully tested on other bio oil blends and EOGB is looking forward to working with OFTEC to test the burner with HVO with the aim of moving to a true carbon neutral liquid fuel industry.

Martin Cooke

Martin Cooke, technical director at EOGB, said: “There are many homes and businesses across the UK that rely heavily on oil heating and, although

Oil Installer Summer 2018

FTA welcomes relaxation of driver licensing for alternatively-fuelled vans The announcement that licence regulations are to be relaxed for drivers of some alternatively-fuelled vans has been warmly welcomed by the Freight Transport Association (FTA). Currently, drivers with category B (car) licences are permitted to drive vans which weigh up to 3.5 tonnes. However, electric and hybrid vans of a comparable size must carry a large battery pack, making them slightly heavier. The government has announced that it would seek agreement from the EU for drivers with category B licences to be permitted to drive alternatively-fuelled vans weighing up to 4.25 tonnes. FTA, which represents more than 17,000 logistics businesses moving goods and services across the country, consulted its members on the proposal and they were largely in favour of the change. It follows news that operators of alternativelyfuelled vehicles up to 4.25 tonnes will also be exempt from HGV operator licensing, as long as they only operate domestically. FTA’s environment policy manager, Becki Kite, believes the licensing change will encourage more firms to consider the move to alternatively-fuelled vehicles: “FTA is delighted the government has listened to the logistics industry and taken this positive step to make it easier for transport and freight companies to operate electric vehicles. This will make it cheaper and easier for firms to include alternatively-powered vehicles in their fleets. It is an excellent example of how the government can use regulatory adjustments to help our industry implement more energy-efficient working practices.”

www.fta.co.uk

Worcester’s purrfect consumer mascot… Worcester Bosch introduced its new TV mascot, Worcester the cat, during February. The “Worcester the cat” advert formed part of a digitally-focused, integrated approach intended to reach potential customers through multiple media formats. Expected to reach 16 million consumers via ITV, Sky and Channel 4, the advert showed Worcester the cat adapting the heating to suit his tastes when his owners are out. Worcester also feature on some of the nation’s most popular radio stations, including Absolute, Magic, and talkSPORT. To ensure maximum reach and effectiveness, Sky’s AdSmart technology stored the advert in a viewer’s Sky Box, to make sure that it only played when the homeowner is watching the TV. As a result, the advert was guaranteed to be viewed by more than 2.3 million prime target households. In addition, digital activity across Google and Facebook focused on Oil Installer Summer 2018

Brexit survey shows negative impact interesting, shareable content to gain maximum exposure and increase the number of quality sales leads for Worcester Bosch installers. Direct mail was also sent to half a million of those potential customers who saw the advert on Sky TV. Victoria Billings, director of marketing at Worcester Bosch, said: “We are excited to introduce Worcester the cat as part of our new campaign, which reminds potential customers of how smart technology can be utilised effectively to provide optimum home heating and hot water levels, while reinforcing the message that Worcester Bosch is the only boiler brand that provides completely reliable warmth and comfort.” To view the Worcester the cat advert, visit Worcester’s YouTube page. www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

A recent Brexit survey conducted among members of the Building Services Research & Information Association (BSRIA) found almost 70% of respondents believe that Brexit has had a negative impact on their business, and that half of those who contributed favour a ‘soft’ Brexit. When asked if the Brexit negotiations presented members’ businesses with opportunities in the last 18 months, 63% answered ‘negatively’, with 37% answering ‘no difference’. No member answered ‘positively’. Clair Prosser, press ofﬁcer, BSRIA, said: “Over two thirds of respondents have found Brexit to have had a negative effect on their business, with roughly a third saying that there was ‘no difference’. “Not one single member said that Brexit had had a positive inﬂuence on their business.” www.bsria.co.uk 11

Silver celebrations at EOGB EOGB Energy Products Ltd, manufacturers and distributors of oil, gas and dual fuel burners, is marking 25 years in business in 2018. Originally Electro Oil & Gas Burners Ltd, a subsidiary of Swedish burner manufacturer Bentone, the company was bought-out and rebranded in 1993 before relocating to St Neots in Cambridgeshire, where it still operates from today. Over the years EOGB has established itself as a leading manufacturer within the heating industry, well known for its X-Series range of domestic oil burners. Launched in 2005, the X-Series has seen a steady year-on-year growth, and has become the product of choice for many heating engineers. In addition to designing and manufacturing its own products, EOGB is the sole UK distributor for Italian burner manufacturer Baltur and operates a spare parts division. The company also runs a training centre which offers a wide a range of courses, including OFTEC oil, gas and burner training for heating engineers.

The EOGB team celebrate their 25th year in business

Paul Barritt, managing director at EOGB, commented: “It is with great pride that we celebrate this milestone anniversary for EOGB. Over the past 25 years we have seen many changes within our industry, but our knowledgeable and dedicated staff have always worked tirelessly to meet the needs of our customers. 2018 is going to be an exciting year for EOGB, and we look forward to even more success in the future.” Investment in R&D is a key priority going forward and in its quarter-century year EOGB will be launching ‘Sapphire’, its first blue flame domestic oil burner. The fully-modulating low NOx burner satisfies the required standards set by the Energy Related Products (ERP) Directive, and also meets lower requirements due to come into force in 2022. www.eogb.co.uk

Grant UK donates £2,000 to local children’s charity Throughout 2017 the staff at Grant UK were busy organising fundraising events for Julia’s House. From bake sales through to raffles, Grant UK’s staff helped to raise £2,000 for the children’s charity. Julia’s House supports seriously ill children in Dorset and Wiltshire who do not have access to the level of care and support that they need. Through their hospices and network of nurses and volunteers, Julia’s House is able to provide essential care to children and their families, making a significant difference to their lives. “Everyone at Grant UK has been very generous with their time and donations and this is reflected by the fantastic fundraising total which was reached by the close of 2017,” says Anna Wakefield, marketing and corporate communications manager for Grant UK. “The incredible work that Julia’s House delivers throughout the local community is something that Grant UK’s staff are passionate to support. This is why Grant UK is thrilled to confirm that they will be continuing to support this local charity in 2018.” For more details, please visit www.juliashouse.org or www. grantuk.com. 12

Grant UK’s Olivia Sellors presents Ged Montgomery from Julia’s House with the £2000 donation

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Taking control to improve efficiency... Modern heating controls play a pivotal role in the new Boiler Plus regulations aimed at improving domestic energy efficiency. Gareth Ash of Danfoss considers the implications for oil-fired boiler installers. Introduced in England in April 2018, Boiler Plus mandates a range of measures to keep household energy costs down, maximise comfort and reduce carbon emissions. In what many see as a welcome move, the new standards recognise the energy saving benefits of installing heating controls, such as room thermostats. Compared with the rather vague requirements in the Domestic Services Compliance Guide (the document that supports part L of building regulations), Boiler Plus clarifies the application and use of controls. Correctly installed and used, these devices are proven to minimise energy consumption, maintain a comfortable temperature and avoid wasteful overheating. According to government figures, there are 1.8 million households with oil heating in the UK. Around 850,000 of these homes are in England so Boiler Plus affects a sizable market. Whilst there are no changes for oilfired wet central heating systems in new dwellings, the following now apply for upgrades and replacements in existing dwellings: - The efficiency of the new oil-fired appliance should be as specified for new systems and have a European Related Products Directive (ErP) efficiency of at least 89%;

- A boiler interlock must be installed for new systems; - Time and temperature control should be installed for the heating system, if not already present and working. Unlike new gas combi boilers, Boiler Plus requires no additional energy efficiency measures, such as a load compensation or weather compensation control, when installing a new oil-fired boiler. However, the efficiency of any home heating system can be significantly increased by the effective use of controls. Let’s look at some of the options to provide both compliance and comfort...

Energy savings Electronic room thermostats are designed to calculate how long the heating needs to stay on to achieve optimum comfort and boiler efﬁciency. ‘Real world’ tests show that this type of load compensation control can result in a potential 10% reduction in energy consumption by the heating system compared with a slower reacting mechanical thermostat.

TPOne Gareth Ash Wi-Fi for example, let consumers with busy lifestyles control their heating remotely via smartphone or similar device. Boiler Plus highlights automation and optimisation as two of the key energy saving features of these products. Automation relates to the way the heating system is controlled automatically in response to programmed demand or occupancy detection, while optimisation calculates how long it will take for the property to reach the desired comfort level. This function then times the operation of the system to minimise the amount of work it has to do. Unlike some of the government’s voluntary energy efﬁciency schemes that have fallen by the wayside in recent years, Boiler Plus is a regulatory requirement. So whilst we know that many professional installers already ﬁt modern heating controls as a matter of course, this ‘good practice’ is now part of the building regulations and cannot be ignored.

These effective controls are available in many different types to suit all users, from basic dial models to the latest smart devices.

To help installers keep up to date with changing standards and ensure compliance, Danfoss offers advice and support, as well as training sessions and online courses.

Smart thermostats, like the Danfoss

www.heating.danfoss.co.uk

Firebird launches VIP area on new website Firebird has launched an exclusive ‘VIP Installer’ account based system on their new website to manage boiler installations and services. Once an account is set up, installers can register boiler installations and services against their account – all without the need to re-enter their own details each time. The new system not only provides an on-line history for the installer, but it also acts as a reference guide for when boiler services are due, ensuring compliance with warranty terms and conditions. This is backed up by an email notiﬁcation system to both the installer and homeowner, one month prior to the service date to act as a reminder. By registering with Firebird to become a VIP Installer, installers are also able to offer their customers a comprehensive 10 year warranty. In addition to the new VIP Installers area, the website, which has been designed to reﬂect Firebird’s new corporate identity, also provides comprehensive product Oil Installer Summer 2018

information on the company’s product ranges. For ease of use the website is structured by boiler type, then broken down further by application, thereby making the boiler selection process as simple as possible. Commenting on the updated website, David Hall, Firebird’s UK director said: “We are very excited by the launch of Firebird’s VIP Installer area which we believe is the ﬁrst of its kind. Designed with the professional in mind, we are convinced this technology will provide an invaluable management tool for the heating industry.” For details on how to become a Firebird VIP installer, visit www.ﬁrebird.uk.com 15

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Should frozen condensate issues prompt a regulatory rethink? An industry spokesperson is calling on policy-makers to prioritise the mechanical services of both new and existing properties in the UK, following an unprecedented number of callouts relating to frozen drains and pipework earlier this year. Worcester Bosch’s Martyn Bridges believes a degree of complacency concerning external pipework may have been to blame for an extremely high number of difﬁculties arising from frozen condensate pipes. “In Germany and other European countries that experience severe winter temperatures, the installation of externally routed condensate pipework is not allowed,” says Martyn. “Prior to taking this decision they also tried preventative measures such as ‘trace heating’ and insulation. However, with prolonged sub-zero temperatures almost guaranteed every year, no preventative measures worked convincingly, so this internal pipe termination was enforced. “The UK hasn’t experienced a cold period like at the beginning of March since the winter of 2009/2010. Therefore, without a constant pattern and threat of sub-zero temperatures, it is understandable that some installations will have the condensate pipe run externally for ease, despite an internal termination being possible. “As the freezing temperatures rolled in, many homeowners were left unprepared. You only have to look at the thousands of homes still relying on deliveries of bottled water to see how serious the effects can be.”

Heating system shutdown Frozen condensate pipes occur in pipework that has been ﬁtted externally, particularly pipes that run either virtually horizontal, or at a relatively moderate gradient towards the drainpipe. The blockages caused by frozen condensate can, and often do, lead to a shutdown of the heating system. Martyn is particularly concerned about the number of homes still relying on externally run condensate, despite regulations launched in 2014 mandating internal routing

and only allowing externally run pipework as a last resort. Much of this is due to the house design where the waste water system of the entire house is externally run. Therefore, even if the condensate pipe is run internally you can still experience the stack pipe freezing up with the same result. “I’m still seeing new-builds being constructed with external waste water pipework, which is incomprehensible,” he says. “For too long the mechanical services of a property are not being thought through sufficiently at the planning stage to help eliminate these sorts of issues. “Furthermore, the implementation of Boiler Plus, while highly beneficial to energy efficiency, will increase the levels of condensate generated by the boiler and subsequently the condensate pipework. This could increase the likelihood of freezing during the winter even more.” Martyn is now calling on policy-makers to ensure that all building regulations, standards and policies are aligned to prioritising the mechanical services of the home. This, according to Martyn, would include actions such as the compulsory allocation of almost a “plant room” to newbuilds, therefore making internal pipework actually happen. He explains: “Our dilemma though, is still existing homes, where too often the pipework has been run externally when an internal option was available. At the least, the conditions of external runs need to be more closely monitored such as ensuring the gradient is as vertical as possible or trace heated to help make it more resilient. “Internal pipework allows condensate to drain away, without being subjected to freezing temperatures,” he says. “In Germany, which experiences harsh winters every year, this is the only way you can do it. We will need to follow its example if we are to cope with the UK’s increasingly volatile weather patterns. “Preventing frozen pipes outright will be difficult, but simple steps like this could go a long way to ensuring that future winter weather won’t leave us out in the cold.” www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

Holiday voucher winners! Graham Eldridge, Maidstone manager of Williams & Co Trade-Only Plumbing, has announced that two of his customers have won the Williams & Co and Grant holiday voucher competition. Aaron Marshall of Marshall Heating, was pleased to receive his £5000 voucher from Graham and Andy Smith – national sales manager for Grant – and is looking forward to a trip to Vegas. The £1000 holiday voucher went to plumbing and heating customer Alisdair Macdonald. “Congratulations to both of the lucky prize winners and we hope they have a lovely break,” said Graham Eldridge. “Thanks to Grant UK for the excellent prizes and to all our staff at Williams for providing such a great service getting these guys their plumbing and heating supplies.” Oil Installer Summer 2018

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With so many scopes, Lloyd is the man to call! The mountainous county of Cumbria is renowned for its harsh winter weather, which tests the skills of the heating technicians serving the many isolated communities and farms scattered across its fells and valleys. The diverse nature of the homes in the county means there is demand for a range of heating solutions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and one company has risen to this challenge more than most. Thermatech Heating Services was established in 1997 and is a family-run plumbing and heating ďŹ rm owned by Lloyd Whittaker. Lloyd is a third generation plumbing and heating engineer who now employs his father as part of the team. Thermatech is well known in the local area and generally ďŹ nd that word of mouth is the only form of advertising they need. The company has always offered a diverse range of heating services and this is why it came to OFTECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lloyd holds more scopes of registration with OFTEC than any other registered technician. This enables Thermatech to offer its customers oil, heat pumps, biomass, solar thermal and electrical installations and means that the company can cater for any eventuality. Commenting on his registration, Lloyd said that he has always found OFTEC very easy to deal with and appreciates the fact that they are working for the industry as a not for proďŹ t organisation. Another plus, he says, is that OFTECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspectors are themselves ex-engineers and â&#x20AC;&#x153;really know their stuffâ&#x20AC;? whilst being approachable and supportive. Lloyd feels that accreditation to an appropriate body is an essential tool of the trade to ensure that correct standards are upheld for the health and safety of both homeowners and the technicians working on installations. The business deals mainly with installations but also provides a consultancy service for local architects and building contractors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there is plenty of cross-over work, says Lloyd.

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Thermatech take great pride in their work and, like many other registered companies, they have come across some â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;interestingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; installations since the introduction of MCS, which create their own challenges in terms of putting things right. www.thermatechltd.co.uk Oil Installer Summer 2018

Simple remedies for troublesome smart controls… With more and more central heating customers favouring wireless smart technology, such as radio frequency (RF) controls, Worcester Bosch is reminding installers of what should be considered during installation to avoid call backs. Martyn Bridges, director of marketing and technical support at Worcester, Bosch Group explained: “The ‘smart home’ is well and truly here, and in recent years, RF controls have become increasingly popular. “Whilst robust, these technologies aren’t infallible, and like many digital devices, communication between the transmitter and receiver of an RF heating control can be affected by a host of aspects – a key one being location within the home. To help resolve troublesome issues with this wireless technology, heating engineers should take note of these simple steps that should be followed.”

Have you tried turning it off and on again? Often, in the rush to troubleshoot a problem, we’re all guilty of having overlooked the simplest solution – and this can sometimes be the best one. Batteries should be the ﬁrst things checked. Even a set that is not fully depleted will weaken the signal and cause a lack of communication between the transmitter and the receiver.

Tough as steel

The building itself can also cause disruption, and steel layers within the wall construction, plasterboards with foil linings, and rolled steel joists (RSJs) can all act as a barrier to a radio signal. Distance also plays a part, and the more walls that a radio signal must pass through, the weaker it will become.

The right reading? A final consideration is to analyse the environment in which the transmitter is located, as it may not be representative of the temperature of the house as a whole. If the transmitter is kept in a room where there are additional sources of heat, such as a gas fire or even sunlight, it won’t fire up the boiler even if the rest of the house is cold, making location a crucial consideration for heating engineers during installation. Further information is available from Worcester’s technical support department or the company’s dedicated controls and connectivity team on tel: 0330 123 3366. www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

A conﬂict of signals Nowadays, an average household is full of RF devices, meaning there is the potential for the transmitter’s signal to be interrupted by a signal from another RF unit. If the signal from the transmitter is frequently being interrupted, installers should see whether a pattern can be established. If one doesn’t materialise, then RF readers can provide a clear idea of where a conﬂicting signal may be coming from.

Riello introduces online residential burner selector Riello has introduced an online residential burner selector to help installers and merchants identify the RDB burner replacement for discontinued oil-ﬁred boiler models. Directly accessible from the home page at www.rielloburners.co.uk, the residential burner selector enables the user to select boiler make, model and output to identify the correct Riello replacement burner. Riello sales director, Paul Sharp, explained: “Given the long life of RDB burners, by the time a burner needs replacing the most cost-effective option for the end customer is Oil Installer Summer 2018

usually to upgrade to a newer, more efﬁcient boiler. However, there are occasions where the preferred option is to replace the burner and extend the operational life of the boiler. “Where that boiler model has been discontinued, identifying the replacement burner can be difﬁcult and it can be tempting to select a

generic burner that will not deliver the same performance or reliability as the original RDB burner. The residential burner selector is designed to address this issue and help customers arrive at the correct solution for their appliance,” he continued. www.rielloburners.co.uk/replacementguide 19

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Suntec AUV – the universal replacement pump The AUV pump from Suntec has been developed as a replacement pump to enable oil service technicians and engineers to replace many of the existing pumps in the marketplace with a Suntec product. The pump enables technicians to carry just two types of service pumps as van stock – one model with clockwise rotation, and one model with anti-clockwise rotation. Fewer types of service pumps therefore have to be carried as van stock, saving space, reducing costs and providing the abilityfor a ﬁrst-time ﬁx.

allowing it to be installed as a replacement for an even greater number of models. Carrying a twoyear warranty as standard, the AUV pump is suitable for use on kerosene, biofuels up to B10 and diesel, covering the majority of domestic installations in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The AUV pump can replace the majority of the Suntec AS47 and AL35 ranges, as well as many from other leading manufacturers.

Established in 1984, Suntec is a specialist oil burner pump manufacturer and supplies many oil burner manufacturers in the UK, Europe and beyond.

The pump is available from stockists as a stand-alone unit or as a kit. The kit is supplied with a ﬂange adaptor to convert the pump from a 32mm hub to a 54mm hub

For further information and to ﬁnd your local stockist, contact Anglo Nordic Burner Products Ltd – Suntec’s distributor for UK and Ireland. www.anglonordic.co.uk

Firebird launches new low NOx boiler range Firebird have launched a new range of low NOx oil-fired boilers ahead of the second phase of the Ecodesign Directive. The Envirogreen range features a low NOx burner designed in conjunction with European burner specialists Elco. Boasting technological superiority, the incorporation of the ‘Firebird by Elco’ burner is claimed to solve the many operational problems that are currently being experienced within the industry. Backed by PCDB listed performance data, the Envirogreen range includes models for internal and external applications in a variety of outputs. To ensure the highest level of efficiency is achieved by the burner, the CO2 level is factory-set at optimum 12.5%. Should this need to be adjusted for any reason, the CO2 level settings are printed on the burner casing which acts as a reference guide. Commenting on the launch of the new Envirogreen range of boilers, David Hall, UK director of Firebird Products Ltd., said: “The launch of this new low NOx range with its cutting-edge burner technology underlines Firebird’s ongoing commitment to provide the industry with innovative, environmentallyfriendly, yet practical heating solutions. “The Envirogreen range not only offers outstanding reliability, but solves a problem that the heating industry has struggled to address – to find a reliable and cost-effective low NOx alternative to the yellow flame burner.” The Ecodesign Directive is a European initiative put in place which governs the design and performance of energy using products, to reduce the amount of energy consumed and the subsequent impact on the environment. New requirements on flue gas emissions state that from September 2018, harmful nitrogen oxide emissions from domestic oil boilers must not exceed 120mg/ kWh. Nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx) are released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. www.firebird.uk.com Oil Installer Summer 2018

Firebird crowned winners at H&V awards Firebird’s Enviroblue Combi HE has been named as Domestic Heating Product of the Year at the 2018 H&V News Awards. Held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, Firebird fought off strong competition from some big industry names to be crowned as winner in the boilers and water heaters category. Commenting on Firebird’s award, David Hall, UK director of Firebird Products Ltd said: “Being announced as the winner in what was an extremely tough category is testament to Firebird’s design expertise. This recognition not only underlines the advances Firebird are making in oil-ﬁred boiler technology but also rubber-stamps the huge leap forward made in designing the new Combi HE range.” Available in outputs of 20kW, 26kW and 35kW for both internal and external applications, the Enviroblue Combi HE features the Riello RDB BLU burner. www.ﬁrebird.uk.com 21

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Heating system leak? Call in Leak Locator! Peter Doyle set up 1st Call Plumbing & Heating (NI) Ltd in 2002 and with his wife, Lorraine, operates a successful oil, gas and bathroom installation and service company in Belfast.

for leak location involves draining down a hot water system and ﬁrst purging with compressed air to remove any leak sealants, sludge and last remaining water content.

Peter claims his company can provide a fast, professional and efﬁcient range of plumbing and heating services providing peace-of-mind for the company’s 7,500 domestic and commercial customers. But Peter and Lorraine have identiﬁed a much-needed add-on service and have launched Leak Locator.

A pressure test is set at 4 bar for a period of 30 minutes. During this test period the system is monitored for any drop in pressure which would signify a leak in the pipework within the system.

While working with numerous call outs for heating system ‘leaks’, Peter found tracking and tracing the leak to be cumbersome, awkward and usually costly for the customer due to ﬂoorboard lifting and investigations which, in some cases, were unnecessary. To date, using his specialist leak detection system, Peter claims to have successfully plugged more than 750 leaks! So how does it work? Peter explains… The process

Acoustic listening equipment is employed during the air test and any areas of concern are highlighted during this phase of leak detection, but sometimes this can prove inconclusive at pinpointing a breech in pipe work. The next stage is to introduce a tracer gas. Usually set at 4 bar pressure, this is observed and recorded, hopefully identifying the leak. Once identified, a small section of floor can then be removed and the repair carried out, rather than lifting multiple floors throughout the house!

Minimum disruption Peter says: “Leak Locator

has been a fantastic add-on to the business as it supports our installation and service work. “Numerous leaks have been quickly identiﬁed using the system and consumers are delighted when they realise that disruption of the home is kept to a minimum. Most household insurance policies will cover the cost of ‘track and trace’ which is the bulk of the cost of my investigations and means the consumer is not out of pocket. “Customers want solutions, not excuses, and that is where contractors can beneﬁt from having a specialist service provider such as Leak Locator working with them!”

This was backed up by Alan Taylor, installation manager at Fusion Heating Ltd, who said: “We find them a very professional company. They are very flexible in terms of response times and also guide the customer step by step through the process.” Peter Dawson, Dawson Plumbing and Heating Belfast, concluded: “Peter has the knowledge and equipment to find the leak anywhere, with a fast, efficient service and a great result for my customers.” www.leaklocator.co.uk

That has already proved the case, with wide-ranging testimonials highlighting the success of Leak Locator. Stephen Kane, managing director, Solv Group Ltd, commented: “We have used the guys in Leak Locator many times and have always found them to be very courteous and professional, with their attention to detail second to none.”

Young people encouraged to start a career in the heating industry As part of National Apprenticeship Week during March, young people in Northern Ireland are being urged to consider a career in the heating industry. The call is part of OFTEC’s drive to recruit more young people to careers in the heating industry as the organisation is concerned that Northern Ireland’s economic recovery may be in jeopardy due to a chronic skills shortage which is particularly apparent in the trade sector. Fuelled by the high costs associated with going to university and the rising cost of living, apprenticeships are increasingly being seen as a highly credible further education option and 24

route into future employment, with more and more students and parents recognising the beneﬁts of hands-on training and experience. David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland manager said: “The heating sector is a fantastic industry to be involved with, offering good career prospects in a variety of different roles. No single solution can meet society’s future energy needs. The solution will come from a family of diverse energy technologies and that will include oil and other fossil fuels. Apprenticeships provide real hands-on experience and they are a great starting place for anyone looking to become a heating technician.

“Many colleges offer plumbing and heating courses and many incorporate the OFTEC syllabus as part of the course. The OFTEC accreditation is recognised by consumers as a badge of professionalism and competence. “Building standards and technology are always advancing but people will always need a method of heating and hot water. There is no shortage of work out there, and with only 10% under 30, there is an urgent need to bring new blood into the industry. “Trusted and reliable OFTEC registered heating technicians are always in demand.” www.oftec.org

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Registration success for Action Chimney technicians Technicians from Action Chimneys, the County Kildare specialists in chimney repair and relining, participated in OFTEC’s solid fuel training course recently and received the high-commended certification. The OFTEC course enabled seven Action Chimneys technicians to gain full OFTEC registration status, providing credibility within the industry. This has a positive impact on the overall quality of installation work and allows them to deliver expert workmanship on solid fuel appliances in homes across Ireland. As OFTEC has expanded into the solid fuel sector, its course and accreditation is now sought after in Ireland with many technicians desiring the brand and logos for vans and customer literature. The course (available in METAC, RoI, and SERC, NI) focuses on the installation, commissioning and servicing of solid fuel appliances such as room heaters, which are not connected to a central heating system. It covers a variety of areas, including health and safety, regional legislation and requirements, safe electrical isolation and expert knowledge of solid fuel storage. Commenting on the success of course, David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland manager, said: “Action Chimney’s desire to undertake the OFTEC solid fuel training course demonstrates their level of commitment to deliver the best quality service to clients, learning from OFTEC’s expertise and professional advice.” Peter O’Byrne, founder and managing director of Action Chimneys recognised the trusted credentials of the certification and the confidence for the end consumer in choosing an OFTEC registered installer. “Our technicians welcomed the depth and range of information provided within the OFTEC course, including the application of best practice guidelines in the installation, commissioning and servicing of solid fuel appliances,” he said. ww.actionchimneys.ie

Consumer expert promotes OFTEC OFTEC Ireland recently worked with leading journalist and consumer expert Sinead Ryan to raise awareness of the importance of an annual home heating service by a credible, registered technician. The initiative came about after OFTEC commissioned research which revealed that less than half of Irish households commit to an annual home heating service, with approximately one in ten claiming to only get their heating checked when there is an issue. Commenting on the recent ﬁndings, Sinead Ryan emphasised how many households are unaware of the increased efﬁciency of a properly serviced boiler, as well as the decrease in annual fuel bills that come with it.

Efﬁciency and safety Sinead said: “It’s not just the increased efﬁciency associated with regular boiler servicing; it’s also a safety issue. Taking the simple and inexpensive precaution of getting an annual service should be part of every household’s admin list.

Sinead Ryan

“Before you invite a technician to start work on your home, it is so important to check they are certified, qualified and can undertake the job safely – you need to know your home is in good hands. Less than half of those surveyed who had recently had their appliances serviced couldn’t recall receiving a report for the work done; this should not be the case. Households need to be careful, I would encourage people to really commit to a certified annual service and don’t let it fall off the ‘life admin’ to-do list. Regularly servicing your boiler is just as important as regularly servicing your car.” Through a series of media interviews, Sinead encouraged consumers to visit oftec.org to find their nearest OFTEC registered technician. Oil Installer Summer 2018

Advice following the introduction of heat pump grants in RoI The Irish government has announced that, from April, grants will be available for homeowners to install heat pumps. With €3,500 for the heat pump and up to €6,000 for extra insulation, OFTEC is concerned that homeowners may opt for replacing oil boilers under the impression that they will save money on heating bills. David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland manager commented: “Heat pumps are a very attractive option for new build and very well insulated properties, but it does not make economic sense to replace an oil boiler with a heat pump if the house is not thermally efficient. “A recent case study in Tipperary saw a total cost of €52,000 to bring the cavity wall property from a C3 BER rating to ‘near’ an A3 rating. Home owners need to be aware that significant thermal upgrades are vital if retrofitting a heat pump into an older property. “From our research, we still advocate that government should implement a simple boiler replacement programme, upgrading the 400,000 standard efficiency boilers in Ireland to condensing models. This is a much more cost effective approach to carbon reduction. For an oil boiler the cost of the savings would be in the region of €275-325/tonne. The equivalent cost of the CO2 savings from the heat pump system would be €500-600/tonne.”

SelfBuild success for OFTEC OFTEC successfully shone a light on home heating at SelfBuild Live Belfast, encouraging homeowners to love their oil boiler. Throughout the weekend at the Titanic Exhibition centre, OFTEC was on hand to ensure homeowners were aware of the benefits of oil home heating, and also to offer advice on important annual boiler servicing. With over 20,000 people attending the show during three days in February, OFTEC was able to provide expert advice to homeowners, those interested in switching to an oil heating boiler, and those upgrading from an older model. Heating oil continually warms the homes of Northern Ireland, with the Sutherland Tables January 2018 revealing that oil heating enjoys the largest market share as the cheapest fuel over the past four years. OFTEC was advising consumers on the importance of an annual home heating service by an OFTEC registered technician to increase an oil boiler’s efficiency and reduce annual fuel bills. David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland manager said: “The SelfBuild Live Belfast exhibition was a huge success for OFTEC. It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with the local people, offering advice and educating them on the benefits of oil home heating. It was important for us to share the message that annual services by our OFTEC registered technicians are essential to ensure that all is running smoothly within a household.”

Carbon monoxide testing According to the dictionary, diversification is the process by which a company enlarges or increases the variety of its range of products or field of operation. For one Wexford based technician, Con Morris, the idea for his ‘diversification’ came from his attendance at a carbon monoxide awareness CPD event held in METAC training centre back earlier this year. The event was attended by more than 50 installers who heard from a variety of speakers. For Con, the event made him realise not only the business potential offering carbon monoxide (CO) testing, but also the safety benefit he could offer to oil and solid fuel users concerned about the lethal gas. 26

Con said: “The CO event was very good and gave me the idea to start offering CO testing as an add-on to my existing servicing business. It only takes two or three minutes for CO to kill, but how many consumers out there are still unaware of the dangers of a badly ﬂued appliance and are suffering slow CO poisoning due to a lack of awareness or a poorly installed and maintained appliance?” Con has seen the demand for CO testing increase in recent months on the back of the national CO awareness campaign organised by Gas Networks that is supported by OFTEC/ RGII/ILPGA and other organisations.

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Women in the heating industry – why aren’t there more? Of more than 9,000 OFTEC registered technicians, fewer than 30 are female. Perhaps some readers will be surprised it’s even that many, whilst others will feel, like OFTEC, that the number should be much higher. Particularly given the shortage of skilled heating engineers, it’s perhaps disappointing that more women haven’t seen the many potential advantages of this career choice – especially those that are not inspired by the thought of ofﬁce work! According to a recent survey of 2,000 people by the Federation of Master Builders, nearly twothirds of the general public do not have a preference as to whether a tradesperson is male or female, but 35% of women favoured hiring females for numerous reasons, such as the perception that they might be more respectful of their homes (51%) or have better attention to detail than men (30%). 42% of female respondents also said they might feel more at ease with a female tradesperson, while 46% claimed that they wished to support women working in non-traditional jobs. However, despite this overwhelming public support for female tradespeople, fewer than 30% would encourage their own daughters to pursue a similar career.

A major barrier… Various campaigns to encourage women into the industry have been launched, including WaterSafe’s ‘Get Girls Plumbing’, but the fact remains that a recent YouGov survey of over 2,000 respondents still shows a lack of gender diversity as being a major barrier to women entering the

electrical and plumbing industries. In fact, the survey showed that 53% of women aged 18-24 are put off careers in these sectors because of these concerns. A mere 2% of women surveyed had considered careers as plumbers or electricians compared to 15% of men. OFTEC has spoken to a number of female registered technicians to ﬁnd out more about their experiences in the industry. All reported that their experience since joining the heating trade had been broadly positive and would encourage more women to take up the tools. Some decided to join the family business, but others had pursued different careers before changing tack and re-training as heating engineers.

Regular clients… They all tell a similar story – customers are often surprised when a female technician arrives to carry out the work, assuming if they’ve spoken over the phone that they are the ofﬁce person! However, Anna said most customers have been really encouraging and many have gone on to become regular clients – a sure sign that they are happy with the service. Emily has even learnt that some of her female customers might have followed a similar career had things been different when they were younger! Tania has been told that it’s great for the children to see women doing a job that is ‘out of the ordinary’ and reported that many of her customers feel more comfortable having a female heating technician in their homes!

Well supported… When it comes to training, whichever route they have taken – on the job, through an apprenticeship scheme or with a heating oil company – all our respondents say that they have been extremely well supported. In fact, although Emily would have preferred to have been able to share her experiences with another female apprentice, she was still inspired by her lecturer to become a gas and oil heating engineer! There are still some barriers to overcome. For example, there is still Oil Installer Summer 2018

a feeling that women need to prove themselves more than their male counterparts to be taken seriously – such as being asked for proof of registration more frequently – but the fact that the bookings keep coming in is testament to the quality of their work. Most women OFTEC surveyed enjoy the ﬂexibility of working for themselves or for a small family business, which ﬁts in well with family life.

Year of Engineering Clearly there is still much work to be done to redress the balance and let’s hope that the outreach work and events to be held in this ‘Year of Engineering’ will encourage more women to work in heating and plumbing as well as following other engineering pathways. None of our respondents felt that their schools had encouraged them towards the heating trade and feel quite strongly that more could be done in schools by inviting female engineers to talk to pupils. According to statistics from the Institute of Engineering and Technology, fewer than 10% of the UK’s engineers are women – the lowest percentage in Europe. This will need to increase if government objectives for the engineering industry are to be realised. Thank you to Hollie of Hollie’s Heating Services, Tania from ATP heating, Emily from Highland Rose Plumbing and Heating and all our other contributors for your insights 27

Insurance Services 28

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Boilers – are two or more better than one? Although a single appliance is the most frequently chosen option, large dwellings or commercial premises often benefit from having two or more smaller appliances, rather than a single appliance, to meet the building’s maximum heat requirements. So, when it comes to replacing a single large appliance, it’s well-worth discussing this option with your customer. To maximise the potential benefits of this type of installation a suitable control system can be fitted to enable the appliance to be installed in a “cascade” system (where boilers can be sequenced to come into and out of service when required). This arrangement has a number of benefits: •

Reliability – if one appliance breaks down, other appliances continue to supply heat. Similarly, it may be possible to service one appliance at a time whilst the heating continues to run.

•

Efficiency – individual boilers can be turned on and off according to demand which improves efficiency. Outside temperatures may only be low enough to require an installation to run at the maximum appliance output required by heat calculations on a few days each year. A cascade system will ensure the system operates at maximum efficiency as it responds rapidly to changes in demand, switching on only the appliances needed to meet demand.

•

Longevity – throughout much of the year it is likely that one or more appliances will not be used. Reduced use equals reduced wear.

•

Flexibility – a boiler room may not be able to accommodate a large commercial appliance, or it may be impossible to manoeuvre a large appliance into place. The installation of multiple smaller appliances can suit plant rooms of an irregular size or that have difﬁcult access.

•

Parts – if identical appliances are installed this makes spare part management simpler.

The idea of linking multiple appliances together may seem too complicated for a technician who is used to the domestic market. The good news is that appliance manufacturers often provide helpful advice on how this can be done, and many offer a speciﬁcation/design service. Oil Installer Summer 2018

Simple line drawing showing multiple boilers connected via a low loss header.

Low loss header

Usually, multiple boiler connections are made via a piece of equipment called a ‘low loss header’. In simple terms, a low loss header is a vessel installed between the appliances (primary circuits) and the heating circuits (secondary circuits – see illustration). This is not just a matter of having a convenient way to join the various parts of the system, it also helps us overcome a common design problem – the required pressure, ﬂow and temperature for the secondary circuits are likely to be very different from those required for the appliances.

How does a low loss header overcome this problem? The heating fluid is shared between the appliances, the low loss header and all the connected heating circuits; they are not physically separated. However, the fluid in the primary and secondary circuits is “hydraulically separated” because the low loss header is specifically designed to be a “neutral point” in the heating system. This allows the circuits connected to it to operate independently of each other.

Separating the primary and secondary circuits in this way allows boilers to operate at a constant flow rate in the primary circuit, whilst temperatures and flow rates may vary significantly in the secondary circuits. To ensure the system works effectively, OFTEC would recommend that technicians employ a specialist company to design and manufacture the low loss header, so that correct flow rates are achieved and correct pipe connection sizes are fitted. Your appliance manufacturer may well design and manufacture this for you. Finally, careful consideration needs to be given to flueing arrangements. Specialist advice should be sought if you plan to connect multiple appliance flues together. However, it is often possible to utilise standard flueing arrangements for each individual appliance. In the next issue of Oil Installer we will look at linkup systems. These enable us to combine two or more heating technologies in one combined system, for example a solid fuel appliance alongside an oil-fired appliance

Frequently Asked Questions – De-aerators The OFTEC technical team has been answering lots of questions recently about the use of de-aerators. As a result, the team has decided that it might to beneﬁcial to Oil Installer readers to compile and publish this comprehensive Q&A feature to help demystify the subject.

Does a de-aerator device lift oil? No – burner fuel pumps can lift oil without assistance from a de-aerator.

What does a de-aerator device actually do? Its function is to remove gas from the fuel that results from the burner fuel pump pulling the oil from the tank and placing it under vacuum. If not removed, this gas can adversely affect combustion. When a de-aerator is ﬁtted, not all the fuel that passes through the burner fuel pump is used for combustion; excess fuel returning to the de-aerator carries with it any bubbles, so they can rise and vent to atmosphere from the de-aerator. Some designs of de-aerator are sealed, breaking the bubbles down into microbubbles and venting these via the burner nozzle without affecting combustion.

What do I have to consider when installing a de-aerator device?

pipe terminates within the fuel storage tank, rather than installing a de-aerator?

De-aerators typically incorporate an integral non-return valve. The addition of a separate non-return valve in the suction pipe is not usually required and may even cause excessive resistance beyond the capabilities of the burner fuel pump.

Yes, if your appliance manufacturer’s installation instructions permit this. However, it is worth considering the beneﬁts of using a de-aerator compared to utilising a traditional two-pipe system. A burner fuel pump transports much more fuel than is needed for combustion so, when using a traditional two-pipe system, a large amount of fuel is drawn from the oil tank and the majority is sent back to the tank via the return pipe. With so much fuel passing through the supply and return pipework, ﬁlters may become clogged more quickly.

De-aerators should not be located within 500mm of, and not above, the flue termination point. De-aerators constructed of plastic should only be installed outside the building and the appliance casings; the same would also apply to deaerators that vent directly to the atmosphere. There are de-aeration devices approved for internal use as they are of a fire-resistant construction. If these devices vent to atmosphere they should be provided with a means of taking the vented gas outside via a fireproof vent pipe, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Further guidance can be found in OFTEC technical book 3, section 2.1.16.

Can I utilise an existing twopipe system where the return

By contrast, when utilising a deaerator, only the fuel required for combustion is drawn from the tank; any excess is circulated around the de-aerator ﬂow and return pipework. Secondly, having a long, pressurised return pipe increases the risk of an environmental incident. Finally, it can be difﬁcult to correctly connect a return pipe into the top of an integrally bunded oil tank, if the pipe termination is below the lowest possible oil surface level. If you plan to do this, consult the tank manufacturer for advice. Obviously, the return pipe must never be taken through the bund wall.

Tank replacement considerations provide food for thought… With the summer weather now upon us, it’s the ideal time to change a customer’s old oil storage tank without causing them too much disruption. Assuming the existing installation is compliant, while it may seem easiest to simply replace their tank with a like-for-like bunded equivalent, it’s worth considering the following: – Has the customer’s circumstances changed in terms of their fuel consumption? – Would a smaller tank suffice because the property is now more energy efficient? – If the current tank is raised to provide a gravity feed, could the new tank be positioned at ground level and the supply changed to sub-gravity? This last point is especially worth considering because OFTEC’s technical team frequently take phone-calls from equipment owners who have had their fuel delivery refused, due to the delivery driver being unable to couple on to the fill point without the use of a ladder – which is deemed unsafe. 30

To establish the right solution, have a discussion with the owner and use your own experience and expertise to recommend the best solution for their needs. You will also need to keep a few practical considerations in mind. For example, will you be recommending that the new tank be installed at ground level with a sub-gravity supply? If so, is the existing oil supply pipework correctly sized? Or, if gravity feed is required, could an oil lifter be installed? The practical issues around filling the tank are surprisingly often overlooked. Will it be easy to fill the tank bearing in mind the various heights, shapes and sizes of tanks? Could 18”x 9” concrete blocks with a removable slab be positioned over the tank’s ancillary equipment at the outlet? This not only offers protection from damage but provides a step for the delivery driver during the filling process, making a ladder unnecessary. Or could a remote fill pipe be installed instead? With a more thoughtful approach, a better outcome is likely to result – which can only be a good thing for your customer, the industry and your business! Oil Installer Summer 2018

Apprenticeships could help plug heating sector skills gap, says OFTEC With the number of apprenticeships in the heating sector falling last year, despite increased government support, more must be done to encourage new technicians into the industry and help plug the severe skills gap. This was the warning issued by OFTEC ahead of National Apprenticeship Week in March. Provisional ﬁgures from the Department for Education show just 1,070 heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration apprenticeships were started in England during the 2016/17 academic year. This represents a fall of 1.4% on the previous 12 months and accounts for only 0.2% of the total number of apprenticeships taken up across the country last year. The levy – introduced in April 2017 to help businesses of all sizes fund on-the-job training – requires all employers with a payroll of £3 million or more to pay 0.5% on their total wage bill annually. The money accrued can then be spent on approved apprenticeship training and

assessment for both new and existing employees, boosted by a 10% top up from government. Employers who are not large enough to pay the levy, including the many small heating and plumbing businesses up and down the country, can also beneﬁt as they only need pay 10% of any approved apprenticeship training costs, with government footing the remainder of the bill. However, a recent British Chambers of Commerce survey found that two thirds of businesses still haven’t taken any action to use the apprenticeship levy funds or don’t even know about the initiative. A further quarter (23%) of levy paying organisations said they don’t understand how the levy works or how they should respond to it.

Severe skills shortages OFTEC training manager David Knipe, comments: “As an industry we are facing severe skills shortages. “Even with major advances in technology, the need

for heating and hot water will remain. There is plenty of work out there, just not enough qualified technicians to do it and the issue could be further exacerbated if EU migration is restricted post Brexit. “Apprenticeships offer an excellent way for businesses to upskill their workforce, expand at low cost and help bridge this gap. With the apprenticeship levy designed to make the apprenticeships affordable for all, we urge more heating businesses to make the most of this valuable opportunity.” OFTEC is working closely with both City & Guilds and BPEC to improve the standard of heating and plumbing apprenticeships as part of the government’s ‘trailblazers’ initiative which gives sector businesses and industry the chance to design training to meet their specific needs and ensure it is fit for purpose. David Knipe continues: “The growth in our registration numbers highlights the continued strength of the oil heating sector. This has been further supported by OFTEC’s expansion into renewable heating and solid fuel registration.

OFTEC training manager David Knipe

“But as an industry we are at risk of a ‘generation gap’ as older, highly experienced technicians retire and there are not enough new people entering the profession to replace them. “For too long, vocational qualiﬁcations and apprenticeships have been viewed as ‘second class’ but this perception couldn’t be further from the truth. “Thankfully the tide is changing and more employers and young people are recognising the value of apprenticeships as a highly credible route to further education and future employment. “But there is still work to be done to promote the value of trade professions as a career choice in schools so that apprenticeships are given equal parity on the education agenda.”

“Evidence proves apprenticeships work...” A leading training provider in the construction, utilities and energy sector is urging more ﬁrms to make a commitment to apprenticeships, citing its own experience as proof that they work. Develop Training Limited (DTL), based in Derby, Bolton, Romford, York and Lisburn, Northern Ireland, whose customers includes some of the biggest names in water, gas, electricity and construction, wants more companies in the sector to recognise that apprenticeships work and recruit more trainees. Chris Wood, CEO of Develop Training, said: “Working with some of the UK’s largest utility ﬁrms, our success rates have been very high. We and our customers have no doubt that, managed well, apprenticeships do work.” He added: “New initiatives, such as Trailblazer Oil Installer Summer 2018

Apprenticeships and the Apprenticeship Levy, have raised awareness across the UK. Even so, and despite huge skills shortages, many employers are still only scratching the surface of what they could be doing to use apprenticeships to attract new people to join the industry and improve the skills of existing employees.” DTL delivers most of its training from its nationwide training centres, although it also works with learners and ﬁrms on site and at customers’ premises across the country. The company has invested in facilities to support training and essential skills development nationwide. Contrary to general ideas, apprenticeship candidates vary in age up to 30 and beyond, and while many intakes are all male, a number of women have taken part in DTL programmes. www.developtraining.co.uk 31

WIN an OFTEC training course worth over £750! Oil Installer has teamed up with Grant UK to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an OFTEC approved training course. Heating specialists Grant UK has a long history of providing quality training to oil installers. Its training facility at the company’s recently-renovated HQ in Devizes has been an approved OFTEC training and assessment centre for almost 15 years. The GTEC centre in Hawes with its purpose-built facilities has become an established off-site training venue for Grant UK. This is your chance to sample the training for yourself and win either the OFTEC CAT1 (3-day course) for registered technicians renewing their OFTEC or the CAT2 (4-day course) for oil technicians wishing to be OFTEC registered for the ﬁrst time, subject to meeting the course entry requirements.

The prize must be claimed within six months of winning and includes all necessary OFTEC books and technical literature, assessment costs, certiﬁcation fees, lunches and beverages. It does not however cover the cost of the registration fees that are payable to OFTEC upon completion of the course.

How to enter

To enter, simply read the text below and email your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number, to: training@grantuk.com The cutting edge Grant VortexBlue range consists of 15 models with heating outputs ranging up to 36kW. Using a new state-of-theart Riello Blue Flame compact burner alongside the familiar Vortex oil-ﬁred boiler, this marketleading combination gives you an easy to install, reliable product with those all-important low

emissions. Available in internal, external and combi models, the boilers are compatible with all Grant EZ-Fit ﬂues. Question: What is the name of the Grant range of blue-ﬂame boilers: A) VortexBlue B) VortexBlack C) VortexRed A winner will be picked at random. Closing date June 30th 2018. Full terms and conditions are available on request. For more details, visit www.grantuk. com.

New training course offers a simple approach to water treatment A new training course promises to make chemical water treatments for central heating systems easier for UK installers, while providing a full understanding of the latest British Standards. The course, which was designed by Worcester Bosch in partnership with water treatment manufacturers Fernox and Sentinel Water, demonstrates BS 7593:2006 requirements through a mixture of theoretical and practical exercises. All aspects of water treatment, for both new and existing installations, are covered, including: the causes of common problems; choosing the right products; power-flushing techniques; total dissolved solids (TDS) meters; and system water testing. Courses last a full day and are held at Worcester Bosch’s £3.5m training facility in Worcester. Installers can also attend courses in Wakefield or West Thurrock. Efficiency and performance Chemically treating the water of central heating systems before, during and after an installation reduces the likelihood of scale, sludge, rust or microbial build-up, as well as corrosion to interior components, all of which can impact the energy efficiency and performance of a central heating system. For this reason, it has been a requirement for all new installations and remedial work under the Building Regulations for England and Wales since 2005. 32

Nick Fothergill, Worcester’s national training manager, said: “Our training course gives installers all of the tools and knowledge they need to effectively and efficiently clean central heating systems. We cover everything, from choosing the right cleaning chemicals, to testing the system post-installation. In this way, installers can feel confident that they are working in compliance with the latest British Standards at all times. “The benefit this can give to an installer’s reputation cannot be overestimated: taking a professional approach to chemical water treatment demonstrates a commitment, not only to quality service, but to the customer’s long-term comfort and energy-efficiency. With energy prices as they are and homeowners feeling the squeeze, I have no doubt that installers who are proficient in system cleaning will soon find themselves top of the list in what is, otherwise, a very competitive market.” Courses cost £25.00 per person and are available to book via the Worcester Bosch website. For more information visit: https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/professional/ training. Oil Installer Summer 2018

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Oil Installer Summer 2018

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Kensa launches ground source learning facility Kensa Heat Pumps has launched a programme of free monthly training days, delivered in a specially created learning facility in Exeter College, dedicated to ground source heat pumps. Kensa has formed a partnership with Exeter College, a leading centre of excellence for training in the heating and plumbing industry. Together they have created a resource for installers of ground source heat pump technology, using working examples of Kensa ground source heat pump systems. The training covers all aspects of ground source, including the speciﬁcation, application, design and installation of a Kensa ground source heat pump system. It features a mixture of classroom-based theory and plenty of practical ‘hands-on’ learning. The facility showcases products from Kensa’s ground source heat pump range, including the Evo Series, which recently won ‘Heat Pump Product of the Year’ at the National ACR and Heat Pump Awards 2018, and ‘Best Sustainable Product’ at the Build It Awards 2017. www.kensaheatpumps.com/ground-source-heat-pumptraining-2018

Warning on poorly fitted fire surrounds The Government Department – MHCLG (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) formally DCLG have issued a safety warning to heating technicians to be aware of poorly fitted fire surrounds. This follows a Coroner’s report on the death of a six-year-old girl who was struck by a heavy marble mantelpiece that had come away from the wall. The Department has requested that schemes like OFTEC who register installers of combustion appliances make technicians aware of this tragic event. The Coroner’s report states further deaths could occur unless action is taken as there have been a number of similar incidents where heavy stone or marble fire surrounds have fallen away from walls resulting in injuries. There are currently no regulations controlling the installation of fireplace surrounds in new or existing buildings and it has been considered by the Department whether this type of building work needs to be controlled. For the time being MHCLG would like competent persons schemes to highlight the dangers of poorly fitted fire surrounds to installers of stoves and fires and that they must always be fitted and secured with methods stated in the manufacturer’s instructions. The coroner’s report is available here: https://bit. ly/2FuLVDy

Extend your registration for a great price OFTEC now offers oil, solid fuel and renewable1 scopes of registration. Extend yours today for just £60 (GB)2, £50 (NI)2 and €65 (RoI) per scope and enjoy a range of valuable beneﬁts. Contact our registration team today: T: 01473 626 298 (UK) T: 01 864 5771 (RoI) E: registration@oftec.org 1) Includes heat pumps, biomass and solar thermal installation with/without MCS option. 2) Plus VAT (GB and NI only).

www.joinoftec.com 34

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Tuffa launches new tank range and meets the needs of an historic estate Tuffa UK has developed and launched a news patented fire-protected range of heating oil tanks. A factory-fitted fire barrier means that the tank can be located adjacent to the property or in a garage or outbuilding while still meeting all local authority building control (LABC) regulations. They offer a choice of 30 or 60 minutes fire protection, allowing time for the building to be evacuated while the fire is controlled and extinguished. Tuffa Tanks meet the code of oil firing standards to BS5410 and, thanks to the fire protection, are delivered with LABC certification. This makes them suitable for domestic use where space can be restricted or for the replacement of older tanks that no longer comply with current regulations. To help keep the cost down, no additional fire barrier or building work is needed which enables a quick and easy installation. Tuffa UK recently finished runner-up in a major business innovation award. The award was based on recent product developments which included the range of fire-protected oil tanks. Tuffa oil tanks are bunded, with the outer “bund” a minimum of 110% of the capacity of the inner tank. This helps to prevent overfilling and spillage meeting all legal requirements on secondary containment. Tanks can be produced in various standard capacities from a slim line 1350 up to 20,000 litres in plastic and from 900 up to a huge bespoke 200,000 litres in steel. Tuffa can arrange a nationwide and overseas delivery service if required, or tanks can be collected direct from the factory. They also offer a full range of spares and accessories available for delivery next working day.

Tuffa supplies the Mulgrave Estate... Tuffa UK recently supplied two heating oil tanks to the historic Mulgrave Estate near Whitby. The estate comprises of a mix of agricultural, commercial and residential property set in 15,000 acres in the North York Moors. In addition to farm land, commercial property and holiday cottages, the Mulgrave Estate provides residential tenancies for the local community.

Tuffa UK recently supplied two heating oil tanks to the historic Mulgrave Estate near Whitby

The tanks are being used to heat a seven bedroom house that needed a larger replacement oil tank and at a former keeper’s bungalow that is also being refurbished and having a new central heating system. Mulgrave Estate’s buildings manager, Marcus Lidster, told Oil Installer: “It’s good to buy British and we were impressed with the build quality of the Tuffa oil tanks. “We wanted bunded tanks with accurate gauges and were looking for secure and clean oil storage that wouldn’t damage our local environment. Tuffa gave us a prompt service and arranged delivery of the tanks to site.” Tuffa UK’s general manager, James Shenton, is delighted that Tuffa Tanks were chosen by the Mulgrave Estate. “Our plastic bunded oil tanks are well suited to property on estates of this nature, helping to prevent over filling and spillage. This is obviously of paramount importance on estate land, where the environment and habitat is carefully managed and protected,” he said. “As well as the Mulgrave Estate, we’ve also supplied tanks for use by The National Trust, and have produced oil tanks in both plastic and steel for hundreds of domestic and commercial customers.” www.tuffa.co.uk The team at Tuffa UK celebrate finishing as runnerup in a major business innovation award recently which recognised their patented fireprotected tanks

The 1350 SLBFP fire protected oil tank in situ – Tuffa fire-protected tanks can be located adjacent to a property and are delivered with full LABC certification

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Specflue makes major commercial appointment Deborah McCreadie has been appointed to the new role of business development manager – commercial products – at specialist flue, chimney and renewable heat technology supplier, Specflue. Deborah has more than two decades of experience in working for global manufacturers in the building services sector. She said: “Specflue already has a good presence in the commercial market, but we are now in a position to expand this, particularly by increasing contact with members of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers and the Society of Public Health Engineers/Industrial Associates.” Deborah’s appointment marks a move towards a more solutions-based rather than product led approach to Specflue’s business. She explained: “We are starting to look more at the application, and combine heat interface units/thermal stores as well as flue/heat recovery and solar energy.” Day-to-day, she will engage with customers who deal with the clean air act and BREEAM, offering continuing professional development seminars in order to update them about current projects and legislation.

Deborah McCreadie

Deborah will report to Ian Sams, Specflue’s commercial director, who commented: “We are delighted to welcome Deborah to our strong and diverse sales team. I am confident she will make a valuable contribution to Specflue by encouraging collaboration, strengthening still further our commercial offering and leading a solutions-focused, goaldirected approach to our commercial business.” www.specflue.com

New brochure for Firebird biomass range To herald the launch of their new biomass product range, Firebird have produced a new brochure, which provides detailed information about the company’s range of renewable heating options. The range which includes the MCS and HETAS approved Tavistock wood pellet biomass boiler, together with the Exmoor and Dartmoor wood pellet biomass stoves, is fully automated and self-contained, with pellet hopper, heat exchanger and control systems in one complete package.

The Firebird Tavistock wood pellet biomass boiler, which is eligible for the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI), is available in four outputs from 12 – 35kW. The boiler can be installed on a buffer system to supply underﬂoor heating, or via a plate heat exchanger kit directly onto a radiator circuit. Alternatively, the Firebird Tavistock biomass boiler can be used to create a bivalent heating system with existing heating technologies. A high-resolution, touch-display, colour screen enables simple commissioning and control of the boiler, and an automated cleaning programme reduces the level of annual maintenance and servicing required. The Firebird Exmoor and Dartmoor wood pellet biomass stoves complement the range by offering the aesthetics of a modern wood burning stove, with the convenience of full automation and programmability. Wood pellet combustion is automatically used to provide consistent (hot air) heat, without the need to add fuel or adjust the air supply. Both stoves are suitable for use in any type of home, but, because the Firebird Dartmoor is ‘airtight’, it can also be used in modern passive homes as space heating is provided

without altering the characteristics of the home. Commenting on the new biomass range, David Hall, Firebird’s UK director, said: “These are very exciting times, as the addition of this new biomass range firmly positions Firebird as a total heating solutions supplier. “At Firebird we have taken full advantage of the huge leap forward in ‘intelligent engineering’ to provide a fully automated, renewable heating option that optimises boiler performance and consequently the amount of fuel used.” Firebird Products Ltd are one of the UK and Ireland’s leading manufacturers of high-efficiency domestic oil-fired boilers. To compliment the range of oil-fired boilers, Firebird also offer a range of renewable products which include biomass boilers, biomass stoves, air source heat pumps and solar thermal systems. Established in Ireland in 1980, Firebird specialise in developing superior and innovative heating solutions. www.firebird.uk.com

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Grant UK appoints renewables manager After joining Grant UK in the summer of 2017, Kevin Ellis has now been appointed as renewables manager for the company to provide support to customers throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Alongside its Vortex and VortexBlue oil fired boiler ranges, Grant UK also has an extensive range of renewable products including air source heat pumps, biomass boilers, hybrid technologies, solar thermal systems and cylinders. To support the interest in these expanding product ranges, Kevin Ellis will now focus specifically on Grant’s renewable offering assisting merchants, architects and specifiers.

Kevin Ellis, Grant UK’s new renewables manager

In his new role with Grant UK, Kevin will be supporting the sales team of area managers based throughout the mainland UK. As renewables manager, he will assist the sales team with projects involving Grant’s renewable product portfolio. In particular, he will be working with the Aerona³ air source heat pump range. “Householders and property developers are increasingly become aware of incorporating greener technologies into today’s home,” comments Kevin. “To reﬂect this trend, Grant has developed a range of innovative renewable heating solutions which meet the heating demands of a wide variety of properties sustainably. I am looking forward to developing this part of the business in my new role, raising awareness of Grant’s renewable range and providing the necessary support needed to increase its uptake.” www.grantuk.com

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Grant Aerona³ highly commended at national awards Grant’s Aerona³ inverter driven air source heat pump range has been awarded ‘highly commended’ in the category for Heat Pump of the Year 2018 at the National ACR and Heat Pump Awards. Awards were available in eleven categories which all recognised outstanding performances in the industry. One of the awards categories was for Heat Pump Product of the Year in which the Grant Aerona³ was selected as a finalist and received a highly commended award. Consisting of three models, each unit in the Aerona³ air source heat pump range delivers superior operating efficiencies while still being compact in size. The Aerona³ heat pump is also designed to be installer-friendly for engineers to fit and maintain with ‘clever’ design features which are factory fitted and included as standard. “The Aerona³ is Grant’s third generation of air source heat pumps,” says Anna Wakefield, marketing and corporate communications manager at Grant UK. “To be selected as one of three finalists at this year’s ACR and heat pump awards was a wonderful achievement for the Grant Aerona³ heat pump. “For the range to then be highly commended, and to be the highest placed air source heat pump product in the Heat Pump of the Year category, is further recognition of the Aerona³ and its innovative technology.”

www.grantuk.com.

Oil Installer Summer 2018

Clean air – seeing the wood through the trees The government’s call for evidence on the use of solid fuels for domestic heating has re-ignited the campaign for burning kiln dried wood: ‘Ready to Burn’. Homeowners are being urged to support the wood fuel quality assurance scheme designed to help homeowners look after their log burners while reducing their impact on air quality. The scheme has already received government support and has seen solid fuel industry experts come together to promote the benefits of dry wood fuel. Led by Woodsure, the UK’s only quality assurance scheme, Ready to Burn allows people to easily identify clean, quality wood fuel and make informed choices. There are about 1.5m stoves in the UK and 170,000 are sold annually. Bruce Allen, chairman of Woodsure, says there was a need to respond to the rising popularity of wood burners to help homeowners know which fuel to burn, for the benefit of the environment as well as their appliance. He says: “You can’t just burn any old timber. We’re keen to get one very important message out there – don’t burn wet wood! Today’s stoves are highly-engineered, efficient pieces of technology but if users still burn wet wood they’re going to get a lot of harmful smoke and not a lot else in terms of heat efficiency. You’re essentially burning water. Not only does this have an impact on our air quality but it causes problems for the appliance and increases the build-up of soot which damages chimneys. “Defra’s call for evidence is welcomed by the solid fuel industry which has been working together for many years to provide solutions to air quality, rather than be seen as part of the problem.” Woodsure is working closely with two universities –

Manchester and Leeds – to research the burning of different wood fuel types and particulate emissions. At present, there are approximately 800 wood fuel suppliers and producers across the UK. Woodsure certifies nearly 200 depots and the list is growing. Logs Direct, a family owned and run solid fuel supplier based in Lancashire, was one of the first wood fuel suppliers to join the Ready to Burn scheme. Company director, Stephen Talbot, says of the Ready to Burn scheme: “We have gladly welcomed this move to help educate consumers as to the right wood to burn. Once our customers realise that wet wood fuel is very inefficient and demands a lot of heat to burn off the moisture before producing the right level of heat to warm the room – not to mention the extra servicing, maintenance and repair of their stove – they welcome with open arms any information on how to get the best from their appliance and in turn help reduce carbon emissions.” For more information on Ready to Burn, visit www. woodsure.co.uk. To find the Defra approved list of fuels visit: https:// smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/fuels.php.

Specflue supports wood stoves as Whitehall concludes consultation Flue, chimney and renewable heat technology supplier Specflue has defended clean-burning wood-fuelled stoves following a government consultation on the impact of solid fuel on air quality. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) launched the consultation in January to gather information on the use of fuels such as wood, house coal and manufactured solid fuel for domestic heating, and the effect that changes to the availability of these fuels would have on consumers and businesses. Ian Sams, Specflue’s commercial director, said: “Even in the face of rising wood burning stove sales, particulate matter (PM) from wood burning is diminishing, according to a study from Kings College London published by Defra earlier this year. “As open fires and older stoves are replaced with more modern appliances, so they produce lower volumes of PM. New Ecodesign regulations are due in 2022 to encourage even cleaner wood burners, but industry body the Stove Industry Alliance (SIA) already has an accredited list of SIA Ecodesign Ready appliances that meet these regulations now. “An SIA Ecodesign Ready stove can slash PM emissions by 90% compared to an open fire, 80% compared to a 10-year-old stove and more than 40% compared with a DEFRA exempt stove.” Mr Sams encouraged people in the heating industry to get involved in Defra’s consultation which ended at the end of February: “This is an important piece of work that will affect the solid fuel sector for years to come because responses to it will influence the government’s Clean Air Strategy due to be published for consultation later this year.” www.specflue.com Oil Installer Summer 2018

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An inspector calls… and discovers more calamities! Gary Stronach, OFTEC’s regional inspector for Scotland, witnesses some weird and wonderful sights during his ofﬁcial duties and travels around his stomping ground. So much so, that very little shocks or even surprises him… With Oil Installer readers in mind, Gary sent us a selection of photographs recently, with the following note: “Thought you might like to see some pictures from my escapades in Scotland that hopefully are of interest to your reader.” He then went on to explain his shocking discoveries… If you come across an installation which leaves a little to be desired, take a photograph and send it to Oil Installer so that we can share it with all our readers! Send your photographs to: jane@oilinstaller.co.uk

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jane@o

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“New tank install at a job north of Aberdeen, which an OFTEC registered engineer was called to sort out. Apparently looked good when ﬁrst installed, as the wall was straight, and the tank was empty. But as soon as the oil went in it started to sink into the sand base. Too close to the door opening and boundary as well with very little space to get around it. Needless to say the tank is coming out and being rectiﬁed!”

“At the same address as above there were also issues with the boiler install that was in the opposite corner to the tank. Oil line looks suspicious, eh? Clipped to wall running inside waste pipe with no valve, filter or fire valve fitted. Condensate was left to drip inside the casing of the boiler and as you can see a short distance away to the right is a drain connection. Just three months after the installation the boiler had to be replaced as the base has rotted through due to the condensate! Also position of boiler to internal corners and no doubt loads more issues if I were able to inspect.”

Oil Installer Summer 2018

“Flue pipe from a boiler passing through an attic space. The structure to the right hand side is the chimney and apparently the so-called engineer told the customer that he angled the flue to the left and through the roof to miss the lead flashing going around the chimney! Shame he didn’t use the correct flue fittings/bends, seal or support it. But this is what an OFTEC registered engineer found on investigation after being called out!!!”

Pricing page Kerosene price on the rise as sustained crude oil rally continues Bad weather and a resurgent crude oil price combined to ensure Kerosene suffered its sharpest quarterly price rise since 2011. The price of Brent crude oil has nudged $75 a barrel recently, the ﬁrst time it has exceeded this mark since late 2014. This makes many commentator’s price predictions for the year look somewhat low and, if the trend continued, will undermine our industry’s competitiveness against both LPG and renewable heating. While continued uncertainty in the Middle East and bullish predictions from OPEC have helped the crude oil

price rally, kerosene was also higher than expected due to the surge in demand and supply difﬁculties associated with the so-called ‘Beast from the East’.

with an annual heating demand of 16,000 kWh per year, served by a 90% efﬁcient appliance, it should consume approximately 1,700 litres. An equivalent LPG installation would consume 2,475 litres of fuel. Once the unit cost of the two fuels is also factored in, a true cost comparison can be made. The annual average cost, based on a similar comparison undertaken by the Sutherland Tables, shows that the LPG household would face an annual bill of around £2,213, while the oil home would only pay £1,092 (NI) and €2213 (for LPG) and €1311 (for oil) in the Republic. It’s pretty clear that oil remains a much cheaper option!

Kerosene vs LPG With much propaganda in the UK trade press around the government wanting to phase out oil starting in the 2020s, it seems that oil customers are asking technicians about fuel switching from kerosene to LPG. A unit of kerosene contains 10.35 kWh of energy, whereas a unit of LPG only contains 7.11kWh. If we take an average three-bed, oil heated home

Comparative space and water heating costs for a three bedroom house GREAT BRITAIN Solid Fuel (anthracite grains)

4-yr avg: April14–Jan18 Apr-17

Apr-18

Price change

1147

1159

+13 +278

1146

Electricity (storage heaters)

1659

1635

1913

Gas (British Gas – condensing)

1031

967

LPG LPG (condensing)

1958 1612

1771 1460

1905 1567

+134 +107

Oil

1132

1161

1396

+235

Oil (condensing)

928

952

1143

+191

Wood Pellets

1332

1281

1532

+251

Air Source Heat Pump (radiators)

1507

1491

1685

+194

NORTHERN IRELAND 4-yr avg: Jan14-Oct17

Jan 17

Jan 18

Difference

Solid Fuel (anthracite grains)

995

953

973

+20

Electricity (storage heaters)

1581

1437

1518

+81

Gas (British Gas – condensing)

950

825

907

+82

LPG

2290

2173

2668

+495

LPG (condensing)

1880

1785

2187

+402

Oil

1078

1043

1334

+291

Oil (condensing)

885

857

1092

+235

Wood Pellets

1130

1143

1123

-20

Air Source Heat Pump (radiators)

1514

1384

1459

+75

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 4-yr avg: Jan14-Oct17

Jan 17

Jan 18

Difference

Solid Fuel (anthracite grains)

1489

1510

Electricity (storage heaters)

2038

1953

2052

+99

Gas (British Gas – condensing)

1335

1291

1337

+46

LPG

2751

2380

2689

+309

LPG (condensing)

2263

1962

2213

+251

Oil

1604

1499

1602

+103

Oil (condensing)

1313

1228

1311

+83

Wood Pellets

1323

1293

1311

+18

Air Source Heat Pump (radiators)

1785

1718

1806

+88

The tables above show the average annual costs for a range of heating options. Prices are shown in pounds sterling (£) for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Euros (€) for the Republic of Ireland. Figures are for a semi-detached three bedroom house, requiring 13,500 kWh space heating & 2,500 kWh DHW heating. Great Britain (Average) is calculated using South East, South West, Wales, Midlands, Northern England and Scotland. Data from the Sutherland Tables.

Oil Installer Summer 2018

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