March 2018 by PHAM News

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Volume V o olume 56 | Issu Issue ue 3 | M March arch 2018

Trustworthy trader Trustworthy traderr sites sites eeasily asily a accessed ccessed d by by frauds frauds ds

Win!

A steaming hot water tap

The B The BBC’s BC’s IInside nside O Out ut T TV Vp programme rogramme h has as ttested ested w websites ebsittes cclaiming laiming tto oo offer ffer v vetted etted t a and nd ttrustworthy rustworthy w workmen, orkmen, and and found found that that some some do do not not carry carry out out due due diligence diligence in in ensuring ensuring their their listings listings include include only only honest honest traders. traders. An on BBC programme A n investigation invest igat ion o n tthe he B BC pr og ramme Inside Out has unqualified In side O ut h as rrevealed evealed tthat hat u nqualified workers w orkers can can easily easily y list list themselves themselves on on ssome ome websites designed connect w ebsites d esig ned tto oc onnect consumers consumers with w it h reliable reliable tradespeople. t rade d speople. MyBuilder MyBuilder and and Rated People both posed no challenge R ated P eople b ot h p o sed n oc hallenge tto o Phillip Norton, who up bogus rreporter eporter P hillip No rton, w ho sset et u p tthe he b ogus company and Out Property Services c ompany IInside nside a nd O ut P ropert y S er vices Grimsby iin nG rimsby and and successfully successfully joined joined tthe he ttwo wo websites’ w ebsites’ databases databases of of traders traders as as a handyman. handyman. To business T o make make tthe he b usiness appear appear legitimate, leg it imate, tthe he programme prog ramme rented rented business business premises premises and website, a nd established established a w ebsite, email email address, address, phone number, and media p hone n umber, a nd ssocial ocial m edia ffootprint. ootprint. “We make “We went went to to ssome ome llengths engths tto om ake IInside nside and and Out Out Property Propert y Services Ser vices appear appear like like a legitimate very leg itimate company. company. But But it it turned turned out out v er y little off tthat was needed,” Phillip Norton. little o hat w as n eeded,” ssays ays P hillip N orton. “I “I was was incredibly incredibly l surprised sur pr ised by by just just how how easy easy it it was was to to get get signed signed up up and and how how simple simple it was it w as to to award award myself myself a reliable-looking reliable-looking five and positive five sstar tar rrating ating a nd p ositive ffeedback. eedback. With and With tthe he help help of of friends fr iends a nd ffalse alse email email addresses, could up work, apply addresses, I c ould sset et u p ffake ake w ork, a pply

and build ffor or iit, t, a nd b uild myself myself a trustworthy trustworthy profile.” profile.” The qualifications The show show also also invented invented q ualifications and and public p ublic lliability iability insurance, insurance, all all of of which which was was bogus, b ogus, but but was was listed listed on on Phillip’s Phillip’s profile profile without p without being checked. prime concern b eing c hecked. This This is is a pr ime c oncern ffor or many bone fide as Paul m any b one fi de tradespeople, tradespeople, ssuch uch a sP aul Holmes, and H olmes, a plumber plumber a nd heating heating engineer engineer in in Hull H ull who who featured featured on on the the programme. programme. Paul Paul websites ssaid aid tthe he w ebsites are are cashing cashing in in on on trust: trust: “Trust build “Trust is is something something you you b uild up up with with your your customers, not with £400 c ustomers, n ot w ith a £ 400 jjoining oining ffee ee ffor or when, you a website. website. People People ttrust r ust iitt w hen, rreally, eally, y ou would be better off your w ould b eb etter o ff ttalking alking tto oy our ffriends r iends

and going off past not a nd g oing o ff p ast experiences, experiences, n ot a rreview evie ew you could easily write yourself.” tthat hat y ou c ould e asily w r ite y ourself.” Kevin Wellman, CEO off tthe CIPHE, K evin W ellman, C EO o he C IPHE, ssays ays tthat hat these these online online portals portals are are damaging damag ing to to properly vet llegitimate eg itimate sservices er vices tthat hat pr operly v et tthose hose comments: llisted isted as as ‘‘trustworthy trustworthy ttraders’. raders’. He c omments: which allow unscrupulous and ““Loopholes Loopholes w hich a llow u nscrupulous a nd advertise on ffraudulent rau udulent ‘‘tradespeople’ tradespeople’ tto oa dvertise o n ssuch u h uc websites need w ebsites n eed to to be be closed, closed, not not just just for for the the but honest ssake ake of of the the consumer, consumer, b ut for for tthe he h onest This why only CIPHE ttradesperson radesperson ttoo. oo. T his iis sw hy o nly C IPHE members who hit criteria can m embers w ho h it sspecific pecific c r iter ia c an jjoin oin our o ur directory director y database database and and be be found found on on our our online o nline ‘‘Find Find a Plumber’ Plumber’ tool.” tool.” Mike Chief Executive off M ike Andrews, Andrews, Group Group C hief E xecutive o NAPIT, hear how easy N APIT, says: says: ““It It is is sshocking hocking to to h ear h ow e asy with websites Rated iitt iiss tto o rregister eg i s t er w it h w ebsites llike i ke R ated People orr M MyBuilder without providing any P eople o yBuilder w ithout pr oviding a ny evidence are capable off c carrying out e vidence tthat hat at tthey hey a re c apab ble o arrying o ut work Att N NAPIT, we not w ork competently. competently. A APIT, w e rrequire equire n ot only each Registered has o nly tthat hat e ach R eg istered IInstaller nstaller h as tthe he appropriate qualifications, but a ppropriate q ualifications, b ut that that they they can can continue prove during c ontinue tto o pr ove ttheir heir competence competence d ur ing on-site assessments.” rregular eg u l a r o n-site a ssessments.”

Turn Tu urn to t page pa age 59

On O n tthe he rroad oad

Group G roup mobilises mobilises against against pension pension debts debts A group group of of concerned concerned sstakeholders takeholders h has as sset et u up p tthe he Plumbing Plumbing E Employers mployers A Action ction G Group roup ((PEAG), PEAG), fformed ormed iin n rresponse esponse tto oc hanges to to the the Pensions Pensions changes Act A ct that that places places a debt debt burden burden on on employers employers ceasing c easing participation participation in in an an industry-wide industry-wide pension p ension sscheme. cheme. T The he g group’s roup’s m mission ission iis s tto o affect a ffect p political olitical c change hange a and nd sshare hare tthe he c cost ost o off gaining g aining llegal egal a advice dvice ffor or e employers. mployers. U Under nder section section 75 75 of of the the Pensions Pensions Act, Act, employers participating e mployers p articipating in in a pension pension sscheme, cheme, ssuch uch as as tthe he Plumbing Plumbing and and Mechanical Mechanicall Services Services ((UK) UK) Pension Pension Scheme Scheme administered administered by by Plumbing Pensions must pay an exit P lumbing P ensions ((UK), UK), m ust p ay a ne xit ffee ee tthat hat covers covers the the employer’s employer’s sshare hare of of the the Section 75 debt sscheme’s cheme’s lliabilities. iabilities. S ection 7 5d ebt ((S75) S75) iis s when certain conditions are ttriggered riggered w hen c ertain c onditions a re met, met, active ssuch uch as as when when a company company has has no no more more a ctive

employees orr w when owner e mployees iin n tthe he sscheme, cheme, o hen tthe he o wner wants w ants to retire. retire. Plumbing P lumbing Pensions Pensions (UK) (UK) sent sent out out a series series off e emails employers early 2016 o mails tto oe mployers iin ne arly l 2 016 sstating tating tthat hat homes, homes, assets assets and and savings savings could could be be at at with rrisk isk due due to to S75 S75 legislation, legislation, w ith ssome ome ttold old ttheir heir estimated estimated debt debt could could run run into into several several million m illion p pounds. ounds. P PEAG EAG c claims laims tthat hat pr prior ior tto o 2016, 2 016, Plumbing Plumbing Pensions Pensions (UK) (UK) did did not not inform inform off tthe possible consequences off iits ts members members o he p ossible c onsequences o tthe he new new legislation legislattion after after its its implementation implementation 2005, companies iin n2 005, during during which which time time ssome ome c ompanies unwittingly obligations. u nwittingly ttriggered riggered ttheir heir debt debt o bligations. Kirstene K irstene Hair, Hair, Conservative Conservattive MP MP for for Angus, Angus, Commons about rrecently ecently addressed addressed tthe he C ommons ab out tthe he plight off sm small p light o all plumbing plumbing companies. companies. She She said: said: have been checkmated by ““Plumbers Plumbers h ave b een c heckmated b y tthe he

They have no manoeuvre, llegislation. egislattion. T hey h ave n o rroom oom tto om anoeuvre, no n o way way out. out. Every Every possible possible move, move, it it seems, seems, will debt and bring w ill trigger trigger the the employer employer d ebt a nd b ring it it crashing down on and c rashing d own o n tthem hem a nd ttheir heir llivelihoods.” ivelihoods.” According PEAG, A ccording to to P EAG, the the Government Government acknowledges a cknowledges there there are are issues issues with with S75 S75 but but has given no h as g iven n o ssign ign tthat hat rreform eform iis s iimminent. mminent. The Group T he G roup ssays: ays: ““Without Without urgent urgent political political change, will be c hange, many many businesses businesses w ill b e fforced orced tto o close c lose and and many many good good employers employers will will be be faced faced with bankruptcy.” w ith b ankruptcy.” Plumbing currently orr p previously P lumbing employers employers c urrently o reviously contributing Plumbing Pensions are c ontributing tto oP lumbing P ensions ((UK) UK) a re iinvited nvited to to join join PEAG PEAG (email (email info@s75group. info@s75group. co.uk). There also Facebook page c o.uk). T here iis s a lso a F acebook p age dedicated d edicatted tto o tthis his iissue ssue ((www.facebook.com/ www.facebook.com/ PlumbersEmployersActionGroup). P lumbersEmployersActionGroup).

Four X Four XXL XL ttrucks rucks ffrom rom G Grohe ro ohe a are re e taking taking tto o th the he ro road oad a again, gain, p providing ro oviding v visitors isito ors w with itth a n opportunity opportunitty to o catch catch up up on on the the latest late est an iinnovations nnovations ffrom rom tthe he s sanitary anittary fittings fittings manufacturer. m anufacture err. Last Last y year, ear, iitt is se estimated stiim mated tthat hat tthe he trucks trucks covered cove erred a distance dis stance equivalent equivale ent to to more than m ore th han tthree hre ee ccircumnavigations ircumnavig gations of of the the world! w orld! T The he 2 2018 018 ttour our w will ill ttake ake iin n ttrips rips to o multiple m ultiple d destinations estinations iin nb both oth hE Europe urope a and nd tthe he Middle Middle E East, ast,, w with ith an an attendance atten ndance at at more more tthan han 800 800 events. events. In In the the UK, UK, the the first first stop stop will w ill be be the the Homebuilding Homebuilding & Renovating Renovating Show S how a att Birmingham’s Birmingham’s NEC, NEC, w which hich rruns uns ffrom rom 2 22nd 2nd tto o2 25th 5th hM March. arch. More More UK UK dates dates a nd venues venues will will be be announced announced s oon. and soon.

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March 2018

NEWS N EWS W Review Review

OFTEC FTEC calls calls for for IInside nside this this issue issue O Editor’s E ditor’ss action a ction tto o rreduce educe Viewpoint V i e w p o i nt Radiators & ffuel uel poverty poverty ccrisis risis T owel o W a arm mers Towel Warmers by C Chris hris JJones ones

The important rolee of LST radiators and the growing g market for premium premiu um panels p

Starts page 29

Heat Pumps Why heat pumps have h a big part to play if we are carbon to move to a low ca arbon future

Starts page 39

Inclusive Bathroomss The things to cons consider sider when designing a dementia bathroom for deme entia sufferers

Starts page 45

Tools T ools o & W orkwear o Workwear Looking after yourr tools when working at height h and d the th importance i t e off investing in quality y

Starts page 51

The Technical The Technical Magazine Magazine for for the the Plumbing, Plumbing, H eating & Air Air Movement Movemeent IIndustry ndustr y Heating

Incorporating: Incorporating: News Plumbing & Heating Ne wss Plumbing & Heating Equipment Equippment News News

Urgent policy Urgent policy intervention inter vention iiss needed needed to to improve improve energy energy e fficiency ffor or v ulnerable efficiency vulnerable rrural ural households househo olds and and help help against the ssafeguard afeg uard against the u nacceptable number number of of unacceptable a dditional deaths deaths that that occur occur additional d ur ing tthe he w inter m onths, during winter months, ssays ays the the oil oil heating heating body body OF TEC. OFTEC. OFTEC O F T EC ssays ay s tthat h at tthe he m ove away away ffrom rom new new boiler boiler move iinstallations nstallations u nder tthe he E CO under ECO sscheme cheme h as left left m any ffuel uel has many poor across p oor households househol h ds a cross E ngland a nd Wales Wales w ith n o England and with no o ther o ption tthan han tto oc ontinue other option continue w asting money money they they can can ill ill wasting a fford to to llose ose o n inefficient inefficient afford on h eating systems systems when when a heating ssimple imple boiler boiler u pgrade c ould upgrade could c ut ttheir heir fuel fuel bills bills b y o ver cut by over £ 30 0 a y ear. £300 year. P aul Rose, Rose, OFTEC OFTEC CEO, CEO, Paul c omments: “For “For too too long long now now comments: G overnment h as rrecognised ecognised Government has tthe he interlinked interlinked issues issues of of fuel fu uel p overt y a nd excess excess winter winter poverty and de aths, describing descr ibing the the deaths, ssituation ituattion a scandalous’ a nd ass ‘‘scandalous’ and Yet policy ‘‘unacceptable’. unacceptable e’. Y e et p olicy tto o a ddress tthe he pr oblem remains remains address problem p ainfully inadequate. inad dequate. painfully ““Changes Changes to to ECO ECO have have sseen een become key iinsulation nsulation b ecome tthe he k ey pr iority. Wh ilst insulation insulation is is a priority. Whilst w elcome sstep, tep, iitt w ill not not solve solve welcome will tthe he issue issue of of fuel fue u l poverty povert y by by iitself, tself, p articularly a any particularly ass m many rrural ural pr opertie i sw ere b uilt properties were built

Who can Who can you trust? y ou rreally eally tr rust? pr e-1920, m aking them them pre-1920, making difficult d ifficult to to cost-effectively cost-effectively t rreat. e at . W i t h rresources e so u rce s Wit sscarce, carce, helping helping low low income income ho useholds to to upgrade upgrade their their households h eating systems systems would would reap reap heating ffar ar h igherr b enefits iin n tterms erms o higher benefits off rreducing educing g ffuel uel bills, bills, enabling enabling v ulnerable people people tto ob etter vulnerable better a fford tto ok eep warm. wa r m. afford keep “We strongly strongly urge urge the the “We Government G overnment tto o continue continue ECO ECO b eyond S eptember 2 018 with with beyond September 2018 a renewed renewed focus focus on on b oiler boiler rreplacements eplacemen nts iin n rrural u ra l a reas areas a part of of a series series of of measures measures ass part rrequired equired tto o ttackle ackle tthe he ffuel uel p overty crisis crisis at at its its root.” root.” poverty OFTEC says says extending extending an an OFTEC oi boiler replacement replacemen nt scheme scheme oill boiler b eyond ffuel u uel p oor households households beyond poor could c ould also also represent represent an an crusade iimportant mportant sstep tep iin n tthe he c rusade domestic tto o decarbonise decarbonise do mestic heating. h eating. Paul Paul Rose Rose continues: continues: “Up“Upgrading g rading the the estimated estimated 400,000 400,000 old, oill b boilers o ld, iinefficient nefficient oi oilers sstill till in in use use would would deliver deliver iimmediate mmediate financial financial and and carbon benefits.” c arbon rreduction educ u tion b enefits.”

IIn n the t he era era of of ‘fake ‘fake news’, news’, it’s it’s not not surprising sur pr p ising that t hat there t here are concerns off m many websites a re c oncer ns about about tthe he llegitimacy eg it imac y o any w ebsites purport consumers quest find tthat hat p ur por t to to guide g uide c onsumers iin n ttheir heir q uest tto o fi nd a tradesperson tradesperson they t hey can can trust tr ust (see (see this t his month’s mont h’s front front cover c over story). stor y). With With easy easy online online access access and and the the rapid rapid rise rise off social o social media media channels, channels, today’s today’s consumers consumers benefit benefit unprecedented access news and ffrom rom u nprecedented a ccess tto on ews a nd iinformation, nfor mation, but b ut the the downside d wnside of do of the the communication communication revolution revolution iiss tthat hat iit’s t’s not not always alway ys so so easy easy to to distinguish distinguish the the legitimate legitimate ssources ources of of information information ffrom rom tthe he lless ess tthan han ttrustworthy. rustworthy. Equally, can E qually, c an you you have have complete complete faith fait h in in the t he online online rreviews ev iews of of products products and and services? ser v ices? Whether booking holiday orr b buying W hether b ooking a h oliday o uying a television, television, a growing g rowing number number of of consumers consumers wouldn’t wouldn’t dream dream m of of reaching reaching credit card ffor or a c redit c ard without without first first checking checking the the online online reviews. reviews. For off a llocal orr F or many, many, soliciting soliciting the the services services o ocal plumber plumber o electrician no different, and are now vast number e lectrician iiss n od iffer e ent, a nd tthere here a re n ow a v ast n umber off w websites o ebsites looking looking to to facilitate facilitate that that process. p ocess. In pr In theory, theory, amongst websites tthe he level level of of competition competition a mongst tthose hose w ebsites should should ensure e nsure that that only only the the more more useful useful and and credible credible of of the the online online vetting will ultimately winning v etting sservices ervices w ill u ltimately ssucceed ucceed iin nw inning tthe he confidence c onfidence of of both both consumers consumers and and the the professional p ofessional trades, pr trades, but b ut in in the the meantime meantime there there is is a worrying worrying number number that thatt are are ffailing ailing to to perform perform any any kind kind of of scrutiny scrutiny as as to to the the businesses businesses and a nd reviews revie i ws that that appear appear on on their their listings. listings. Offering O ffe ering a cost-effective cost-effective way way to to promote promote their their services services off p potential tto o thousands thousands o otential customers, customers, it it makes makes sense sense for for heating want appear on h eating and and plumbing plumbing businesses businesses tto ow ant tto oa ppear o n many m any such suc u h websites, websites, but but it it is is also also in in their their interests interests to to ensure e nsure that that they they are are only only associated associated with with trustworthy trustworthy The don’t llistings istings worthy worthy of of the the name. name. T he simple simple rrule ule iiss – d on’t ssign ign up up to to a vetting vetting website website until until you you have have vetted vetted it it first. first. Follow F ollow u uss on

@PHAMNews @ PHAMNewss

The T he year year of of the the cat cat

by: Published b y: Pi d Publishing Pinede P bli hi 18 Hawkesyard H Hawkkesyard H ll Armitag A it e Park, Park, k | 16/1 16/18 Hall, Armitage Nr Rugeley, Rugeley, Staffordshire Staffordshire WS15 1PU Tel: Tel: 01889 577222 | Fax: Faxx: 01889 579177 Email: inf info@phamnews.co.uk o@phamnews.co o.uk www.phamnews.co.uk www.phamnews.co.uk Managing Editor Editor Managing Chris Jones Jones Chris Editor Assistant Editor Carol Hitchcock Hitchcock Carol Publishers Publishers Chris Evans Evans Chris Russ Jackson Jackson

Advertisement Southern Advertisement Manager Manager Wood Nathan Wood Classiﬁed Sales Sharon Nutter Sharon Magazine Administrator Administrator Magazine Helen Green Green

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Circulation Circulatio on Manager Manager Betheell Sue Bethell

ABC Audited Audited circulation c i rc u l a t i o n ABC Jan- Dec 2017 2017 | 29 ,094 Jan-Dec 29,094 Subscription Subscription n Rates United Kingdom Kingd gdom £65.00 Overseas (Surface) (Su Overseas ( urface) £95.00 Overseas Overseas (Airmail) (Airmail) £110.00 ISSN 1368-9061 1368-9 9061 Printed Printed by: by: Precision Colour Collour Printing Printing Ltd. Precision Origination Origination by: by: Design & Media Meedia Solutions

©C Copyright opyright 2017 2017 | Plumbing, Plumbing , Heating Heating & Air Air Movement Movement News N ew s All rrights ights reserved. reserved. No part part of this publication publication may may be reproduced reproduced or stor stored ed in a rretrieval etrieval system without w written written consent from fr om the publisher. publisher. Attributed Attributed articles articlees represent represent the views views of the A Author(s) uthor(s) and are are not the necessarily necessaarily those of the Editor. Editor. TThe he publishers publishers accept no responsibility responsibility for for claims made bbyy manufacturers manufacturers or advertisers. advertisers. TThis his magazine magazine a includes a n number umber of colour editor ial photographs photographs paid for for bbyy suppliers. suppliers. editorial

Worcester the Worcester the cat cat has has had had a staring staring role role in in the the latest latest TV TV advertising campaign Worcester Bosch. The company’s a dvertising c ampaign ffrom rom W orcester B osch. T he c ompany’s a dverts, w hich sshow how tthe he c at adapting adapting tthe he h eating tto o ssuit uit adverts, which cat heating h is ttastes astes when when his his owners owners were were out, out, is is thought thought to to have have his rreached eached 1 6m illion c onsumers v ia IITV, T V, S ky a nd C hannel 4 16 million consumers via Sky and Channel 4,, a nd multiple multiple media media formats, formats, iincluding ncluding rradio. adio. and Victoria Billings, V ictoria B illings, Director Director of of Marketing Marketing att Worcester Worcester Bosch, Bosch, ssays: ays: ““We We a re e xcited tto o iintroduce ntroduce W orcester e tthe he c att a sp art are excited Worcester cat as part off o our new campaign, which potential customers off o ur n ew c ampaign, w hich rreminds eminds p otential c ustomers o h ow smart smart technology technolog y can can be be utilised utilised effectively effectively to to provide provide how o ptimum h ome h eatting a nd h ot w atter llevels, evels, w hile rreinforcing einforcing optimum home heating and hot water while message Worcester boiler brand tthe he m essage tthat hat W orcester Bosch Bosch is is the the only only b oiler b rand tthat hat pr ovides c ompletely rreliable eliable w armth a nd c omfort.” provides completely warmth and comfort.”

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March 2018

NEWS Review

Victims High wages for plumbing apprentices In brief of CO to be heard The Gas Safety Trust (GST) is funding a study at Liverpool John Moores University that aims to understand the experiences of CO survivors in order to help improve diagnosis and treatment. This research will give the survivors of CO poisoning a way to express what has happened to them, as there are currently few mechanisms in place to offer help and support to victims. Chris Bielby, GST Chair, comments: “The study will fill a critical gap in our understanding of the experiences of those who have been poisoned and help us to improve diagnosis, treatment, and the way in which we deal with people. This is an important piece of work that will be keenly watched by policymakers, industry, and healthcare professionals.”

Product supplier Screwfix is calling for the next generation to consider a career in the plumbing trade as new research shows a job in the trade could lead to higher wages than other career choices. Future plumbers are set to earn at least £2500 a year more than the national average by 2022, bringing their average salary to over £27,500. This comes from new research commissioned by Screwfix which examined ONS salary data from 2010-17 to forecast future earnings of apprentices entering a profession. Along with the benefits associated with a long-term career in the plumbing trade, including flexible working hours,

becoming a skilled expert, being your own boss and working with a wide range of people, research has found that pay really cements why a career in the trade is the right choice. The research was commissioned by the company as part of its Trade Apprentice initiative, which aims to champion the best trade apprentices and future stars of the trade. Graham Bell, Screwfix CEO, says: “The research supports our belief at Screwfix that a trade apprenticeship is a strong career choice for young people in this country. Apprenticeships lead to careers in highly skilled jobs, which are in high demand and therefore attract a healthy, competitive salary.”

Levy needs reform On the big screen Apprenticeship starts decreased by a more than a third in November 2017 compared with November 2016, highlighting the need to reform the apprenticeship levy system, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, says: “The lack of flexibility in the value of vouchers, which large employers are able to pass down the supply chain to smaller subcontractors, is a key issue. At present only 10% are passed down, meaning they are not being spent on training the key skills that the industry so desperately needs.”

In an ambitious bid to address an audience of over 3000 electricians and professional trades, the NICEIC has announced plans to transmit a live presentation on the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations to 40 cinemas across the UK. Promoted as a must see event for everyone connected to the electrical industry, the seminar will take place at the historic Faraday Theatre in London, but will also be instantly beamed to cinema screens via satellite. The live performance will take place on the morning of Wednesday 4th July, with tickets to the screenings on sale for £5 + VAT. Those who attend will also be encouraged to interact by putting forward questions via social media channels. Hosted by industry experts Darren Staniforth and Alan Wells, the talk will focus on the changes included in the

r ,FTUPO IBT BOOPVODFE that its combi and system boilers will now come with a seven year guarantee when fitted with a Keston system filter and registered with the manufacturer. r Air conditioning manufacturer Samsung has opened a central London showroom at the Building Centre where customers can meet the Samsung team and see product demonstrations. r 8JUI UIF BJN PG CFUUFS reflecting its business activities, Elmhurst Energy has rebranded its consultancy services arm from Elmhurst Energy Services to Elmhurst Energy Consultancy. r NICEIC has launched a new, free student membership scheme for students and apprentices currently undertaking full or part time courses within the electrotechnical industry.

new regulations and what it will mean for electricians in their day-to-day work. “We wanted to do something unique, affordable and easily accessible to help contractors gain an improved insight into the forthcoming changes,” explains Marketing Director Mark Smith. “This will be a genuine world first and it is something we are sure every electrician across the nation will want to see.” For more details, visit: www.18edition.com/cinema

r " OFX Chimney Safety Group has been set up by a coalition of HETAS and specialist chimney sweep organisations to promote and offer joint solutions to chimney and flue related problems in the UK. r Building Services Specialist Briggs and Forrester Group says that it anticipates significant growth, with revenues set to jump 24% to £225m this year. The company celebrates its 70th trading year in 2018.

Plumbing on global stage This year’s World Plumbing Day takes place on 11 March, with the aim of highlighting the global water and sanitation crisis, while also promoting the important role that plumbing plays in the health and safety of modern society. Initiated by the World Plumbing Council (WPC) – of which the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering is a member – World Plumbing Day also addresses problems in the UK, which can include hot water scalding, Legionnaires’ disease, lead in pipework, ENQUIRY

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and pollution caused by plumbing misconnections. CIPHE CEO Kevin Wellman says: “Plumbers are on the front line in the fight to conserve water, while safekeeping our families and the environment.

“This is why this World Plumbing Day the CIPHE has announced it will be investing further into its online learning resources to help inform and educate not just CIPHE members, but non-members too.”

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Installer Industry teams up for charity Don’t overlook poor air quality dangers choice According to a recent survey by wetroom specialist AKW, installers significantly influence the purchase of wetrooms, with nine out of ten consumer installation choices based on installer recommendations. James Dadd, Marketing Director at AKW, comments: “This research demonstrates the level of trust that consumers have in their installer’s recommendations.” The same survey also suggests that the way installers purchase wetroom solutions is changing. Although 67% of installers don’t order any of their products online, a growing minority (24%) now buy more than half their wetroom formers and trays online and get them delivered to site or their place of work.

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Let’s Play – a charity providing after-school and holiday activities for disabled children in Oxfordshire – has received a warm boost with the installation of a heating system at its new larger premises. ‘Heat for Good’ – an open membership charity install programme of suppliers and installers, administered by Viessmann on behalf of all parties – saw eight installers give up their time for free to fit a Viessmann Vitodens 200-W boiler, LPG storage cylinder from Calor, and Warmastyle radiators from the QRL Radiator Group. The charity hoped to raise £70,000 to transform its new premises in Banbury into a safe, fun and inspirational space for the children, young adults, parents and carers that benefit from the centre’s play and support groups. Discussing the project with a group of likeminded installers led to the formation of the Heat for

Connor Jordan (front) and Kevin Bates (rear), two of the team of installers who gave up their time to work on the Let’s Play project

Good initiative, undertaken over two Saturdays in January. Darren McMahon, Marketing Director at Viessmann, says: “Let’s Play’s move to larger premises has been a significant undertaking and we are very happy to have been in a position to help, not only supplying a free boiler, but facilitating the complementary supply of parts and equipment from industry partners. The real stars are the installers, who came from as far as Brighton and Lincolnshire over two

weekends at their busiest time of year, and we’d like to thank them for their commitment to projects like this one. “Heat for Good has been borne out of a corporatelevel desire at Viessmann to continue a formal charity support programme that uses the skills and resources of a collective of installers and heating industry suppliers as a force for good in the community. We aim to undertake a number of similar projects throughout the year.”

With new research revealing that chemicals in everyday objects can be just as harmful as vehicle emissions, the UK ventilation specialist Xpelair is urging installers to place a renewed focus on improving indoor air quality. In the UK alone air pollution is said to have contributed to 40,000 deaths each year, and the study, carried out by Colorado University, has revealed that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a key contributor to city air pollution, and can be found in a range of everyday objects including cleaning fluids and paints. Lee Stones, senior product marketing manager for Xpelair, comments: “With the Government pledging to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, it comes as no surprise that air pollution is such a big risk factor. However, as this study shows, many don’t realise that our

homes and workplaces are a breeding ground for VOCs, the impact of which the research states has been underestimated in the past.” The company says that a mechanical ventilation system, ideally with heat recovery, is one key way to improve air quality by ensuring poor quality air is removed from a property, allowing fresh, clean air to be circulated.

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Efficiency the key Tips on avoiding trouble with wireless to speciﬁcation

According to research commissioned by Glen Dimplex, meeting the energy efficiency requirements of Building Regulations remains the biggest driver when choosing appropriate heating, cooling and hot water systems for new property development. The survey of more than 2000 property professionals shows that energy efficiency (100%) and capital cost (75%) are considered the most important criteria for those involved in the decision making process.

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However, just half consider ease of installation or enduser requirements – despite 75% listing end-user or client resistance as one of the biggest challenges. Shaun Hurworth, Senior Channel Marketing Manager, comments: “Energy efficiency is vital, of course, but these findings show that there is still some work to be done in educating those involved in the decision making process around the importance of HVAC solution usability and installation.”

With installers more frequently being asked by their customers about 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, explains: “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 a few simple steps that should be followed.” These simple troubleshooting steps should include checking batteries, considering a conflict of signals with other RF devices, and avoiding signal barriers within the home, such as steel layers within a wall.

More to be done to protect consumers The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) says that it welcomes government plans to create a new Office for Product Safety and Standards. The remit of the new department will be to manage large scale product recalls, like that of defective tumble driers and faulty freezers, but the BMA argues that there is still more that can be done to ensure that products for the home are safe and fit for purpose. “The sad truth is that the UK market has been flooded for years with lower priced products which appeal to the ever-more price aware consumer, but which do not meet

the UK’s stringent safety and quality requirements,” says Yvonne Orgill, CEO of the BMA. “The handling of product recalls feels like it’s only solving part of the problem – a bit like shutting the stable door when the horse has bolted. An independent national body is needed to protect consumers and get dangerous products out of their homes. That body should also have responsibility for working hard to educate consumers to help prevent them from buying dangerous and illegal products in the first place.” The BMA says that consumers need to be vigilant by looking out for the CE Mark when buying bathroom products.

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March 2018

NEWS Review 9 Installers rewarded APHC seminars provide free advice

Heating engineers from Wolverhampton based Eclipse Plumbing & Heating are celebrating winning a brand-new Ford Connect van worth £15,000 after being chosen as the Honeywell Rewards grand prize winners. John Painting, Director at Eclipse Plumbing & Heating Co Ltd, says: “Honeywell is a brand we have always worked with. Their great range of products allows us to cater to customers of a variety of needs and demands. It’s not every day you win a brand new van – this will go a long way in the continuing growth of our business.” Andy Mansfield, Marketing and Communications Manager at Honeywell, adds: “Big congratulations to John, Andy and Phil – we know from chatting with them that the prize will go a long way in helping them take their business further.” For more information about the Honeywell Rewards programme, please visit www.rewards.honeywelluk.com

In partnership with water treatment manufacturer Fernox, the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) is to host six free regional seminars in April. The morning events (9am to 12pm) will provide advice on how installers can protect themselves against boiler warranty claims and employment status claims, and will also provide an update on the Each Home Counts Review. Extended warranties are often linked to terms and conditions such as having an annual service and using correct water treatment levels, so Fernox will be

speaking about how heating engineers can protect themselves from potential future claims should a breakdown occur during the warranty period of a boiler.

Croner, a company which operates APHC’s business and legal advice line, will provide advice on what plumbing and heating companies can do to protect themselves from employment status claims by contractors. Graeme Dryden, APHC’s Technical Services Manager, will also present an overview on the Each Home Counts Review which, he says, could have far reaching ramifications for plumbing and heating engineers. For more details on venues and dates, please visit: www.aphc.co.uk

Burner specialist marks anniversary

EOGB Energy Products Ltd, a manufacturer and distributor of oil, gas and dual fuel burners, is marking 25 years in business this year. 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, from where it still operates today. In 2005, EOGB successfully launched the X-Series of domestic oil burners. In addition to designing and manufacturing its own products, EOGB is the sole UK distributor for Italian burner manufacturer Baltur and operates a successful spare parts division. The

company also runs a popular training centre which offers a wide a range of courses, including OFTEC oil, gas and burner training for heating engineers. MD Paul Barritt says: “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 continues to be a key priority for the business, and this year will see the launch of ‘Sapphire’, EOGB’s first blue flame domestic oil burner. ENQUIRY

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10 NEWS Review Invite to Driving more LPG business Big donation for children’s charity the club Water softener specialist Monarch Water is hoping to get more plumbing and heating professionals to join its installer support programme, the Monarch Water Installers Club. Benefits of the club include priority technical support, exclusive merchant led trade mornings, and a dedicated web page with information and guides. MD Kevin Johnson comments: “Since the company’s foundation in the early 1960s, we have always known that the secret to our success was offering loyal installers and merchants reliable products to sell and fit, with the support to match.” To find out more about how to become a member, please visit: www.monarch water.co.uk/installersclub/ or call: 01986 784759.

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LPG supplier Calor is promoting its ‘Find an Installer’ tool, which helps potential customers find a local LPG gas engineer. Installers who are LPG Qualified and Gas Safe registered are

encouraged to sign up for Calor’s Installer Community in order to appear in the Finder’s search results. Being included on the Finder means installers can be contacted directly by

homeowners. Matt Dunford, National Field Sales Manager, says: “We’re constantly looking for new ways to work alongside rural installers and help them with any LPG support they need. Our ‘Find an Installer’ tool is another way for us to share business opportunities with our Installer Community. “We are also offering an Installer Incentive Scheme, where we’ll reward you with up to £250 for every LPG customer you recommend who goes on to become a Calor customer.” To find out more, visit www.calor.co.uk/installer

New partnership for Scotland Looking to expand its market share in Scotland, Keston has appointed an agency, HVRS (Heating, Ventilation and Renewables Sales), to provide advice and support for potential projects and customers. The boiler manufacturer specialises in twin flue technology, which enables boilers to be fitted in hard-to-reach locations, such as

basements or old buildings where long flue runs might be required. Charlie Newell, Keston Senior Business Development Manager, says: “We needed a strong partner in Scotland, as the feedback we were getting was that consultants needed more technical assistance and knowledge of how to solve their problems.”

Following a series of fundraising events, from bake sales through to raffles, Grant UK has helped to raise £2000 for the children’s charity Julia’s House. 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, the charity is able to provide essential care to children and their families. “Everyone at Grant UK has been very generous with their time and donations,” says Anna Wakefield, Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager for Grant UK, “and we are thrilled to confirm that we will be continuing to support this local charity in 2018 as well.”

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March 2018

PEOPLE on the Move Two new Area Sales Agents have joined Elco Heating Solutions to strengthen the company’s position in the commercial heating market. Andy Pennells (pictured) will now cover the North West and North Wales, while Sean Ryan is the contact for the North East and Yorkshire. Together, Sean and Andy bring with them over 30 years experience in the commercial heating industry. Dallmer, the manufacturer of architectural drainage solutions for bathrooms, has appointed Wayne Hailstone as UK General Manager. Wayne brings with him a diverse spread of experience in both direct and B2B sales roles, as well as the ability to develop new and existing business opportunities. His most recent role was as Business Development Manager for Bosta UK. The newest recruit to Specflue is Deborah McCreadie, who takes on the role of Business Development Manager Commercial Products. Deborah has more than two decades of experience in working for global manufacturers in the building services sector. She will engage with customers who deal with the Clean Air Act and BREEAM, offering CPD seminars to update them on current projects and legislation. Ben Noonan has been promoted within the team of experts at Stuart Turner to the role of Specification Sales Manager. Ben’s focus will be on the new brands Mainsboost and Aquaboost, part of the company’s ‘Total Water Solutions’ offering. Ben joined Stuart Turner in June 2015 as an Area Sales Manager for the South West region, working alongside merchants and stockists. Fujitsu Air Conditioning (UK) has welcomed two new additions to its sales staff. The company has appointed John Thompson as Area Business Development Manager and Gary Stanley (pictured) as Distribution Account Manager (North). John will be responsible for driving sales in VRF and split systems in Scotland, while Gary’s role will have him overseeing the north of England and some parts of Scotland. CORGI Services, a support and service provider to the heating and plumbing industry, has appointed Chris Yates as Business Development Director. Chris has a strong background in the gas heating industry and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with him after 18 years of working in the sector. His most recent position was as MD of Johnson & Starley. Hansgrohe has appointed Paul Harman as National Sales Manager – Projects. Paul will work closely with architects and designers within the contract market. This role includes the key responsibility of driving sales within the UK projects channel on both national and local levels across residential and hospitality sectors. He comes to the new position with over 30 years experience in the industry. The Stelrad Brand Specialists team has been enhanced with the appointment of Sahil Patel, covering the West London region for the radiator manufacturer. Sahil graduated from Swansea University with a B.Eng in Aerospace Engineering. He says: “It’s a great time for introducing the huge range of decorative and designer radiators to customers in West London – and helping them out with their queries.” Wetroom specialist On The Level has announced the appointment of Chris Sutton as Business Development Director. In his new role, Chris will work across all market sectors within the construction industry, as well as projects delivered through both traditional construction and modular build methods. He is also tasked with increasing On The Level’s brand awareness and building on its reputation. ENQUIRY

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March 2018

16 YO YOUR Y UR Views Views

Only one way to train plumbers for the future There were a few articles in the February issue that show just how little attention is spared for the advice given to governments and other bodies by those at the top of our industry. Then there is the point that little attention is given by all bodies to the concerns expressed by the hard working 0-0% 1.-0+ ')- !1) 1)0,+ 1)0+ ,!1 ++ *2!,+%) ' -0+%)+.$-+01 .' 01 +('2& ++ In other words, the big boys rule the roost along with the money men and their accountants. Seems to me that to get real change in methods, attitudes, and standards in the plumbing industry, you need a good disaster with loss of life, or another way to make more money. The letter from Roger A. Smith is well thought and written, but in my mind fails to conclude how best to train and produce real plumbers. Just look at the plumbing apprenticeship situation. Any REAL plumber, as opposed to push

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*.+ $12 %-, + &)'(,+ "/ + (- + .$1.+ .'+ properly select and train a young lad for an apprenticeship, an employer $1,+ .'+ 3% -+ 1)+ 1## % 1).+ 1)+ %) 0-#.$ + "1 - .' "1 -+%).-2 %-(+ +)'.+,'!-+ ' + ticking nonsense and, subject to that being reasonable, a monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trial on site. Then, if the applicant is deemed ,/%.1 - +1+* -+ -12+1##2-).% -,$%#+(%.$++ day release and a few nights in tech. That was the proven way and is the only way to produce tradesmen of quality. The full time student in college system %,+ 1(-0+ 1)0+ ,/%.,+ ') + .$-+ .21%)%)3+ establishments. Seems simple enough .'+3-.+%.+2%3$. + /.+)' ')-+ %,.-),+.'+.$-++ voice of experience. I have seen all too many examples of work produced by modern day plumbers (I use the word loosely) and I shudder to think what the future holds. Brian G. Penny Ammanford, Wales

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The Peak Group LTD @LeePeakHeating Thanks to @darianttt for going out to an emergency job in a care home last week in Leeds for a potential new customer who hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had their boilers serviced for quite some time.

R A R Heating & Gas @rargas1 Talk about a #Sightforsoreinstalls. How some folk have a gas card Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never know.

We W e need need tto oe end nd ffalse a lse hopes hopes Jon G Jon Graham, ra ham, Chief Chief Executive Executive of J JTL, TL, r responds esponds to to tthe he iissues ssues raised raised in in Nathan Nathan Gamblingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s G amblingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter letter (January (Januar y star star letter) letter) about about the the prospects prospects of plumbing plumbing students. students.

Mr Gamblingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mr Ga mblingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter letter regarding rega rding â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;too too many ma ny plumbing p lumbing studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; resonates resonates with with some some of of o u r own ow n feelings. feel i n gs. W e rrecognise ecog n ise tthis h is iissue s s ue our We and a nd w we ea are re e empathetic mpathetic to to the the view v iew that t h at tthere here may may indeed indeed be be too too many many young young people people out o ut tthere here studying study i n g courses cou rses that that will w i l l not n ot lead le ad to to jobs. jobs. However, know However, we we k now from f rom statistics statistics that t h at case many walks off llife, not tthis h is iiss tthe he c a se iin nm a ny w a l ks o i fe, n ot and heating. jjust ust plumbing plu mbi bi n g a nd h eati n g. For For example, exa mple, only around one orr a accountancy o nly a round o ne iin n tten en llaw aw o ccountancy 3210/1.-,+*)0+('2&+%)+.$',-+#2'"-,,%'),+ 3 210/1.-,+ * )0 ('2& % ) .$',-+ #2'"-,,%'), after a fter completing completing their their degree degree courses. courses. So So as as country ac ountry we we are are happily happily training training a surfeit surfeit off candidates o candidates across across a range range of of work work areas. areas. At JTL, we At J T L, w e believe believe that that the the issue issue initially initially with quality off iinformation, advice llies ies w ith tthe he q uality o nformation, a dvice and people get a nd guidance guidance that that young young p eople g et tthrough hrough ttheir heir schools, schools, careers careers advisers advisers and and parents. parents. They and who are T he y a nd ttheir hei r parents pa rents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; w ho a re tthe he !1%)+ /-) -2,+ '/)3+ #-'# - ,+ ! 1 % ) %%) ) / -) -2,+ %%)+ ) '/ ) 3+ # -'# - ,+ % -,+ % - , and choices not necessarily know a nd c hoices â&#x20AC;&#x201C; do n ot n ecessa r i ly k no w which questions ask and may w h ic h q uestions tto o a sk a nd m ay sselect elect options not employment o ptions tthat hat do n ot lead lead tto o e mploy ment att the a the end. end. For For many, ma ny, we we suspect, suspect, iitt iiss a 1,-+'"+*)0%)3+,'!-.$%)3+"'2+ '/)3+#-'# -+ 1,- '" *)0%)3 ,'!-.$%)3 "'2 '/)3+#-'# -+ tto o do. do. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a problem problem solved solved short shor t term, ter m, at at considerable c onsiderable expense ex pense to to the the taxpayer, ta x payer, without contemplating w ithout c ontemplati n g tthe he llonger on ger tterm err m rrequirements equ i remen nts for for employment. employ men nt. At by undertaking At lleast east b yu ndertaking an an apprenticeship, apprenticeship, every employed e ver y learner lea r ner iiss e mployed and a nd will w i l l still st i l l help rreceive eceive at at college col lege the the learning lea r n i n g tto o h elp 1 $%- -+.$-%2+ /1 %* 1.%'), + '+')-+ - '!-,+ 1 $%- -+.$-%2+ /1 %* 1.%'), '+')-+ - '!-,+ plumber by attending college. by ap lumber b y jjust ust a ttending c ollege. IItt iis sb y working an employer where w ork i ng alongside a longside a ne mployer w here the the experiences are rreal ea l llife i fe e x p e r ie nc e s a re llearnt. ea r nt. Clearly, and Clea rly, young you ng people people a nd ttheir hei r parents pa rents considering c onsider i n g full f u l l time ti me courses cou rses at at colleges col leges and a nd other other providers p ov iders should pr shou ld ask a sk what what the t he ,,/ -,,+21.-+%,+'"+*)0%)3+-!# ' !-).+1.+ / -,,+ 21.-+ %, '"+ * )0 % ) 3+ -!# ' !-). 1. end off ttheir course. We know our tthe he e nd o he i r c ou rse. W ek now tthat h at o ur achievement apprentices are close a chievement rates rates for for a pprentices a re c lose tto o 80%. 80%. Every Every college college or or provider provider will will have have will be better sstatistics, tatistics, and a nd ssome ome w ill b e b etter tthan ha n others o thers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it it is is a fact fa ct of of life. l i fe. People People should should be be aware aware that that tthe he emergence emergence '"+)-(+.- $)% 1 + /1 %* 1.%'),+ 1 -0+ - - ,+ ' " )-( .- $)% 1 /1 %* 1.%'),+ 1 -0+ - - ,+ are process off a re promising prom isi n g tto o ssimplify i mpl i f y tthe he pr ocess o vocational v ocationa l ttraining ra i n i n g in i n England. En g la nd. 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We also also support support the the recent recent approval approval of of the the We Plumbing Domestic Plumbing and and Do omestic Heating Hea ating Technician Technician .21% 1 -2+1##2-).% -,$%#+,.1)0120+1.+ + .21% 1 -2+1##2-).% -,$%# ,.1)0120+1.+ . + Level Level 3. 3. IItt iiss likely l i kely to to be be available ava i lable from f rom -#.-! -2+.$%,+ -12 + $-+'#.%')+'"+1+.(' -#.-! -2 .$ %, -1 2 $-+'#.%') '"+1+.(' -12 + - - +1##2-).% -,$%# (% - - .% - + -12 + - - + +1##2-).% -,$%#+(% +- - .% - + cease date ass g government cease ffrom rom tthat hat d ate a overnment ffunding unding will will no no longer longer be be available. available. By By the the end end of of the the new new trailblazer trailblazerr apprenticeship, appren nticeship, the the learners learners (% + ( % $1 -+ $1 - ,,1.%,*-0+ 1.%,*-0+ ..$-+ $- 22- /%2-!-).,+ - / % 2-!-)., "'2+ "'2+ registration by Engineering registration as as EngTech EngTech b y tthe he E ngineering Council CIPHE or CIBSE. Cou nci l tthrough h rou g h tthe he C I PH E o rC IBSE. + /22-). + / 2 2-). + $1,+ $1 , !'2-+ !'2- .$1)+ .$1 )+ + + apprentices in i n the the building bu i ld i n g services s e r v ic e s apprentices en g i neer i n g sector sector at at various va r ious stages sta ges o engineering off .$-%2+1##2-).% -,$%#, + $',-+($'+ ' *)%,$+.$-%2+ .$-%2+1##2-).% -,$%#, + $',-+($'+*)%,$+.$-%2+ apprenticeships apprenticesh ips â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in i n our ou r case ca se almost a l most 80% 80% of of them them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will will end end up up achieving achieving meaningful meaningful /1 %* 1.%'), + /1 % * 1.%'), + '".-)+ '" .-)+ # /33%)3+ # / 33 % ) 3+ ,&% ,+ ,& % ,+ shortages, paying and shortages, p aying ttaxes, a xes, a nd iimportantly, mportantly, ready ready to to build bu i ld a rewarding rewa rd i n g career ca reer that t h at will help country and will h elp the t he c ou ntr y tto o tthrive h r iv e a nd tthem hem to to succeed. s uc c e e d . If M ambling w ants tto ob uild a c ampaign If Mrr G Gambling wants build campaign to stop stop full full time time students students being being given g iven false fa lse to hopes hopes ffrom rom ttraining ra i n i n g tthat hat ffails a i ls tto o rresult esu lt iin n jobs, he could consider off jobs, h ec ould c onsider ttargeting argeting tthe he llack ack o adequate adequate information, information, advice advice and and guidance guidance for young for y ou n g people people before before they they choose choose to to follow courses. We would certainly follow ffull ull ttime ime c ourses. W ew ould c ertainly suppor t h i m iin n tthat hat aim, a i m, and a nd hopefully hopef u l ly support him - - , ( % +% ) .$- " /./ 2- +$- #+,' -+.$ - - ,+(% +%)+.$-+"/./2- +$- #+,' -+.$-+ current cu r rent problems. problems. Jon J on Gr Graham a ha m Chief C h ief E Executive, xecutive, J JTL TL

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Let us know what you think... The Editor welcomes letters from readers on all aspects of the industry. Letters can be sent by email or post but must have a return name, phone number and address (not for publication).

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March 2018

18 CIPHE Viewpoint

Compliance check will help raise standards Each year consumers are made vulnerable by poor plumbing and heating workmanship, which can result in serious illness, scalding and, in worst case scenarios, even death. Kevin Wellman, CEO of the CIPHE, explains how a consumer home compliance health check can help to raise standards and prevent fatalities.

he number of public healt h incident s which can be linked back to heating and hot water is quite shocking. While many assume that gas is the only serious threat to the public, I can tell you that this just isn’t the case – and the statistics are there to prove it. Legionnaires’ disease, scalding, and carbon monoxide poisoning are all threats to the public, and each of these can be caused Kevin Wellman, CIPHE CEO by unsafe installation of heating and hot water systems, lack of maintenance or poor specification of products in the first place – for example, the elderly or very young who would benefit from thermostatic taps and showers to prevent scalds. Starting off with Legionnaires’ disease – between January and October 2017 Public Health England reported 599 cases of legionella in England and Wales. This had risen from the 382 cases reported in 2015, of which 26 resulted in death. While it has to be accounted that only 50% of these cases resulted from exposure within the UK, this is still much too high a figure, made even more tragic given this could have been prevented. It is time that water safety is treated as seriously as gas safety and that, as an industry, we do everything we can to raise awareness of the risks. Scalding is also another very real threat, proven by the fact that between 2005 and 2011, 75 people died from scalding associated with tap splash/bathing immersion. The young and the elderly are most at risk, given that their capacity to react and move out of the way may

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be slower. However, nobody is exempt from the danger of scalding, so raising awareness and responsibly managing the risks can only be a good thing for everyone. Finally, carbon monoxide poisoning leads to around 200 hospital admissions and kills some 30 people each year, according to the All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG) – costing the taxpayer £178M.

What can be done? For years now, the most reputable elements of the plumbing and heating industry – from educational charities like the CIPHE, to trade associations, manufacturers and installers alike – have campaigned to raise awareness of the risks of poor plumbing and heating practices which can harm consumers. This is an ongoing battle and one the CIPHE is wholly committed to fighting – not alone, but together with support from the wider industry, there being strength in numbers. Central to this, of course, is the mission to encourage more qualified plumbing and heating engineers to join the Institute and wear or display the CIPHE badge with pride. Whether exhibited on vans, embroidered on workwear or used online when promoting your business, increasing the visibility of the CIPHE logo and consumer understanding of everything this represents is one of the Institute’s main aims for 2018. The CIPHE is also working with industry partners to produce a consumer home compliance health check, which will help engineers and installers to safeguard the performance, safety and efficiency of all plumbing and heating systems in and outside of the home. Through it, the CIPHE hopes to offer a practical aid which can be used to show consumers how they can keep their whole home working safely, efficiently, and more sustainably. Not only does the Institute check each and every individual before they are accepted in to membership, it is also easy for the public to check their chosen

Plumbers can do more to help protect vulnerable consumers

installer is a skilled professional capable of doing a first-class job too – simply by visiting the CIPHE website to search the database of registered members. This way, homeowners can trust that the work being completed in their home is being done by a true professional who cares about the wellbeing of the occupants. If more professionals commit to raising awareness of the dangers of poor plumbing and heating practices, and show consumers how they can prevent fatalities from happening by only employing reputable tradespeople – the safer and healthier we all will be. For more about the CIPHE or if you would like to become a member, please contact Membership Director Tim Sainty via email (tims@ciphe.org.uk) or call 01708 472 791.

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March 2018

20 ENERGY Matters Hydrogen research Addressing a burning issue is money well spent The recent announcement that Northern Gas Networks has been awarded £9m from Ofgem to support the H21 Leeds City Gate project has been greeted positively by Worcester Bosch. Martyn Bridges, Director of Technical Communication and Product Management at Worcester, believes that the hydrogen heating project could change the future of domestic heating in the UK. Martyn comments: “The H21 Leeds City Gate project is a shining example of how hydrogen could become established as a safe, environmentally-friendly, and economically viable heating solution for an entire city. While this is an isolated example, if successful, it won’t be long until the rest of the UK is also considering converting to greener energy sources, such as hydrogen.” The H21 Leeds City Gate project explores the viability of converting the city’s heating grid to hydrogen. The project will also receive a further £1.3m from UK gas distribution networks, bringing the total extra funding to £10.3m. The UK has a history of successful fuel migration, having shifted from Town gas to natural gas in the 1960s, and Martyn believes that there is no reason why this couldn’t happen again.

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Responding to concerns about emissions from wood burning stoves, the Stove Industry Alliance (SIA) is highlighting a recent study from Kings College London that has shown that PM emissions from wood burning is going down across the country, despite an increase in stove sales. The study looked at the wood burning emissions across most of the main cities in the UK between 2009 and 2014. Most cities showed a decrease in emissions over

the period. The main reason given for the drop is the replacement of pen fires and older stoves with more modern appliances. New Ecodesign regulations will come into effect in 2022, and SIA has already worked with stove manufacturers to have an accredited list of SIA Ecodesign Ready appliances that already meet these new regulations right now. The SIA says that burning wood on an open fire is the worst way to burn wood, both from point of view of heat

generated and the emissions produced. But an Ecodesign Ready stove can reduce PM emissions by 90% compared to an open fire, 80% compared to a 10-year-old stove and over 40% when compared with a DEFRA exempt stove. The SIA has proposed an upgrade scheme that would help consumers make the move from an open fire or an older stove to an Ecodesign Ready stove. This could help accelerate the introduction of Ecodesign Ready stoves and the reduction in emissions.

Energy standards are too complicated Concerns about potential discrepancies regarding the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) have been raised by Xylem. The company argues that the legislation is becoming too complicated and this could limit its chances of success. The aim of MEES is to improve the energy efficiency of privately rented properties in England and Wales by requesting that such properties reach a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E. But according to Xylem’s

Mark Bradley, landlords are struggling to balance the cost and energy efficiency of their properties while also ensuring they comply with legislation. He comments: “It’s seldom easy to get your head around legislation, particularly when you’re faced with a minefield of conflicting information. Unfortunately, MEES epitomises this issue, highlighting a conflict between what an EPC and other measures, such as Environmental Impact Ratings, consider to be energy efficient.

“An EPC rating measures the costeffectiveness of an appliance, whereas an Environmental Impact Rating measures the energy efficiency of the device. A prime example of this discrepancy is an EPC recommending that a landlord exchanges their conventional electric heaters to storage heaters, despite them being less energy efficient. While storage heaters are cheaper to run, they use more electricity, and therefore result in a higher EPC but a lower Impact Rating.”

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March 2018

MERCHANT & Distributor News 21 Boiler spares partnership A new partnership has been forged between Plumbase and Viessmann to help increase access to sameday and next-day spare parts availability. A wide range of essential and commonly requested spares will now be available at 66 Plumbase branches across the UK. Each of those partner branches, which are based at various locations with large Viessmann boiler populations across the UK, will offer a core selection of same-day spares, with further stock availability held at the merchant’s main distribution centre for next day in-store delivery.

Ismail Hanslod, Plumbase Nelson Branch Manager, with Rich Cooper, National Accounts Director for Viessmann

In addition, Viessmann spares will be added to the core stock at those locations, meaning that if one of the 66 branches does not have an item on the shelf, Plumbase

will source and supply it free of charge. The agreement is part of Viessmann’s Spares Partner Programme, of which Plumbase is the biggest member.

New fleet improves efﬁciency Bathroom, kitchen and appliance distributor, the PJH Group, has announced a substantial investment into its national network of transport fleet. The move aims to improve vehicle efficiencies and service levels as well as boost the

availability of the company’s next-day delivery service. With an existing fleet that was over six years old, all vehicles have now been replaced with streamlined Euro 6 trucks that offer a much-improved MPG rate, with associated efficiencies.

PJH has also created a new process of vehicle routing which adopts a more flexible planning process allowing for route optimisation that is more responsive to customer demand, resulting in less miles travelled and less fuel consumed.

Pushing Hybrid vehicle gets fittings the green light The Hep2O range of plastic push-fit plumbing solutions is now available in Toolstation stores across the UK. Products from the range, including polyethylene pipes and a range of fittings, will be available for purchase both in-store and via the Toolstation catalogue. The stock will include the full range of 15 and 22mm products. Nicki Whitlow, Account Manager at Wavin, says: “We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to find and purchase products, and help them get what they need, when they need it. By making our products available at Toolstation, with nearly 300 stores nationwide, we can give our customers even more availability across the UK.”

Graham Plumbers’ Merchant has introduced a new hybrid delivery vehicle as part of the company’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its operations. Branches in the London area will be the first to trial the new hybrid vehicle over a three-month period to monitor the fuel and CO2 savings they can make. The results of the trial will determine whether more inner-city branches will upgrade to a hybrid vehicle. Director of Transport Ian Berrill explains: “This is a continuation of the important work we do to ensure we are working towards our CSR policy. The vehicle won’t suit all our branches. It only works for multiple drops over short locations, but if the results prove favourable we would look to upgrade our city vehicles when the leases run out.”

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Advertisement Feature

March 2018

Business Matters

22 PRODUCT Spotlight

Pressure boost! Key strategies for procurement Low mains water pressure? Stuart Turner’s patented range of Mainsboost water performance solutions could be the answer.

ains water supplies to properties in the UK can vary greatly due to several factors, such as where you are geographically or the condition of the supply pipework. The time of day or the amount of water being used by your neighbours where properties share a single supply pipe can also influence the water pressure available. Older properties typically employ ancient plumbing system designs, whilst newer properties may utilise a direct on mains plumbing system such as a combination boiler or pressurised hot water cylinder which, whilst offering many benefits, can sometimes suffer from poor incoming mains water pressure at pavement level, resulting in a first floor bathroom being unable to provide an invigorating shower.

More power So what are the options? An increasingly popular approach is the installation of a WRAS approved Mainsboost system, which is simply connected directly in line with the rising main and solves the problem of low or intermittent mains water pressure and flow. The installation of a Mainsboost system allows homeowners to get back that ‘power shower’ feeling and run multiple water-using appliances at the same time without a reduction in water pressure and flow.

Mainsboost Flomate The Mainsboost Flomate is the solution for smaller properties where mains water supply is insufficient and available space is restricted. The compact and innovative Mainsboost Flomate pump is designed to boost incoming water pressure by an additional 1.5 bar and features an integral regulator to ensure flow does not exceed the 12 ltr/min UK water regulation limits. However, if mains water pressure increases, Mainsboost Flomate’s patented bypass ensures the resulting increase in water flow will bypass the pump and supply the property without restriction. By combining the pump with a variety of sized pressure vessels, Mainsboost Flomate also offers the homeowner a buffer of cold water storage. These system combinations will deliver up to 30 ltr/min at up to 3.2 bar pressure, depending on the chosen variant, and are all designed to fit neatly within any standard kitchen cupboard.

Continuing his series of articles on how to grow a business, Martin Jones, MD of TradeHelp, suggests some key procurement strategies for heating and plumbing businesses.

M Mainsboost Designed for larger properties with a greater number of occupants, Mainsboost is ideal where the demand for simultaneous delivery of large volumes of water may be much higher. If the water supply to the property has a pressure of at least 2.0 bar but poor flow, the Mainsboost system will boost water performance throughout the property, allowing larger combination boilers and unvented cylinders to work at their optimum. The specially designed Mainsboost vessels store water under mains pressure in a range of sizes, from 100 to a staggering 1000 litres, and can provide f low rates of up to 80 ltrs/min per vessel. An appropriately specified Mainsboost system will provide a property with an unrestricted water supply delivered at pressure and ensures multiple taps and showers can operate simultaneously. Mainsboost also allows multiple vessels to be linked together to provide greater water storage, making them ideal for hotels or commercial properties with high demand.

Mainsboost Plus and Charger Where water pressure is below 2.0 bar and not sufficient to deliver an acceptable performance from unvented cylinders, combination boilers and high end showers, Mainsboost Plus and Charger variants offer the answer. These systems combine the Mainsboost vessel with a high quality pump unit to provide up to 3.5 bar pressure throughout the property. Mainsboost Plus has this highly effective pump positioned on top of the vessel, whilst Mainsboost Charger options locate the pump separately from the vessel to suit space requirements.

Made to fit Mainsboost, Mainsboost Plus and Mainsboost Charger systems are also available in an horizontal orientation, making them suitable for locations with restricted vertical space. Available nationwide from your local stockist, the Mainsboost range is guaranteed for up to five years and offers a patented and fully assembled water boosting solution for any sized property. The range of Mainsboost water solutions

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ost owners of monthly or even quarterly. SME businesses Standard buying practices are likely to deal help control costs, provide with the demands of accountability, enable trackstaffing, financing, stock ing and monitoring of spend, management, marketing and make reporting easier, and customer service, as well as set the stage for growth. the daily operations of the 4 Collaboration business. As a result of this, Even with strategic procurement is inevitably supplier relationships and often only an afterthought. the best processes in place, However, for the good of smaller companies can your business, it should be still fall short of optimal approached as a priority. purchasing savings simply I recently came across because of their size. Indeed, an informative and useful Martin Jones, TradeHelp lower volumes will inevitably article by Anthony Ott, a project analyst, which highlighted five demand less purchasing power. The obvious key procurement strategies for small solution to this challenge comes in the form and medium sized businesses. Although of buying group consortiums, and the lack they are not specifically directed at the of such a group in the heating industry plumbing and heating industry, the article was a key issue we wished to address reminded me of the issues I came across when establishing TradeHelp. Using the when growing my own business: combined buying power of our members, we can negotiate better purchase terms and 1 Leverage technology special offers from leading manufacturers Technological improvements give business and merchants. owners more time and information. There 5 Outsourcing are a number of mobile apps that can In respect of those larger organisations assist SMEs with better procurement and time management. Many require costly for whom outsourcing is the more subscription payments, but our new economic option, it is recommended TradeHelp mobile app is free to download that you look for a company offering a and use. It provides an innovative quotation bespoke consultancy process. Using the tool, diary management, personalised experience of a procurement team and pricing, tailored purchase orders, best their contacts, a consultant will be able to buy recommendations, multiple payment analyse, evaluate, recommend, implement options, professional quotation and invoice and streamline processes, increasing templates, as well as gas industry forms bottom line profit, whilst allowing the and technical manuals. organisations to concentrate on the day-to2 Strategic partnerships day running of their business. For example, Strong supplier relationships for both at TradeHelp our consultancy section has direct and indirect spend categories provide saved one client over 9% on their annual great benefits for small businesses. As heating material spend and successfully such, seeking strategic partnerships with streamlined procurement processes, and key suppliers and purchasing from fewer in another example, supported in the resuppliers saves time and resources, while procurement of materials for a large social building trust. A small business owner can housing provider’s in-house workforce. talk openly with a strategic partner and ensure the company is not overspending due Helping hand to unnecessary costs. In fact, TradeHelp’s Hopefully these strategies will be of help Buying Group members benefit from a free, and you can see how our software, installer no obligation review of their merchant network, and Buying Group team can help supplier agreements by the procurement you to advance your business, while allowing team in order to help them achieve the most you the time to ensure your customers competitive rates possible. receive a great service. 3 Internal processes Often businesses will drive a hard bargain with suppliers only to find that, because they are not regularly measuring or monitoring pricing, they are subsequently overcharged. All procurement efforts should include annual analysis of spend and demand, with supplier pricing reviews occurring six-

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March 2018

24 TRAINING Update Thinking big with Learning more about water treatment new training van A new training course has been devised by Worcester Bosch which aims to provide installers with a better understanding of chemical water treatments. With a mixture of theoretical and practical exercises, courses last a full day and are held at the company’s recently refurbished training facility in Worcester. Installers can also attend courses in Wakefield or West Thurrock.

A new, larger sized installer training van has been unveiled by AKW to help train installers who want to fit the company’s accessible bathroom and kitchen solutions. All the products on the van have been chosen based on the most frequent questions posed by installers to AKW’s Technical Team, such as: how to set up or calibrate a pump, how to fit a tray on a timber floor, and the installation of a screen on a tray area. Paul Tingey, Director of Customer Support Services, comments: “Our first van, which we had for four years, was so successful that it was out at builders and plumbers merchants, on job sites, and with installers around 120 times last year alone. As well as providing face-to-face help with installation questions and product training, the van also shows installers the wide range of adapted living products that are now available to them.” For more information, or to book a slot, contact AKW’s Customer Support Services team on 01905 823240.

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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,

and system water testing. Nick Fothergill, Worcester’s National Training Manager, says: “Our training course gives installers all of the tools and knowledge they need to effectively and efficiently

clean central heating systems. In this way, installers can feel confident that they are working in compliance with the latest British Standards at all times. The courses cost £25 per person and are available to book via the Worcester Bosch website. For more information, or to browse the courses currently available, please visit: www.worcester-bosch. co.uk/professional/training

Course will help to combat Legionella A CIBSE-approved CPD course, ‘Systems for Water Hygiene’, has been set up by Uponor with the aim of helping to reduce the risk of Legionnaire’s disease in the UK. Designed for mechanical design engineers and plumbing installers, the CPD focuses on the perils of stagnant water and offers advice on best practice installation layouts and new technology. “Our CPD aims to highlight the fact that Legionella will breed rapidly in any plumbing installation where stagnant water can collect at

temperatures between 25°C – 45°C, creating a significant health risk in any environment from private homes to workplaces, healthcare properties and public buildings,” explains Dave Lancaster, Applications Specialist at Uponor. “It also suggests pipe network designs and materials can be used to minimise the risk for a much healthier and more hygienic installation.” The CPD explains that the risk of Legionella on the pipe network has actually increased in recent years

due to new water saving technologies used to reduce flow velocity on the network and how design innovation can improve water safety while supporting more efficient demand. It highlights the benefits of serial and loop installations in avoiding dead ends and dead legs on the system where stagnant water can collect if the plumbing is not in regular use or flushed regularly. For CPD booking enquiries, please send an email to enquiries.uk@ uponor.com

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March 2018

26 TRAINING Update Sign up for UFH training A BPEC accredited underfloor heating training scheme is now being promoted by Plumbase in partnership with UFH system manufacturer, Polypipe. Installers who book the UFH training course via their local Plumbase branch will be accompanied by the branch manager and other local installers to complete the course at one of Polypipe’s Professional Development Centres. The course lasts two days and provides an opportunity to learn about UFH specification, design and installation support through

theory work and practical assessments. The BPEC accredited UFH training course costs £400, or installers can opt to pay a £350 membership fee to join the

Polypipe Registered Installer Network, which covers the cost of the course and includes a number of other benefits. For more details, please visit: www.polypipeufh.com

CO alarms take to the road Installers in Northern Ireland and Scotland may be interested to know that Aico will be delivering training on its fire and CO alarms this spring and summer via the company’s mobile training and demonstration units. The internal layout of the training vehicles can be configured to meet different requirements, be it a product demonstration or a hands-on training session with alarms and technologies such as AudioLINK data extraction or RadioLINK+ wireless alarm interconnection. Some training events have already taken place, but further dates are planned until the beginning of June. For the latest information on dates and venues, please visit: www.aico.co.uk/mobileunits

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F Gas course will get you up to speed To help installers get to grips with the latest F Gas regulations and to comply with the legal requirements for working with fluorinated gases, Logic4training is now delivering a Level 3 F Gas course, an LCL qualification that has been developed in partnership with industry experts, Business Edge. The Level 3 F Gas course

covers Category 1, providing candidates with the skills to install, maintain and service refrigeration, heat pump and air conditioning equipment, including the recovery of refrigerants from the system. Candidates must hold a recognised qualification in refrigeration, heating and ventilation or other related industry sector, or have

a minimum of two years auditable experience working within the HVACR sector. For more information, visit: https://www.logic4training. co.uk/course/f-gas-trainingcourse

CPD on press connections A Continuous Professional Development (CPD) aimed at M&E professionals, facilities managers and architects has been launched by the pressfitting pipework specialist, Viega. The CPD explores modern press connection technology in relation to effectively delivering potable water to new and existing buildings. As well as giving an overview of what is meant by potable water and

the framework around it, the CPD looks at various elements, which can be a contributor to contamination, such as storage and assembly, in addition to pipe material and connection systems. The presentation then looks at press connection technology and its advantages for use with potable water supply pipework. Scott James, Director at Viega, comments: “This

CPD gives a great insight into potable water and the regulations governing it, while exploring the key factors that influence the successful supply of potable water to buildings. As a manufacturer of press connection technology including Profipress and Sanpress, we can give a great insight into how this technology can help.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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March 2018

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Low temperature, high demand In any facility which serves more vulnerable end users, the low surface temperature radiator has a vital role to play in delivering risk free comfort and warmth. Kelly Smith, Product Manager at Myson Radiators, highlights some of the options available.

n some properties, such as hospitals, residential care homes, day centres and special needs facilities, the majority of end users will be vulnerable people – the elderly, the infirm and those with disabilities, as well as infants and young children. For these groups, while comfort heating is essential to their good health and wellbeing, the prime consideration will usually be one of safety. In the past, accidents due to overheated radiators were a genuine concern. The majority of historic accidents with heating systems were caused by people falling against a radiator and being unable to get up again, thereby receiving a burn due to prolonged contact with the hot surface. Others received an injury from the impact of the fall itself, especially if they made sharp contact with the corner of the radiator panel.

Kelly Smith, Myson

LST radiators can provide a safe heating solution for any public facility, including care homes and play areas

people. Provided the radiator surface stays at or below this temperature, the radiator will not cause immediate contact burns to skin and, should a frail person accidentally fall against the LST radiator and be unable Less is more to get up again, they will not be burned To provide a safe solution to this problem, after prolonged contact. The limiting of the surface temperature is the low surface temperature radiator, more frequently known as the LST, was designed. achieved by introducing a gap between the The LST, although already in use for some inner radiator and its sleek outer casing. This properties, became the default product allows sufficient heat to be emitted to provide of choice in NHS facilities following the the warmth required for the wellbeing of introduction of the NHS Estates Guidance the end user, but prevents the actual surface Notes of 1998. This clarified the need to temperature from becoming hazardous. The design of the LST outer casing is ensure that radiators should not become over heated, by introducing a requirement equally important. It must be strong and for radiator surface temperatures not to robust, and be fixed firmly to the wall in order exceed 43°C in areas frequented by vulnerable to withstand occasional knocks. It should also have smooth rounded edges, with no sharp corners. This ensures that in the event of a fall, the casing itself will not come away from the wall and its design will not cause any additional injury. The outer casing is also designed to enclose all the pipework leading to and from the radiator. In the past some burn injuries had occurred due to people falling against hot pipework, but this can no longer happen due to the design of the LST casing, which sits neatly on LST radiators come in a range of sizes and outputs

the floor so no pipework is left exposed. The LST casing is also easy to clean, helping to maintain hygiene, which is also so important in care settings.

Class act In addition to care applications, the LST has also been widely adopted in educational settings, especially in special needs schools and in nurseries and reception classes where there are very young children. LSTs are also an excellent choice in residential educational settings such as halls of residence where there is a longer-term duty of care towards the student. They are, of course, also a very good product to recommend for church halls, community centres and waiting rooms in public service properties, anywhere that visitors may include people from vulnerable groups. Increasingly, they are also finding favour as an excellent idea for use in children’s bedrooms in a domestic setting. It is important that a wide range of sizes is available so that this safe heating solution can be installed wherever its safety credentials are required. The Myson LST range, for example, now offers over 90 sizes as standard, with a choice of four heights and even more widths – from the UK’s slimmest model at just 420mm, up to the widest 2200mm.

Based on tried and tested panel radiator technology, LSTs are available in single or double panel options which, depending on the required output, helps to make the best use of the wall space available. A wide range of sizes also ensures that in a refurbishment project, where the vulnerable need to be safeguarded, LSTs can be specified and installed on a like-for-like basis to replace older conventional panel radiators, the only additional consideration being the installation of the outer casing. Quality is, of course, of paramount importance, and you should always look for an LST radiator which conforms with BS EN 442 and which carries a ten-year guarantee. This will ensure a long-lasting, high-quality safe heating solution. Fortunately, you don’t have to compromise on looks in order to provide this level of safety. The LST, although designed primarily to deliver effective warmth with the utmost safety, is in fact a highly attractive radiator, with an elegant flat front panel and sleek rounded lines. With warmth, safety and aesthetics all in its favour, it is easy to see why the LST has become one of the most important heating solutions of the 21st century – and looks set to remain so for many decades to come. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Making the most of all available options There will always be demand for a standard panel radiator, but for those customers who are looking for something different, or projects that have specific requirements, there is no shortage of readily available alternatives, says Chris Harvey, Head of Marketing at Stelrad.

hile it’s undeniable that the most popular and bestselling radiators in the UK and Ireland are the compact style steel panel radiators we all know and recognise, there is a definite shift towards ‘trading up’ and selecting premium panel radiators or decorative and designer options – depending on the use in the home or commercial project in question. There’s pretty much a radiator available for every Chris Harvey from Stelrad application, be it a new build home, a refurbishment project or a special application that needs something specific to meet particular requirements. The old adage of ‘it’s eight rads and a boiler’ that installers may once have said to customers, with the radiators the least of their worries has changed significantly in recent years, perhaps because of the plethora of house refurbishment and purchase programmes on the huge number of channels we are blessed with on our TVs. Never before have we been able to see inside other people’s homes so easily – and not surprisingly, people are influenced to mimic the designs they see and upgrade their own heating systems. Increasingly homeowners are wanting a say in the radiators they get, and looking for premium panel, decorative, or designer radiators in some rooms – definitely in the bathrooms and en-suites, and often designer radiators or vertical versions of premium panel radiators in the living room, the entrance hall, master bedroom and the kitchen, where visitors will see the radiators – and, hopefully, be impressed! Increasingly, radiators are being seen as part of the décor, worth investing a little more in, rather than simply a means of sharing heat around the home. In some cases, they are quite literally a focal point of a room – even more so now that coloured radiators are growing in popularity, allowing interior designers, architects and more design

The Concord radiator in yellow – one of many colour options

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The Planar HD, a heavy duty option for busy environments

Stelrad’s Vertical Ultra model installed in a modern kitchen

savvy homeowners to select radiators that match or contrast with the home decor. There’s a trend towards being prepared to spend a little more on the heating system in a home, with more expensive energy efficient boilers or alternative renewable heating sources, such as ground source or air source heat pumps, and the more fancy heating controls – that can perhaps be operated from a mobile phone or other device and come with wifi connection as part of the deal.

so sizing for the highest realistic requirement will ensure that the system is always able to heat the space efficiently. Radiators these days can be smaller than they have been historically because of the reduced water content required and because of the far superior water channel design which ensures the water travels through radiators better, coming into contact with more of the metal so that the radiators can do their jobs properly. Two or three panel radiators with fins attached can provide far more heat for a building. Safety first The ability to run a squeaky clean heating system these Of course, at Stelrad we can offer a huge choice radiators, days, with a system free of accumulated debris, is also including a number of special application options such as a plus for new radiators. Debris, usually black magnetite low surface temperature radiators – which are regularly sludge – rust formed inside the heating system – more specified for social housing – particularly sheltered housing often than not inhabits an elderly heating system. It’s schemes, care homes and other healthcare related buildings. essential a cleaner is used after radiator installation and These radiators come with an attractive casing where the an inhibitor is used to treat the bare metal surfaces on the inside of the system and surface temperature never to help keep the circulating exceeds 43°C to comply with “There is a radiator for pretty much water clean. Today, correct the NHS Guidance Note for water treatment is more ‘Safe hot water and surface every application that can be imagined” essential than ever and at temperature’. The casings are Stelrad we advise the use of carefully designed to cover the incoming pipework as well as the radiator itself and a filter as a belt and braces means of ensuring metallic have tamperproof fittings to make sure they can’t be and non-metallic debris is removed from the circulating water on an on-going basis. interfered with. In addition, our popular slimline, flat fronted Planar Mix and match radiator is now available in a Planar HD (heavy duty) version. Although it was originally designed to go in a postal One of the additional benefits of the Stelrad range is that sorting office where trucks and trailers might bump into the installation instructions are the same for all models, the radiators and cause damage, the new design is proving so there is the ability to mix and match radiators. Less popular in nursing and care homes where wheelchairs expensive standard panel radiators can go in rooms that are not the key in the homeowner’s mind, and premium can cause havoc, and in a number of schools up and down panel, designer and decorative models can go where they the country. We can even offer the Compact Extra Protection range will make the most impact. Radiators are still responsible for sharing the heat in of radiators – a new rust resistant radiator offering extra more than 90% of domestic heating systems installed in protection where moisture is ever-present in the atmosphere the UK, and a surprisingly high percentage of commercial – bathrooms, showers and wetrooms for example. These are properties as well, so the age of the radiator is still very being specified for changing rooms in health centres, spas much with us. Companies like Stelrad are going the extra and sports centres where typically the moisture content mile to ensure that radiators continue to be an aesthetic in the air is higher than in a normal building. choice as well as a common sense one, with a wide range Sized to fit of designs, an easy-to-install philosophy, and the widest To be as efficient as possible, it’s vital that radiators in range of sizes to ensure that there is a radiator for pretty any building – be it a home or an office or a school – are much every application that can be imagined. www.stelrad.com PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No. 106 sized correctly. Radiators rarely operate at full capacity,

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Time to ditch those old emitters While boiler upgrades are part and parcel of the day job for many heating installers, outdated radiators are not being replaced at the same rate. Mike Patching, Product Strategy Manager at Barlo Radiators, explains why an upgrade of heat emitters can benefit everyone.

hen it comes to maximising heating system efficiency, the HVAC industry as a whole has been effective in communicating the message that your choice of heat source has a huge impact. As a result, more than eight million outdated, underperforming gas boilers have been replaced with modern, ‘A’ rated condensing models in the UK in the last 12 years. This sharp rise was partly the result of the amendment of UK Building Mike Patching from Barlo Regulations in 2005, which set new performance standards for boiler replacement. Although this is a positive thing – after all, improving energy generation is an essential step towards achieving better system performance – we must remember that boilers are just one piece of a bigger jigsaw. Emitters are just as crucial to wider system efficiency as the heat source, yet the same emphasis isn’t currently being placed on upgrading antiquated radiators – partly due to a lack of awareness, and partly due to a lack of comparable legislation governing radiator replacement. This means there are an estimated 60 million inefficient, ‘first-generation’ (i.e. manufactured between the 1950s and 1970s) steel panel radiators still lurking in UK homes. Neglecting to replace these with more advanced models is a serious oversight. So, what’s the technical case for pushing radiator efficiency up the industry’s priority list, and how can installers offer a solution that benefits both their customers and themselves?

Better performance First things first, it pays to understand what makes one radiator more efficient than another, and why this can influence wider system performance so significantly. A radiator’s efficiency depends on three factors: its heat transfer rate, its water content and its size. Get these wrong, and you essentially negate the benefits of installing a super-efficient boiler. Generally speaking, the older a radiator is, the bigger and heavier it is, and the slower its heat transfer. As house building and insulation methods have become more efficiency-focused, radiators have evolved too – with smaller, more responsive and lower water content products now available. For this reason, the first-generation radiators, still commonplace in many homes, contain up to 35% more water, and are made with up to 25% more steel, than third-generation products. In a nutshell, this makes them virtually incompatible with modern condensing boilers, which require low return water temperatures to work at their best. Third-generation models, on the other hand, offer the greatest heat outputs (for both size (W/m2) and weight (W/ kg)) of any radiator, and are specifically designed to work well with low water temperature heat sources. This means swapping first-generation for third-generation radiators can improve overall system efficiency by as much as 20%, reducing boiler run times substantially.

Spot the difference But how can you tell the difference between a first-generation radiator and a newer one? There are two main technical traits to look out for: waterway pitch (the distance between the vertical water channels), and convector fin configuration.

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Barlo’s T22 Round Top radiator (left) and Ligna T21 can make a significant difference to a system’s energy efficiency

Put simply, the narrower the pitch and the more fins there are, the faster the heat transfer, the lower the water content, and the better the efficiency.

Today’s designer radiator market offers an almost infinite array of styles, colours, sizes and shapes to suit every taste and décor – from traditional and muted to bright • First-generation radiators have a wide pitch of 40-54mm, and contemporary. What’s more, radiator technology has come on such a no convection fins and hand-welded connections. Some long way that opting for a designer model over a traditional later versions, known as generation 1a, have ‘M’-shaped panel no longer means choosing style over substance. For fins and projection back-welded connections. • Second-generation models have a reduced pitch of instance, choosing an H22s Slieve feature radiator from our Barlo Design range, instead of a standard T22 Round Top 33.3mm, with simple waterway-welded fins. panel of the same type and size from our Barlo hi-lo range, • Third-generation products have a much smaller would only deliver a minor difference in output of 3%. This pitch of just 25mm, and more fins than any of their is particularly impressive given our panels are the most predecessors. efficient available. And if it’s a first or second-generation Golden opportunity panel you’re replacing, this still means significant efficiency Installers who are not only aware of this untapped radiator and performance improvements for the customer. That said, replacing older panels with designer radiators replacement potential, but are also armed with the right technical knowledge to offer a viable solution, are clearly can present other challenges, such as the need to move in a strong position to convince customers of the long- existing pipework to accommodate unconventional sizes and shapes, and the fact term value of upgrading. that they generally come in This is especially true in “Millions of outdated, underperforming at a higher price point. Both the current climate, with of these mean greater costs, more homeowners than ever radiators are in urgent need of replacing” which can put customers choosing to improve rather off. than move. The RMI (repair, This is where premium panels come in: bridging the maintenance and improvement) market is booming, and savvy HVAC professionals are naturally placed to take a gap between standard panels and higher-end designer options, they offer premium performance and premium slice. There are two notable business opportunities: looks at more affordable prices. With ultra-modern (1) The wider system upgrade If you’re installing a new boiler for a customer and f lat fronts, premium panels are often designed to be notice their radiators are outdated, this is an ideal time overpainted to match customers’ décors too – and because to bring it up and explain the benefits of upgrading they come in standard sizes, they are more likely to be to newer, more efficient panels in layman’s terms: compatible with existing pipework. Last but by no means least, our Compla and Ligna lower bills, a warmer home and less energy wastage. premium panels feature exactly the same super-efficient, For budget-conscious customers, specifying modern, third-generation technology as our traditional hi-lo panels third-generation equivalents to their existing standard – meaning customers get the best of both worlds. panel radiators (as opposed to anything aesthetically higher-end/bespoke) should help keep upfront costs down too. (2) The home improvement upsell Another common scenario in which installers’ services are required is when customers are carrying out wider home improvement works, such as a kitchen refurbishment. If they are updating everything else in the room, they may well be looking to update the radiator(s) too. In this instance, there is an opportunity to take the upsell one step further. While traditional steel panels are still the ‘bread and butter’ of the market, consumer appetite for designer radiators is growing faster than ever. Customers carrying out interior renovations are even more likely to be tuned into this trend, so it pays for installers to stay tuned too.

The bottom line

Ultimately, efficiency is king in HVAC. Installers have a duty to take a whole-system approach to heating system performance, and giving emitters the attention they deserve is a key part of this. Millions of outdated, underperforming domestic radiators are in urgent need of replacing – not only to help individual households stay warm and make savings, but also to improve efficiency levels and minimise energy wastage. Installers joining the radiator replacement revolution, equipped with the latest technical expertise as well as up-to-date knowledge of market and consumer trends, can expect to reap substantial, long term commercial rewards. www.qrl-radiators.com/products/barlo

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RADIATORS & Towel Warmers 33 Choice of designs for any installation Latest additions to the wide range of models available from MHS Radiators include the Sofia steel towel rail (pictured below in a ‘Quartz Dust’ finish) and the Tubi steel designer radiator (right). Sofia, available in central heating and electric options, boasts a bold cylindrical frame, adorned with flat rectangular tubes which can be left or right sided. The new rail can be

selected in three heights, 1312, 1536 and 1760mm, with widths spanning from 500 to 600mm. Central heating versions deliver an output varying from 563 to 875W, while electric counterparts range from 600 to 900W. ‘Quartz Dust’, with a fine textured coating, is just one of a wide selection of stocked finishes, with other options including a matt white ‘Milky’, ‘Sparkling Grey’ and ‘Sparkling Black’. The Tubi designer radiator, available in vertical and horizontal models, features 38mm diameter vertical tubes. Horizontal models are available in a height of 530mm with a choice of three widths: 766, 990 and 1158mm, while outputs range from 868 to 1302W. The space saving vertical models measure 1830mm high and can be selected in widths of 318, 430 or 542mm, while offering outputs from

Scandi-style panel heaters

1142 to 1903W. All models also come with an extensive range of finishes, including 46 glossy and eight matt colours, as well as four hammered, 15 textured and six wavy finishes. Both Sofia and Tubi are available from stock and can be delivered in two to three days. Complementary accessories, such as the Twin Valve TRV, can be paired with both radiators for a neat installation. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Liverpool-based Benross Marketing, a homewares and electrical appliances distributor that recently obtained the exclusive UK distribution license for Mill in the UK, has unveiled two easy-to-install, fully wifi integrated panel heaters that can be controlled via an app. The NE800L Wifi is a compact 800W output, easyto-mount panel heater with a timer. For larger spaces, the NE1200 Wifi heater (pictured) offers a higher output of 1200W and, like the smaller model, offers the bonus of ‘vacation mode’, which provides a low level of heat when the user is away. Both models are compliant with Lot 20, the new EU legislation designed to reduce the energy used by domestic heating products. Also available is the Mill SG2000LED – a 2000W electric convection heater with an integrated fan and LED display. With an eye-

catching, modern design and curved edges, it responds quickly to demand for heat and offers a choice of three heat settings. “Previously, the term electric radiator conjured images of storage heaters or inefficient panel heaters, but the new products on the market combine versatility, energ y efficiency, fast installation, and style,” says Jon Brennan, Commercial D i r e c t or at B en r o s s Marketing. “From a design perspective, there is huge consumer demand for Scandi-style products which

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combine functionality and aesthetics. A radiator or heater is a functional workhorse, but consumers want them to look chic and minimalist. At a time of rising energy prices, consumers won’t tolerate inefficiency, and electric radiators and heaters have previously had a reputation as energy guzzlers. “We believe there is nothing on the market that competes with Mill, as our heaters are as performance driven as they are aesthetically appealing.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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34 R RADIATORS ADIATORS & Towel Towel W Warmers armers

Heat up Heat up the the home home L Low ow in height height and and in water water content content o ofﬁce in in style style orr ofﬁce As a ssupplier As upplierr of of central central heating hea ating rradiators, adiattors, ttowel owel warmers, warmers, ttowel owel rails, rails, and and accessories, accessories, Gloucester-based G louc e st er-b a s e d Apollo Ap ol lo Radiators R adiators iiss known known for for iits ts contemporary designs. New c ontemporary d esigns. Ne w tto o Magenta, an iits ts portfolio portfolio iis s tthe he M agenta, a n elegant, e legant, llightweight, ightweight h , designer designer rradiator adiattor available available in in four four (white, anthracite, ffinishes i nishes (w white, a nthracite, black bl ack metallic, metallic, and and white white aluminium). comes a luminium). IItt c omes iin n a choice c hoice of of vertical vertical or or horizontal horizontall orientations. o rientations. The T he Magenta Magenta Flat Flat model model ((pictured) pictured) gives g ives a simple simple and either llook ook a nd ffeatures eatures e ither a flat orr c corrugated fl at o orr ugated side. side. Also Also available Magenta a vailable iis s tthe he M agenta Curve, which has C urve, w hich h as ssofter ofter llines. ines. Both are home orr B oth a re ssuitable uitable for for h ome o office environments. o ffice en vironmen nts. The T he Magenta Magenta is is available availab ble in in All off tthree hree days day ys from from sstock. tock. A ll o Apollo’s Ap ollo’s radiators radiators are are made made iin n Europe, Europe, and and its its products products are a re complementary complementary sso o tthey hey can c an be be mixed mixed and and matched. matched. PHAM P H A M NEWS NEWS ENQUIRY ENQUIRY No. No.

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Hypo H ypo is is the the latest la atest addition addition to to the the growing growing Premier P re emier rrange ange from frro om Ultraheat. Ulttraheat. JJoining oining warmers, panel radiators, ttowel o owel war rmers, s p anel ra diators, ccolumn olu umn rradiators adiato ors and and more, more, the the new new product product iis s a heat heat exchange exchange cconvector onvector radiator. radiator. The works T he Hypo Hypo w orks with witth conventional conventional heating systems, h eating s ystem e s, using using less less energy energ gy tthan han a traditional tradittio onal radiator. radiator. With Witth a low lo ow water w ater e content, conte ent, Hypo Hypo is is quicker quiccker to to bring brin ng room required a ro oom tto o tthe he re equire ed ttemperature emperature and a nd has has a low low touch touch temperature te emperature e for for

safety. s afe f ty y. Water Wate er is is contained contained in in the the heat heat exchanger pipes not e xchanger p ipes and and n ot tthe he rradiator adiator surface, s urfface, keeping keepin ng the the surface surfface cool. cool. Floor Floor mounted m ounted and and low low in in height, height, Hypo Hypo is is suitable s uittable for for rrooms ooms with witth full full length len e gth windows brick. w indows or or cconservatory onservato ory bri ick. IItt ccan an also a lso be be installed installed as trench trench heating. heating. It It iis s available available in in lengths lengths up up to to 2000mm 2000mm and a n a modular nd modular design desig gn can can be be supplied supplie ed applications on ffor or llonger onger a pplications o n rrequest. equest. www.ultraheat.co.uk w ww.ultraheat.co.uk ENQUIRY ENQUIRY No. No. 1 111 11

Electric E lectric h heating eating iis sb bang ang u up p tto od date ate Ne New ew from from D Dimplex implex iis s tthe he PLXE PLXE rrange ange of of Lot Lot 20-compliant 20-compliant panel p anel he heaters, aters, designed designed tto o meet m eet tthe he E EU’s U’s ne new w E Energy nerg y Efficiency E fficiency D Directive irective ffor or ‘‘fixed’ fixed’ heating h eating p products. roducts. The The entire entire PLXE P LXE range range includes includes electronic electronic tthermostat hermostat control control providing providing rroom oom ttemperature emperature sstability tability tto o +/-0.2ºC, + /-0.2ºC, iintegral ntegral seven-day seven-day ttimer, imer, open open window windo ow detection, detection, and a nd adaptive-start adaptive-start to to meet meet tthe he Lot rrequirements equirements of of L ot 20. 20. The T he seven seven models models in in the the offer off sm smart, rrange ange o ffer a choice choice o art, sspace-saving pace-sav ving and and efficient efficient electric e lectric heating heating appliances appliances

to help meet to he lp iinstallers nstallers m eet tthe he demands off do domestic and demands o mestic a nd commercial customers. commercial c ustomers. With With a slimline slimline design design that that will cover panel will cov er traditional traditional p anel heater fixing marks, PXLE heater fi xing m arks, P XLE

products products are are styled styled with with a ribbed grille and ribbed ffront, ront, llouvred ouvred g rille a nd neutral white neutral w hite paint paint colour colour – making mak king an an attractive attractive addition addition to to any any room. room. The The powder-coated powder-coated ssteel teel

casing casing also also ensures ensures the the heaters are heaters a re ssplash-proof, plash-proof, which makes which m akes them them ssuitable uitable for bathrooms and wet areas. for b athrooms a nd w et a reas. Advanced Advanced controls controls feature feature touch-sensitive touch-sensitive technology technolog y with with optional optional audio audio feedfeedback, by an back, complemented complemented b y a n RGB backlit RGB b acklit graphical graph p ical display. display. Users Users will will also also benefit benefit from from standard all standard timer timerr modes modes ((out out al ll day, day, home home all all day, day, holiday) holiday y) and an nd continuous continuou o s heat heat modes modes which which include protect and eco include ffrost rost pr otect a nd e co settings. settings. PHAM P HAM N NEWS EWS ENQUIRY ENQUIRY No. No.

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RADIATORS & Towel Warmers 35 Dryline means no fluid inside Electric Dryline technology is a main feature on Vogue’s newest towel warmer, the Vivid, which does not contain any fluids. It does not run off the central heating or hot water system, allowing for greater freedom of installation and efficiency. Instead, this towel rail design is heated by a silicone heater cable via a 3-core cable which can be attached to a fuse spur, if required. The Vivid runs independently of the heating or hot water system, thanks to the Dryline element, which remains invisible to the eye.

Old world style in the 21st century

Minimalist in style – but not function – the Vivid is made from high quality brass and finished in chrome (other f inishes are also available) and a choice of four heights and three widths. Sales Director at Vogue, Steve Birch, says: “Our new Dryline technology not only answers demand from our customers, but it also goes a long way to improving homeowner choice of siting and ability to add a towel warmer without the cost of breaking into the existing heating or hot water system.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Future proof heat Originally designed to accord with EcoDesign (2011), the latest Cali Eco Sense electric radiators from IntelliHeat now exceed the latest requirements set out in Lot 20 of EcoDesign. For example, the newest Cali models feature a temperature control accurate to within +/-0.2˚C. Cali also has an adaptive temperature control and Eco start functionality. With 24/7 programming, the control offers integrated real-time energy consumption. Other energy saving features include Smart Open Window technology, which detects sudden drops in temperature to avoid waste, and Presence Detection which enables automated programming for temperature control. Built-in wifi means the Cali can be operated with a remote app for greater control. The addition of V27 technology allows Cali to draw on presence detection to calculate and apply the most economical and comfortable programming for the household. www.intelligentheat.co.uk PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No. 114

As part of Aestus’s Traditional Radiator Collection, the Versailles captures the trend for retro revival, offering an old world traditional design joined with contemporary functionality. Manufactured from high quality cast iron, the Versailles is embossed with a filigree pattern which looks like vintage lace on first glance. Giving a heat output of up to 4380W, the Versailles radiator is suitable for closed indirect heating systems and comes with a brass air vent as standard. The air vent is available in a choice of three finishes: chrome, nickel or brass. Designed with integral feet, Versailles is supplied with a 15 year manufacturer’s guarantee and is priced from £450 including VAT. For an added touch of period elegance, the radiator is shown here with Vogue’s recommended Hilton valves. www.aestus.co.uk

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Excellent rating for heating system

Hidden drainage in luxury wetroom Wetroom specialist On The Level has worked with interior designer Stacey Hewett from Studio 28 to create luxury bathrooms in the transformation of a three-bed, two-bath flat in Hertfordshire into a luxury three bedroom, three bathroom residential apartment. The property incorporates a large master bedroom suite with a walk-in wetroom and adjoining master bathroom. The products used in the project were part of OTL’s Infinity I-Line, a minimalist designer wetroom flooring solution with a hidden channel edging the wall where water drains discreetly over a gently sloped floor. It’s designed to leave no visible drainage and therefore meets the requirements for those looking for hidden drain technology in high-end wetrooms. www.onthelevel.co.uk

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A new five-storey student accommodation opposite Goldsmiths University in London has achieved an Excellent BREEAM rating by using Viessmann heating equipment. Walpole, which houses 87 students in cluster flats and self-contained studios, uses both gas-fired condensing boilers and a combined heat and power (CHP) unit from Viessmann to generate warmth and electricity for its

flats, common room, study area and outdoor spaces. The CHP unit, a Vitobloc 200

EM 9/20, is sized to suit the city-centre site, while three 320kW Vitocrossal 100 floor-

Under-sink water heaters Residents of newly converted flats in South Wigston, Leicester, are benefitting from ultra-efficient hot water production, thanks to five 30-litre Andris Lux Eco unvented electric water heaters from Ariston. The units have been supplying hot water to both the kitchen and bathroom sinks in each property since the project’s completion last year.

Before being repurposed into apartments, the building housed a Chinese restaurant. Now each residence contains an open plan kitchen area, cloakroom and double-bedroom with en-suite, as well as an electric heating system. The conversion project was managed and overseen by JT Services Ltd. Steve Thornton, Director at JT, says: “This was my

first experience of using Ariston’s products, and I wasn’t disappointed. The compact units have a wealth of advanced settings which made them perfect for the new apartments, particularly the anti-legionella function and the ‘ECO EVO’ setting, which prevents unnecessary energy wastage.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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standing gas boilers are used in cascade to provide heating and hot water throughout the accommodation. This is the first completed UK installation of the Vitocrossal 100, which was launched earlier this year. Integrated controls across the two technologies make it easy to monitor the system’s overall performance from a PC or a mobile phone app. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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PRODUCTS in Action Heating and cooling flats The iconic Hoover Building in London has been fitted with compact Airstage J-IIs VRF systems from Fujitsu. The Grade II property has now been converted into 66 studio, one, two and threebedroom apartments. Each apartment benefits from high efficiency heating and cooling with a seasonal coefficient of performance in excess of 5.81 (LOT21). As planning restrictions limited the height of any outdoor AC products, the Airstage J-IIs VRF units were specified due to their compact size and flexible piping design. These outdoor units serve multiple Slim

Ducts located inside each apartment. The two-pipe VRF systems were installed together with IntensisHome wifi controls, enabling users to remotely control and monitor their AC systems via mobile devices. Matthew Barnett, Director at Carter Devlin Ltd, which managed the heating and

cooling systems, says: “As this was the refurbishment of an existing listed building, flexibility was key. The demands of the client’s design team and the nature of the work required a system that could be adapted to suit fluid and changing needs.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Solar pre-heats for combi Alpha has supplied Metro Plumbers with a solar solution for a client looking to incorporate solar as part of a major extension project on a bungalow. Metro installed the Alpha SolarSmart system as a cost-effective solution. It includes a roof mounted solar panel, compact solar cylinder, and an Alpha InTec34C combi boiler, which also comes complete with a drain back unit. This solution ended up being half the cost of a traditional solar thermal arrangement. Unlike conventional solar thermal systems, where the boiler is used alongside the solar panels to maintain a

stored supply of hot water, SolarSmart doesn’t engage the boiler unless it needs to. Only the collected solar energy is used to maintain the temperature of the stored water. When the user requires hot water, the water from the cylinder runs through a valve. If above 60°C, the water is sent directly to the tap. If not, it will go to the boiler to be heated further. As the boiler is only used to heat pre-warmed water, the user will benefit from significant gas savings and lower CO2 emissions. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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High demand for hot water Ideal Commercial Boilers has overseen the installation of its Evojet condensing pressure jet boilers at a new primary school and community facility in the Scottish Borders. Two Evojet 270kW BMS modulating boilers have been installed by Marmac Services at the

new Duns Primary School, as part of an £8.6million project. After almost 140 years in its previous building, Duns Primary School moved to a purpose-built facility which also includes a new Ber w ickshire Localit y Support Centre, all situated on the site of a fully

refurbished former high school. With a large water content of 230 litres each, the Evojet pressure jet boilers will meet high demand for hot water across the extensive hub campus. Charlie Newell, Senior Business Development Manager at Ideal Commercial Boilers, says: “The Evojet range meets demand for high water content pressure jet boilers. It offers high efficiency through its modulation capabilities, comprehensive control and a stainless steel turbulator for maximum heat transfer. The school also has the benefit of a cascade setup, designed to prevent the inefficiencies of on/off cycling.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Preparing for the future Gas remains the dominant technology in the UK domestic heating market, but many experts have predicted that heat pumps will overtake gas as the mainstream way to heat our homes in the not too distant future. Max Halliwell, Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at what’s available.

f you’ve been involved in the UK heating market over the past 10 years you will have noticed the emergence of heat pumps, which are now a serious alternative to oil and LPG systems, especially in off-gas areas. However, the technology has yet to threaten the dominance of gas, which may be one of the reasons that most heating engineers are sticking with what they know. Yet the Government is actively supporting heat pumps as the future of UK heating, with the Committee on Climate Change forecasting sales of over one million units a year by 2030. And the reason for this is quite straightforward. We have to find low carbon ways to keep ourselves comfortable and gas, oil and LPG will not help us achieve the strict legal targets for carbon reduction. So change is coming and this is why we have been prepared to invest so much in the UK, with training for thousands of heating engineers and increased production at our factory in Livingston.

What’s on offer? So if you have avoided looking at the technology until now, where do you start and what should you look out for? Firstly, there are different types of heat pump with the most common and simplest to apply being Monobloc air source heat pumps. These have already been installed in thousands and thousands of properties across the country, from social housing of all types, to modern passivhaus-type homes, to retro-fitted historic houses. We have also seen a significant increase in the type of installations where a heat pump is added to an existing heating system to act in a hybrid situation. This can work particularly well with the heat pump controlling which system to use to suit requirement and ambient temperature. One area that is worth looking at though is the performance figures of heat pumps, and this is why we are happy to publish comparative data on our 14kW Ecodan. Many of my colleagues have recently made the switch to hybrid, plug-in vehicles but they have discovered that the amount of mileage they will get from each charge of the battery often bears little resemblance to the official figures published on the manufacturers’ websites. Things like how cold it is outdoors, the amount of acceleration and how hard they brake all affect how many ‘eco’ miles they can get out of every journey, often resulting in much less electric miles than they expected. The same is true of a heat pump, especially when the temperature drops below zero. This is why we’ve put our own 14kW Ecodan up against other manufacturers, as the performance talked about in a sales pitch can bear little reality to operation when it’s really cold outside.

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Max Halliwell

Mitsubishi Electric’s Ecodan heat pumps are designed to maintain their performance at all times of the year

Sub-zero performance We’re quite fortunate in the UK that we don’t face significant sub-zero temperatures for much of the year but the latest cold snap has seen temperatures drop to -7ºC or more as we faced a particularly harsh period. Most conventional inverter-driven heat pumps suffer from a decrease in heating capacity at low ambient temperatures, yet a quick scan of the headline performance figures do not always reflect this. Much like the fuel performance and emissions figures from the car manufacturers, it is always worth looking beyond the headline ‘sales’ figures and digging a bit deeper into the overall performance – at all times of the year and across a range of operating temperatures. Despite offering larger capacity models, many manufacturers’ systems fail to maintain their heating capacities, suffering significant drop off at low ambient temperatures. If you are using air source heat pumps to keep a larger home warm, this can present you with a real drop in heating performance and a likely increase in energy use and running costs.

Tried and tested I’ve worked for Mitsubishi Electric now for more than a decade and I know our engineering colleagues spend months and months testing and retesting the performance of our equipment before they will release any data that we can use to market what we believe are the best systems available. Sometimes this can be a little frustrating because we are up against other manufacturers who make bigger and bolder claims about performance and release figures that look higher than ours. At the same time though, I have a lot of respect for the conservatism of our factories because we know that the figures they release are tried and tested – and in most cases, our equipment will actually perform better than listed. Our 14kW Ecodan air source heat pump is a case in point and comes up

against other machines that appear to offer greater capacities of 15, 16, and even 17.5kW. Once you start to look at performance ranging from 12ºC, down to -7ºC, you can really start to see where the differences lie – the Ecodan maintains a 14kW heating capacity, but other products fail to deliver their stated output.

Noise levels One thing is certain though, further change is coming to the UK heat pump market, and with heat pumps now well proven as an ideal method of heating UK homes, we are going to start seeing more

and more of them in our neighbourhoods. And this is where the next issue will come as some systems are noisier than others. What is needed are proven systems that are quiet enough to remove any planning or permitted development issues, which is why we are proud to have our Ecodan range endorsed by the noise abatement society and why we will be making further additions to the range in the coming months. So remember to check out the actual noise levels of any system before making a purchase. heating.mitsubishielectric.co.uk

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One source for all you need Available from Vaillant is a range of heat pump options, complete with a choice of compatible cylinders, controls and system accessories, to ensure that installers can offer customers a complete solution tailored to their needs. The aroTHERM air source heat pump (pictured) comes in 5, 8 and 11kW options. The blue fin coated evaporator with anti-hydro coating helps to improve performance and also gives extra corrosion protection throughout the life of the product. It can also be cascaded for larger projects and is available in hybrid options for customers who are looking to integrate renewable technology with an existing heating system. Described as an ‘out of the box’ ground source heat pump, flexoTHERM is a unit that can be converted to accommodate different energy sources such as air or water where required. Available in 230V and

400V models, with a range of outputs, flexoTHERM can also be cascaded to accommodate larger residential and commercial projects.

Wall hung The geoTHERM mini is a compact, wall-hung ground source heat pump, which can be installed in a single dwelling on a ground array. For low-energy multiple occupancy buildings, such as high-rise flats, apartments and small buildings, multiple geoTHERM minis can be operated within one building

using a single common ground array, making it a viable option for social housing and new build developments. For installers new to heat pump technology, Vaillant offers a series of practical, hands-on training courses at its fully equipped Centres of Excellence, situated at various locations around the UK. For more information on courses, send an email: training.enquiries@vaillantgroup.com PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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The viability of hybrid solutions Do hybrid systems really offer the best combination of renewable and traditional heating solutions? Phil Birchenough, Product Manager at Sime, discusses the considerations around using heat pump technology and examines the potential market for hybrid systems.

option for homeowners; and that also present nce hailed as ‘the’ new energy a logistical headache for installers. saving product, heat pumps are Planning permission, even when within now considered a mainstream ‘permitted development’ regulations, is an product and the virtues of heat pump essential element regarding the decision to technology are widely known. However, select either an air or ground source heat it can be argued that adoption rates of pump. Alongside this, there are a number air and ground source heat pumps in a of space and siting issues, both within the domestic setting have been lower than property itself and outside, that need to be expected considering the long-term considered. energy saving benefits they offer. Furthermore, many customers wanting to Used in domestic settings where mains install a heat pump and boiler combination or LPG gas is available, heat pumps can don’t always realise that they will require help meet clean air requirements in the an F-gas-registered installer to fit the heat heart of a city. Where properties are offpump as well as a Gas Safe installer to fit grid, for new build projects or retrofit, the condensing boiler because of the gases investment in a heat pump can present a Phil Birchenough, Product contained within the heat pump. Using a cocleaner and more energy efficient option Manager for Sime qualified installer is the most cost-effective than the purchase of oil. Hybrid systems have been developed to give domestic option, but if there are none available it brings another users the opportunity to improve the energy efficiency trade into the installation, creating additional costs and of their homes. This is achieved by installing an ‘A’ rated logistical challenges for all concerned. condensing boiler and an air or ground source heat Typical installation pump, which is then managed by a control system to select which energy source, heat pump or boiler should Typically, the heat pump is fitted on the outside of the be operating to provide central heating and hot water building and is linked to another, separate unit that transfers the heat from the heat pump to the central heating system. at any given time. While this solution delivers excellent energy saving results, This third unit is in addition to the boiler, which is why can it really be considered a hybrid system? Essentially, it is so important that space and location considerations they’re two separate systems brought together by a control are part of the recommendation and specification stages. unit, the intelligence of the controls being what makes the A separate controller is also used, and this determines ‘hybrid’ element of the system, ensuring both systems which technology, boiler or heat pump should be employed, depending on the outside weather conditions. Some work in conjunction with each other. controllers allow you to put in the fuel tariff, which then Logistical issues prompts a switch between technologies, depending on For customers seeking to improve the energy efficiency of which is the cheapest option. When heat pumps are deployed with boilers in this their home and installers looking to provide solid renewable way, the heat pump varies greatly in efficiency, known solutions, hybrid heat pump and boiler systems seem, at first glance, like a solution that installers can really get as Coefficient of Performance (CoP), with the rise and behind. Yet there are a number of challenges that can make fall of external temperatures. The CoP can be considered existing hybrid solutions a less attractive and expensive to represent an additional challenge, as a factor that

A hybrid heating solution needs accurate controls to ensure that the condensing boiler and heat pump work in harmony

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significantly impacts the cost-efficiency benefits that the system delivers to the homeowner. All hybrids have an outdoor sensor because by knowing the outside temperature, it allows the controller to determine the flow temperature of the heating water. If it is mild outside, for example, the flow temperature will be reduced because not as much heat will be required to bring the house up to the desired set room temperature. The lower the outside temperature, the higher the flow temperature will have to be. During milder weather, depending on the size of the system and the heat pump itself, the heat pump alone may provide all the space heating requirements. Generally, the heat pump will stop working at an outside temperature of -2°C because the lower the external temperature, the poorer the CoP, and heat generation will switch to the boiler inside.

High costs Cost can be considered to be the biggest challenge surrounding the adoption of this technology. Ask anyone in the industry what the main barrier to adoption is relating to heat pumps and they’ll tell you it’s cost. There are considerable long-term cost and energy saving benefits to a heat pump and boiler solution, but the initial expenditure is high. Over time, the investment absolutely pays for itself, but the initial cost can be alarming for the customer. In addition to the cost of the heat pump, boiler, transfer unit, controls and installation, there are smaller items of required kit that can further add to the price. The challenge is and has always been demonstrating to customers how they will get this back and more in savings on their energy bills with the improvement of the overall energy efficiency of their home.

Complete solution Current hybrid heat pump offerings using an ‘A’ rated condensing boiler, controls and an air or ground source heat pump are undoubtedly effective renewable solutions that deliver long term energy savings. But does the current technology that is available go far enough? Separate systems linked by intelligent controls to deliver a hybrid solution technically isn’t a true hybrid, but it’s currently as close to a hybrid as can be achieved with the technology available. Is there more we can do? From a product development perspective, the next logical step is for there to be a complete hybrid solution in a single product that overcomes these very real challenges by using technology in a smarter way. The current market has so many challenges and hidden expenses that can often overshadow the benefits of the technology. I want to see us get to a place with renewables where this isn’t the case, where one single product harnessing the benefits of heat pump and combination boiler technology will overcome the issues surrounding planning, space, location and installation. Looking at where we are with renewable heating, I see a strong parallel with the motor industry, in that a switch to fully renewable energy will have to be done in stages, i.e. through hybrids, bringing more benefits than just a combination of both technologies. As an industry, we are striving to develop better renewable solutions that are more accessible, less complex and more affordable, so that homeowners will have total confidence when requesting an energy efficient heating system for their home that takes up less space, requires less sophisticated controls and fully delivers, both in terms of energy savings and value for money. www.sime.co.uk

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Beneﬁts of an integrated system Combining heat pumps with a heat recovery system offers a number of advantages for homeowners, including an improvement in air quality and further energy savings. John Felgate, Head of Technical at Stiebel Eltron, highlights the benefits of an integrated system.

s the technology used throughout the housebuilding process evolves to make homes more energy efficient, the popularity of ventilation systems integrated with heat recovery and heat pumps has grown exponentially. Innovation in building ma teri a l s s u ch as insulation and weather stripping, alongside the development of structures with green credentials, has seen a marked and welcome improvement in the performance of heat retention and the hermetic integrity of residential developments. However, although this advancement in technology is welcome, it presents the unique challenge of how to effectively ventilate these

John Felgate, Stiebel Eltron

new, increasingly airtight developments. It’s this rise in renewable standards that has led to the increase in popularity of integrating heat pump systems with bespoke ventilation systems that improve on heat recovery performance. UK Building Regulations call for one air change every

two hours – this benchmark is key in the development of new ventilation and heat recovery systems. New technology means that this standard can now be attained alongside a unit design that ensures that the installation takes up as little valuable space in the home as possible. Innovations in the development of ventilation and heat recovery systems has also made it possible for them to provide additional unique benefits, as is demonstrated by our recently launched Stiebel Eltron LWZ series. These benefits include the ability to actively improve and tailor the air quality in a residential development. This provides an unprecedented level of comfort for residents.

Tech-savvy homeowners are beginning to demand homes that allow for customisation to fit their daily needs. Heat recovery systems provide this by giving customers the ability to tailor the environmental conditions of their home to their own personal requirements.

In the city Another benefit of these lat est adva ncements is the ability to install units in densely packed urban developments with minimal disruption and without the noise pollution that may have prohibited this in the past. The Stiebel Eltron LWZ units operate below recommended decibel limits, meaning they provide a seamless service that occupants can set and

forget about. Products such as the LWZ are now on the SAP Product Characteristic Database. This helps with the installation and the design process, as the SAP Product Characteristic Database provides accurate modelling statistics that provide insight into the carbon dioxide savings associated with the unit. This means that installers and specifiers have the information required to select the unit that is bestsuited to fit the chosen development. Ventilation systems that provide heat recovery for heat pumps are uniquely placed to improve the energy efficiency of not only residential developments, but also small commercial properties.

Recent improvements in the performance of heat exchangers has allowed for units, including the LWZ range, to recover up to 90% of the thermal energy in extract air, which places them at an ‘A’ rating on the EU ErP energy standards. There is obviously a considerable push for the UK to improve on housebuilding targets as we move into 2018, and new developments are under increasing scrutiny to achieve high ratings in the ErP energy standards. Therefore, the integration of ventilation units with heat recovery and heat pump systems could provide a viable route to achieving targets without sacrificing on space or usability. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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42 H HEAT EAT Pumps Pump m s More powerful powerfful model model a dded More added

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ea r s w ar rant y. 15 y years warranty. ““With With a 15 y ear iinsurance nsurance year backed g uarantee combined combined backed guarantee w it h Swedish Swedish build build quality qualit y with and experience, experience, IIVT VT sstarts tarts tto o and stand out out a sag reat o ption,” stand as great option,” says S ean S owden, D irector says Sean Sowden, Director at Go G G ot her mal. Ge at GoGeothermal. ““As As a p ackaged ssystem ystem packaged w it h built built in in c irculat ion with circulation pumps, the t he IVT I V T ground g round pumps, source heat heat pump pump range range source makes for for a v er y ssimple imple makes very installat ion. Furthermore, Fur t her more, installation. t he choice choice o ombi a nd the off c combi and system u nits, a ffull ull rrange ange system units, of c omplementar y b uffer of complementary buffer tanks, as as w el l a s iin-built n-built tanks, well as control ffeatures eat ures such such as as control cascade a nd b oiler b ackup, cascade and boiler backup, all make make for for a very ver y flexible flexible all and a tt ract ive ssystem.” ystem.” and attractive G oGeothermal offers offers non non GoGeothermal MCS a ccredited p lumbers tthe he MCS accredited plumbers chance tto o iinstall nstall rrenewable enewable chance heat ing on on a na dh oc b a si s heating an ad hoc basis under the t he company’s company’s MCS MCS under umbrella scheme, scheme, w it h tthe he umbrella with design a nd ssizing izing o he h eat design and off tthe heat pump system system pr p ov ided b y pump provided by

A lto En erg y. Alto Energy. ““This This w ill enable enable y our will your c ustomers tto o h ave a cce s s customers have access tto o the t he benefits benefits of of an an MCS MCS a ccredited iinstallation nstallation – n ot accredited not le ast the the generous generou o s Renewable Renewable least He at Incentive Incent ive payments pay ments Heat a ssociated with w it h installing installing associated h eat pump pump technology,” technology,” adds adds heat S ea n S owden. Sean Sowden. PHAM P H A M NEWS NEWS ENQUIRY ENQUIRY No. No.

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A new new 17kW 17kW model model is is the t he llatest atest a addition ddit ion tto o tthe he E Evo vo S er ies of of ground g round source source Series heat h eat p pumps umps from from K Kensa ensa Heat He at Pumps. Pumps. T The he pr product oduct rrange ange a lready ffeatures eat ures 7 already 7,, 9 and and 13kW 13kW models models a nd and tthe he 17kW 17kW Evo, Evo, which which is is c apable o eating n ew b uild capable off h heating new build p roperties u p tto o5 00m², a nd properties up 500m², and iiss claimed claimed to to be be the the highest highest ssingle ingle phase phase non-inverter non-inver ter d r iven GSHP GSHP currently cur rent ly driven m anufact ured iin n tthe he U K. manufactured UK. T he Evo Evo Series Ser e ies features features a The c ustom-built control control panel panel custom-built a nd ssystem ystem manager, manager, and w hich he lp tthe he he at which help heat pumps p umps achieve achieve a 15 15% % g ain in in energy energ y efficiency ef ficienc y gain compared c ompared to p previous rev ious models. m odels. Guy G uy Cashmore, Cashmore, K Kensa ensa co-founder c o-founder and and Technical Technical Director, comments: D irector, c omments: “The “The Evo Series natural E vo S er ies iis s a n at ural evolution off o our existing e volut ion o ur e xist ing product offering pr oduct rrange; ange; o ffer ing gains in ssignificant ig nificant g a i ns in efficiency, whilst e fficiency, w hilst rretaining etaining Kensa’s K ensa’s philosophy philosophy of of easy easy iinstallation. nstallat ion. The The 17kW 17kW meets m eets tthe he ‘‘sweet sweet spot’ spot’

off D Domestic RHI payments o omest ic R HI p ay ments before 30kWh cap. Perfect b efore tthe he 3 0kWh c ap. P erfect medium homes, ffor or m edium tto o llarge arge h omes, iitt delivers capacity d elivers greater greatterr heat heat c apacity alongside a longside all all the the innovative innovative design are d esign ffeatures ea eatures tthat hat a re tthe he hallmark h allmark of of the the Evo Evo range.” range.” The T he success suc ccess of of the t he Evo E vo was w as recently recent ly recognised recog nised at at ACR tthe he National Nat ional A CR & Heat Heat Pump Awards, where was P ump A wards, w here iitt w as crowned Pump Product c rowned ‘‘Heat H at P He ump P roduct

off the o the Year’. Year’. Judges Judges felt felt that that tthe he Evo Evo Series Ser ies extended extended boundaries off e existing tthe he b oundar ies o xist ing heat pump h eat p ump ttechnology echnolog y and and delivered de livered significant significant benefits benefits customer. ffor or tthe he c ustomer. Kensa K ensa rreports epor ts that t hat the t he Evo Series has also E vo S erie i sh as a lso rreceived eceived positive p osit ive rreviews ev iews from from both bot h and customers. iinstallers nstallers a nd c ustomers. Self-builder Bob Pybus S elf-builder B ob P y bu s build ssays: ays: ““During Dur ing our our b uild project, pr oject, Kensa Kensa launched launched ttheir heir Evo Evo Series Ser ies and and we we were confident new w er e c onfident tthis h is n ew piece fitt p iece of of kit k it would would fi perfectly with our project. p erfectly w ith o ur pr oject. We W e weren’t weren’t disappointed.” disappointed.” Tom TWS T om m Sandell Sandell ffrom rom T WS Plumbing Heating P lumbing & He at ing fitted fi tted his his first first Kensa Kensa Evo E vo recently recent ly on on a job job in in Somerset. S omerset. He ssays: ays: ““It It llooks ooks really really modern moder n and and contemporary, but c ontemporar y, b ut sstill t ill has h as tthe he ssame ame ssimple imple ssetetup u p as as all all the t he other ot her Kensa Kensa products.” pr oduc u ts.” The Evo now T he 17kW 17kW E vo iis s n ow available pre-order a vailab a le tto o pr e-order ffor or delivery. ssummer ummer d eliver y. PHAM P H A M NEWS NEWS ENQUIRY ENQUIRY No. No.

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HEAT Pumps 43 Smaller properties Just one control need smaller units A smaller model of air source heat pump has been launched by NIBE with the aim of supporting new build and smaller properties. The F2040-6kW joins the F2040 family of heat pumps which was previously offered in 8, 12 and 16kW. The new heat pump offers the same product features as the established larger units, such as a high heating capacity and compatibility with the VVM320 Indoor

Module and SMO range of controllers. The F2040 is also an appropriate size for complementing other energy sources for hybrid solutions and can be docked with an existing system such as an oil or gas boiler. “Hybrid systems are becoming increasingly common, with the heat pump being incorporated into existing energy sources with great effect,” says Robin Adderley, Sales Director. “It is an investment that brings considerable economic, energy and environmental benefits and one which we look forward to seeing more installations in the coming months and years.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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The Yutaki air source heat pump range from Hitachi features a multi-function wired remote control that provides a single menu for all Yutaki products. It has a dedicated installer view, wizard start up configuration and an intuitive menu for quick and simple commissioning. The range offers a choice of models, including the Yutaki-M, a monobloc unit that doesn’t require any F-gas qualifications. Hitachi says this is its most popular version. For installations calling for a split system, Hitachi offers the Yutaki-S and the Yutaki-S Combi, which is an all in one heating and hot water solution. For older, less-well insulated properties there is the Yutaki-S80, a high temperature heat pump. Hitachi also offers a heat pump hot water heater. www.hitachiheating.com

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Packing the heat Three models make up Grant’s Aerona³ inverter driven air source heat pump range, each unit delivers greater operating efficiencies while still being compact in size. Grant says the Aerona³ heat pump is installer friendly for engineers to fit and maintain, thanks to design features which are factory fitted and included as standard. This range, now in its third generation, is an inverter driven air to water unit that is designed to maintain a reliable and consistent heat output, even at low outdoor temperatures. With outputs of 6, 10 and 16kW, the Aerona³ incorporates weather compensation controls and a base tray heating element to stop ice formation in cold weather conditions. The units have an ErP rating of A++ for heating across the range. These units will suit homes which want to incorporate renewable technologies when space is at a premium. 130

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Designing with dementia in mind With the number of dementia sufferers in the UK set to rise to over 1 million by 2025, more families will need to consider adapting their bathroom to make it more dementia-friendly. James Dadd, Marketing Director at AKW, looks at how good design can help.

t present there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or any other type of dementia, so when a loved one gets dementia, the family has to work around the illness as it develops. Although people with the later stages of dementia traditionally move into care homes once their condition progresses to the stage where it becomes difficult for them to remain in their own home, many are cared for at home for years before this becomes necessary. The James Dadd, AKW Marketing bathroom is an area that can Director prove particularly hazardous for dementia suffers, and there are many things to consider when installing one, whether in a care home or an individual’s house.

Avoiding confusion

Contrasting colours can help users with dementia to define and locate separate areas of the bathroom

1. Scalding protection As dementia progresses, so too does the loss of safety awareness, making those with the condition especially susceptible to scalding. This is where thermostatically controlled taps and showers are very important additions to any bathroom. Equally, exposed pipework should be avoided, and only low surface temperature radiators and towel rails installed to further enhance protection against burns. AKW’s iCare electric shower ensures safe and stable temperatures and eliminates the threat of scald injuries.

Bathrooms are particularly challenging to adapt for those with dementia, as the condition leads to a diminished perception of danger and the environment can become a confusing and even frightening place. The level of adaptation needed will vary depending on the case of the individual, however with the right adoption of daily living aids a person can remain comfortable, mobile and 2. Preventing falls safe in their own home. People with dementia are twice as likely to fall as A dementia-friendly bathroom is one where simple but careful consideration of design can reduce the barriers that their peers, and have a three times greater mortality people with dementia can face in carrying out daily living rate three months later as a result. With this in mind, activities, greatly improving their safety and preserving their reducing the triggers for falls is critical to limiting the independence for as long as injuries that can follow. possible. To minimise the Avoid sharp edges on any risk of scalds, slips and falls, “It doesn’t need to cost any more than products installed in the bathroom adaptation should bathroom and take out floora standard bathroom adaptation” go beyond the installation of standing furniture. Remove grab rails and instead result the bath and install a level in the creation of an optimum space that is both safe and access shower to reduce trip hazards, and include a shower comfortable, whilst supporting independence. seat to reduce the likelihood of falling when showering. Key considerations for a dementia-friendly bathroom are Choose PET plastic shower screens, such as our Silverdale safety and familiarity. Over time a person with dementia screen panels, not glass ones, and if using a shower curtain, becomes less aware of basic dangers, such as scalding. opt for one with breathable fabric to prevent suffocation In addition, for some people with dementia, adaptations if the person falls and becomes entangled. Also, consider can be distressing as they may fail to recognise their own installing underfloor heating so there are no radiators to bathroom. This can be avoided if a dementia-friendly fall against. bathroom adaptation is made as soon as possible after 3. Memory loss a dementia diagnosis has been given, giving the person Short-term memory loss and forgetfulness can also time to familiarise themselves with their new bathroom significantly increase the risk of flooding in a care home products and layout. bathroom if the shower or a tap is left on after use. To combat this issue it is important to include flood-proof Cost-effective solution A dementia-friendly bathroom doesn’t need to cost any more plugs in the basins and opt for showers that have an auto than a standard bathroom adaptation. This is because the shut-off function. Our dementia-friendly iShower range of products needed for a dementia-friendly bathroom don’t showers, for instance, automatically shut down after 30 usually cost any more than those for a standard bathroom minutes of use if left running to avoid accidental overflows. adaptation for the elderly. It is essential, however, that the most appropriate ones are chosen and that design guidelines regarding product colour, etc, are followed to maximise the safety and comfort of the person with dementia. Here are the seven major dementia challenges that can be overcome with good design in any bathroom adaptation:

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4. Retro memory

People with dementia have a good long-term memory, so are more familiar with fixtures and fittings that are from the past. Consequently, it is preferable to incorporate traditionally designed fixtures and fittings into any refurbishment, such as cross-headed taps and a conventional

Careful consideration at the design stage can help to improve safety levels and enable users to preserve their independence

toilet flush rather than modern push-button devices. Also look to install basins that are large enough to accommodate a toothbrush mug to make sure residents feel that the items in the space are as familiar and comfortable as possible.

5. Mirror confusion It is usually important to include mirrors in bathrooms, but for a number of people with dementia the reflection of their face can be frightening, as they could believe another person is in the room with them. To overcome this, it is wise to fit a roller blind above the sink so the mirror can be covered when necessary.

6. Floor colour Consistent flooring shades are crucial, as a person with dementia can interpret a change in floor colour as a step up or down that can lead to trips or falls on a level surface. Specifically, dark colours can seem like gaping holes and a speckled effect can appear to be flecks of dirt. Ultimately, a light, uniform colour is advised to avoid these problems.

7. Visual confusion Incorporating contrasting colours in bathrooms can help users with dementia to effectively define and locate separate sections of the room, such as the shower and toilet areas. A minimum LRV (light reflecting value) of 30 points of difference between colours is needed. Clearly contrasting plain colours are also important for equipment, such as shower curtains, shower seats, grab rails and toilet roll holders, to help the user identify each item. For example, contrast should be used to help differentiate a grab bar from a wall and the toilet seat from the pan.

Seeing red? There is a common misconception that the only dementiafriendly colour that should be used for grab rails and toilet seats is red. However, leading dementia-friendly building design experts, dementia research academics and OTs agree that this is a myth. Whilst red is an acceptable colour to use, other colours are equally as effective, providing they clearly contrast with the wall colour behind them. Using the right knowledge and accessible products, personcentric, dementia-friendly bathrooms can be created simply and at no extra cost than a standard bathroom adaptation. Once installed, such bathrooms ensure maximum safety and comfort, giving dementia sufferers superior quality of life and dignity. www.akw-ltd.co.uk

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Taking care of everyone’s needs A well designed bathroom will be able to meet the varying demands of the home’s occupants, regardless of age or mobility. Here, Ian Kenny, Marketing Director at Graham Plumbers’ Merchant, looks at the factors that add up to inclusive bathroom designs.

actors such as the UK’s ageing population mean multi-generational households are increasingly common, with children, parents and grandparents sharing a single home. The age range, and therefore the needs of occupants, can be diverse. The rise in house prices and relative decrease in the average earnings for people in their twenties, Ian Kenny, Marketing Director at Graham compared with the previous generation, has also meant an increasing number of young people are living with their parents after education. While this trend has implications for many areas of the home, catering to the differing needs of the family members is particularly important when designing a bathroom. There are a number of specific ways that an inclusive design can be achieved within a range of budgets.

A side access door facilitates safe showering and bathing

Inclusive bathrooms can be functional and attractive

In addition, selecting height adjustable sanitaryware will also help make using the bathroom less challenging for every member of the family. These products also allow for further adjustment if required.

50°C. Recommending products that include thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs) will prevent scalding and burns from bath and basin taps as well as showers. In addition, flooring with anti-slip properties is an important recommendation to prevent slips and falls when the floor is wet.

Blending in

Simple solutions

It is often assumed that bathroom fixtures and fittings designed for accessibility will have a clinical look and not fit in with the existing bathroom. In fact, modern bathroom products can improve the daily experience for everyone and blend into the overall finish of the bathroom. When designing a bathroom that will be used by people of different ages and levels of mobility, basic considerations can make a significant difference. While it may seem simple, selecting the correct taps can substantially improve the experience of those using the bathroom. For example, lever taps require a lower force to operate and are therefore easier to use, especially for children and older people who may have reduced muscle strength in their hands. This is particularly an issue when hands are wet or soapy, so this should also be a consideration when selecting shower controls. In recent years dual basins have become increasingly popular to help ease bathroom congestion in busy households. This feature can also be utilised to make the bathroom more user-friendly by having the two basins at different heights. This provides practical access for children, wheelchair users and those who find it easier to be seated, while also having a basin that is comfortable to use from a standing position.

For those with limited mobility, getting in and out of a bath can be difficult and potentially dangerous, especially when the surfaces are wet. For this reason a shower is often the preferred option. Replacing the bath with a large, low profile shower tray and enclosure is a relatively simple way to help solve these issues of access and safety. Depending on the customer requirements, installing a wetroom can improve accessibility further. Removing all raised edges from the bathroom will allow full access with a wheelchair or mobility aids as well as eliminating any trip hazards. However, for families with younger children a bath may be a requirement, so bathtubs with a side access door will make it easier and safer to use. Alternatively, selecting one with integrated handles, a seat, or simply with a wider edge can also improve the usability of the bath. A range of grab handles are also available to maximise safety, and that will suit the overall styling of the bathroom.

Bathroom safety As professional installers will be aware, water must be heated to above 60°C to kill bacteria such as Legionella, however damage to skin can occur at temperatures over

Toilet keeps things clean The Vero Air Rimless WC and SensoWash Slim Seat from Duravit combine to provide users with easy-to-use technology and improved comfort levels. The new rimless toilets have been designed to optimise the flushing process. A special anti-bacterial coating is baked into the ceramic surface during the firing process, effectively killing 99.9% of germs and providing lasting protection, while the inner surface is rinsed with a dynamic and powerful jet that uses only a small amount of water. The SensoWash Slim seat features a soft closing mechanism and the options of ‘rearwash’, ‘ladywash’ or ‘comfortwash’ functions. For easy cleaning, the entire seat can be removed, while the SensoWash Starck shower-toilet seat has a replace-

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ment spray head and additional features such as a night light. All the SensoWash shower-toilet seats come with a discreet and easy to operate remote control. www.duravit.co.uk

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Step-free access Finally, an important consideration when designing a bathroom is that in many houses, the bathroom is on the first floor. For elderly people this can make actually accessing it difficult or even impossible. In some cases, converting a ground floor space into a downstairs toilet or even a second bathroom may provide better alternative to adapting the main family bathroom. This can be achieved cost effectively by installing a waste water or macerator pump to connect the new bathroom to the existing plumbing. When it comes to bathroom design the needs of different members of a family must be considered, and professional installers have a key role to play in helping to design inclusively. Merchants can provide the advice and support that is essential when approaching a project with specific requirements.

Find out more For further information about Graham’s range of bathroom products or to find a bathroom showroom, enter the number below on the reader enquiry and registration card or visit the website below. ENQUIRY No. www.grahamplumbersmerchant.co.uk . 133

Promoting peace of mind The UK manufacturer of wash and dry toilets, Closomat, is highlighting the importance of selecting products that meet quality standards and can provide a fit-and-forget solution. “There is an assumption that, if a product is sold in the UK, it has all the necessary approvals and certifications; that if it needs servicing or repair, the back-up is there. Reality shows that isn’t always the case,” says Mark Sadler, Sales Director. “For example, when specifying bathroom and toilet assistive technology, any fitting and

equipment being connected to the mains water supply should be WRAS approved.” For extra peace of mind, Closomat operates its own nationwide service and maintenance, with a team of dedicated engineers. Similarly, a wide range of spare and replacement parts

are readily available. In addition to the established Vita wash and dry toilets, Closomat provides a selection of personal care ancillaries, including toilet lifters, height adjustable washbasins, hoists, changing benches and body driers. Details of Closomat’s assistive toilet care offerings, plus specification support, case studies, ‘how it works’ videos, technical drawings, and CAD blocks can be found on the company’s website (see below). PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Mastering gradients and floor formers Many important decisions must be taken when designing a wetroom floor so that the client ends up with the most effective drainage gradient. Shaun Hunt, Technical Manager at Impey Wetrooms, looks at the options and advises on product selection.

s the largest growth area in the bathroom marketplace, demand for wetrooms continues to escalate at 6-7% per year. According to the AMA Wetroom Market Report published in 2015, between 2015 and 2019 the market for wetrooms is forecast to increase by 34%, with hotels, health and leisure clubs, domestic refurbs, new build and healthcare settings all opting for a wetroom ahead of other showering solutions. A modern wetroom is an open-plan, levelaccess showering area with built in drainage. Instead of zoning the wet and dry areas of the bathroom (as is normal when installing a shower enclosure and tray), in a wetroom the whole room, including floor and walls, is waterproofed, with a gradient and drainage incorporated. Once complete it creates a spacious, easy-access showering area which is attractive as well highly functional, low maintenance and hard-wearing. A wetroom solution can be used in most showering locations including ground floors, upper floors, apartments, loft/attic conversions and even basements – provided that appropriate floor formers (and in some cases drainage options) are selected.

Floor formers The easiest and most efficient way to create an ideal drainage gradient (slope) for a wetroom is to use either a prefabricated floor former or a screed template. Depending on where in the property the wetroom is situated, your choice of wetroom will enable you to create the desired drainage gradient to guarantee the efficient expulsion of the waste water.

1. Prefabricated Wetroom floor-formers can be fitted quickly and easily to create an instant drainage gradient of 1:40. In conjunction with a totally level floor throughout the rest of the shower room, a prefabricated floor former will

Drainage options The drainage option you specify will depend on the location of the proposed showering area.

1. Gravity

Cut-away view of a wetroom, complete with underfloor heating and topped with ceramic tiles

guarantee that there is no pooling or standing water left after showering. It is important to choose a floor-former that can withstand heavy loads, because in some situations there may be more than one person on the wetroom floor at the same time. Designed to replace floor-boarding, the type of floor-formers available can be fitted directly onto structural joists. Floor-formers come in a large range of sizes, usually with drainage supplied, and some models can even be trimmed to suit your exact space requirements. By selecting an adaptable floor-former, which has a rotating drain-plate, like our AquaDec EasyFit, it will be simple to avoid joists or existing pipework without the need for under-boarding – saving time on the job and money for your client.

Opting for a strong and rigid floor former will give your client peace of mind. Load bearing capability varies from brand to brand, so check how your client will be using the wetroom. It may be relevant to ask if elderly or disabled family members or relatives may use the wetroom, and potentially shower in a wheelchair or with a carer. At just 22mm thick, the AquaDec is manufactured using high glass content SMC, and is capable of easily withstanding a load of 300kg (47 stone). Finally, aesthetics are import too. If your client wants to achieve a modern linear look in the wetroom, a linear wetroom floor former with a wide drainage aperture that can be placed close to and in line with the wall is highly desirable. Our Linear range of floor formers offer a sleek wide drainage aperture, which can incorporate an attractive stainless steel drain insert top, a contemporary glass insert or even a seamless tiled insert to match the rest of the shower space for a contemporary, minimalist look.

2. Screed template

The Aquagrade is Impey’s click-together matrix which helps create the right drainage gradient

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When installing a wetroom onto a concrete or new pour solid floor, a screed template which allows creation of the drainage gradient by hand-screeding is the most effective choice. A click-together ‘jigsaw’ system that can be placed directly onto the subfloor and has adjustable feet for easy installation on uneven surfaces is the ideal solution. Our AquaGrade system is a click-together matrix screed-template. Simply fill the template with a concrete screed mixture, then smooth over the profile of the matrix to create the perfect drainage gradient. Once the mix has dried, the chosen tiles or flooring can be laid.

By far the most popular and widely-used method of drainage for wetrooms is the twopart gully, as the system is adaptable and can be connected and tested before the floor former is installed. Provided as part of the floor former purchase when you buy an Impey floor former, twopart gullies can incorporate either horizontal or vertical waste pipes allowing for the configuration of pipework within the project. A choice of contemporary stainless steel drain covers is available to finish. Slimline waterless gullies are also available as an extra purchase for projects where space underneath the floor-former is at a premium, as they can be used to reduce the depth of the installation (usually when installing into a concrete floor). Used more in adapted shower room situations, a waterless gully cannot be fitted directly to a soil pipe, so can only be used when waste water flows straight into an open drain.

2. Pumped drainage When gravity drainage isn’t an option due to location or space, pumped drainage can be used to expel waste water into the drainage system. Pumped drainage options are available for systems that cannot incorporate gravity drainage, for example in basement wetrooms or for accessible ground floor bathroom adaptations where budgets for extra plumbing costs are often tight. A variety of pumped drainage systems are available, which combine a pumped gulley and a separate waste pump to suck the water away from the showering area. Modern pumped drainage is maintenance free, offers inbuilt flood reduction and quiet performance. In addition, the Dry-Deck 20 pumped drainage system available from Impey automatically adjusts to changes in flow rate, is virtually silent when running and incorporates flow sensors which monitor the water flow through the hot and cold pipes by transmitting a signal to the control unit.

Find out more If you’re an installer who is keen to learn more about wetroom installation, don’t miss the Impey ‘We Are Wetrooms’ Training Tour, which is visiting easy-access sporting venues around the UK throughout the year. Details of the remaining dates are available by searching for ‘Impey Training’ online or visit the ‘Training’ section of the Impey website. www.impeyshowers.com

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Solutions for independent living As people get older, even previously simple tasks can become problematic, but there is an increasing number of products that will enable them to retain a level of independence within the home. Michael Gray, Grohe UK Product Manager, highlights some of the solutions.

he bat hroom is par t icularly v ital to old age, as it is the room where people perhaps most want to be selfsufficient, to preserve dignity and save themselves from feelings of embarrassment. At the same time, it is an essential room in the home in order to maintain high self-hygiene levels. There are a number of ways that bathroom design can be structured to cope with the demands of ageing Michael Gray, Grohe UK with the aim of helping people remain in their homes for as long as possible. An important contribution to this objective is delivered by specifically designed and engineered products combining elevated levels of comfort, ergonomics, user safety and longevity. A sensible room layout and a forward-looking choice of decor are equally instrumental in maximising the user-friendliness of what remains the most private room of any home. When advising your customers on bathroom choices with the future in mind, think about spacing and product positioning. The room layout should avoid narrow access ways, provide sufficient turning space for wheelchairs and walkers, while placing basins and WCs in easily accessible spots – for example, a lower wall hung basin to allow access for wheelchair users. Cleverly placed grab bars in the toilet and shower area, plus a seat in the bath or shower, can help to give people confidence to use the bathroom independently. Products-wise, think about safety features, such as thermostatic shower controls to balance fluctuations in water temperature and pressure, as well as cool to the touch technology to ensure the outer surfaces of the

You do not have to compromise on style to design a functional bathroom, with grab rails, low hung basins and easy access

mixers remain a comfortable temperature and never get too hot. This helps to reduce the risk of scalding and, as the technology is hidden within the product, the customer can still enjoy the same stylish looks.

Taking control Product control is also an important factor to consider. Infrared touchless taps provide a great solution, as the water flow simply starts and stops when the sensor detects hand movement. They also often come with a timer which automatically stops the water flow after a desired length of time to reduce wastage. These taps are just entering the residential market, and therefore provide an on-trend solution for the multi-generational bathroom. For showers, push button control systems which simply start and stop the water by pushing a button provide straightforward use. Many products also allow the user to remember their favourite settings to avoid the process of re-setting the perfect temperature and strength of water flow each time.

Shower cubicle is safe and accessible The Kinemagic Serenity Plus from Saniflo is an all-in-one shower cubicle that has been designed to fit in the same space as a standard bath. It is particularly suitable for less mobile or older customers thanks to a magnetic handset holder that ‘sticks’ to any part of the shower rail, making it easier to handle for people with a weak grip. An integrated horizontal safety bar provides support along the middle section of the cubicle to provide extra security and peace of mind for those who need to hold on whilst moving along the shower. An additional durable grab bar is also placed at the entry of the cubicle on either the left or right-hand panel (depending on installation). Other safety features include an integrated cool-touch thermostatic shower control, a comfortable fold-down seat that takes up to 150kg, and anti-slip flooring. www.saniﬂo.co.uk

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In the WC area, a shower toilet provides a solution for the 4G bathroom with its natural, water-only cleansing process and its wide array of customisable functions. Shower toilets use advanced technologies to minimise maintenance and cleaning, offering a perfect combination of thorough body care, ultimate hygiene and personalised comfort. Once thought of as a niche luxury, shower toilets are becoming an increasingly popular choice in bathrooms. Our Sensia Arena shower toilet, for example, was launched in 2016 and has since gained 12 Design Awards, indicative of how functionality no longer compromises on style and design. As the population ages, it is more important than ever to provide offerings that meet the needs of older users. Through the variety of products available, installers should be able to provide their customers with a wide choice to best suit their lifestyle and needs, and to help them plan for the future by creating a stylish yet functional home suitable for all ages. www.grohe.co.uk

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DallFlex shower channels award winning designs from Europe's acknowledged leaders

Mirror on the wall To complement its wide selection of grab bars, shower seats and accessories, Delabie has added a new tilting mirror to its offering of products designed for people with reduced mobility. The mirror has a long ergonomic handle so that people in wheelchairs or in a seated position can easily reach the lever and adjust it as required. For additional comfort, it is possible to tilt the mirror up to 20 degrees. For maximum user safety, the mirror is made from toughened 6mm safety glass with rounded corners. www.delabie.co.uk

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Take better care Packs help to simplify speciﬁcation with new shower The new Omnicare range from Triton Showers is said to be the ideal solution for those in need of a shower which can be used comfortably and easily by all members of the family. The BEAB care approved shower offers the reassurance of thermostatic technology, which regulates water temperature to within +/-1°C and will cut out completely in the event of a loss of flow of the cold incoming supply. Triton’s Safe-set controls also allow a maximum temperature to be fixed, ensuring the heat will never exceed its specified setting. Audible feedback, tactile buttons and a grey contrast temperature dial give added support to those with visual and auditory impairments. Providing extra assistance to the less mobile, the dual purpose riser rail can withstand a load of up to

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150kg. An optional wired remote start/stop button is also available so the shower can be conveniently operated from outside the shower area. For ease of installation, Omnicare is compatible with both analogue and digital waste pumps, and there are multiple pipe and cable entry points. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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The latest Doc M packs from Armitage Shanks are designed to make it easier for specifiers and building managers to ensure their facilities fulfil Part M of the Building Regulations and satisfy the 2010 Equality Act. Working with industry professionals, the company has extended its range of Part M products which meet the stipulations of the Act, which requires that commercial and public buildings are entirely suitable for the use of disabled people. New to the Part M offering is an improved range of back-to-wall and wall-hung WC pan designs that offer a more modern and smoothsided aesthetic. It also features an improved TMV3-approved sequential thermostatic tap, which is said to be easier and safer to use. An example of the Doc M packs available is Peninsular Care, which provides a washroom solution for spaces where access for wheelchair

users and carers is required. The company says that each product manufactured for Part M compliance is tested above and beyond industry standards to ensure that items can handle weight stress and offer greater general durability. Each item within the packs is approved by Local Authority Building Control, meaning specifiers do not

have to worry that using any product could result in a dispute with their relevant planning authority. Tony Rheinberg, Senior Sector Marketing Manager at Armitage Shanks, says: “Our Doc M packs and our broad range of Part M products offer specifiers the perfect fit, whatever their application may be.

“In fact, we’re so confident in the products we create that we offer a lifetime guarantee on all ceramic items and a five year guarantee on our taps, mixers, toilet seats, stainless steel and cistern fittings.” The product range is supported by a new Part M brochure, which is available on IdealSpec, the Ideal Standard and Armitage Shanks online information hub and product data portal for specification and specifiers. Itemised packs, floorplans and guidance are available online and in print for single toilet facilities, multiple toilet facilities, hotel facilities, public shower facilities and washrooms. Ideal Standard also offers a dedicated CPD course, providing accredited training, workshops and events suitable for Continuing Professional Development – with a dedicated course on ‘Part M – Accessible Bathrooms in the Home’. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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How to keep tools safe and secure when working at height There may be times when you’re required to work at height, perhaps in challenging weather conditions, so it’s important to be aware of the danger from tools falling or being dropped. Mark Haywood, head of the Bahco tools team in the UK and Ireland, explains more.

Pouches and belts provide ﬂexible tool carrying solutions

s well as posing a major threat to fellow workers and to anyone simply passing by, dropped tools can also cause serious damage and downtime to vital systems and machinery. According to official figures more than one million British businesses and 10 million workers carry out jobs involving some form of work at height every year. The primary objective of the UK Health and Safety Executive’s legal requirements for working at height will always be the prevention of death or injury. Employers and anyone in control of any work at height activity is legally required to ensure that work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people.

Ground force A hand tool such as an adjustable wrench or spanner falling from height will accelerate to a speed of 80mph before it hits the ground. Its force of impact will be similar to that of a plunging domestic washing machine. Within the tool manufacturing sector, 200 industry organisations are addressing the problem through their support for a global awareness and training programme called DROPS, the Dropped Object Prevention Scheme. Its members consider all aspects of how the prevention of dropped objects can be improved, sharing their findings across the industry by building awareness and recommending best practice techniques. All tools and equipment likely to be used at height should be approved according to DROPS practices. Each safety solution for each type of tool is required to meet international standards, and it should not be possible to disassemble the tools. No responsible trade professional wants to work at height, with all its challenges, without knowing they can rely totally on their safety equipment to protect both themselves and others working below them, as well as safeguarding systems and machinery from damage. We follow an extensive research, development and quality management programme which has resulted in

Securely tethering tools minimises the risk of them being dropped from height

advanced design, manufacturing, testing and operating procedures covering safety and dropped object prevention.

Put to the test At Bahco we’ve pioneered anti-drop solutions, working in partnership with the most demanding users, including wind turbine technicians and industrial climbers, to understand exactly what functionality is required. The result is a wide range of tools which incorporate fixings to enable hand and power tools to be securely tethered to lanyards, bags, pouches and belts. This is not only ideal for using tools but also provides secure tool transportation to the workplace. Fixings include safety chucks, Kevlar strings or Dyneema strings for screwdrivers, spring connections for wrenches, loops, eye bolts, shackles and safety pins for pliers, hammers and other tools. Retractable lanyards must be certified to meet international standards. They should be quality tested in both static and dynamic tests in conditions more rigorous and demanding than any likely to be encountered. Lanyards should have universal

attachments for tools which do not have any integrated attachment point. They also need individual tracking numbers, maximum tool weight sewin warning tags and user manuals. Several types of lanyard are available, including carabiner, fixed loop, exchangeable loop, retractable and wrist lanyards. The carabiner lanyard (pictured, left), manufactured in high tenacity polyester, fully extends to 120cm and can hold up to 3kg maximum tool weight (3 daN). Its carabiners are nonremovable, and a high strength webbing and self-retracting inner coil jointly absorb shock.

Hands free Any climbing operation is safer using both hands, so backpacks that allow users to move freely without carrying their tools or tool bag are strongly recommended. They should incorporate adjustable length shoulder straps and quick release attachments for added security. Tool pouches and belts provide flexible solutions with rings to attach lanyards and hooks to hold tools in loose connectors. Multiple inner compartments offer tool organisation, while quick-access external pockets include one to hold a socket set and another for a water bottle. Adjustable chest and shoulder safety straps provide maximum comfort. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Installer’s review of Bosch tools Chris Flaherty, owner of Vietec Heating based in Sittingbourne, Kent, took on the challenge to test out a combi drill and laser level in Bosch Professional’s range of connected tools. Here, he explains how the experience turned him into a Bosch tools convert.

recently had the opportunity to test out some of the tools in the Bosch professional range: the GSB 18V-60C cordless combi drill and GCL 2-50 laser level, part of Bosch’s connected tools. To be honest, I don’t usually use Bosch tools – rightly or wrongly I have taken them as a bit DIY, but on delivery and unpacking of the new tools, straightaway my Chris Flaherty, Vietec attitude changed. The tools are stored in a quality L-Boxx stacking case, a well-made product that also allows interlocking of the box to other L-Boxx cases of the same size. This saves space in the van as the boxes can be stacked, and because they interlock they stay in place while in transit. It also makes life easier taking the tools onto site, as multiple tools can be carried at once.

Quality in hand As for the tools themselves, starting with the GSB 18V-60C, this drill feels quality in hand, nicely balanced, and comfortable to hold. The construction is solid and feels like it can take daily abuse on building sites. The same holds true with the GCL 2-50 laser level. It has a solid construction with rubber surround, and again it feels like it can easily withstand daily site use. Both tools charged fairly quickly. They only came with one battery, so a second one would be useful, although run time after charging is very good. Downtime for charging is especially minimal with the laser level. Both these tools have integrated Bluetooth, which interacts with the free-to-download Bosch ToolBox app. There are a number of benefits to having ‘connected tools’. Firstly, you can easily register your tool with Bosch via the app. Another useful feature is the ability to personalise a tool by adjusting settings such as kick back control and precision clutch.

Chris was especially impressed with Bosch Professional’s GSB 18V-60C combi drill, which he pushed to the limit in a wide range of materials and uses

Tracking tools You can receive alerts and warnings on motor, battery and electronics and it also lets you monitor battery levels and interact with equipment (for example, altering a floodlight’s angle). Having a connected tool also lets you track tool usage (for example runtime and sensor activations). All this can be recorded in the log data. I am hoping that the technology will one day include security for the tools, something that in the event of theft lets you either trace the tool or deactivate it, as tool security is a hot topic right now. But I expect Bosch will be adding more features to the app in the future. I see this technology as increasingly useful, especially if it can include security as a game-changer to how we use and interact with our tools.

Laser level The GCL 2-50 laser level is now my primary laser level. It gives the option of either a bracket that can be screwed to the wall, which can give good slide action interlock for the laser so it is well secured. The base rotates, allowing me to move the laser

180º freely to my needs. It also has an adjustment knob that allows small adjustment to the height in small increments so that you can be accurate to the level you require the laser line. It also comes with a clamp bracket, so you can clamp the unit to ceiling grids and other out-of-the way places. The laser also has the facility for a laser stand, which does not come with the unit. All round I found the laser level good to use – clear, easy-to-see laser lines both vertical and horizontal, and the app allows me to change from vertical, horizontal, or both remotely. This means I do not have to touch the unit and possibly move it from its position. The unit has its own carry case within the L-Boxx case, which helps keep it clean and protected within the storage box.

Drilling with confidence The GSB 18V-60C Compact Combi Drill – I am really impressed with this tool, and not having been a Bosch fan for tools, this has really changed my opinion. The drill is comfortable to hold during use, it feels robust and well-made, it has a quick release chuck and a built-in LED light, which is always useful when working in dimly lit areas. This drill is compact, so even with flat wood, bits fit between joists for drilling. It has hammer action so it can be used for all drilling without the need for a second drill on the job. It has become our main cordless. Even my other plumber much prefers to use this cordless and will always get it out from the van over the other options of cordless drills in there. As with most installers out there we tend to push our drills to the limit, often going beyond what they are intended to do. We have used the drill to bore holes in timber beyond the maximum stating size limit and had no problems. We have used it with a mixing paddle to make self-levelling screed for UFH systems. The drill has been dropped, bashed, kicked and generally abused and yet has not shown any sign of wear. It still powers through with drilling holes in joists for pipes. As a cordless screwdriver it manages endless screws before needing charging, and the hammer action allows drilling into brickwork for plugs. And then with a quick switch of attachment to a screwdriver head, screw the item to the wall, thus simplifying the task with minimal tools. I am now a Bosch Professional tool convert. I have already bought a Bosch 110v multitool which also has the L-Boxx, so carrying them to site is simple, and I will be looking to extend my range of Bosch’s connectivity tools, as I feel this will help manage my tools better. I feel it is the way to futureproof my cordless range of tools, as they are my livelihood. Chris Flaherty, EngTech, is a gas engineer with 34 years of experience and is owner of Vietec Heating. Connect with Chris on Twitter @VietecHeating or LinkedIn. www.bosch-professional.co.uk

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The GCL 2-50 laser level is highly versatile and goes anywhere

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Don’t cut corners on tool quality When it comes to buying new tools it can be easy to be tempted by low prices, but this could be a false economy, argues John Dabb, Sales and Marketing Director at Hyde.

here isn’t a lot of difference between hand tools, right? Wrong! Placing importance on selecting quality tools when you’re replacing items or kitting out a new apprentice will pay you back in spades in the long term. Don’t be seduced by packaging – looks should be the least of your considerations – and it’s definitely not just about spending money for the sake of it. It’s about ensuring the tools you select will be fit for purpose for many years to come. Of course, it can be easy to be seduced by price, after all how different can they be? But cheaper tools aren’t likely to stand the test of time and will see you in the market for a replacement much quicker than you anticipated. When you consider the wear and tear hand tools go through in a typical working week – drops from heights, or falling from your toolbelt – the importance of buying hand tools that won’t fall

to get a comfortable grip on tools like screwdrivers and pliers. Improved ergonomics can also mean improved efficiency, as there will be less need to down tools while you take a break to rest your hands.

Up to the test

For extra peace of mind for professional installers, Stabila spirit levels are guaranteed for 10 years

apart easily soon becomes clear. Your tools should be something that you can just take for granted – you certainly don’t want to be worrying about treating them with kid gloves.

Accuracy counts A quality manufacturer of hand tools will have longevity, ease of use and accuracy firmly in mind in manufacturing. Spirit levels are a prime example. With cheaper models, the vial is often held in by glue, making it prone to moving or even falling out completely

when it is dropped, but with Stabila spirit levels the vial is moulded into the surround. They also feature a large viewing window rather than a magnifier, which can leave ghost images of the bubble and lead to inaccuracies when marking out. Ergonomics is another prime consideration, with cheaper tools often uncomfortable to use, particularly over prolonged periods. A few extra pounds and you could cut down on the number of blisters on your hands and suffer from less cramping, as you’ll be able

Stabila spirit levels come with a vial that is moulded in place

So what price would you put on your health? Hand tools that have undergone rigorous testing to conform to all the relevant safety standards are proven to be better for an installer’s health, and there really isn’t a price that can be put on that. The cheaper the tool, the less likely it is that it will have been subject to any level of innovation, as the research and development cash will have dried up long before production. So, don’t be tempted by the price tag when choosing new hand tools – consider instead guarantees of safety and longevity. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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D30 – the revolution in knee protection A new flexible and durable material means that more plumbers can benefit from longlasting knee protection. David Clark, MD of the Hultafors Group UK, explains more. Knee injuries are commonplace among plumbers. Pain from sore and swollen knee joints is a perennial problem and highly aggravating, but prevention is far easier than cure. The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body and there are different types injuries that are of particular concern to anyone who works on their knees. The most common is probably ‘housemaid’s knee’ or bursitis, which is caused by kneeling for long periods of time or by repetitive knee movements such as crouching down and standing up. Fluid builds up in the bursa - which is the sack of fluid that cushions the knee joints – causing swelling, soreness and stiffness in the joint.

Padded protection So what is the answer? There have been various types of knee guards over the years. Strap-on pads that cut into the back of your knees, foam rubber mats and basic protection. But effective protection really only comes from a kneeguard system that has

high sides to prevent your knees from sliding off the kneepads, making them more flexible when you walk, while closing around your knees when you kneel down.

Advanced material been thoroughly researched, tested and manufactured using materials that perform to the highest standard day in, day out. The most effective kneepads have to work efficiently and in tandem with the work trousers they’re used with, staying in precisely the right position to ensure reliable knee protection. Properly designed kneepad pockets should include special seams that allow you to adjust your kneepads into different positions to ensure superior knee protection. Effective kneepads should feature a hard-wearing material on the outside edges and softer materials in the centre to combine efficient pressure distribution and protection against sharp and rough objects. The design should also feature

There are cheap alternatives available, but it will come as no surprise that they offer no guarantee of comfort or protection. By contrast, the latest advances in knee protection, which use new materials, have taken technology to a completely new level. D30 is an active rubbery material comprising molecules which ‘flow’ with you as you move. On shock they lock together to absorb the impact energy to provide high-frequency protection. The durable material also features an extremely slow compression rate, ensuring that the kneepads keep their shape during hard work and over a long period of time. So, when you work a lot on your knees, this material will give you by far the best long lasting knee protection available. www.snickersworkwear.co.uk ENQUIRY No.

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54 TOOLS & Workwear High visibility in Making the cut reflective jacket Wakefield is the name of a new jacket from Dickies that is capable of transforming its appearance in low light conditions. Offering high visibility in winter months, the jacket also maintains a stylish look. The Wakefield appears just like a typical soft shell jacket, but becomes reflective in environments with poor lighting. Grey in colour and with black detailing, the jacket is easy to coordinate with other items in Dickies’ range, helping to create a modern, professional finish. “We know from our own market research that tradesmen are taking more pride in their appearance, so we’re increasingly looking for workwear solutions that offer a smart, contemporary look, without compromising on practicality or safety,” says James Whitaker, Marketing Director.

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Precision cutting and control are the defining characteristics of Hultafors’ newest range of hand saws. To complement the established HBX and HBS saws, there’s a new line of cutting and sawing tools that include bow saws, general purpose short hand saws, hack saws, a jab saw, a concrete saw, plus a Japanese Ryoba saw which is suitable for the fine cuts made with minimal force. The blade tips enable an easier start and ongoing sawing motion control, and stable precision blades make sawing easier and more precise. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No. www.hultafors.co.uk 148

One handed clamp Designed for use with the One-hand Clamp PRO, Wolfcraft’s edge clamps are a tooling accessory for holding edging strips or veneers firmly in place for gluing or attachment. The clamp allows closing and opening of the jaws with one hand and has a quick release button. The tool is suitable for point clamping on a surface such as the profile of a cupboard door. It is available from Brian Hyde.

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Say goodbye to disposable overshoes Breathable, with waterproof fabric and an adjustable hood, the jacket is ideal for outdoor work. Further practical benefits include an inside pocket, adjustable cuffs and internal hem adjusters. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Banish the use of disposable overshoes with Yuleys, an environmentally friendly alternative that can be used again and again. Typical disposable overshoes can be slippery and expensive, and after one use, millions of pairs are discarded each day for an eternity in landfill. Yuleys overshoes are designed to be simple, hands-free, slip-on/slip-off reusable work boot and shoe covers, providing greater traction while protecting floors. With solid rubber construction, Yuleys can be cleaned with warm water for years of use, and are completely recyclable. The rubber overshoes are designed to fit conveniently and quickly over safety footwear and the hands-free design means they can be slipped on and off without having to bend over. Once on, a heel-lock system keeps them firmly on the feet, and a slip-reducing tread provides stability. fortressdistribution.co.uk/yuleys

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TOOLS & Workwear 55 Light and compact Getting under your feet reciprocating saw Performance insole specialist SOLE, a familiar brand to many athletes and fitness fans, has now produced the Work Footbed, specifically for work boots, rubber boots or safety shoes. The new footbeds, designed for use by professional tradespeople, are built to endure long

days of high impact while retaining cushioning and support over the long haul. Treated with anti-odour technology to keep feet fresh, the Work Medium footbed provides increased arch flexibility and 1.6mm of high-resilience cushioning for all-day use.

The supportive high arch, metatarsal pad, and deep heel cup are designed to promote the foot’s natural alignment and effectively reduce discomfort caused by common orthopaedic conditions. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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Lock mechanism has the cutting edge The new Makita DJR188Z 18V Brushless LXT Reciprocating Saw will run up to 3000spm, and with a maximum stroke of 20mm, it provides a cutting capacity of 255mm in wood and 130mm in pipe. The compact and lightweight saw (just 2.9 kg) features a tool-less blade clamp, fixed shoe, variable speed trigger, constant speed control dial, and convenient LED job light. The body housing has a full rubber protection wrap, and the ergonomically designed rear D handle provides full protection for the user. For additional safety, the reciprocating saw also has an electric brake and a lock-off button. A wide range of blades is available in the Makita accessory range. www.makitauk.com

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Starlock is a joint venture between Fein and Bosch which is designed to enable tool users to quickly change over accessories. The star mechanism holds the blade accessory at multiple points for extra security and can be fitted to most multi-tools. Popular blades for use by professional trades include the 157, a fine toothed bimetal blade that will cut sheet metal, delivering precise and thin cuts into material up to 2mm thick, including aluminium profiles and copper pipes.

The 223 saw blade is a universal blade with cutting properties similar to a hacksaw that will cut metal, wood, plastics and

plasterboard (but not screws or masonry). Precision blades provide a shorter blade with strong teeth designed to make

cuts in stronger materials. The 205 is a straight-edged blade with a width of 35mm, while the 225 blade provides curvature on the end of the blade with a greater width of 65mm. The 118 is a cost effective segmented blade for the removal of grout in-between tiles, with a diameter of 75mm, while the 80mm rasp is ideal for rough sanding or the rasping of fillers, tile adhesive, old paint, concrete, stone, and wood. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

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56 TOOLS & Workwear Fastening tool is Good grip in tight spaces faster and quieter For better gripping, holding, pressing and bending with no damage to components and no unintentional shifting, the Knipex Pliers Wrench ‘Bent’ is said to be a worthy addition to any plumber’s toolbox. The wrench’s smooth jaws and zero backlash jaw pressure should mean damage free installation of plated fittings and no impairment to sensitive mechanisms. The 15° angled handle provides space for counter screw connections and working directly in front of a wall and

the parallel jaws and lever transmission provides a tight, solid grip. At the push of a button, the tightening can be adjusted directly on the workpiece, while the ratchet type principle allows quick and easy tightening and release of all bolted connections The Knipex Pliers Wrench Bent is made of chrome vanadium electric steel, which has been forged and oilhardened, for added strength and durability. www.knipex.com

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Long lasting power found at the core The latest generation of the BX 3 battery powered directfastening tool has been launched by Hilti. The BX 3 02 has been adapted for faster and quieter operations for interior finishing. The propellant-free cordless tool weighs 4kg and is powered by 22V batteries, allowing it to fix up to 800 nails on a single charge. The magazine contains 30 nails and gives both a visual and audible alert when empty. Its advancements deliver lower recoil and minimal noise, making it compliant with HSE guidance. The BX 3 02 comes with Hilti Connect, a tool management app which connects to a smartphone or mobile device. It provides instant access to data, including tool type, serial number, activity tracking, ownership, warranty, service and repair schedules, and how-to videos. www.hilti.co.uk

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Claimed to deliver more power in a compact size, the ProCore 18V 7.0Ah high-performance battery from Bosch Professional offers approximately 90% more power than the previous 18V 6.0Ah battery. This power increase is thanks to an improved cell design and measures taken to minimise internal resistances. At the same time, the ProCore 18V 7.0Ah is compact, with approximately 30% smaller dimensions than comparable high-performance batteries. Bosch says these qualities mean it offers the highest energy density in its class. The new ProCore battery is part of

the Flexible Power System from Bosch. The advantage of this system is that it enables those who buy a battery from Bosch to use it immediately without having to worry about whether it is compatible. The Flexible Power System guarantees compatibility with all

new and existing professional power tools and chargers within the same voltage class. That means greater productivity for professionals in everyday working situations. The company says that CoolPack technology also helps to prolong battery life compared to a conventional battery by dissipating heat from the inside out. This cooling feature means that the battery can be charged very quickly. A five-level LED display enables users to keep the charge level of the battery under control at all times. bosch-professional.com/gb/en ENQUIRY No.

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Dynamic duo in a drill and driver kit With the launch of a new twin pack, Hitachi offers a combi drill and impact driver in one kit. The KC18DGL(S)/JF 18V 5.0Ah Twin Pack includes both the drill and driver, plus two 5.0Ah Liion batteries and a UC18YFSL charger – all in one robust carrying case. Weighing in at

1.6kg, the DV18DGAL combi drill packs a punch with an impressive maximum tightening torque of 70Nm (hard). It can drill 13mm into brick and steel and 38mm into wood. The WH18DGL impact driver weighs 1.4kg and has maximum tightening torque of 145Nm (hard) and comes with a 6.35mm (1/4in) hex bit holder. The Twin Pack comes with a three year warranty. hitachi-powertools.co.uk

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Ensuring safety underfoot Prioritising comfort, stability, breathability and durability, the Black Eagle Safety 54 shoe range from Haix exceeds the EN ISO 20345:2011 safety standard, achieving S3 certification through exceptional safety features. Flexible, lightweight and puncture resistant soles have a rubber antislip outsole suitable for different terrains, ensuring wearers are protected against hazards such as slips, trips or falls. ENQUIRY

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Composite toe caps made from fibre-reinforced materials provide further protection from injuries that could involve the toes. The shoe also has electrostatic discharge protection to provide safety

when there is a risk of being exposed to electrostatic charge. The three layer Gore-Tex Extended Comfort laminate is waterproof and breathable, ensuring no water penetration. Insoles are also comfortable, cushioned, moisture repellent and antibacterial, designed with airflow channels that allow air to be circulated around the shoe, maintaining comfort in different climates. PHAM ENQUIRY No.

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sseal eal with with adaptor ad r 8 5 r 85 w ashing washing m achine n machine trap 7 5mm seal sea 75mm r 8 5 r 85 TJOL ttrap rap â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tubular tu sswivel wivel trap trap r 8 5 r 85 TJOL ttrap rap â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ttubular ubular swivel swivel trap trap P r 85 TJOL USBQ m UVCVMBS r 85 TJOL USBQ m UVCVMBS sswivel wivel trap trap S r 81 CPUUMF USBQ r 81 CPUUMF USBQ r 8 5 NN MPX MFWFM r 85 NN MPX MFWFM b ath ttrap rap bath 10% o ver y p urchase o 10% off e every purchase off UUIF 81 #PUUMF 5SBQ XJMM CF IF 81 #PUUMF 5SBQ XJMM CF d onatted tto oP olypipeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s c hosen donated Polypipeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chosen c har it y p artner, Help Help for for charity partner, H eroes. Heroes. PHAM P HAM N NEWS EW S E ENQUIRY NQUIRY N No. o.

polypipe.com/overandabove p olypipe.com/o overandabove

ENQUIRY

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March 2018

What’s New

Easy-fill will help Cupboard love for kickspace heating reduce call outs As part of a refresh to its Platinum Combi boiler range, Baxi has introduced the EasyFill permanent filling link. It has been designed to make it quicker and simpler for householders to top up the system pressure, without having to call out their installer. Easy-fill is a spring loaded single lever which will replace the rigid filling link that currently comes with the boiler. Easy to identify and straightforward to use, all homeowners need to do is hold down the green springloaded lever and wait until the needle of their pressure gauge reaches the green area. Baxi says that it has introduced this new feature because it receives around 5000 warranty calls a year from customers who only need to repressurise their system but don’t know how. The company anticipates this simple solution will lead to fewer calls, which is good

The Kickspace range from Myson has been expanded with the introduction of the low-height Kickspace 80S and 80D. These hydronic models fit perfectly in 80mm deep kitchen plinths, ensuring ease of installation in European-style kitchens. The new 80S and 80D prov ide a space sav ing heat ing solut ion for

for both Baxi and installers. Temporary filling loops should be installed for commissioning the boiler only and then removed. However, Easy-Fill is fully WRAS approved to be left connected after use. The new Easy-Fill part will also be available to purchase as a spare, and can be fitted to most Baxi boilers retrospectively. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.baxi.co.uk

163

To update its Professional Showerlite Fan Kit, Manrose has added an energy saving LED lamp to the range, which uses 3W of energy compared to standard dichroic lamps which use 20W. The fan kit is quiet as well as offering safe and low energy illumination. Incorporating seven pieces of ventilation equipment, the kit includes: an in-line mixed flow fan; LED Showerlite; additional inlet; flexible PVC ducting; PVC t-piece: internal grille; external wall grille; and safety extra low voltage (SELV) transformer. It therefore includes everything required to provide an effective way to extend the ventilation in bathrooms or other areas in a house.

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PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.myson.co.uk

164

different directional airflows. Noise is reduced by the cassette’s new airflow structure, with six-speed ‘multistep’ fan operation. Fujitsu has also added the compact Airstage Floor,

which benefits from two fans and wider vertical airflows, and wall mounted units with increased capacities. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

fujitsu-general.com/uk

and varies the temperature. After being powered down, the Vector continues to heat a room for up to 30 minutes. The heater’s extended heating elements create a deep, even heat that radiates out from the aluminium exterior panel, while cool air is drawn in at floor level and fed upwards by a chimney effect to convect out as warm air via the distinctive finned grill at the top of the unit.

166

With a maximum output of 2kW, the Vector will easily heat a family room and maintain a comfortable temperature for several hours without overheating. Weighing 16kg, the Vector is easy to move to wherever an additional heat source is needed, such as spare rooms, home offices, loft and attic spaces, and conservatories. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.esse.com

The Showerlite fan has an attractive chrome finish and provides a rich warm glow of soft light. This high performance in-line mixed flow fan

offers an extraction rate of 245m3/hr, 68 litres/s, exceeding Building Regulations. The 12V unit can be safely installed within the splash area of a shower or bath, as it is a sealed unit for total IP waterproof protection. Offering installation flexibility, the 125mm/5in Showerlite is suited for use in retrofit projects. A bracket is included for installation in the roof and a long length of 100mm/4in flexible PVC ducting (10m) is included as standard. The fan extracts through an egg crate wall grille which fits into the external soffit, and the circular internal white grille has an unobtrusive design. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.manrose.co.uk

165

Fighting the troubled waters

Portable electric heater has plug and play convenience Known for its expertise in wood-burning stoves, Esse has revealed its latest product, an electric heater designed and built in Britain. The Vector is fabricated from premium grade extruded sheet aluminium and requires no installation or maintenance. It can be used in any room with a 13amp socket and is silent and draught-free. A single top-mounted dial switches the power on or off

coffee machines and kettles. The 80S and 80D are available in either single or double width models for extra output and have rapid heat-up times due to the high

Spotlighting the showering space

AC units have it covered Airstage is the name of Fujitsu’s new range of indoor units designed for its VRF air conditioning systems. The Airstage Circular Flow Cassette offers 360° coverage thanks to new corner airflow paths combined with a high performance DC motor, turbo fan and a seamless airflow louvre design. Each louvre can be set individually via Fujitsu’s Touch Panel Remote Controller to provide

kitchens where vital wall space is often taken up by a traditional radiator. This results in additional worktop space, which gives added scope for items such as

surface area heat exchanger. They come with a two year manufacturer’s warranty and have a range of accessories available, including additional grilles in a range of colours and a remote thermostat and wall switch, which gives the user added control.

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With its background in developing chemicals for ACR engineers, Advanced Engineering has turned its attention to heating with the launch of the three-product SafeGarde range. The SafeGarde SG1 system cleaner and flusher is suitable for both newly installed and existing systems. Highly effective at removing debris, sludge and scale, a typical domestic system takes less than 60 minutes, with or without a powerflush machine.

The SafeGarde SG2 multi-metal corrosion inhibitor protects high-value components against limescale and corrosion. It will help to extend the life of a new or existing system and also help to ensure that it continues to perform at maximum efficiency. Designed to break down magnetite sludge, the boiler-noise eliminating SG3 is safe to leave in a system for up to 14 days. Because it is effective at neutralising and removing corrosion deposits – including sludge, flux, debris, oils and grease – it is said to improve heat transfer, too. advancedengineering.co.uk ENQUIRY No. 167

If this, then that Drayton’s Wiser range of smart heating controls now has its own channel on ‘If This Then That’ (IFTTT), the Internet of Things platform. This service combines two basic elements – a trigger (‘If This’) and an action (‘Then That’). The IFTTT compatibility enables geofencing linked with the system’s Eco Mode. For example, homeowners can integrate Wiser with an app such as Life 360 to set up a command that says, ‘when the last family member leaves the house, activate Away Mode.’ To connect, users set-up a free account with IFTTT, link the Wiser account with IFTTT, then visit the Wiser Heat channel to start using it. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No. wiser.draytoncontrols.co.uk 169

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March 2018

What’s New Simplifying the valve line-up In a move to streamline its range of hydraul ic f lush control valves, Cistermiser is withdrawing the High Sensitivity Low Pressure (HSLP) valve. Cistermiser will continue to supply the Standard (STD) and Low Pressure (LP) valves, which are colourcoded blue and green respectively. Marketing Manager Mark Schlotel says: “Three now becomes two for our hydraulic valve range. We will be discontinuing the HSLP valve from 1st June, with only a modest stock retained at our premises in Woodley, Reading,

to cater for essential spares requirements. “The HSLP is a longestablished product in our catalogue, but the IRC2 infrared urinal flushing control has become the solution of choice for high sensitivity low pressure applications. Our trade merchant partners readily stock the IRC2, so they can recommend this product to installers alongside our STD and LP hydraulic valves for future projects to offer a complete range of solutions.” www.cistermiser.co.uk

ENQUIRY No.

170

Showering in the pentagon The Design Solutions range has been expanded by Aqata to include the new DS500 Quintet. The fivesided shower enclosure fits into corners, providing a contemporary design as well as maximising floor area to create a feeling of more space. Measuring 2010mm in height and made from 10mm frameless glass, the DS500 is available in two sizes: 900x900mm and 1200x900mm. Continuous clear seals fit seamlessly between the glass and the hinges, and the frameless glass door has positive magnetic closing for watertight showering. The DS500 can be installed directly onto a tiled wetroom floor or onto

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Some like it hot! A chance to win a stylish steaming hot water tap! Abode is giving one lucky reader a chance to win a steaming hot water tap from its new range of mixer taps, the PRONTEAU 3in1

Copper-bottomed The idea of a tap that can deliver steaming hot water on demand is an easy sell to customers who want to take up their abode with style. Abode’s new range of mixer taps, the Pronteau 3in1, not only offers all the benefits of a standard kitchen mixer but has the addition of steaming hot filtered water available instantly at 98º, which is perfect for any home or small office, all contained in one beautifully designed tap. The filter ensures that water hardness is reduced, removes odours and bad tastes, and extends the life of the small boiler, which comes complete with the tap. One winner will receive the Pronteau 3in1 steaming hot water tap in the Prostream neck style in Urban Copper, worth £849.

THE PRIZE: Pronteau 3in1 with Prostream neck

Sleek style

a low level coordinating shower tray. As part of the new Design Solutions offering, colour wall fixings are available in gold, polished nickel and

brushed nickel finishes as an alternative to chrome, providing greater choice and design flexibility. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.aqata.co.uk

171

Flow regulating ball valve helps reduce water wastage The Calflow flow regulating ball valve from Altecnic is designed to make homes and other buildings more environmentally friendly by minimising water wastage. This is achieved by combining a ball isolating valve and an automatic flow regulating valve into one valve body, which maintains a constant flow of water to an individual outlet – such as a tap, mixer, shower or thermostatic mixing valve. Using a pre-selected and easily inserted automatic flow cartridge, the Calflow offers a number of benefits when used with hot, cold and mixed water supply

COMPETITION

pipes. These include being able to isolate outlet fittings for maintenance purposes and preventing overflow by

ensuring a continuous and constant flow of water at the desired flow rate. This also ensures customers are

protected from splashback caused by high-pressure water when turning on a tap. The Calflow is available in 15 and 22mm versions and with a nickel-plated brass body. The valve features PTFE seals, the ball itself is hard chrome plated, and the cartridge is made of high resistance polymer to withstand a wide range of temperatures. Installing the Calflow ball valve is easy, with just two compression joints to make. It can cope with flow rates from between 4 and 18 litres a minute PHAM ENQUIRY No.

www.altecnic.co.uk

172

Prostyle neck spout

There are two styles of tap, each made of solid brass construction, featuring an insulated spout for extra safety, which is 360º rotational for ease of use. The Prostream has a distinctive swan neck spout and Prostyle features a quad style spout. Both come in five exciting finishes – Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Graphite, Matt Black and Urban Copper. The taps are based on the nation’s favourite tap design and will complement any kitchen environment. They can be retrospectively fitted as a replacement tap and are ideal for new build or refurbishment projects. The Pronteau 3in1 comes complete in one box, which includes the tap, boiler and everything required for a quick and simple installation.

How to Enter Entering the competition is easy and doesn’t even cost the price of a stamp. Simply read the question below and then write your answer on the freepost reader enquiry and registration card inside this month’s issue. So, for example, if you think the answer is ‘Profile’, you should write 101 on the card. Only one entry will be allowed per person and the winner will be drawn from all the correct entries received before the closing date of 6th April 2018.

Which of the following is NOT a neck style of the Pronteau 3in1? Profile.........101

Prostream.....102

Prostyle........103

Find Out More For more information on the full range of Pronteau taps, visit: www.pronteau.co.uk. To explore the range of Abode’s designs for kitchens and bathrooms, visit the website below.

www.abodedesigns.co.uk

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March 2018

60 WHAT’S New Prevent unpleasant smells

Supporting warm air technology Responding to concerns from social housing providers, Johnson & Starley has announced that the guarantee period for its Economaire and Hi-Spec heaters has been extended from one to three years. Although changes to regulations mean that these products will not be sold after 26th September this year, the company has also reiterated its commitment to keeping spare parts for a minimum of 10 years after production has ceased. The company will continue to promote its WarmCair condensing heaters, which

now come with a five year guarantee, and its QuanTec range of boilers that can connect to the Aquair warm air heat emitters. These come with extended guarantees of eight years for QuanTec boilers and five years for the Aquair range (pictured). “These units are highly efficient, giving significant savings on running costs and meeting all future Ecodesign regulations, future proofing our market leading products and giving warm air a strong footing for the coming years,” says Ann Chinsang, Marketing Manager.

PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.johnsonandstarley.co.uk

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Offering an effective way to deal with unpleasant drainage smells, the TrapVent from Studor combines a water trap with an air admittance valve (AAV). It protects the water trap seal between the drainage system and a room and can easily be retrofitted to an existing bathroom. Combining a trap with a 50mm water seal and an integral AAV, it reduces the need for secondary ventilating in small fixture groups and replaces conventional S traps and P traps. The Trap-Vent is also suitable for small group venting in, for example,

hotels, care homes and hospitals, and for installation in environments where aesthetics is of high importance. It is height adjustable for

fully flexible installation, has integrated self-cleaning, and comes with a lifetime guarantee. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.studor.net

174

Installer pack offers full protection Wall-mounted R32 range introduced

Said to deliver complete protection against corrosion, limescale build-up, and system breakdown, the new TF1 Omega Filter Installer Pack from Fernox includes the company’s nickel-plated brass filter, plus a chemical cleaner, Cleaner F3, and Protector F1 inhibitor, each in 500ml containers. The pack will also be available with either quality valves or a slip socket connection. Removing system debris such as sludge and scale, Cleaner F3 is a non-foaming chemical cleaner, which means that it is quicker to

remove from the system than other cleaners, thereby reducing the time required on-site. Once clean, the system can then be inhibited

using the tried-andtested Protector F1 500ml. Combining three types of inhibitor particles, the solution protects the system

from future corrosion by forming protective barriers between the system metals and water. Global Marketing Director Francine Wickham says: “Saving installers the trouble of having to purchase several products, the new installer pack offers an all-in-one solution to protecting a central heating system. The filter can be installed with either 22mm valves or a 22mm slip socket connection, which means we can cater for all installer preferences.” PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.fernox.com

175

Dealing with damp Damp and waterproofing specialist Safeguard Europe has created a compact kit form of its Drybase range, ideal for tackling smaller areas of hard-to-treat damp, or as a handy ‘on the van’ option for instant use. A collection of dampproof coverings, coatings and membranes, the Drybase range provides solutions to a wide range of dampness issues. The

ENQUIRY

348

kit form simply comprises a 3m roll of Drybase Flex Membrane and a 10kg bag of Drybase Flex Adhesive – just the right amount to fix the membrane provided. The fleece-lined membrane can be quickly and easily applied to walls using the specially formulated adhesive. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.safeguardeurope.com

176

The new MSZ-AP range of wall-mounted units, blending energy efficiency with a modern, white design, is the latest R32 solution from Mitsubishi Electric. All units operate with R32 refrigerant, which has a much lower global warming potential (GWP) than R410A. The 2.5, 3.5 and 5kW models are rated either A+++ or A++ and are said to boast industry-leading low noise levels and a built-in wifi interface. “These three new models give even more choice for installers and make R32 available for even more situations,” explains Carl Dickinson, product specialist for the company. “We are looking to make it as easy as possible for the industry to transition away from existing refrigerants so that everyone can play their part in delivering energy efficiency in ways that minimise the impact on the environment.

“The price of R410A is also rising significantly month by month, so we want to ensure that both customers and installers not only have an alternative, but also get the added benefit of increased performance and advanced controls,” adds Dickinson. The built in wifi interface within the MSZ-AP range enables the full control and monitoring via the company’s MELCloud app, delivering remote control and interrogation of any system. The units include double vanes to distribute airflow evenly throughout the room and offer weekly timers as standard to provide greater control of scheduling “These new models also incorporate our Replace Technology, which means that in many cases they can be swopped for older systems utilising existing pipework,” says Dickinson. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.timeforr32.co.uk

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March 2018

WHat’s New

Advertorial

TECHNICAL Tips

Servo ceramic valve for BOILER PLUS – WHAT tank management system YOU NEED TO KNOW

Water efficiency specialist Keraflo has introduced a servo ceramic valve to its cold water storage tank monitoring system, Tanktronic. The Tanktronic servo ceramic valve (SCV) introduces intelligent diagnostic features, while the motorised filling of cold water storage tanks eliminates hydraulic shock, and includes a self-cleaning function for minimal maintenance. The SCV is optimised for Tanktronic tank management system applications and uses a high-torque electric motor to open and close the filling valve. Able to send alarms to a BMS, the Tanktronic system’s electronic control unit is linked to a sensor assembly that is suspended at full depth inside the water storage tank.

The new Boiler Plus legislation comes into force in April. Change can be daunting, but here, Darran Smith, Technical Manager at Alpha Heating Innovation, talks through the new regulations and offers some informative advice. What is Boiler Plus?

The sensor continuously monitors water levels and temperatures, feeding back data and automatically opening and closing the Tanktronic SCV as required to maintain stored water levels in line with pre-set operating parameters tailored to the building’s needs. The control unit’s interface

allows installers to easily set the filling valve close level, fill delay, alarm high/low and temperature high/low specifications. The Tanktronic SCV is WRAS-approved, fully compliant with Water Regulations, and is available pipe sizesfrom ¾in to 2in. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.keraflo.co.uk

179

Centring on thermostats The latest addition to Wolseley’s range of heating controls is the new Centre thermostat, a wireless, non-programmable room thermostat for a wide variety of installation scenarios. The TPI control has a large LCD display, alongside a host of performance-boosting features. These are combined with a simple two-wire installation aimed at ensuring a quick and easy set-up. The thermostat communicates with a relay box on an 868MHz radio frequency (RF) band to control a single central

heating system component such as a boiler, pump, or zone valve. Installers can be assured that neither product will communicate

with other RF products using different frequencies or communication protocols. Richard Harvey, Category

Director for Heating and Renewables at Wolseley, comments: “The latest heating technologies carry a host of money and energysaving benefits. This new addition to our growing controls collection will make it easier than ever for installers to pass those savings on to their customers, which is what the Wolseley brand is all about.” The launch follows a recent restructuring by Wolseley, which has seen the business brought together for the convenience of its customers. PHAM NEWS ENQUIRY No.

www.wolseley.co.uk

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Don’t drain down the system The latest version of the T-plus has been launched by Flamco as a quick and easy way of adding a T extension on a heating system. The T-Plus Brass comes with its own trigger mechanism that, once activated, sees the cutting plunger cut a part of the pipe out,

forming a T piece without needing to drain the system, interrupt use of the system, or re-dose the system with inhibitor. The product is available in a range of sizes to fit almost any pipe diameter, and is suitable even in difficult to get to parts of a piping system. The Flamco T-Plus Brass is suitable for thin-walled steel pipes, stainless steel pipes and copper pipes with a diameter between 14 and 42mm. The 42mm version is not suitable for use with stainless steel piping. Flamco says the T-Plus is a better option than draining and assembling a traditional T connector, better than freezing parts of the pipe either side of the new branch, and negates the risks associated with drilling. flamcogroup.com/uk-en

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ENQUIRY No.

On the 6th of April 2018, the Boiler Plus legislation will be introduced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with regards to residential installations in England. The new regulations will aim to improve efficiency measures and try to encourage homeowners not to replace their boilers like for like, but to consider the overall quality of their heating systems. The new legislation ultimately intends to provide greater comfort in domestic households, while lowering energy bills as well as carbon emissions, as boilers will now be required to have an efficiency level of 92% or more. It is also essential to note that time and temperature should now be controlled for all gas and oil installations. The second part of the new Boiler Plus legislation only applies to combi boilers, however, the combi boiler now makes up 80% of the current market. The new regulation states that a combi boiler must be installed alongside one of four different measures. • A weather compensation device – this is a product that can identify the correct level of heating for the home and adjust accordingly from examining the exterior temperature and the current weather conditions. • A load compensation device – this is an internal device that normally replaces the thermostat. This works in a similar way to the weather compensation device; however, this product adjusts automatically according to a home’s interior temperature. • A smart control – there is a wide range of different smart controls that can be looked into, and they are all wifi orientated and can be activated and controlled through specific apps. These controls can include optimisation features that examine your lifestyle and the specific times you leave for work and come home, and adapts the heating system to these patterns. They can also include automation features that know when you leave and when you arrive home, so the heating switches on conveniently at these times of the day. In order for a smart control to qualify, it will have to have the above-mentioned features. • A flue heat recovery device – this is one of the most resourceful new measures, as this product effectively recovers extra heat from flue gases to put back into your system’s hot water.

What does this mean for installers? Installers who do not install boilers that are compliant with these new

Building Regulations could potentially be prosecuted by Building Control. If illegal work is also carried out without the knowledge and agreement of the homeowner, this can be deemed as fraudulent under Trading Standards. Subsequently, for installers this means that they must be sufficiently educated on the topic. In fact, installers should know the new regulations well so they can explain the differences between the options to their customers, giving them peace of mind while offering them an overall excellent service. Manufacturers should take the lead on informing their installers of this new regulation. As a result, this year Alpha’s training courses are covering this subject.

What advice should I give to customers? It is paramount that customers think of their own needs and their home’s specialist requirements above anything. All of these additional products have their own benefits which are imperative to examine properly. For instance, the weather compensation device and load compensation device are the most inexpensive to install with an added saving of approximately £30-40 a year on your household energy bills. Nonetheless, a flue heat recovery system is costly to install but can save a homeowner up to £100 a year, and it is maintenance free. In addition, smart controls have many advantages in that they give a homeowner more choice and flexibility, with an extra level of interaction with their system.

When can Alpha do to help? Alpha will be offering special packages that automatically comply with the new regulations, as they will include a combi boiler alongside one of the specified measures. For added peace of mind, the included products will also have the same warranty as the boiler that they are paired with. Furthermore, Alpha can offer assistance in education and communication of the new regulations through its training courses, but are also there to help anytime on the other end of the phone. Its trained and helpful sales team are available to answer any questions quickly and competently.

Find out more For further information about Alpha Heating Innovation, please visit the website:

www.alpha-innovation.co.uk

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March 2018

62 DIRECTORY Tundish (Dry Trap)

Radiators

Controls

BANICO CONTROLS

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Heating Controls

HOTUN

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Water Heating & Chilling

Underfloor Heating Elegance E legance & S Style t yle 2017 2017 www.apolloradiators.co.uk

made m ade in the UK and urope urrope o

APOLLO RADIATORS

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HYCO

01359 243 516 projects@gaia.co.uk www.gaia.co.uk HEATING CONTROLS ONLINE

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GAIA

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Safety Products

THE RADIATOR FACTORY

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Temperature Sensors

GOTEC

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further your ambitions, telephone 023 8066 8900 for information and application pack.

www.idhee.org.uk ATC SEMITEC

ACV UK Ltd Anton Industrial Services Ltd BES Ltd Baxi Commercial (Potterton) Calor Gas Ltd CMR Controls Ltd Dallmer Draper Tools Firebird Heating Solutions Ltd Flamco Ltd Flir Systems Ltd Ford Motor Company Fortress Distribution Ltd Geberit Sales Ltd - Twyford Go Geothermal Ltd Grant Engineering (UK) Ltd Grasslin UK Hitachi Hitachi Power Tools - Hikoni Power Tools Intatec Ltd KSB Ltd (Smedegaard) Kamco Ltd Knipex - Werk Kohler Mira Ltd MV Fluids Handling Ltd Makita N&C Building Products Pegler Yorkshire Group Ltd Polypipe Group plc QRL (Barlo Radiators) The Radiator Company Rettig (UK) Ltd - Myson Roca Ltd Salamander Pumped Shower Systems Ltd Sanha UK Schiedel Chimney Systems Ltd Supplies 4 Heat Stelrad Stiebel Eltron UK Ltd Stuart Turner Ltd Talon Viessmann Ltd Vokera Ltd Worcester Bosch Group Wunda Group plc

6 52 1 26 25 57 49 51 19 37 36 64 53 24, 47, 50 43 38 4 41 54 9 20 10 55 5 3 56 44 27 23 35 33 31 21 11 18 60 34 28 42 22 29 8 2 7 12,13,14,15, 17

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PLUMBPAL

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62-63 Pham MAR18:Layout 1 28/02/2018 12:46 Page 63

March 2018

INFORMATION Centre 63 Central Heating Wiring & Controls Book

‘Central Heating fault finding & repair’

For years electricians and heating engineers have commented that wiring heating controls is a difficult subject to learn, existing diagrams are not always easy to follow. Mr Combi® Training has developed a fantastic set of easy to follow coloured wiring diagrams for central heating wiring and controls, 2 / 3 port systems, Faults, Frost stats, testing components, everything you need in one handy A5 book.

This 200 page book written by John Reginald, is designed to help the reader understand central heating and hot water systems. Offering a stepby-step guide to the fault finding and repair process of systems and components enabling the reader to achieve professional solutions to professional standards. Priced at £26 this Industry leading book is available from all High Street and Online Book Stores COPPER JOB

ENQUIRY

371

The Abode Althia is an elegant and sophisticated single lever mixer tap with a modernist contoured spout combining individual styling and design with precision perfect engineering. The tap with its slim handle design is based on the architects favourite design – solid and purposeful with simple details which finish off this design-led kitchen tap. Althia is available in, Urban Copper, Rose Gold, Matt Black, Graphite, Chrome and Brushed Nickel.

ENQUIRY

372

The Ultimate solution for working on your knees delivering optimal freedom of movement and long-lasting durability. These new and innovative trousers are smart, practical, hardwearing and ergonomically designed to anticipate your natural working movements. They come with an integrated belt for superior waist fit, with easy-to-access holster pockets with zipped compartment, leg pockets including knife fastener, mobile phone compartment and detachable hidden ID-badge holder. Check out www.snickersworkwear.co.uk and download a digital catalogue; email info@snickersworkwear.co.uk or enter the PHAM No

To see the full range of kitchen taps, sinks and accessories visit www.abode.eu or enter the PHAM No. ENQUIRY

CIBSE DBSP

Snickers’ New FLEXIWork Floorlayers Work Trousers

Abode Althia Single Lever Mixer Tap

ABODE

Please order from www.mrcombi.com or enter the PHAM No.

374

Training & Assessments

SNICKERS

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Gas training at Kier Gas training with you in mind Limited time only Valid until end June 2018

375

ACS reassessment (Core & 4) is only £330.40 inc vat and certs.

Book now!

MR COMBI

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Precision Cutting and Control with Hultafors Tools’ Newest Range of Hand Saws

The new range include - Bow Saws, general purpose Short Hand Saws, Hack Saws, a Jab Saw, a Concrete Saw plus a superb Japanese Ryoba Saw which is perfect when you need a tool for the finest cuts made with minimal force. Check out the blade tips for an easier start and ongoing sawing motion control; the easy-to-use blade exchange system; the extra-stable precision blades and the ergonomic to make sawing an easier and more precise experience. For more information visit www.hultafors.co.uk Download a digital catalogue or enter the PHAM No. HULTAFORS

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Bromley Gas Training & Assessment Centre (BTAAC) Is your ACS about to expire?

T: 0191 643 2233 or 0800 999 5427 E: gastraining.info@kier.co.uk Visit www.gastrainingatkier.co.uk KIER AQUALISA

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We Provide Quality Commercial & Domestic Gas Training and Re-Assessment Call 0208 315 5678 or to view the range of courses we oﬀer, competitive rates and special oﬀers visit our website

www.bromleygastraining.co.uk

E: sarah.bygraves@bromleytraining.co.uk Unit 4, Ashgrove Industrial Estate, Ashgrove Road, Bromley, Kent BR1 4JW MR COMBI

SOUTH WEST PENINSULAR TRAINING LTD

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STEVE WILLIS TRAINING

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BROMLEY GAS TRAINING

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