May/June 2020

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MAY/JUNE 2020 | VOLUME 58 | ISSUE 5

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MAY/JUNE 2020 | VOLUME 58 | ISSUE 5

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Survey of plumbers highlights ƒĢùāŭťũāÖù óÖŭĞƪŋƒ óŋłóāũłŭ  ŭŽũƑāƘ ĞÖŭ ũāƑāÖķāù ŶĞÖŶ ˜˙ͮ ŋĕ ťķŽĿðāũŭ Öũā ŭŶũŽėėķĢłė ƒĢŶĞ óÖŭĞƪŋƒ ĢŭŭŽāŭ Öłù ˞˝ͮ ĞÖƑā ŭāāł ũāƑāłŽā ŭŶŋť óŋĿťķāŶāķƘ Öŭ Ö ũāŭŽķŶ ŋĕ ŶĞā óŋũŋłÖƑĢũŽŭ ķŋóĴùŋƒł ũāóāłŶ ŭŽũƑāƘ ŋĕ ťķŽĿðāũŭ ðƘ ŶĞā ÂÖŶāũ āėŽķÖŶĢŋł ùƑĢŭŋũƘ óĞāĿā ̛ ̜ ĞÖŭ ũāƑāÖķāù ŶĞā ŶũŽā ĢĿťÖóŶ ŋĕ ŶĞā óŋũŋłÖƑĢũŽŭ ťÖłùāĿĢó ŋł ŶĞā ĢłùŽŭŶũƘ̇ ƒĢŶĞ óÖŭĞĕķŋƒ ðāĢłė ŋłā ŋĕ ŶĞā ėũāÖŶāŭŶ óÖŽŭāŭ ŋĕ óŋłóāũł ĕŋũ ĿÖłƘ ťķŽĿðĢłė ðŽŭĢłāŭŭāŭ̍ ̵ ŶĞĢũù ̛˜˙̜ͮ ŋĕ ŶĞŋŭā ŭŽũƑāƘāù ŭÖĢù óÖŭĞĕķŋƒ ƒÖŭ ŶĞāĢũ ðĢėėāŭŶ ƒŋũũƘ ŭĢłóā ŶĞā óũĢŭĢŭ ðāėÖł̇ ÖðŋƑā óŋłóāũłŭ ÖðŋŽŶ Ö ĕÖĿĢķƘ ĿāĿðāũ ėāŶŶĢłė Ģķķ ̛˛˟̜ͮ Öłù ũāŶŽũłĢłė Ŷŋ ðŽŭĢłāŭŭ ťŋŭŶ ķŋóĴùŋƒł ̛˚ˢ̜ͮ̍ pŋŶ ŭŽũťũĢŭĢłėķƘ̇ ŶĞā ũāŭŶũĢóŶĢŋłŭ ĢĿťŋŭāù ðƘ ķŋóĴùŋƒł ĞÖƑā ĞĢŶ

ĿŋŭŶ ťķŽĿðĢłė ðŽŭĢłāŭŭāŭ ĞÖũù̇ ƒĢŶĞ ˞˝ͮ ŋĕ ŶĞŋŭā ŭŽũƑāƘāù ŭÖƘĢłė ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞāƘ ĞÖù ŭāāł ŶĞāĢũ ũāƑāłŽā ŭŶŋť óŋĿťķāŶāķƘ̍ ŭ ĿÖłƘ ðŽŭĢłāŭŭāŭ ŭŶÖũŶ Ŷŋ ũāŋťāł̇ ŶĞāũā Öũā Öķŭŋ óŋłóāũłŭ ÖĿŋłė ŭŋĿā ťķŽĿðāũŭ ũāėÖũùĢłė ŶĞā ÖƑÖĢķÖðĢķĢŶƘ ŋĕ ŭŽťťŋũŶ ĕũŋĿ ŶĞā ėŋƑāũłĿāłŶ̇ ƒĢŶĞ ˕˚ͮ ŭÖƘĢłė ŶĞāũā̪ŭ łŋŶ āłŋŽėĞ ėŽĢùÖłóā ŋł ũāŋťāłĢłė ðŽĢķùĢłėŭ̍ ÂĞÖŶ̪ŭ Ŀŋũā̇ ˞˜ͮ Öķŭŋ ĕāķŶ ėŽĢùÖłóā ŋł ƒĞÖŶ óŋłŭŶĢŶŽŶāŭ ̨āĿāũėāłóƘ̪ ƒŋũĴ Ģŭ ĢłŭŽĕĕĢóĢāłŶ̇ ķāÖƑĢłė ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ Ŷŋ ĿÖĴā ŶĞāĢũ ŋƒł ùāóĢŭĢŋłŭ ŋł ƒĞÖŶ ŶƘťā ŋĕ ƒŋũĴ

Ģėł Žť Ŷŋ show you’re safe to work Ģł ŶĞā ĞŋĿā

Öłù ťĞƘŭĢóÖķ Ŷŋŋķŭ Ŷŋ Ğāķť ŶĞāĿ ŽłùāũŶÖĴā ƒŋũĴ Ģł óŽŭŶŋĿāũŭ̪ ĞŋĿāŭ ŭÖĕāķƘ Öłù ŭāóŽũāķƘ̍ ¦Ğā !ŋĿĿĢŶĿāłŶ ÖĢĿŭ Ŷŋ ùŋ Ŷƒŋ ŶĞĢłėŭ̆ ĕĢũŭŶķƘ̇ Ŷŋ ėĢƑā ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ óķÖũĢŶƘ ŋł ŶĞā óŋũũāóŶ ŭŋóĢÖķ ùĢŭŶÖłóĢłė Öłù ĞƘėĢāłā ėŽĢùāķĢłāŭ ŶĞāƘ łāāù Ŷŋ ðā ĕŋķķŋƒĢłė ƒĞāł āłŶāũĢłė óŽŭŶŋĿāũŭ̪ ĞŋĿāŭ̒ ŭāóŋłùķƘ̇ Ŷŋ ũāÖŭŭŽũā óŽŭŶŋĿāũŭ ŶĞÖŶ ÖłƘ ƑĢŭĢŶĢłė ĢłŭŶÖķķāũ ƒĞŋ ŭĢėłŭ Žť Ŷŋ ŶĞā óŋĿĿĢŶĿāłŶ ƒĢķķ ĞÖƑā ŶĞā Ĵłŋƒķāùėā Öłù Ŷŋŋķŭ Ŷŋ ŶÖĴā ŶĞā ũĢėĞŶ ťũāóÖŽŶĢŋłÖũƘ ĿāÖŭŽũāŭ̍ 1ƑāũƘ ĢłŭŶÖķķāũ ƒĞŋ ŭĢėłŭ Žť Ŷŋ ŶĞā !ŋĿĿĢŶĿāłŶ ƒĢķķ ũāóāĢƑā Ö ùĢėĢŶÖķ ťÖóĴ ŋĕ ÖŭŭāŶŭ̇ ƒĞĢķā ŶĞā

łāƒ ĢłĢŶĢÖŶĢƑā Ŷŋ ŭŽťťŋũŶ ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ Öŭ ŶĞāƘ ķŋŋĴ Ŷŋ ŽłùāũŶÖĴā ƒŋũĴ Ģł ŶĞā ĞŋĿā ĞÖŭ ðāāł ķÖŽłóĞāù ðƘ ÂŋũóāŭŶāũ ŋŭóĞ̍ ¦Ğā ̨ Öĕā Ģł ÈŋŽũ NŋĿā RłŭŶÖķķāũ !ŋĿĿĢŶĿāłŶ̪ Ģŭ Ö ťķāùėā ĕŋũ ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ Ŷŋ ŭĢėł̇ āłÖðķĢłė ŶĞāĿ Ŷŋ ũāóāĢƑā Ö ťÖóĴ ŋĕ ùĢėĢŶÖķ

Ŷŋ ÖŶŶāłù Ŷŋ̍ mŋŭŶ ̛˕˝̜ͮ ƒŋŽķù óŋłŭĢùāũ ðŋĢķāũ ĕÖŽķŶŭ Öłù ķāÖĴŭ Öŭ ƒŋũŶĞƘ ŋĕ Ö óÖķķ ŋŽŶ̇ ðŽŶ łŋŶ ĴĢŶóĞāł Öłù ðÖŶĞũŋŋĿ ĢłŭŶÖķķÖŶĢŋłŭ̍ mŋũā ŶĞÖł Ö ŨŽÖũŶāũ ̛˛ˡ̜ͮ ÖùĿĢŶ ŶĞāƘ ùŋł̪Ŷ ĕāāķ ŭÖĕā ùŋĢłė ĞŋĿā ƑĢŭĢŶŭ̍ ŭ ƒĢŶĞ ŋŶĞāũ ťũŋĕāŭŭĢŋłŭ̇ ŭĢłóā ķŋóĴùŋƒł ðāėÖł ŶĞāũā ĞÖƑā ðāāł óÖķķŭ ĕŋũ ťķŽĿðāũŭ Ŷŋ ÖùÖťŶ ŶĞāĢũ ŭāũƑĢóā ƒĞāũā ťŋŭŭĢðķā̇ ĢłóķŽùĢłė ŭťāÖĴĢłė Ŷŋ óŽŭŶŋĿāũŭ ŋłķĢłā ƒĢŶĞ Ŷŋŋķŭ ŭŽóĞ Öŭ DÖóāŶĢĿā Öłù ÑŋŋĿ̍ NŋƒāƑāũ̇ ıŽŭŶ ŋłā Ģł Ŷāł ̛ˡ̜ͮ ŋĕ ŶĞŋŭā ŭŽũƑāƘāù ŭÖĢù ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞāƘ ĞÖù ĿÖłÖėāù Ŷŋ ùŋ ŶĞĢŭ̍  ŭÖƘŭ ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞĢŭ ĞĢėĞķĢėĞŶŭ ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞāũā óŋŽķù ðā ťŋŶāłŶĢÖķ ùāĿÖłù ĕŋũ Ŀŋũā ŭŽťťŋũŶ ÖũŋŽłù ũāĿŋŶā ƒŋũĴĢłė Öłù ÖŭŭŋóĢÖŶāù ŶāóĞłŋķŋėƘ̍ ¦Ğā ŭÖĿā ŭŽũƑāƘ ĞÖŭ Öķŭŋ ĢłùĢóÖŶāù ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞāũā ĞÖƑā ðāāł ŭŋĿā ťŋŭĢŶĢƑā óĞÖłėāŭ̇ ƒĢŶĞ ˕˚ͮ ŋĕ ťķŽĿðāũŭ ŭÖƘĢłė ŶĞāƘ łŋƒ ĞÖƑā Ŀŋũā ŶĢĿā Ŷŋ ĕŋóŽŭ ŋł ŭŋũŶĢłė ŋŽŶ ĢłƑŋĢóĢłė Öłù ÖóóŋŽłŶŭ̇ ƒĞĢķŭŶ Öł ÖùùĢŶĢŋłÖķ ˞ˠͮ ĞÖƑā ŶÖĴāł ŶĢĿā Ŷŋ ŋũėÖłĢŭā ŶĞāĢũ āŨŽĢťĿāłŶ Öłù Ŷŋŋķŭ̍

̵m' ŋĕ  `ŽķĢā ťĢłĴŭ ŭÖƘŭ̆ ̦¦Ğāŭā ĕĢłùĢłėŭ ĞĢėĞķĢėĞŶ ŶĞā ĢłùĢƑĢùŽÖķ ŭŶũŽėėķāŭ ŶĞÖŶ ťķŽĿðāũŭ Öũā ĕÖóĢłė ùŽũĢłė ŶĞā ťÖłùāĿĢó̍ 'āŭťĢŶā ŭĢėłŭ ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞĢłėŭ ĿÖƘ ðā ŭŶÖũŶĢłė Ŷŋ ũāŶŽũł Ŷŋ ŭŋĿā ķāƑāķ ŋĕ łŋũĿÖķĢŶƘ Ģł ŶĞā óŋĿĢłė ĿŋłŶĞŭ̇ ĢŶ̪ŭ óķāÖũ ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞā ĿÖıŋũĢŶƘ ŋĕ ťķŽĿðāũŭ Öũā ŽłùāũŭŶÖłùÖðķƘ óŋłóāũłāù ÖðŋŽŶ ŶĞāĢũ ðŽŭĢłāŭŭāŭ̍ ̦¦Ğā ĕÖóŶ ŶĞÖŶ ŋƑāũ ĞÖķĕ ŋĕ ŶĞŋŭā ŭŽũƑāƘāù Öũā ĕĢłùĢłė Ŀŋũā ŶĢĿā Ŷŋ ĕŋóŽŭ ŋł ĢłƑŋĢóĢłė Öłù ÖóóŋŽłŶŭ Ģŭ Ö ťũŋĿĢŭĢłė ŭĢėł ŶĞŋŽėĞ̇ Öŭ ƒāķķ Öŭ ŶĞā ˛˛ͮ ƒĞŋ Öũā ķŋŋĴĢłė ÖŶ Ŀŋũā ŶũÖĢłĢłė̍ ũŽŭĞĢłė Žť ŋł ŶĞāĢũ ƒÖŶāũ ĕĢŶŶĢłė ũāėŽķÖŶĢŋłŭ Ĵłŋƒķāùėā ƒŋŽķù ðā Ö ėũāÖŶ Žŭā ŋĕ ŶĢĿā̇ ŭŋ ŶĞāƘ óÖł ðāŶŶāũ ťũŋŶāóŶ ŶĞāĢũ óŽŭŶŋĿāũŭ Ģł ĕŽŶŽũā̧̍ ƒĢùāũ ŭŽũƑāƘ ŋĕ ŭĿÖķķ ðŽŭĢłāŭŭāŭ ŽłùāũŶÖĴāł ðƘ ŋłķĢłā ĢłŭŽũÖłóā ðũŋĴāũŭ ĢĿťķƘ ŽŭĢłāŭŭ ĞÖŭ ũāƑāÖķāù ŶĞÖŶ !ŋƑĢù-˚ˢ Ģŭ ŭāŶ Ŷŋ óŋŭŶ ŋƒłāũŭ Öł ÖƑāũÖėā ŋĕ ͎˚˚̇ˠˢˢ Ģł ķŋŭŶ ũāƑāłŽā̇ ƒĢŶĞ ˕ˠͮ ŋĕ ũāŭťŋłùāłŶŭ ŭÖƘĢłė ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞāƘ ĞÖƑā ĞÖù Ŷŋ ŶāĿťŋũÖũĢķƘ ŭŶŋť ŶũÖùĢłė̍

ƩũŭŶ ˞˙˙˙ Ŷŋ ũāŭťŋłù ƒĢķķ Öķŭŋ ðā ŭāłŶ Ö ũāĿŋƑāÖðķā ƑÖł ŭŶĢóĴāũ ŋĕ ŶĞā RłŭŶÖķķāũ !ŋĿĿĢŶĿāłŶ ķŋėŋ Öłù Öł ̨RłŭŶÖķķāũ ÖŶ ÂŋũĴ̪ ŭĢėł ŶĞÖŶ ŭĞŋƒŭ ŶĞā ťũāóÖŽŶĢŋłÖũƘ

ĿāÖŭŽũāŭ ðāĢłė ŽłùāũŶÖĴāł̍ ķķ ŶĞŋŭā ƒĞŋ ŭĢėł ƒĢķķ ðā ŭāłŶ Öł āĿÖĢķ óĞāóĴķĢŭŶ ĕŋũ óŽŭŶŋĿāũŭ Öłù ŶĞā ĢłŭŶÖķķāũ Ŷŋ ĕĢķķ ŋŽŶ ťũā-ƑĢŭĢŶ̇ ėŽĢùÖłóā ùŋóŽĿāłŶŭ ĕŋũ ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ Öłù ĞŋĿāŋƒłāũŭ̇ Öłù Ö ùĢėĢŶÖķ ŭŶÖĿť ĕŋũ Žŭā ŋł ŭŋóĢÖķ ĿāùĢÖ Öłù ƒāðŭĢŶāŭ̍ ¦Ğā łāƒ Ŷŋŋķŭ ĞÖƑā ðāāł ùāŭĢėłāù ðƘ ÂŋũóāŭŶāũ ŋŭóĞ Ŷŋ Ğāķť ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ ƒĞŋ óÖũũƘ ŋŽŶ ƒŋũĴ Ģł ťāŋťķā̪ŭ ĞŋĿāŭ Ŷŋ ùāĿŋłŭŶũÖŶā ŶĞÖŶ ŭÖĕāŶƘ Ģŭ ŶĞā ĿÖĢł ĕŋóŽŭ ĕŋũ ÖłƘ ðŋĢķāũ ĢłŭŶÖķķÖŶĢŋł Öłù ĞŋĿā ĞāÖŶĢłė ĿÖĢłŶāłÖłóā̍ ÈŋŽ óÖł ŭĢėł ŶĞā ťķāùėā ðƘ ŽŭĢłė ŶĞā ŋłķĢłā ķĢłĴ ðāķŋƒ̆ ͻ ťĞÖĿłāƒŭ̍óŋ̍ŽĴ̓˞˛˙̓˞˜

Inside this issue Gadgets & Tools ¦ŋŽėĞ Ŷŋŋķŭ ĕŋũ ťũŋĕāŭŭĢŋłÖķ Žŭā āā ťÖėā ˚˝

Water softeners ũŋŶāóŶĢłė ĞŋĿāŭ ĕũŋĿ ķĢĿāŭóÖķā āā ťÖėā ˜˝

COMPETITION Win a Daikin air ťŽũĢƩāũ Öłù Ŀŋũā̉ See page ˜ˠ

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Inside this issue 5 MAY/JUNE 2020 VOLUME 58 ISSUE 5

Editor’s Viewpoint

by Chris Jones

Taking extra care For obvious reasons, the current trading climate is about as tough as anyone can remember and there’s no point in pretending otherwise. For many small businesses and the self-employed, the objective is simply to survive long enough to be able to pick things up again when some semblance of normality returns and, thanks largely to funding from the Treasury, it is hoped that the economic casualties of COVID-˚ˢ can be minimised.

In comparison to some parts of the economy, such as the retail, travel and leisure industries, the heating and plumbing sector is less susceptible to the sudden tightening of consumer purse strings. After all, few of us are prepared to put up with a broken heating system for long. However, when homeowners are feeling ķāŭŭ ŭāóŽũā ÖðŋŽŶ ŶĞāĢũ Ʃ łÖłóāŭ̇ ĢŶ̪ŭ āÖŭƘ Ŷŋ ŽłùāũŭŶÖłù ƒĞƘ money might not be found for non-essential work, and projects ŶĞÖŶ ƒŋŽķù ũāŨŽĢũā ŭŋĿā ùŋĿāŭŶĢó ŽťĞāÖƑÖķ ĿĢėĞŶ ðā ťŽŶ ŋƦ ĕŋũ another day. Anyone entering a property is now also faced with the extra challenge of being able to reassure customers that they can carry out their work without presenting any extra risk to the wellbeing of the home’s inhabitants.

Those installers who are best able to demonstrate that they take risk assessment seriously and can talk to customers about how they will be able to address any health and safety concerns are the ones who are most likely to be welcomed into homes. The industry’s trade associations, together with a number of prominent manufacturers, have responded by providing up-todate guidance and online resources to enable plumbing and heating engineers to continue to operate in these uncertain times – so why not take advantage of them? It’s not always going to be easy, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to perform your duties while taking extra care of both you and your customer.

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How to remove the air and dirt which can have a detrimental impact on W]WXIQ Iƾ GMIRG]

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Kevin Johnson Water & System Treatment

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mŋũā ­b ĞŋĿāŭ óŋŽķù ðāłāƩ Ŷ ĕũŋĿ the installation of a small duct system for ventilation, cooling and heating.

Water softeners can help to boost āłāũėƘ āƧ óĢāłóƘ Ģł ŶĞā ĞŋĿā Öłù provide installers with extra income.

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The best solutions to address concerns about indoor pollutants and poor indoor air quality

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The Essential Magazine for Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement Professionals

Water Heating Why the UK is expected to see E WMKRMƼ GERX VMWI MR HIQERH JSV instantaneous hot water units

Choice of pipe material will have an impact on the speed of installation and quality of results

Contributors

Nŋƒ óŋťťāũ ťĢťāƒŋũĴ Öłù Ʃ ŶŶĢłėŭ can play a part in helping to combat infections in vulnerable environments.

25

How installers can take care of themselves and their customers

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PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

6

News Review Industry guide keeps installers up to date on latest advice

Charity playlist challenge for installers The latest initiative from the collaboration between Baxi and MENTalk is a charity playlist challenge to raise money for The OLLIE Foundation and help motivate tradespeople as they get back to working life. MENTalk is an online community that encourages men to open up and support each other with mental health issues, to help raise awareness of personal wellbeing and provide support for plumbing and heating engineers.

The #TradesTopTunes playlist challenge asks installers to share their favourite feel-good song and nominate three others to do the same, as well as donate £˜ to The OLLIE Foundation, which helps deliver suicide awareness, intervention and prevention training in communities to support young people who might be struggling.

MENTalk chose The OLLIE Foundation due to the crucial work it does in promoting good mental health for young people in the early stages of life, and its ambition to create a society where no-one feels that suicide is their only option, especially young people.

To take part in the #TradesTopTunes challenge, installers simply need to visit Baxi’s Facebook page (@BaxiUK) or Instagram and Twitter accounts (@ BaxiBoilers), where they can post their favourite song, tag three installers, and donate £˜ via Baxi’s #TradesTopTunes Just Giving page.

MENTalk was founded by three Expert Trades members - Stephen Blair, Lee Woodgate and Steve Smith - to encourage men to have open and honest conversations about their mental health. The MENTalk podcast has provided a platform for male trade professionals to connect with others and discuss mental health issues without stigma by showing #ItsOkNotToBeOk. You can follow and join the MENTalk community on Instagram and Facebook (@MENTalkUK), and over on Twitter (@MENTalkTweet).

ŋĢķāũ ũÖƨā ũÖĢŭāŭ ĿŋłāƘ ĕŋũ pN óĞÖũĢŶƘ To raise funds for NHS Charities Together, ÂŋũóāŭŶāũ ŋŭóĞ ĞÖŭ ķÖŽłóĞāù Ö ũÖƨā ŶĞÖŶ gives away two limited edition versions of the Greenstar i boiler. The boilers will be wrapped in two rainbow designs, inspired by the symbol the country is using to celebrate the work of the NHS. The idea is to recognise the outstanding work of the NHS while raising money to help NHS Charities Together, which supports ŶĞā pN ̇ ĢŶŭ ŭŶÖƦ̇ ƑŋķŽłŶāāũŭ̇ Öłù ťÖŶĢāłŶŭ̍ Worcester will match donations up to £˚˙̇˙˙˙.

A single entry costs £˞, however entrants can donate as much as they wish, with every £˞ counting as a separate submission. This means a donation of £˞˙ would give the entrant ˚˙ opportunities to win.

Director of marketing Vic Billings says: “We are so grateful to those working in the NHS during this crisis and want to show our appreciation in any way possible, including matching donations up to £˚˙̇˙˙˙. We hope that our raffle helps NHS Charities Together to continue the incredible work they are doing on behalf of the NHS and brings some warmth to our two winners in these tough times.”

Entries must be made by ˛˞th June, with winners announced the following week. To enter, simply use the reader link below. ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˙˛

The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) has created a useful guide offering advice to frontline heating engineers on operating safely during the COVID-˚ˢ crisis. The advice is based on the latest government recommendation and the HHIC says it will keep the guide as up to date as possible.

Stewart Clements, director of HHIC, says: “Maintaining the supply of heating and hot water to UK homes, schools, hospitals and businesses is essential. The heating and plumbing industry still needs to operate to ensure people are kept safe in their homes and businesses.

“Of course, operating safely is of paramount importance. HHIC have created this guide to put all of the relevant information in one place. Every business operates in Ö ùĢƦāũāłŶ ƒÖƘ̇ ðŽŶ ŶĞĢŭ ėŽĢùÖłóā

should assist them in adjusting to working in these challenging times.

“The situation with COVID-˚ˢ is ever-changing. HHIC is in daily communication with our contacts at BEIS and we communicate all the latest updates. We are here to support our members and the wider industry during these challenging times.”

T0 access the guide, use the online link at the end of this article.

For further news about operating under COVID conditions, turn to page ˚˙ of this month’s issue. ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˙˚

Scrappage scheme potential A new boiler scrappage scheme could stimulate the local economy and generate higher tax receipts for the government - so says Mike Foster, CEO of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) in a letter to the Chancellor.

The paper calls for the re-introduction of the scheme, used previously to help grow the economy after the impact of the ˛˙˙ˡ ƩłÖłóĢÖķ óũĢŭĢŭ̍ EUA’s CEO, Mike Foster, says: “We are reminding the Chancellor of a tried and tested scheme, bringing in more than it costs, that could be up and running in a few months. Our paper suggests that a boiler scrappage scheme, limited to ˛˙˙̇˙˙˙ units, will have an initial outlay of £ˡ˙ ĿĢķķĢŋł̇ ƒĢŶĞ Ö ťÖƘðÖóĴ ƒĢŶĞĢł ŶĞā ŭÖĿā ƩłÖłóĢÖķ ƘāÖũ ŋĕ ͎ˢ˛ million and a regular increase in VAT each year after that.

“The scheme supports UK manufacturers who produce the boilers, ŶĞā ũāŶÖĢķ Öłù ùĢŭŶũĢðŽŶĢŋł ŭāóŶŋũ ƒĞĢóĞ ŭāķķŭ ŶĞāĿ̇ ŶĞā ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ ŶĞÖŶ ƩŶ them, and the consumer that saves on energy bills.”

PPE from shower specialist Shower manufacturer Kohler Mira has delivered PPE for frontline workers through volunteer support. Using its own prototype, approved

by NHS Gloucestershire, the company produced ˚˛̇˙˙˙ face shields in two weeks using its local manufacturing sites. NHS Gloucestershire received ˚˙̇˙˙˙ face shields, while ˛˙˙˙ more were distributed between Kohler Mira’s nominated charity of the year, Sue Ryder, and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Winners take the keys to VW Transporter Two plumbers have taken delivery of a brand new Volkswagen Transporter T˜˛ van after coming up trumps in Vaillant’s competition. In February, Vaillant revealed that Zoe Watson of Zoe’s Plumbing and Heating, and Harry Joynes (pictured) of HJ Plumbing and Heating were the two winners out of more than ˡ˙̇˙˙˙ entries.

The competition was run as part of Vaillant’s ˛˙˚ˢ UK-wide tour that included a business support clinic, giving installers professional advice on issues like tax and legal issues, and practical marketing ideas. Vaillant says it will continue supporting installers via its business support clinics in an online format.

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News Review

Heat pump partnership scheme for installers With the UK heating market on course to change over the next ten years and the government emphasising the role that heat pumps will play in achieving carbon reduction goals, Daikin has launched a new installer partnership – the Sustainable Home Network.

Recognising the need to ensure installers are equipped and ready for change, the scheme is designed to help heating installers progress, expand and futureproof their business. It is aimed at those who want to prepare for the changes in the heating market, but need the help, support and training required to make the transition.

The Network offers heating installers a tiered programme designed to support them with the training and tools needed to take advantage of this new market

opportunity with confidence.

Heating installers can enter the scheme initially as a Sustainable Home Installer and access free product and installation training on Daikin’s monobloc solutions – structured so as to gradually become more advanced as their experience and confidence grows.

Sustainable Home Installers will also receive continued help and support (including site visits), marketing materials, and access to a qualified lead management system.

Progression

There are two further tiers through which installers have the opportunity to progress. They will also be able to unlock attractive discounts on product and business support.

To enable installers to diversify their offer further, Daikin will support heating installers to become Sustainable Home Experts, a network of experienced heat pump installers who are F-gas certified and capable of installing the company’s full product range of

low temperature, high temperature and hybrid systems.

The company is also launching Sustainable Home Centres, which will become the face of Daikin heat pump technology. The centres will be able to support the installer network with local training, advice and showroom displays for consumers.

Speaking about the launch, Iain Bevan, commercial manager – heating and renewables, says We expect to see the demand for renewable energy systems, such as heat pumps, rising hugely over the coming years, a trend that represents a genuine appetite for change.

It’s never been a more exciting or important time to join the growing renewable energy market and to help become part of the change, which is certainly coming.

Whether they want to futureproof their business for when fossil-fuel powered boilers become a thing of the past, position themselves as a progressive and forward-thinking company, or simply wish to upskill and further their knowledge, our Sustainable Home Network offers a really great opportunity to partner with our expert team. phamnews.co.uk/520/0

Points will get what you need

(l-r) Keith Robert Walklate EngTech MCIPHE RP, Dr Peter Rumley, Andrew John Mensley EngTech MCIPHE RP and James G.S. Hendry EngTech FCIPHE RP

Newly recognised master plumbers Three more members of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) have become Master Plumber Certificate holders this year.

On 2nd March 2020, prior to the lockdown, Keith Robert Walklate EngTech MCIPHE RP, Andrew John Mensley EngTech MCIPHE RP, and James .S. Hendry EngTech FCIPHE RP were awarded their Certificates by the Livery Companies Skill Council (LCSC) at a ceremony held at Mansion House in London.

Certificates on the day were awarded by The Rt. Hon The Lord Mayor, Alderman William Russell, with the customary handshake replaced by touching elbows.

The Master Plumber Certificate is a prestigious award, first introduced in 2001 through a partnership between City uilds, the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, and the CIPHE. The scheme has grown to include a wide range of London Livery Companies and Professional Bodies.

Tim Sainty, membership director at CIPHE, was on hand to congratulate the newly designated Master Plumbers It’s always a real pleasure to see our members achieve Master Plumber status and be recognised as elite representatives of the trade. Keith, Andrew and James have worked incredibly hard throughout their careers and are the embodiment of what it means to be a Master Plumber.

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Installers are being offered the chance to select from a wide range of professional products in iessmann’s ‘What you really want’ sales promotion. Installers can register any of the company’s itodens boilers up to 150kW to earn and accrue points that can be redeemed against a collection of the most popular and practical items from previous promotions, plus the new addition of PPE. itodens boilers, from the 050-W to the 200-W models, earn between 100 and 300 points each.

Rewards range from safety boots and tripod lighting to electric power flushers and boilers. 100 points covers a box of 50 disposable face masks. For the installer who has everything, 2200 points will cover a trip to visit the iessmann factory in Allendorf, ermany.

Marketing director Darren McMahon comments As we begin to think about getting our lives back to some kind of normality, we would like to give a little back to our loyal installers whose business we value enormously.

The promotion is open to all iessmann trained installers and applies to all boiler installations registered from the start of this year to 2 th February 2021. phamnews.co.uk/520/04

Bent copper for art’s sake A plumbing lecturer from Barking Dagenham College has used his spare time with some creative metalworking that pays tribute to the NHS. Darren Myler has been creating works of art for fun and also to showcase pipe bending skills to his students. He’s created various things out of pipes including a giant sign with the letters ‘NHS’ plus hearts, which he is displaying outside his home in Upminster.

His creations have impressed plumbing students, whom Darren has been keeping in regular contact with via oogle classroom.

PLUMBERS MAKING THE NEWS

Having been furloughed from his plumbing job, Dan Ford of Wickhamford is using his time to fashion copper pipe into hearts to raise money for charities. So far he’s collected over 4000 for St Richard’s Hospice and Worcestershire Royal Hospital. To order a copper heart, visit ‘Hearts For Hope’ on Facebook or etsy.com/shop/ heartsforhopedesigns Paul Ballington, known as the singing plumber from South Yorkshire, has added to his repertoire with the release of his newest song, ‘Protect our NHS’, which praises the hard work done by everyone working on the frontline. The music video can be seen on Paul’s Facebook page - just search for Paul ‘Ballo’ Ballington.

Self-employed plumber Chris Nixon, based in ldham, is calling the government ‘heartless’ as he faces a mounting fine from Companies House about an inaccuracy in his accounts one that his accountant father was trying to rectify when he was struck down with coronavirus and placed in intensive care. Chris said With everything that’s happening with my dad, the last thing I need to worry about is having to pay a hefty fine.

Heating engineer Winston Davis has raised over £ 000 to buy 90-year-old Will Long a new boiler. The elderly man from Abbots Langley had had no heating and hot water for six months because he was unable to pay for a replacement. Winston set up a crowd -funding page and raised the money for the replacement boiler in just one day, then fitted the new appliance himself.

The victims of a Derby plumber, who used at least three different names to con thousands of pounds from unsuspecting customers, will receive none of their money back because he has no money. Court investigations into the finances of Paul Flood revealed he has no assets which could be used or sold to pay back the cash he stole.

He is currently serving a 15 month prison term.

01/06/2020 15:51

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News Report

Protecting you and your customers

thoroughly before moving on to the next job.

What to buy

With the green light to get back to work, installers will need to adapt their operating procedures to fit the new normal. PHAM News rounds up advice specific to plumbers and heating engineers.

T

he UK government’s recent move to ease up on the lockdown has sent a signal to the public that it needs to get back to work. Those who can work from home are urged to do so, and those who cannot have been given general guidance on how to navigate in the new C ID world. In a nutshell, the government is calling for ‘common sense’, which means plumbing and heating firms will have to translate official advice into specific actions that protect themselves, their employees and their customers.

It’s not clear yet how willing people will be to allow tradespeople into their homes, and it may be a while before plumbers are asked to install new bathrooms or replace heating systems that still perform, but in the meantime it makes sense to prepare business for operating safely in the C ID environment.

The way plumbing and heating businesses trade is changing, and it is more than likely going to change forever, says John Thompson, CE of the APHC. Consumers are being more selective and cautious when appointing tradespeople to work in their homes, so installers and engineers need to understand what they need to do to gain the confidence of the consumer.

Government advice

When it comes time to reboot business, an important resource will be the government’s document, ‘Working safely during COVID-1 in other people’s homes’. Although it applies specifically to people in England, it offers a practical framework of advice that will be useful to installers wherever they are working.

Across the four nations, installers are permitted to carry out repair and maintenance work, provided that the installer is well, has no COVID-1 symptoms, and ensures a 2m distance is maintained at all times. If a household contains someone who is shielding, self-isolating, or has symptoms of the virus,

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Wiseman Industries’ full range of cleaners, sanitisers and body wash products

In the new normal it will be more important for installers to emphasise professionalism to their customers

USEFUL LINKS This article mentions a number of resources for installers. You can access them online by using the following links:  The government’s official advice for ‘Working safely during COVID-19 in other people’s homes’ phamnews.co.uk/520/05  The CIPHE has created a template for installers to carry out a risk assessment when visiting a property phamnews.co.uk/520/06  The TouchSafe hand grip lets you open doors and use electronic devices while keeping your hands free from contact phamnews.co.uk/520/07  Find a range of sanitising and cleaning products made by Wiseman Industries phamnews.co.uk/520/08

you really shouldn’t go there at all. The HHIC says no work should be carried out under these circumstances unless it is to remedy a direct risk to safety.

The government advises carrying out a C ID-1 risk assessment in all circumstances.

The CIPHE has developed a protocol for this, available for download from its website.

Because installers work in many different types of locations and buildings, they will confront a range of different variables.

Therefore, planning how to work – either alone or with others – requires time to stop and think.

Communication is key

In a recent webinar held by the CIPHE on how industry is adapting to work in these times, Richard Soper, the Institute’s development director, said “Installers will need to be well prepared with process and procedure when going into people’s homes. ou need to make sure the consumer is confident with risk assessment and the work you are doing. Health and safety should be in mind at all times.

The first step is to speak with the customer prior to showing up in person. In the first instance, find out if a visit is absolutely necessary. If it is, a telephone call in advance is a simple way to evaluate whether people on site represent a potential transmission risk. It is also an opportunity for installers to demonstrate that they are responsible and trustworthy by laying down preventive measures.

This may help to reduce any

anxiety a customer might have in letting a stranger through the door.

A phone call will also give customers a chance to understand operating procedures and adhere to agreed upon behaviours. Talk to them about how everyone can keep a safe distance from each other, ideally with household members staying in a different room while work proceeds.

Ventilate the work area where possible, such as opening a window.

It’s also important to make sure of access on site to a sink for thorough hand washing. Consider bringing your own hand towel for drying up. ou can also ask the householder to make sure the area you are to work in has been cleaned with an appropriate cleanser before you get there.

Make use of hand sanitiser often and use gloves where possible.

Now is also a good time to make use of electronic resources that can minimise or eliminate physical paperwork, particularly when it comes to invoices and payment. David Holmes, founder of Boiler guide, says Making payments as straightforward as possible for customers is crucial to ensure a timely payment. Cash usage has plummeted during the outbreak, so provide an invoice well in advance and make it easy for customers to pay by card or bank transfer.

To mask or not to mask?

Use of face masks is not a legal requirement. However, if tasks involve working in teams, the CIPHE recommends wearing a protective face covering if possible. That said, face coverings should not act as a replacement for other methods of managing risk, like frequent handwashing. nce you have completed the job, you will want go beyond your usual routine and take additional steps to clean up after yourself.

Wipe down the surfaces you have touched on site as well as your own kit, such as tools and instruments. Properly bag all waste, including spent PPE and cleansing wipes, and dispose of it safely. Always wash your hands

The CIPHE recently conducted an informal poll among installers and found that some 4% of those questioned said they will use some form of PPE when they go back to work. Plumbers merchants are a good place to start when it comes to sourcing materials like gloves, masks, shoe covers, and disposable overalls. ne new item that has been developed in response to the COVID outbreak is the TouchSafe, a handguard that shield hands from contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. It is a device that grips all types of door handle, whether pushing, twisting or pulling action is required, and features a conductive nib for use on all types of touchscreens (capacitive and resistive) and keypads.

Developed by P Dr Stephen Bright, he says f course, hand washing with soap and water is always the most effective first line of defence against germs, but for anyone who is working offsite and doesn’t have easy access to wash facilities, TouchSafe provides a convenient and portable extra line of protection.

The TouchSafe grip provides a contactfree way to open doors of all types, including utility cabinets

For those who are having trouble finding hand sanitiser, Wiseman Industries offers a wide range of hand cleaning products under its Medi rade Pro range.

CE Harvey Wiseman says We have responded directly to our customers at this unprecedented time, asking for a medical grade spray and gel. The high alcohol content forms the first line of defence to ensure the COVID-1 virus and other viruses are killed on contact.

Being professional

At a time when householders are more wary than ever of bringing tradespeople into their homes, trade professionalism has never been more important.

Speaking at the CIPHE’s C ID webinar, Richard Soper said In the new normal it will be important for installers to emphasise professionalism to customers. With less work available, the question of who you let into your house will be tied to professionalism. If there is a benefit to this, it will be a heightened expectation of professionalism in our industry that lasts into the future.

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PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

People on the Move ONLINE For further information about any of the stories featured in this issue, simply enter phamnews. co.uk/520/ followed by the relevant enquiry number.

Installation work that will make you shiver!

Gas App Uk members have unburied some of the latest horrific evidence of shocking installation work. Seen some terrifying installation sights of your own? Share your snaps with Gas App Uk!

Ideal Standard International has announced the appointment of David Barber (pictured) as UK and Ireland managing director. David first joined the company in 2006 and most recently served as UK finance director. He takes over from Stephen Ewer who is leaving the business after more than two years (see below).

Stephen Ewer has been appointed CEO of the Bathroom Brands roup, joining from Ideal Standard where he was MD. Stephen says the business is well positioned to navigate the current crisis and emerge prepared to embrace the challenges and opportunities that will face the industry.

Expanding its renewable sales team, Grant UK has named Matt Beales as business development manager. In this specialist role, Matt will provide support to customers in East Anglia and the South East, working closely with area sales managers focusing on air source heat pumps.

Fittings manufacturer Conex Bänninger has welcomed Mark Burgess as regional technical sales manager. Mark has more than 35 years sales experience in the heating industry, most recently serving as regional sales manager at an indoor climate control systems group. He will cover the East Anglia and Oxfordshire territories.

Grohe has promoted Adam Logan to the role of training manager for the UK. Previously a field service and technical manger at the company, Adam will now be responsible for internal and external training of company stakeholders, overseeing rohe’s annual Truck Tour, and managing its UK plumbing schools.

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has appointed Jason Hemingway as its new membership director. Jason brings more than 30 years of construction sector experience to the role and will focus on increasing member numbers and engagement while also developing member benefits.

Heat network specialist Switch2 Energy has appointed Simon Eddleston as director of construction to lead the design and build of sustainable district heating projects across the UK. Simon has more than 25 years experience of developing and delivering clean energy infrastructure.

To join the Gas App community for FREE, simply visit the Apple or Google store and search for Gas App Uk

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Heating, hot water and renewables company Lochinvar has appointed James Cooper to the new role of business development manager for heat pump technology. He brings 20 years engineering and technical sales experience to the role, having previously worked as a refrigeration and air conditioning engineer.

29/05/2020 15:50

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

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PHAM NEWS | APRIL 2020

40 Test & Measuring Instruments

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30 Products in Action Star letter The evolution

EASY WAY TO ACCESS of measuring Hotel heating system safe from contamination One source for a big project FURTHER INFORMATION technology Past perfect Share your views and you could win £100 for writing the star letter

An independent and family run hotel situated in beautiful countryside just outside the village of Beamish, in County Durham, is the latest hotel to protect its heating The way we heat our homes and businesses system and new boilers with a continues to evolve, but engineers can be 42 assured BoilerMag XL. With rooms, the 30 Products in Action Beamish Park Hotel adjacent toto that test and measuring instruments will is continue a golf academy which includes a meet their needs – says Jon Bawden from Testo UK heating system safe from contamination One source for Hotel hole golf course, practice greens a big project and bunkers, and a 20 bay floodlit golf driving range. e live in an 40 Test & Measuring Instruments As part of an upgrade to the ever-changing hotel’s heating system, Blaydon world, and based commercial and industrial even within the sphere of heating engineering firm Enright Environmental Ltd installed a new HVAC test instruments there boiler complete with a BoilerMag heating system filter is a cost replacing the boiler, Enright have been several evolutions in L filter. effective option for heating Environmental then installed the recent times. Some engineers The way we heat our homes and businesses The hotel had its current boilers efficiency and boiler commercial boiler filter to protect continues to evolve, but engineers can be assured will remember times when that test and measuring will continue toretail, Thick wallthe steel pipe used for approximately 15 years and ininstruments commercial, heating system and new the indoorprotection Keeping air warm and meet their needs – says Jonfresh Bawden from Testo UK electronic flue gas analysers with heat-free press fitting they were previously unprotected or large residential properties. boiler from contamination. be connected to any existing gas were only just coming onto the from contamination. After pressures/temperatures around phamnews.co.uk/420/28 The BoilerMag L commercial infrastructure. This will mean market, and with the potential the low-pressure and highpressure sides of a heat pump that a focus will be put onto heat for significant changes in system and evaluate if these pumps as a readily available and the way that domestic and readings are within the required proven technology for supplying commercial properties will parameters. heating, and many installers be heated in the future, many Jon Bawden Jon Bawden managerchanges HVACR, Testo UK There are Product other will need both training and new engineers will be keeping one Product manager HVACR, Testo UK Domusthe Ventilation – part within world of air test equipment. eye on future trends and how of the Polypipe Group – has As a manufacturer of integrated conditioning, with moves that might dictate which test had its HRXD mechanical piping systems, Pegler has towards the use of refrigerant equipment they invest in.

Hybrid air ventilation with heat recovery supplied its VSH PowerPressUFH system delivers measuring Testo, as a world-wide gases with aModern lower GWP (global ne heating system appliance the extra output conditioning technology has (MVHR) systems installed in the system for use at the Holy Family uses no manufacturer of HVAC test warming potential), but again that has certainly been in the andVillage prestigioustoday’s Bowsmart River National School in Swords, refrigerant digitally networkedwith and measurement equipment, we can assist engineers news recently is the heat pump development in East London.

County Dublin. The project called world is uniquely placed to provide products to ensure that – with the UK government Bow River Village is aany newrefor a thick wall steel pipe and gassing of systems effective for this influx of engineers as committing itself to the residential quarteris south of the press fitting range. and correct. ne major benefi t of we have been supplying our ambitious target set by the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Amara Engineering was our 550 or 55The digital manifolds digital refrigeration manifolds CCC (Committee for Climate in London. apartments that tasked with installing services ismake that,up unlike traditional and other heat pump service Change). ne of the first steps the new development to the six-classroom extension have been type designed with ‘analogue’ manifold instruments for many years proposed towards the eventual at the 1400 pupil school, which modernthey and can efficient replaced ageing temporary gauges, easilyliving be in already, albeit to a smaller net-zero carbon target is that mind and marketed with accommodation. all new homes built from 2025 updated forare future refrigerants market than is expected in the ‘eco-features The heat free, speedy keep energy will have to look to alternatives as they becometoavailable. future. Our 550 and 55 digital bills to the minimum’. 112 to the traditional gas boiler for installation offered by SH manifolds help heat pump PowerPress ensured a timely Domus Ventilation HRXD heating, as the homes will not engineers to quickly assess the install that also ensured complete wall mounted MVHRs, along Another area where significant safety of the site, as there was with Domus ducting and have historically been specified changes are taking place in the considerable timber used in the sound attenuators, were has shown the reliability and ease test equipment market is with construction. Furthermore, the installed during Phase 2 of the of installation offered by SH connectivity – at the heart of change from a threaded and development.

PowerPress. new technology are apps which welded joints system that would phamnews.co.uk/420/ 0 can turn your smartphone or tablet into one of your most important tools. This fundamentally changes not only the measurements themselves, but also the documentation and processing of the data.

With products such as our 300 Omnie has supplied its Foilboard Floating ‘smart’ analyser, you are seeing underfloor heating system for the conversion the merging of smartphone and of a Georgian property to create two Airbnb lets measuring device – this flue in Bath. The specification has helped deliver gas analyser for both domestic sufficient output to combat the heat loss through or commercial applications the building’s envelope, which had to remain brings the ease of use we uninsulated due to its Grade 1 listing. have all become used to with The redevelopment was carried out by Sohrab The testo 300 smartphones straight to the Rustomjee, the principal of Bath-based SR features an easy heart of a flue gas analyser.

Architects, who designed and project managed the to read display All measurement data can be work. He says We had used mnie underfloor and can transmit heating systems on a number of our residential conveniently transmitted direct data directly to a and commercial projects in the past, having always from the analyser via a WiFi smartphone been impressed by the level of support the company offers from the early stages. Calculations proved that we could counter the heat loss through the poorly insulated fabric by installing the FoilBoard panels across the entire basement/garden level floor and this has resulted in achieving incredible levels of comfort within a building such as this.” phamnews.co.uk/420/ 2

With reference to Alan Sowden’s letter in the April edition of PHAM News (‘Lord of the ‘O’ rings’): I might be able to shine some light on this issue, as a young plumbing and heating engineer, 82 years young, 3 years self employed and enjoying work. I was installing gas fired central heating in the 1 0s and 1 80s and the only gas boiler in those days was the back boiler with fire front. Finding fault was easy – breakdown was usually a thermocouple – and repair was Thick wall steel pipe used simple. with heat-free press fitting Then came wall hung, balanced flue boilers – ideal for flats with no fireplaces, same components.

Then came ‘fan flued’ boilers with a balanced flue. This was a different animal. Gas valves had two solenoids Modern measuring – fan started, solenoid no. 1 opened, technology has low gas went to burner, spark ignited the gas burner cross lighted, picked today’s smart and up heat, solenoid no. 2 opened,digitally networked boiler going. world Finding fault was more complicated, but changing solenoids fairly simple – remove spade connectors, remove spring clip, re-fit in reverse order.

Then came European Union.

They system delivers UFH bought in a regulation banning ‘field the extra output stripping’ by heating engineers. So manufacturers were forced to make their products tamperproof. Most boiler parts made abroad and with built-in obsolescence.

I recently attended and repaired a back boiler, made in 1 82 which is still going strong. The back boiler not very efficient but it has cost less than a modern condensing boiler.

Question: how many boilers would have to be changed, fitted 40.indd 1 and repaired, in the same period from 1 82 to present day? And at what cost RS Watt Aberdeen 30.indd 1

W

An independent and family run hotel situated in beautiful countryside just outside the village of Beamish, in County Durham, is the latest hotel to protect its heating system and new boilers with a BoilerMag XL. With 42 rooms, the Beamish Park Hotel is adjacent to a golf academy which includes a hole golf course, practice greens and bunkers, and a 20 bay floodlit golf driving range.

As part of an upgrade to the hotel’s heating system, Blaydon based commercial and industrial heating engineering firm Enright Environmental Ltd installed a new boiler complete with a BoilerMag L filter.

The hotel had its current boilers for approximately 15 years and they were previously unprotected from contamination. After

As a manufacturer of integrated piping systems, Pegler has supplied its VSH PowerPress system for use at the Holy Family National School in Swords, County Dublin. The project called for a thick wall steel pipe and press fitting range.

Amara Engineering was tasked with installing services to the six-classroom extension at the 1400 pupil school, which replaced ageing temporary accommodation.

The heat free, speedy installation offered by SH PowerPress ensured a timely install that also ensured complete safety of the site, as there was considerable timber used in the construction. Furthermore, the change from a threaded and welded joints system that would

replacing the boiler, Enright Environmental then installed the commercial boiler filter to protect the heating system and new boiler from contamination.

The BoilerMag L commercial

have historically been specified has shown the reliability and ease of installation offered by SH PowerPress. phamnews.co.uk/420/ 0

Omnie has supplied its Foilboard Floating underfloor heating system for the conversion of a Georgian property to create two Airbnb lets in Bath. The specification has helped deliver sufficient output to combat the heat loss through the building’s envelope, which had to remain uninsulated due to its Grade 1 listing.

The redevelopment was carried out by Sohrab Rustomjee, the principal of Bath-based SR Architects, who designed and project managed the work. He says We had used mnie underfloor heating systems on a number of our residential and commercial projects in the past, having always been impressed by the level of support the company offers from the early stages. Calculations proved that we could counter the heat loss through the poorly insulated fabric by installing the FoilBoard panels across the entire basement/garden level floor and this has resulted in achieving incredible levels of comfort within a building such as this.” phamnews.co.uk/420/ 2

heating system filter is a cost effective option for heating efficiency and boiler protection in commercial, retail, or large residential properties. phamnews.co.uk/420/28

Domus Ventilation – part of the Polypipe Group – has had its HRXD mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems installed in the prestigious Bow River Village development in East London.

Bow River Village is a new residential quarter south of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. The apartments that make up the new development have been designed with modern and efficient living in mind and are marketed with ‘eco-features to keep energy bills to the minimum’. 112 Domus Ventilation HRXD wall mounted MVHRs, along with Domus ducting and sound attenuators, were installed during Phase 2 of the development.

PHAM NEWS | APRIL 2020

Wavin has supplied all the plumbing and drainage products used on Birmingham’s Sherborne Wharf development. As a plastic pipe manufacturer, Wavin provided a full portfolio of solutions, alongside technical support and training, to enable smooth plumbing installation.

The waterside redevelopment at Sherborne Wharf will eventually see over 80 blocks of residential buildings. Part of this project is five blocks comprising 203 one, two and three-bedroom apartments.

Due to the extensive nature of the project, the installers – Stewarts Plumbing & Heating Ltd – wanted to streamline the installation process with the help of Wavin as a ‘one stop shop’. phamnews.co.uk/420/29

The evolution of measuring technology

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The MVHR units are a key of extracting moisture-laden e live in an eco-feature as they provide air from wet rooms whilst ever-changing capturing up to 8 % of the homeowners with substantial world, andheat, which would otherwise savings on energy bills and even within be wasted, and using it to improved indoor air quality. the spheretemper of the filtered air which They work on the principle HVAC test instruments thereis simultaneously distributed the home. have been several evolutionsaround in recent times. Some engineers The Domus Ventilation HRXD will remember times when is a wall mounted MVHR unit electronic flue gas analyserswhich intelligently matches ventilation rates to the internal were only just coming onto the environment and occupants’ market, and with the potential requirements, for maximum for significant changes in homeowner comfort. This is the way that domestic and achieved through advanced commercial properties will AMIE (air management be heated in the future, many for indoor environments) engineers will be keeping one technology including features eye on future trends and howsuch as digital humidity control, that might dictate which testautomated summer bypass and equipment they invest in. accurate system balancing. phamnews.co.uk/420/ ne heating system appliance

Wavin has supplied all the plumbing and drainage products used on Birmingham’s Sherborne Wharf development. As a plastic pipe manufacturer, Wavin provided a full portfolio of solutions, alongside technical support and training, to enable smooth plumbing installation.

The waterside redevelopment at Sherborne Wharf will eventually see over 80 blocks of residential buildings. Part of this project is five blocks comprising 203 one, two and three-bedroom apartments.

Due to the extensive nature of the project, the installers – Stewarts Plumbing & Heating Ltd – wanted to streamline the installation process with the help of Wavin as a ‘one stop shop’.  The testo 557 digital manifold phamnews.co.uk/420/29 PHAM NEWS | APRIL 2020

helps engineers to quickly assess heat pump performance

hotspot as an email to the office or to the customer, and then

Keeping the indoor air paper. warm and fresh archived without

that has certainly been in the news recently is the heat pump – with the UK government committing itself to the ambitious target set by the CCC (Committee for Climate Change). ne of the first steps proposed towards the eventual net-zero carbon target is that all new homes built from 2025 will have to look to alternatives to the traditional gas boiler for Nursing and care home supplier heating, as the homes will not Acticare is now able to provide heating, comfort cooling, and fresh air ventilation to employees with the installation of modern in tandem with a Lossnay heat air conditioning from Mitsubishi recovery ventilation system to Electric. deliver perfect levels of comfort The new build, two-floor and fresh air efficiently. facility in Hereford comprises The Hybrid VRF system open-plan spaces, satellite differs from traditional RF as offices and meeting rooms, and it uses water throughout the the company was looking for a majority of its pipework instead system which delivered a fresh, of refrigerant but is still able to temperate working environment simultaneously heat and cool for its office staff. different rooms.

The solution was R32 Hybrid phamnews.co.uk/420/ VRF air conditioning working

30.indd 1

27/03/2020 09:22

be connected to any existing gas infrastructure. This will mean that a focus will be put onto heat pumps as a readily available and proven technology for supplying heating, and many installers will need both training and new test equipment.

Type the link into a search engine for direct access

 The testo 557 digital manifold helps engineers to quickly assess heat pump performance

hotspot as an email to the office or to the customer, and then archived without paper.

Hydrogen trials

The MVHRtrials units are a key Hydrogen eco-feature as they provide We may be seeing further homeowners with substantial changes to the flue gas analyser savings on energy bills and in coming years as one area improved indoor air quality. currently seeing significant They work on the principle development is in the area of hydrogen as a long-term replacement for natural gas, as this will fully assist in the move to net-zero carbon within the heating sector. Currently there are ongoing trials to both look at an initial move to blend an addition of hydrogen into the existing gas infrastructure and appliances with very little change required to both, however an end move to a 100% hydrogen heating supply will see many changes in both the design of appliances and also the flue gas analysers required to install and service them.

So, to sum up: modern measuring technology has finally arrived in today’s smart and digitally networked world and is making your smartphone tablet just as helpful and indispensable in everyday working life as it is in private life. Mobile use, intuitive operation, and simple data transmission means savings in Nursing and care home supplier both time and money, enabling Acticare is now able to provide you to impress your customers heating, comfort cooling, and with processes and fast freshlean air ventilation to employees response times, however the with the installation of modern picture for test instruments is air conditioning from Mitsubishi continuously evolving to match Electric.

The newdemands. build, two-floor changing facility in Hereford comprises phamnews.co.uk/420/5 open-plan spaces, satellite offices and meeting rooms, and the company was looking for a system which delivered a fresh, temperate working environment 27/03/2020 for its office staff.

The solution was R32 Hybrid VRF air conditioning working

Testo, as a world-wide manufacturer of HVAC test and measurement equipment, is uniquely placed to provide for this influx of engineers as we have been supplying our digital refrigeration manifolds and other heat pump service instruments for many years already, albeit to a smaller market than is expected in the future. Our 550 and 55 digital manifolds help heat pump engineers to quickly assess the

The testo 300

features an easy to read display and can transmit data directly to a smartphone

40.indd 1

pressures/temperatures around the low-pressure and highpressure sides of a heat pump system and evaluate if these readings are within the required parameters.

There are other changes within the world of air conditioning, with moves towards the use of refrigerant gases with a lower GWP (global warming potential), but again we can assist engineers with products to ensure that any regassing of systems is effective and correct. ne major benefit of our 550 or 55 digital manifolds is that, unlike traditional ‘analogue’ type manifold gauges, they can easily be updated for future refrigerants as they become available.

Another area where significant changes are taking place in the test equipment market is with connectivity – at the heart of new technology are apps which can turn your smartphone or tablet into one of your most important tools. This fundamentally changes not only the measurements themselves, but also the documentation and processing of the data.

With products such as our 300 ‘smart’ analyser, you are seeing the merging of smartphone and measuring device – this flue gas analyser for both domestic or commercial applications brings the ease of use we have all become used to with smartphones straight to the heart of a flue gas analyser.

All measurement data can be conveniently transmitted direct from the analyser via a WiFi

We may be seeing further changes to the flue gas analyser in coming years as one area currently seeing significant development is in the area of hydrogen as a long-term replacement for natural gas, as this will fully assist in the move to net-zero carbon within the heating sector. Currently there are ongoing trials to both look at an initial move to blend an addition of hydrogen into the existing gas infrastructure and appliances with very little change required to both, however an end move to a 100% hydrogen heating supply will see many changes in both the design of appliances and also the flue gas analysers required to install and service them.

So, to sum up: modern measuring technology has finally arrived in today’s smart and digitally networked world and is making your smartphone tablet just as helpful and indispensable in everyday working life as it is in private life. Mobile use, intuitive operation, and simple data transmission means savings in both time and money, enabling you to impress your customers with lean processes and fast response times, however the picture for test instruments is continuously evolving to match changing demands. phamnews.co.uk/420/5

27/03/2020 11:40

of extracting moisture-laden air from wet rooms whilst capturing up to 8 % of the heat, which would otherwise be wasted, and using it to temper the filtered air which is simultaneously distributed around the home.

The Domus Ventilation HRXD is a wall mounted MVHR unit which intelligently matches ventilation rates to the interna environment and occupants’ requirements, for maximum homeowner comfort. This is achieved through advanced AMIE (air management for indoor environments) technology including features such as digital humidity contro automated summer bypass and accurate system balancing. phamnews.co.uk/420/

Hybrid air conditioning uses no refrigerant

in tandem with a Lossnay heat recovery ventilation system to deliver perfect levels of comfo and fresh air efficiently.

The Hybrid VRF system differs from traditional RF as it uses water throughout the majority of its pipework instea of refrigerant but is still able to 11:40 simultaneously heat and cool different rooms. phamnews.co.uk/420/

2

Let us know what you think...

The editor welcomes letters from readers on all aspects of the industry.

Send letters by email or post with your name, phone number and address (not for publication).

Please address your letters to: The Editor PHAM News 1b Station Square Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1DP or email to: editor@phamnews.co.uk

13.indd 1

www.phamnews.co.uk

01/06/2020 15:52

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

14

Gadgets & Tools

This is the second of our new series of columns from Vaillant which takes highlights from the company’s heating industry podcasts aimed at supporting installers and their working lives.

Episode two looks at some of the essential marketing tools that installers can use to enhance their business.

and snap into place to suit the geometry of the pliers’ jaws so that they do not slip during work.

Also new is the Knipex Cobra XS – said to be the smallest high-tech water pump pliers in the world. At just 1 mm long, the selflocking pliers are said to be ideal for tight spaces and can grip nuts up to 24mm in width across flats and other workpieces up to 28mm. The gripping surface has specially hardened teeth, while a ribbed, non-slip handle ensures that they are easy to use, and a pinch guard protects against injury.

Cutting edge Another highlight of the new tools is the Knipex TibiX pipe cutter (pictured left) – designed to cut copper, brass and stainless steel pipes up to 35mm in diameter. With a spring-loaded cutting wheel and easy adjustment which locks the pipe into place, tasks can be completed using just one hand.

After the pipe has been cut, an integrated, retractable deburring tool can be used to smooth the cut surface.

The pipe is cut by turning the tool, and the clearance between the cutting edge and the pipe can be freely adjusted with the ergonomic feeding barrel.

The cutting wheel on the TubiX is made of quality ball-bearing steel while the metal housing is light and durable magnesium.

The spring-loaded cutting wheel is made from ball-bearing steel and can easily be exchanged. A spare wheel is also located in the feeding barrel. phamnews.co.uk/520/09

ompact thermal camera with easy connectivity Described as a pocket-portable thermal camera, the new FLIR C5 Compact Thermal Camera features built-in ‘FLIR Ignite’ cloud connectivity and is designed to help reduce diagnostic time for commercial electrical testing, mechanical engineering, home and building inspection, energy auditing, and general contracting.

When connected to WiFi, professionals can directly upload, store, and back up images and videos to FLIR Ignite. It is also possible to manage and share data via email from any mobile device or desktop computer. With all images and videos in one

14.indd 1

Business Matters

he benefits of e ective mar eting

ough tools give professionals a better grip Extending its range of quality pliers and hand tools, Knipex has introduced a number of new products to ensure that professional users have access to a solution that will suit every job. These include the new 300mm Knipex pliers wrench (pictured right) which rounds off the company’s existing range of 125, 150, 180, 250 and 400mm tools.

The latest addition to the family is 300mm long and offers grip up to a width across flats of 68mm. It features a practical lasercut scale to enable the user to set the pliers wrench to the required width, with metric measurements above the toothed setting grid on the front, and imperial on the rear of the pliers head. The gripping jaws can be adjusted quickly and conveniently at the push of a button.

Thanks to smooth, parallel jaws, screw connections with sensitive surfaces can also be fixed gently into place without causing any damage. In addition, the pliers wrench does not have to be removed when loosening or tightening screws – the stroke between the gripping jaws allows it to screw with the ratchet principle. For especially sensitive surfaces or designer fittings, plastic jaw covers are also available as accessories for the 180, 250, and 300mm variants. The protective jaws are easily attached by hand

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

place, sharing data with team members and creating reports for customers is convenient and simple.

The C5 also features a FLIR Lepton thermal imaging sensor and MSX (MultiSpectral Dynamic Imaging) technology, which embosses visible scene details onto thermal images to create a crisp image that will help to highlight any hidden problems. phamnews.co.uk/520/ 0

A

t Vaillant, we are continually looking for new ways in which we can support our loyal installers. At present, many heating businesses may be facing a quiet trading period due to working restrictions in the current climate. However, during quieter periods, some heating engineers may find this time a good opportunity to review their marketing strategy and upskill their knowledge to enable them to ensure their business model is up to date and effective for what will hopefully be a more successful heating season.

Here are some key learnings from episode two of The Vaillant Podcast with James Lacey from JLN Plumbing and marketing consultant Holly Hickey:

Word of mouth After receiving an enquiry from a customer, it is important to leave a lasting impression to ensure repeat business and future recommendations.

James comments: “If we get a contact form through the website, we try to get back to people within an hour, even on busy days. People like a fast response and we get a lot of positive feedback for this. Every customer gets a reply. It’s good to keep them informed, just be straight and honest.

“So you’ve just replied and you’ve impressed them already and they’ve got your brand because you’ve replied with an email footer, or your Facebook photo is your brand’s logo.”

Get online The podcast also touches upon the key components of an effective website, including having a clear call to action.

James says: “The most important thing for me is the call to action. So, on every page of the website is our phone number or a contact form. People are there for a reason. On every page we have a banner that pops up asking if they would like to book a call for a quote, you need that contact information.”

Holly comments that the key is to keep it simple and accessible: “Keep it simple is the mantra really. And I think one thing that you do need to remember as well as having that clear contact form is make sure it’s accessible on a mobile. Research shows 1% of all people on social media are on a mobile.

So, if you’re not optimised in that market, you’re going to miss out completely. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. I think a lot of the website creation software automatically does this for you so you can just view it as it would be on a mobile.”

Negative reviews It’s human nature to find negative online reviews intimidating. Tens of thousands of businesses exist without one single review online, and though they would love to start getting positive online reviews, they are scared to get started.

Holly and James explain why negative reviews can be good for business: “I used to really take it to heart when we had a bad review,” says James, “but now we see it as a review of the company as a whole. It’s a shakeup. Why have you gone wrong? Is it just that customer or is it something we have done wrong? If it’s the latter, what can we do to stop that happening again? It’s a good thing and keeps you on your toes. The moment you sit back and think you’re perfect, that’s it.

It’s all going to go wrong, isn’t it?”

Holly adds: “I did some research into this, and it confirmed that people do read online reviews, so you need to definitely be on it. It said % of people read reviews for local businesses. But interestingly, if you get negative reviews, it also said that 3.3 is the minimum star rating of a business that consumers would engage with. So you don’t have to worry if you don’t have those five stars. People will look at it holistically.”

Useful tools Marketing is key to any business – take a step back and see what you can do to make your business as effective as possible. The Vaillant Advance app also has a multitude of useful tools, such as service reminder prompts, to help installers make more time to take care of the marketing aspects of running a business.

The Vaillant Podcast For more information or to listen to The Vaillant Podcast, visit: www.buzzsprout.com/840097/3427489

29/05/2020 16:18

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PHAM MAYJUNE20 EDIT:Layout 1 02/06/2020 15:02 Page 16

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

16

Training Update Apprentices can press on with training

New digital training hub Responding to the current restrictions on movement, Worcester has launched a set of digital training resources for ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ ŶĞÖŶ óŋƑāũ Ö ũÖłėā ŋĕ ŶŋťĢóŭ ̟ ĕũŋĿ ėÖŭ ŭťāóĢƩóÖŶĢŋł to electrical safe isolation.

The Worcester Bosch Training Academy Facebook group enables installers to access a range of training resources, with end-of-unit assessments, live streaming and an opportunity to ask questions. It will also provide members with a timetable of Skype training sessions, including the ability to share feedback on sessions and the chance to submit requests for training topics. Installers can book a slot on a course by emailing the training mailbox (available in the Facebook group) and entering their Gas Safe or OFTEC number. ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˚˚

Steve Willis Training has created a revised delivery model for remote learning to support its apprentices training in Burgess Hill and Portchester. It has also phoned all of its ˜˙˙-plus apprentices to discuss their wellbeing and their employment position.

Apprenticeships manager Jake Gibbons says: “Our Apprenticeships Team has done a fantastic job devising remote training programmes to minimise the disruption for our apprentices during the lockdown. The training centre is quiet without them on site, and we’re looking forward to seeing them all again soon. We have

reassured them that the training and assessment they need for their ťũŋĕāŭŭĢŋłÖķ ŨŽÖķĢƩóÖŶĢŋłŭ ƒĢķķ ðā rearranged as soon as the lockdown is lifted.”

MD Steve Willis adds: “This is a challenging time for all businesses, and

Sign up for product knowledge with Baxi

Water testing webinars ÂÖŶāũ ŶũāÖŶĿāłŶ ĿÖłŽĕÖóŶŽũāũ Öłù ĿÖėłāŶĢó ƩķŶũÖŶĢŋł specialist ADEY has launched free online training sessions. The company says that adapting existing in-person training sessions to webinar-based courses was already in progress but the lockdown has kicked things up a gear. ¦Ğā óŋĿťÖłƘ ĞÖŭ Öķŭŋ ķÖŽłóĞāù Ö óāũŶĢƩāù ā-learning module to help installers advance their knowledge of water treatment. Each installer who passes the course will ũāóāĢƑā '1È óāũŶĢƩóÖŶĢŋł̍ For more information and to register for an ADEY webinar, use the reader link below. ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˚˛

Oil boiler donation NŋŽłŭƩāķù ŋĢķāũŭ ĞÖŭ ùŋłÖŶāù Ö ˚˛̓˚ˢ Kitchen Model oil boiler to East Anglian training centre, Norwich Gas Electrical and Oil (NGEO). The facility is a hub for OFTEC’s Competent Person Scheme and Experienced Worker training and assessment, and has around ˞˙˙ students pass through its doors every year.

NŋŽłŭƩāķù ŋĢķāũŭ ƒÖŭ ũāóŋĿĿāłùāù ðƘ ŋłā ŋĕ ŶĞā course leaders, Tom Brown. He says: “We were delighted Ŷŋ ėāŶ ŋŽũ ĞÖłùŭ ŋł Ö NŋŽłŭƩāķù ŋĢķāũ̍ ¦Ğā ðŋĢķāũ Ģŭ ƑāũƘ āƧóĢāłŶ ƒĢŶĞ Ö ũÖłėā ŋĕ ƪŽā ŋťŶĢŋłŭ̍ RŶ̪ŭ ĢùāÖķ ĕŋũ ŋŽũ students to learn how to properly install and service a wide-ũÖłėā ŋĕ ðŋĢķāũŭ Öłù Ĵłŋƒ Ğŋƒ Ŷŋ ƩŶ ŶĞā ðāŭŶ̍ ¦Ğā NŋŽłŭƩāķù ðŋĢķāũ ƒā ĞÖƑā Ģŭ Žŭāù Ŷŋ āłÖðķā ŭŶŽùāłŶŭ Ŷŋ practise carrying out a full service. ” ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˚˝

Learning best practice A new series of free online commercial product training sessions has been organised by Baxi Heating to enable installers to continue to develop their knowledge about the Andrews Water Heaters range of condensing water heaters Öłù ƒÖķķ ĞŽłė Öłù ƪŋŋũ ŭŶÖłùĢłė ĞĢėĞ āƧóĢāłóƘ ðŋĢķāũŭ ĕũŋĿ Potterton Commercial.

Mark Lovegrove, commercial training manager, delivers the training via Microsoft Teams. Each session will cover the product range along with applications, installation requirements, commissioning, maintenance, testing and trouble-shooting. An individual course will last approximately ˢ˙ minutes, with at least four Q&A breakouts, and ending with a quiz to assess understanding. Participants will all receive an electronic copy of the engineer’s training manual.

Each session is limited to a maximum of eight people. To reserve a place, please send an email: CommercialMarketing@ baxiheating.co.uk ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˚˞

Lockdown lowdown

phamnews.co.uk/520/101

we’re doing all we can to support our customers. We’ll be opening our gates again as soon as we can, and we’re currently planning all the changes that will be needed to ensure a safe working environment.” ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˚˜

łāƒ ŭāũĢāŭ ŋĕ ĢłŭŶÖķķāũ ŶũŋŽðķāŭĞŋŋŶĢłė ƩķĿŭ ĞÖŭ ðāāł produced by Mira Showers, covering a range of topics and ðāėĢłłĢłė ƒĢŶĞ ĕÖŽķŶ ƩłùĢłė Öóũŋŭŭ ŶĞā óŋĿťÖłƘ̪ŭ āłŶĢũā range of electric showers.

Paul McGuire, Mira’s associate channel manager – installer communications, says: “We have created these at a ŶĢĿā ƒĞāł ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ Ʃłù ŶĞāĿŭāķƑāŭ ƒĢŶĞ óÖťÖóĢŶƘ Ŷŋ ŽťŭĴĢķķ and update their knowledge. From an installer’s perspective, they allow them to save time and money by troubleshooting óŋłƩùāłŶķƘ̇ ƩũŭŶ ŶĢĿā̍ ¦ĞāƘ ĿÖĴā ėũāÖŶ ! '̇ Öłù óŋŽķù āƑāł provide them with an alternative revenue stream, repairing as well as installing showers – something everyone will welcome in these uncertain times.” ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˚˟

A new online training module has been released by Fernox focusing on water treatment for central heating systems. The interactive course is available on the Fernox website and covers a range of industry topics, including why water treatment is necessary, the importance of cleaning the central heating system, and why inhibiting is crucial to maintain central ĞāÖŶĢłė ŭƘŭŶāĿ ĞāÖķŶĞ Öłù āƧóĢāłóƘ̍ Helpful videos explain the role of the products and explore the science behind them. On successful completion of the course, there is a quiz that allows participants to formalise their knowledge and receive a ùŋƒłķŋÖùÖðķā óāũŶĢƩóÖŶā̍ Francine Wickham, global marketing director at Fernox, comments: “We believe our online Fernox Water Treatment module is an informative method for heating and plumbing professionals to remain up to date with best practice procedures, industry innovation, and to understand how central heating systems should be correctly maintained.” ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˞˝

PHAM MAYJUNE20 EDIT:Layout 1 02/06/2020 14:45 Page 17

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

Pipes, Fittings & Valves 17

mŽķŶĢťķā ðāłāƩ Ŷŭ of multi-layer

ıŋĢłŶŭ̍ ­łťũāŭŭāù Ʃ ŶŶĢłėŭ are designed to leak slightly ùŽũĢłė ťũāŭŭŽũā ŶāŭŶĢłė ̛āƑāł at low water testing pressure) and can be pressed without ĞÖƑĢłė Ŷŋ ùũÖĢł ùŋƒł ŶĞā entire system.

Multi-layer piping systems are ˚˙˙% recyclable. Strong, durable, lightweight and ƪ āƗĢðķā̇ ŶĞāŭā ŭƘŭŶāĿŭ Öķŭŋ ũāŨŽĢũā ŭĢėłĢƩ óÖłŶķƘ ķāŭŭ energy to fabricate, transport and install.

!ĞŋĢóā ŋĕ ťĢťā ĿÖŶāũĢÖķ ƒĢķķ ĞÖƑā Öł ĢĿťÖóŶ ŋł ŶĞā ŭťāāù of installation and the quality of results. Antony Corbett from Geberit looks why installers are turning to multilayered piping for heating and potable water.

A

ŭÖĕā̇ óŋĿťķĢÖłŶ Öłù āƦ āóŶĢƑā supply piping system starts with selecting the right product. Many installers ƒĢķķ ĞÖƑā ŶĞāĢũ ŋƒł ŶũĢāù̇ tested and trusted materials, but there rarely is a one-size-Ʃ Ŷŭ-all approach. The requirements of a commercial project, for āƗÖĿťķā̇ óŋŽķù ķŋŋĴ ŨŽĢŶā ùĢƦ āũāłŶ Ŷŋ ŶĞÖŶ ŋĕ a smaller residential building. dāŶ̪ŭ ðāėĢł ðƘ ðũĢāƪ Ƙ ķŋŋĴĢłė ÖŶ ŶĞā ĿÖĢł issues that need to be considered when selecting the right material for supply piping systems.

Corrosion – This is the single biggest cause of breakdown in the process industries. While rare in well-designed and well-ĿÖĢłŶÖĢłāù ŭƘŭŶāĿŭ̇ Ö ŭĢėłĢƩ óÖłŶ proportion of corrosion failures occur due to some form of localised corrosion.

Hygiene – Limescale build-up can allow bacteria to grow inside the piping, which óÖł ĞÖƑā Ö ŭāũĢŋŽŭ ĢĿťÖóŶ ƒĞāł ĢŶ óŋĿāŭ to the issue of drinking water. The surface roughness of the pipe must therefore be considered when selecting the material.

Cost – The installed cost should include not only initial material cost, but any additional labour time, such as downtime during hot works, or specialist labour or tools needed for the job. Also important is the need to weigh up any initial costs with ŶĞā ŋƑāũÖķķ ĿÖĢłŶāłÖłóā Öłù ũāķĢÖðĢķĢŶƘ ŋĕ ŶĞā ŭƘŭŶāĿ ŋƑāũ ĢŶŭ ķĢĕā óƘóķā̍ Sustainability – This is important on any project and can range from opting ĕŋũ ũāóƘóķÖðķā ĿÖŶāũĢÖķŭ̇ ÖƑŋĢùĢłė ƒÖŭŶā Ŷŋ ķÖłùƩ ķķ̇ ŋũ āƑāł ťũāƑāłŶĢłė ťŋŶāłŶĢÖķ theft which may necessitate duplication of materials purchased for the project.

Material world

Antony Corbett Product manager for Geberit

THE KEY BENEFITS Đ Multi-layered piping MRGSVTSVEXIW XLI FIRIƼ XW SJ FSXL plastic and metal piping Đ The aluminium central layer makes the piping system strong ERH ƽ I\MFPI Đ The inner-most layer is made of PE-RT for internal corrosion resistance Đ Its construction makes it more leak-proof and offers a high level of hygiene

¦Ğā ðāłāƩ Ŷŭ ŋĕ óŋťťāũ Öũā widely known. It’s strong and Ģŭ ũāŭĢŭŶÖłŶ Ŷŋ ŶĞā āƦ āóŶŭ ŋĕ heat and pressure. Although, according to the ˛˙˚ˡ̟˛˙˛˛ UK Pipes and Fittings Report, the market for copper has grown more slowly in recent years, it nonetheless remains a popular choice.

Plastic piping has increased Ģł ťŋťŽķÖũĢŶƘ ŋƑāũ ŶĞā ķÖŭŶ ĕāƒ decades, as it is increasingly ŭāāł Öŭ Öł ĢłāƗťāłŭĢƑā ÖķŶāũłÖŶĢƑā Ŷŋ ŶũÖùĢŶĢŋłÖķ metal pipework systems Öłù ŋƦ āũŭ ÖùƑÖłŶÖėāŭ ŭŽóĞ Öŭ ƪ āƗĢðĢķĢŶƘ̇ āÖŭā ŋĕ installation, and resistance to freezing.

Multi-layered piping systems are increasingly āĿāũėĢłė Öŭ Ö ƑĢÖðķā option. Incorporating both plastic and metal layers, so combining the strength of óŋťťāũ ƒĢŶĞ ŶĞā ƪ āƗĢðĢķĢŶƘ and corrosion resistance of ťķÖŭŶĢó̇ ŶĞāŭā ŭƘŭŶāĿŭ ĞÖƑā Öķŭŋ ŭāāł ŭĢėłĢƩ óÖłŶ ėũŋƒŶĞ in the water supply sector.

Multi-layered piping óŋĿðĢłāŭ ŶĞā ÖùƑÖłŶÖėāŭ ŋĕ both plastic and metal piping systems. These systems, such as the Geberit Mepla multilayered piping, contains three layers: an outer plastic layer made of polyethylene (PE-RT of the second generation) which protects against corrosion and mechanical damage, a central aluminium layer which makes the pipe ŭŶÖðķā ƘāŶ ƪ āƗĢðķā̇ ťķŽŭ Öł inner layer, also made of PE-RT, for internal corrosion resistance.

Mechanical strength

Geberit Mepla multi-layered piping has three layers: outer plastic, middle aluminium, and an inner plastic lining for internal corrosion resistance

The aluminium central layer of multi-layered pipes is what ŋƦ āũŭ ŶĞāŭā ŭƘŭŶāĿŭ ŶĞāĢũ mechanical strength as well as the stability needed to ensure the pipe remains in its required position while remaining malleable enough to bend.

Meanwhile, multi-layer piping systems can be ÖùıŽŭŶāù ƪ āƗĢðķƘ Ŷŋ ŶĞā

Hygiene protection on-site conditions – and āƑāł ĿÖłĢťŽķÖŶāù Ŷŋ ĕŋķķŋƒ ŶĞā ķĢłā ŋĕ ÖłƘ óŽũƑāù architectural features in buildings. Pipes of ˚6 and ˛˙mm can be bent āƦ ŋũŶķāŭŭķƘ ðƘ ĞÖłù Öłù larger diameters can also be bent without risk of delamination or kinking by using an appropriate tool. ¦Ğā ŋťŶĢŋł ĕŋũ ťũāŭŭ Ʃ ŶŶĢłė also enables quick, simple and reliable connections with no need for hot works. The only tools needed to form a reliable, tight and durable connection are a cutter, deburrer and press tool.

Leak-proof The unique construction of multi-layered piping systems means that installers óÖł Öķŭŋ ĞÖƑā óŋłƩ ùāłóā in a leak-proof system.

Geberit Mepla, for example, incorporates a method of checking for missed

Perhaps one of the biggest selling-points of multi-layered systems are the hygiene properties. The plastic inner layer is resistant to cracking, aging and general wear and tear. It’s also non-ũāÖóŶĢƑā and corrosion resistant, so it is suitable for use in both temperature control and potable water applications. In addition, this inner layer has a low internal surface roughness ̞ ŶĞĢŭ ĿÖĴāŭ ĢŶ ùĢƧ óŽķŶ ĕŋũ ķĢĿāŭóÖķā Öłù ðĢŋƩ ķĿ Ŷŋ adhere to the surface.

Multi-layer piping is óŋłŶĢłŽĢłė Ŷŋ ėũŋƒ̇ ŋƦ āũĢłė ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ ŶĞā ƑāũƘ ðāŭŶ ŋĕ plastic and metal piping. We must always keep an open mind to new materials and ways of working and always look at the right product for the right project. The rate ŋĕ ĢłùŽŭŶũƘ ĢłłŋƑÖŶĢŋł Öłù ťũŋùŽóŶ ùāƑāķŋťĿāłŶ ĿāÖłŭ that anyone not doing so could be left behind. ͻ phamnews.co.uk̓˞˛˙̓˚ˠ

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Pipes, Fittings & Valves

Combatting infections with copper pipework Copper pipework and fittings have long been recognised for the role they can play in helping to combat infections in vulnerable environments, such as hospitals and care homes. Dan Wild from Conex B nninger explains.

T

here’s no doubt that the last few months have been difficult. For those involved in the HVAC industry, it’s been particularly tough getting to grips with the government guidelines and really understanding the extent of work that is seen as ‘essential’.

Many installers, whether they were working on domestic or commercial projects, have had no choice but to lay down their tools, with significant financial implications for businesses and individuals alike. However, there’s also a large number of installers out there performing vital work on frontline projects to maintain the supply of heating and hot water to UK homes, hospitals and businesses.

With health and safety at the top of the national agenda, one solution that has been around for centuries is copper pipework.

The key reason for this is its antimicrobial properties. In many healthcare and medical environments for example, which require the strictest hygiene performance specifications, copper pipework has been the number one plumbing material of choice for many years.

The advantages of using copper pipework is increasing

all the time, with more and more projects thinking seriously about the benefits of the material to help minimise any potential risks posed by waterborne bacteria.

Copper attacks a wide range of dangerous bacteria, including Legionella, and helps prevent a multitude of pseudomonas infections such as ‘swimmer’s ear’. Direct interaction between the surface of the copper and the bacterial outer membrane causes it to rupture. As a result, the bacterium loses vital nutrients and water, and dies.

Dan Wild

UK business unit director for Conex B nninger

New PICV saves time and provides peace of mind Described as representing the next generation of commissioning valves, the new Pegler Proflow PIC (pressure independent control valve) has been designed to simplify installation and save time and money. Developed in collaboration with a select group of contractors, field trials have shown that the Proflow valve will deliver a significant time and cost saving – estimated to be 0 quicker than traditional methods.

Designed for use on large scale heating and cooling systems, such as offices, hospitals and hotels, the

18.indd 1

This biocidal effect of copper and copper alloys is recognised by several major scientific bodies. In 2014, the independent non-profit making ECRI Institute (formerly known as the Emergency Care Research Institute) listed antimicrobial copper as ‘one of its top 10 technologies to watch’. f course, proper water hygiene continues to be absolutely essential, with EN806 taking over from BS6 00 as the applicable industry standard covering ‘specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human consumption’.

This makes copper an essential material to specify at the design stage of a new drinking water

comes with a flushing bypass to prevent any risk of debris being flushed into the product during commissioning. The integrated flushing bypass effectively means that it is a ‘fit and forget’ item for the installer, because once it is placed on the system, that is the end of the installation process.

The flushing bypass also ensures that it is much easier to perform a full bore flush and backflush, without any risk of the backflush causing damage or blockages by debris being flushed back into the valve.

product operates like other dynamic flow control valves in providing control of system demand and output temperatures by adjusting flow rates and maintaining a constant pressure differential.

However, unlike other PIC s on the market, the Proflow

An isolation feature has also been built into the product, thereby removing any need to have an isolation valve inline prior to the PIC should there be a need to perform maintenance on the system. The isolation feature also allows the cartridge to be taken and swapped in a live system without any need to drain down and readjust chemical levels. So, if a slight

system or a refurbishment.

As a general rule for drinking water, keep cold water cold and hot water hot. Up to 20 C, bacteria can survive but are not active. At 60°C and up, some 0 of bacteria will be killed within two minutes.

The ‘optimal one’ for bacteria to thrive is between 45°C and 60 C. It’s not just the antimicrobial properties of copper that make it an ideal pipework solution.

As a noble metal, copper also resists corrosion and compares favourably to steel and iron. It is highly resistant to extremes of temperature too, whether those be highs or lows, and in the case of a fire its non-flammable capabilities mean copper tube and fittings will not burn or give off toxic fumes.

Copper also performs well in terms of its linear thermal expansion – or lack of it. Where the temperature rises by 30°C, copper pipework will expand by just 5mm over 10 metres.

While marginally bettered by steel (4mm), it matches stainless steel, is better than aluminium ( mm) and comprehensively outperforms PE (polyethylene) (54mm) and P C (60mm).

Copper also is a sustainable material of choice as it is 100% recyclable. In fact, some 80% of copper ever mined is still in

 08

6

use today. And while it takes 100 gigajoules of energy to refine one ton of copper, it takes only 10 gigajoules to reprocess it. So recycling is 0% better when environmental costs are taken into consideration.

To find out more about the benefits of copper pipework as a preferential fitting material, take advantage of our CPD programme. The programme is designed with specifiers and M E contractors in mind, while stockists, installers and water suppliers will also find it useful.

While focusing on copper, the programme also looks at current legislation and codes of practice, and considers the full range of products and jointing solutions on the market, from solder and bra e, to compression, threaded, press and push fit.

Anyone interested in undertaking the CPD course should email cpd@ibpgroup.com.

For details on the full range of Conex B nninger valves and pipe fittings, please visit /520/ 8

modification of the pipework is required, this can be performed after the commissioning stage without any need to recommission the product. ther advances include a setting gauge at the top of the valve. This helps to ensure that the gauge remains clearly visible – no longer hidden after an actuator has been installed – providing the engineer with a clear indication that all settings are correct and have not been adjusted or tampered with.

Additional peace of mind is provided by colour-coded cartridges for easy identification and a locking peg which helps to prevent accidental adjustment and ensure that the correct settings are retained.

The new Pegler Proflow PIC will initially be available in DN15 and DN25 si es, which the company estimates represents 80% of the market, with larger si es set to be introduced at a later date. /520/ 9

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Pipes, Fittings & Valves

Breaking the chain in high rise projects Richard Bateman from RWC looks at the problems faced when working with a chain of valves and how a single, all-in-one unit can simplify installation and maintenance while also reducing incompatibility issues.

T

he demand for new homes and accommodation has reached unprecedented levels, and with land prices increasing the answer’s not to spread out – it’s to go up. Whether it’s the answer to a rapidly expanding population or expensive real estate, high rise buildings ťũŋƑĢùā Öł ÖƦ ŋũùÖðķā ŭŋķŽŶĢŋł which is also helping preserve greenbelt areas. ũóĞĢŶāóŶŭ Öłù ŭťāóĢƩ āũŭ are having to do far more than simply think of grand designs.

High rise buildings present other key challenges, including speed of build and the technical performance of internal features, such as water supply and control. As such, designers are turning to technologies such as prefabrication to save time and āƦ ŋũŶ̍

Maximising space Another great challenge is space within the building itself.

High rises need a large amount of pipework to carry water to each individual dwelling. But spare a thought for the poor installer who has to assemble Öłù Ʃ Ŷ óŋĿťķĢóÖŶāù āŨŽĢťĿāłŶ Ģł ĞĢėĞķƘ óŋłƩ łāù ÖũāÖŭ̍ ŭ Ö ũāŭŽķŶ̇ ŭťāóĢƩ āũŭ Öķŭŋ łāāù Ŷŋ think about the detail of the products and technology they’re introducing into the building, making sure they’re easy to X The Tenant Valve Plus with cover from Reliance Valves

install, service and repair.

Plumbing and heating installations provide a good example of this in practice. While water is carried into the building via the mains, it then has to be delivered to each individual dwelling separately. To do so āƦ āóŶĢƑāķƘ̇ Ö ƒÖŶāũ ĿāŶāũ Ģŭ needed, along with an isolating valve, pressure reducing valve (PRV), and stop valve, among others.

Multiple brand issues

Richard Bateman

Technical training manager, RWC

First, these items need to be ŭāķāóŶāù Öłù ŭťāóĢƩ āù ðƘ ŶĞā consultant, who has to be sure ŶĞāƘ̪ķķ ťāũĕŋũĿ Öŭ ũāŨŽĢũāù ̞ individually and in combination ̞ ƒĞĢķā ŋƦ āũĢłė ðāŭŶ ƑÖķŽā̍ ¦ŋ ÖóĞĢāƑā ŶĞĢŭ̇ ŶĞāƘ ŨŽĢŶā ŋĕŶāł source components from multiple vendors, and hope against hope that they’ll all arrive on time and be fully compatible.

Then it’s the installer’s turn, ƒĞŋ ĞÖŭ Ŷŋ ŽłťÖóĴ Öłù óŋłƩ ėŽũā these components into a ‘chain’ for each dwelling, and then Ʃ Ŷ̇ ƪ ŽŭĞ Öłù ŶāŭŶ āÖóĞ ŋłā individually. Doing this once is time-consuming. Multiply this by all the units in the building, Öłù ŶĢĿā ŨŽĢóĴķƘ Öùùŭ Žť̍ ¦ŋ ŭÖƑā time, these chains of valves are ŋĕŶāł ťũāĕÖðũĢóÖŶāù ŋƦ -site and then delivered, but this presents other problems. These include ÖùùĢŶĢŋłÖķ óŋŭŶŭ Öłù ùĢƧ óŽķŶĢāŭ in installing them because of their physical size once fully assembled.

This can be made even worse when there is lack of space in

the riser cupboards, where all of these products are housed.

Typically, these are no bigger ŶĞÖł ŶĞāƘ łāāù Ŷŋ ðā̇ Öłù ŨŽĢŶā often smaller than they should be, giving additional headaches Ŷŋ ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ ̞ ŭŋĿāŶĢĿāŭ ŨŽĢŶā literally as hands and heads bump against pipework and walls.

With the chain of valves, we also often assume that there are no leaks or unforeseen events, which in reality is never often the case with construction.

If an installer is called back for repair or maintenance, they’re faced with a variety of products to diagnose and solve, which in turn can cause delays and complications. It isn’t uncommon for the repair of one ŭĿÖķķ ķāÖĴ Ŷŋ ũāŨŽĢũā ŶĞā ƒĞŋķā system to be drained, creating havoc throughout the building.

Nāũā Ģŭ ƒĞāũā ðŋŶĞ ŭťāóĢƩ āũŭ Öłù ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ ƒŋŽķù ðāłāƩ Ŷ from having one single unit that can be installed and delivers an all-in-one solution, easily, ŨŽĢóĴķƘ Öłù ƒĢŶĞ Ö ĿĢłĢĿÖķ footprint. That’s the concept behind the Tenant Valve Plus.

Self-contained Purpose designed for multioccupancy buildings, the Tenant Valve Plus is a self-contained unit with an integrated ball-type isolating valve, an approved stop valve, a pressure reducing valve, a double check valve, a dual reading pressure gauge/test point and a connection point for a water meter.

S The Tenant Valve Plus takes up less space than an equivalent chain valve of individual components

Packed into a single ˜˚˚mm unit cartridge, it takes up much less ŭťÖóā ŶĞÖł Öł āŨŽĢƑÖķāłŶ óĞÖĢł valve of individual components while performing exactly the same function.

1Ʀ āóŶĢƑā óŋłŶũŋķ ¦ĞĢŭ ƑÖķƑā ťũŋƑĢùāŭ āƦ āóŶĢƑā control and monitoring of the water supply for owners and ŋóóŽťĢāũŭ̇ Öłù ŨŽĢóĴ Öłù āÖŭƘ installation for contractors.

With easy access from the front, Tenant Valve Plus is easy to service without impacting the other dwellings. As it contains everything that’s needed, ŭťāóĢƩ āũŭ łāāù łŋŶ ƒŋũũƘ ÖðŋŽŶ incompatibility issues, sourcing from multiple vendors, and the risks of vendors discontinuing individual components which can create problems down the line if parts need replacing.

1Ƨ óĢāłóƘ ùāĿÖłù Multi-occupancy buildings are essentially an ‘all-in-one’ concept helping solve critical accommodation challenges.

Therefore, by solving a number of ĢŭŭŽāŭ ̞ ĢłóķŽùĢłė ŭťāóĢƩ óÖŶĢŋł̇ speed of installation and space availability – an all-in-one valve can contribute to their success.

It’s this kind of thinking that will help the construction industry meet the ever-increasing demand ĕŋũ āƦ āóŶĢƑāłāŭŭ Öłù āƧ óĢāłóƘ̍ ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˛˙

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Pipes, Fittings & Valves

Easy pipe bending Pre-insulated pipe for district heating networks With Fränkische’s new Alpex pipe bender set, installers can bend the Alpex MLC pipes for drinking water and heating installations to the desired angle in just a few simple steps. The manual benders for pipe dimensions of ˚6 and ˛˙mm are claimed to save on Ʃ ŶŶĢłėŭ̇ ĢłóũāÖŭā ŭÖĕāŶƘ̇ ũāùŽóā ťũāŭŭŽũā ķŋŭŭāŭ Öłù allow a bend radius of two times the pipe’s outside diameter.

The bending tools are designed to allow the ĢłŭŶÖķķāũ Ŷŋ ťũāóĢŭāķƘ ŭĞÖťā ŶĞā ťĢťāŭ ̞ ŶĞāƘ implement narrow bends with a bend radius of ˛xOD at pre-ùāƩ łāù ŋũ ĢłùĢƑĢùŽÖķķƘ ŭāķāóŶāù Öłėķāŭ without kinking the pipe.

“With our new bending tools, installers can óĞÖłėā ŶĞā ùĢũāóŶĢŋł ŋĕ Ö ťĢťā āłŶĢũāķƘ ƒĢŶĞŋŽŶ ÖłƘ Ʃ ŶŶĢłėŭ ŋũ ŭĞÖťāù ťÖũŶŭ̧̇ ŭÖƘŭ mÖũĴŽŭ bŕũðāũ̇ ťĢťĢłė ŭƘŭŶāĿŭ ťũŋùŽóŶ ĿÖłÖėāũ Ģł DũåłĴĢŭóĞā̪ŭ ŽĢķùĢłė ¦āóĞłŋķŋėƘ 'ĢƑĢŭĢŋł̍ ̦'Žā Ŷŋ ŶĞĢŭ̇ ŶĞāƘ óÖł save on press connections, reduce material costs, and lower pressure losses. The direction changes ŋðŶÖĢłāù ðƘ ĿāÖłŭ ŋĕ ŶĞā ťĢťā ðāłùāũ ŭāŶ āłŭŽũā ŋťŶĢĿÖķ ƪ ŋƒ óŋłùĢŶĢŋłŭ Öłù ĿĢŶĢėÖŶā ŶĞā ƪ ŋƒ łŋĢŭā Ģł ŶĞā ťĢťāŭ̧̍ ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˛˚

Adding to its growing range of solutions aimed at the district ĞāÖŶĢłė ĿÖũĴāŶ̇ DķāƗāłāũėƘ ĞÖŭ introduced Flexalen PU, a high ťāũĕŋũĿÖłóā̇ ƪ āƗĢðķā̇ ťũāĢłŭŽķÖŶāù ťŋķƘðŽŶāłā ťĢťā ŭƘŭŶāĿ designed for low temperature local district heating networks. ¦Ğā ťŋķƘðŽŶāłā ťĢťā ĞÖŭ Öł d' 1 ŋŽŶāũ ıÖóĴāŶ ĕŋũ ƪ āƗĢðĢķĢŶƘ and mechanical protection, and is insulated with closed-cell, CFCĕũāā ðŋłùāù ťŋķƘŽũāŶĞÖłā ĕŋÖĿ̇ ƒĞĢóĞ Ğāķťŭ ŋťŶĢĿĢŭā āłāũėƘ āƧ óĢāłóƘ Ģł ðŋŶĞ ĞāÖŶĢłė Öłù cooling networks. It is suitable for applications up to ˢ˞°C and 8 bar Öłù Ģŭ ĕŽķķƘ óŋĿťÖŶĢðķā ƒĢŶĞ ŶĞā óŋĿťÖłƘ̪ŭ DķāƗÖķāł ˟˙˙ product.

The new product follows on from the introduction of three other new technologies into the DķāƗāłāũėƘ ũÖłėā ÖŶ ŶĞā ðāėĢłłĢłė ŋĕ ŶĞĢŭ ƘāÖũ ̞ NāÖŶDķāƗ̇ DĢðũāDķāƗ Öłù DĢðũāDķāƗ ũŋ̍ NāÖŶDķāƗ Ģŭ suitable for most applications up to ˢ˞°C and 6 bar, while FibreFlex and FibreFlex Pro are designed for higher temperature and pressure environments. FibreFlex operates up to ˢ˞°C and ˚˙ bar, with FibreFlex Pro designed for projects up to ˚˚˞°C and ˚˙ bar. Öķāŭ ùĢũāóŶŋũ ÖłùƘ DÖĢũķāƘ óŋĿĿāłŶŭ̆ ̦ÂĢŶĞ ŶĞāŭā ĕŋŽũ new pipe products added to our ũÖłėā̇ ƒā Öũā łŋƒ Öðķā Ŷŋ ŭŽťťķƘ ÖķĿŋŭŶ āƑāũƘ ŶƘťā ŋĕ ùĢŭŶũĢóŶ ĞāÖŶĢłė ŭóĞāĿā ŭťāóĢƩ āù Ģł ŶĞā ­ḃ ĢłóķŽùĢłė ŶĞŋŭā ƒĢŶĞ ķÖũėā łāŶƒŋũĴ óÖťÖóĢŶƘ̍ ¦ĞĢŭ Ģŭ important as it comes at a time when there is growing interest and ĢłƑāŭŶĿāłŶ Ģł óŋĿĿŽłĢŶƘ ĞāÖŶĢłė as local authorities throughout ŶĞā ­b ƒŋũĴ ŶŋƒÖũùŭ ķŋƒāũ óÖũðŋł ĞāÖŶĢłė ŭŋķŽŶĢŋłŭ̧̍ ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˛˛

For unvented voids Gastite P˛ Ģŭ ŶĞā ķÖŶāŭŶ ťũŋùŽóŶ ĕũŋĿ FÖŭŶĢŶā ­ḃ ŶĞā supplier of corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST).

Developed as a solution for installing gas piping in ŽłƑāłŶāù ƑŋĢùŭ̇ ƒĞĢóĞ óÖł ŋĕŶāł ðā ùĢƧ óŽķŶ Ŷŋ Öóóāŭŭ and time-consuming, Gastite P˛ comes complete ƒĢŶĞ Öł ŋŽŶāũ̇ ŭāóŋłùÖũƘ ıÖóĴāŶ ̞ ĿāÖłĢłė ÖùùĢŶĢŋłÖķ sleeving is not required.

Compatible with the Gastite range of XR˛ Ʃ ŶŶĢłėŭ̇ ƒĞĢóĞ āķĢĿĢłÖŶā āƗťŋŭāù ŭŶāāķ ðāƘŋłù ŶĞā łŽŶ̇ FÖŭŶĢŶā P˛ features a ridged underside on the external jacket.

This creates space between the outer jacket and the Ģłłāũ ťĢťā̇ āłŭŽũĢłė ŶĞÖŶ ŭĞŋŽķù ĢŶ łāāù Ŷŋ̇ ÖłƘ ėÖŭ óÖł ventilate. Öķāŭ ùĢũāóŶŋũ łùƘ !ÖũťāłŶāũ ŭÖƘŭ̆ ̦¦ĞÖłĴŭ Ŷŋ our innovative manufacturing techniques, we have āłŭŽũāù ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞā ŋŽŶāũ̇ ŭāóŋłùÖũƘ ıÖóĴāŶ Ģŭ ŶĞĢł āłŋŽėĞ Ŷŋ ŋƦ āũ āƗóāķķāłŶ ƪ āƗĢðĢķĢŶƘ̇ ƒĞĢķā ŭŶĢķķ ðāĢłė ũŋðŽŭŶ āłŋŽėĞ Ŷŋ ťũŋŶāóŶ ŶĞā Ģłłāũ ! ¦ ťĢťā̧̍ ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˛˜

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PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

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Products in Action Showers help hospital deal with COVID patients

Wall mounting made easy London-based West Hampstead Plumbing Heating is making full use of the multiple installation benefits offered

by Alfie – a wall mounting plate and manifold device for brassware – during a demanding refurbishment of a large house in North-west London.

The firm’s founder, Wesley Hort, first saw Alfie at a trade show and realised it could offer the perfect install solution when he started work on a sixbedroom property in Hampstead last summer.

We have used the Alfie manifolds for a number of different jobs here, says Wesley, including installing

traditional style showers, with a in connection and fitting taps direct to the wall above the baths. They were large and quite heavy taps where, with the walls being solid masonry, we couldn’t get access behind to brace them in any way.

I had seen the Alfie device demonstrated at one of the PHE trade shows last year and had been very impressed, so when we were looking for a quality, high strength fixing on this job we decided to trial them. It has turned out very well, fitting ten in total across the five different bathrooms including en-suites. We will definitely be using them again. phamnews.co.uk/520/24

The Royal London Hospital has taken delivery of bi-fold showering spaces from Lakes.

Supplied by Neville Lumb, Lakes contributed to a project to turn two out-of-use floors at the hospital into an area for almost 180 beds to treat C ID-1 patients. Sales and marketing director Mike Tattam

A Danfoss Link smart heating solution is helping a visually-impaired Aberdeenshire Council tenant in Tarves take control of her home heating using a voice-activated Alexa system. Finding it difficult to use conventional controls because of reduced central vision, Su anne Cattanach says the Danfoss Link system, which is connected to her WiFi home network, has made a real difference to her life.

The installation features a Danfoss Link CC central controller for wireless, programmable control of nine Danfoss living connect sensors fitted on existing Danfoss RAS-C2 thermostatic radiator valves. The smart home skill to connect the central controller with Su anne’s Alexa system was activated using a pairing code provided via the Danfoss Link app. This additional facility means she can use Alexa-enabled commands to control the temperature around her home for optimum convenience, comfort and energy efficiency. phamnews.co.uk/520/26

Prefabricated soil stacks and a range of other systems from Marley Plumbing Drainage have been employed by Nigel Smith Plumbing and Heating, as part of its design and build package for a sports training facility at the Elite Athlete Centre, developed by Bowmer Kirkland at Loughborough University.

Marley’s technical manager proposed the use of prefabricated elements for 110mm diameter soil stacks, providing CAD drawings and other details. As work progressed, hundreds of 2500mm long, storey-height sections were supplied to Nigel Smith Plumbing and Heating via specialist merchant, BSS in Lincoln. As well as solvent weld connections on the ends, the pre-assembled sections included bespoke design features specific to the project. phamnews.co.uk/520/27

UFH system solves church heating problems

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filled with insulation.

Installer Shane Weller says The church could be so cold that some members of the congregation said they were put off going to services in winter. As well as the lack of insulation to the structure, it is

through to distributors and contractors, working hard to deliver on essential projects in order to protect our NHS and give patients affected by C ID the best possible care. phamnews.co.uk/520/25

Smart heating helps the blind

Kitting out elite sports centre for athletes

An underfloor heating solution from Circoflo has played a part in the upgrade of a church’s heating system in the ale of lamorgan.

The work on Salem Baptist Church in Barry was carried out by Cardiff Plumbing Heating (South Wales). A key objective was to conceal the substantial slope in the floor, which ran from the main entrance towards the pulpit, by fitting timber floor joists creating a 400mm deep void which was

comments It’s without doubt a very challenging time, but I’m extremely proud to be part of a sector that has truly risen to the occasion. Across our supply chains we have seen immense effort from manufacturers

a very tall space with additional seating around a gallery.

CircoBoard offered the best overall package in terms of performance, as well as ease of installation between the new timber joists. phamnews.co.uk/520/28

Hybrid VRF keeps guests at the Strand in comfort An efficient air conditioning system from Mitsubishi Electric has been chosen to provide cooling and comfort to guests at the Strand Palace Hotel in the heart of London.

The hotel, which has been welcoming guests since 1 0 , needed to modernise its heating and cooling systems to ensure a quality experience for guests.

High levels of energy efficiency and minimal disruption to the hotel’s operation during installation were also key considerations.

The solution came in the form of the Hybrid RF ( ariable Refrigerant Flow) system from Mitsubishi Electric, which offers simultaneous heating and cooling with full heat recovery.

The combination of refrigerant and water used in Hybrid RF also delivers a much lower lobal Warming Potential ( WP) than traditional RF systems and saves around 30 40 in refrigerant use in comparison.

The fit-out was designed

by Elementa Consulting and installed by Working Environments and has seen units

fitted across the hotel’s rooms. The project, started in September 2018, is said to be the biggest of its kind in Europe.

The Hybrid RF system also offers additional cost-saving benefits by removing the need for leak detection equipment.

Refrigerant is only used between the outdoor condenser and a special Hybrid Branch Controller box (HBC). From here, water is used to transfer heating or cooling to each room, removing the need for additional equipment or additional annual maintenance regimes. phamnews.co.uk/520/29

29/05/2020 16:11

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

Water Heating & Cylinders 25

Space saving solution for instantaneous hot water With a reduction in energy costs and installation flexibility for developers, instantaneous hot water units are set to see rapid-rise growth in UK homes – so says Mark McManus from Stiebel Eltron UK.

Stiebel Eltron’s 400V instantaneous hot water unit installed at an apartment in the build-to-rent scheme in Chester

T

he residential property sector faces a breadth of challenges in getting new schemes off the ground. The sector is on one hand bound by stringent housebuilding delivery targets, and on the other is tasked with delivering properties in a sustainable way to minimise long-term environmental impact.

These two aims often conflict.

From housebuilders building stock to sell on the open market, to developers building new PRS schemes in city centres, careful consideration has to be made to the environmental credentials of new developments without increasing costs and installation timescales. This is not least to ensure that they can go through the planning process smoothly.

Local authorities, 281 of which have declared climate emergencies, want to see developers using sustainable materials and sustainable methods of construction. And crucially the energy efficiency of these buildings in-use has to be accounted for too.

Sustainable source

Use of electricity instead of gas is key to this. Electricity is a sustainable energy source, which comes increasingly from renewable sources. And new innovation within the heating sector is responding to this.

For many years, instantaneous hot water (IHW) systems have been used to reduce the energy used in homes to heat hot water.

These small, simple-to-install units heat water when needed, rather than storing hot water for use later, as in a traditional unvented water tank.

The reduction in energy waste amounts to as much as 0.23 tonnes of CO2 per year per home compared with a 150-litre direct cylinder with a typical specification. Not only does this represent a £60 saving for bill payers annually, it also is a significant reduction in carbon

25 copy.indd 1

sustainability these units bring, there are a range of commercial benefits for developers too that are set to increase demand.

Key to this is the size of IHW systems.

A traditional storage heater can take up as much as 10% of the internal space of a city centre flat. For PRS developers this equates to ‘dead’ income.

Using IHWs, which are much smaller and are mounted on internal walls, developers can maximise floorspace in a scheme. And since their apartments are proportionally bigger internally, PRS landlords can gain additional rental income either by charging more for larger flats or, in some cases, by building more homes through the space savings achieved.

Mark McManus

Managing director at Stiebel Eltron

Less disruption

There’s a huge opportunity for IHWs to become the most popular water heating system for the UK new-build market KEY BENEFITS  Reduction in heat loss and energy waste  No need for routine service and maintenance  Use of a sustainable source of energy  Free up space by avoiding the need for a storage cylinder  Ideal solution for the growing Private Rented Sector  Ease of use and reduced running costs for tenants

emissions over the lifetime of buildings – particularly for large schemes.

An improvement on energy efficiency of this scale could mean the difference between a scheme being granted planning consent or not – given their improved Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) performance.

Significant improvements in efficiency, like those that come with the specification of IHW units, could therefore help developers meet their obligations to meet housing targets, whilst at the same time ensure that new schemes meet sustainability targets.

Voltage issue

Despite all these benefits, the UK market hasn’t yet adopted IHW systems in the same way as other countries around the globe. The reason being one key barrier – the UK’s 240-volt energy supply, which many

industry experts have previously considered to be prohibitive to the technology working in Britain, as it is too low to support units powerful enough to meet the whole requirements of a home.

However, we, alongside SP Energy Networks and developer Watkin Jones, recently installed IHWs at a 35-home build-torent scheme in Trafford Street, Chester. By collaborating with SP Energy Networks and the developer, we were able to adjust the typical phasing of the energy supply. This created a new way of providing 400 volts for every home in the scheme and meant that IHW systems could be installed.

A breakthrough like this means that IHWs could be viable in developments around the country, vastly improving the sustainability of the UK’s housing stock.

As well as the enhanced

IHW units also don’t require maintenance like traditional water tanks, because the system doesn’t have the same issues with pressure or build-up over time. This means that disruption to customers as a result of maintenance is minimised.

These added benefits are hugely attractive at a time when PRS as a housing product is growing in popularity across the UK. While PRS in cities like London and Manchester is established, developers are doing everything they can to make schemes viable in other regions across the UK where the build-to-rent market is more embryonic.

Following our installation for Watkin Jones, we expect many more in the residential sector to follow suit as a result. There’s a huge opportunity for IHWs to become the most popular water heating system for the UK new-build market. The gains available to developers in terms of space and sustainability make them a clear choice. Now that they are proven to work using 240-volt supply, we are set to see a boom in demand. phamnews.co.uk/520/ 0

02/06/2020 09:06

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

26

Water Heating & Cylinders

How to minimise any chance of corrosion Safe hot water system design requires taking a number of factors into consideration early on, including how the quality of the water influences risk factors such as corrosion and limescale. Andrew Dabin from Hamworthy Heating offers his recommendations for taking a bespoke approach to design, equipment, and choice of materials.

H

ot water is one of the daily necessities we often take for granted unless the supply is interrupted and it becomes a major inconvenience. Careful hot water system design consideration is not only a measure to prevent breakdowns but one for general safety.

Corrosion and scale are common problems that increase the risk of the accumulation of Legionella bacteria which can cause serious illnesses. Taking these dangers into account from the start ensures consumers stay safe and equipment is reliable.

tanks from corrosion.

When it comes to metals used in a system, the potential difference between them is also important to consider.

When more noble and less noble metals are used in the same system, the corrosion risk is higher.

Water quality

Andrew Dabin

Product manager for Hamworthy Heating

Careful consideration

A first step to hot water system design is finding suitable equipment and material based on your water quality and composition to prevent problems. A water analysis can help determine this, which will define the future treatment and maintenance schedule and whether the system is at a higher risk of breakdown due to site specifics, such as hard water. Simultaneously, an assessment of system design (e.g. to avoid dead legs with insufficient flow which promote Legionella) and mode of operation (e.g. what building usage – process plant, commercial, domestic, etc) should be carried out to provide efficiency and safety.

All steps presented in this article are recommendations.

To ensure particular chemicals and procedures are suitable for your equipment, always refer to manufacturer instructions.

Corrosion protection

From a system point of view, good design and operating conditions with a well planned pipe layout and flow velocities build the first step to corrosion control. Additionally, regular maintenance and monitoring are necessary. If corrosion is of concern due to high conductivity and chloride levels, chemicals are available which are safe for use in drinking water systems. ther options are powered sacrificial anodes, or vessels made from stainless steel to protect water heaters and hot water storage

26.indd 1

CUT TO THE CHASE  Corrosion and scale are common problems that can increase Legionella risk  A well-planned pipe layout and flow velocities build the first step to corrosion control  Microorganisms gather easily on rougher materials, although smooth surfaces aren’t immune to this problem  Carry out a disinfection to HSG274 once the hot water system has been installed

Microorganisms can gather easily on rougher materials, although smooth surfaces aren’t immune to this problem either. When this accumulation of bacteria (biofilm) gets out of hand, biofouling develops which can be a breeding ground for dangerous pathogens, such as Legionella.

These are of special concern, as they can cause a range of diseases, such as Pontiac or Lochgoilhead fever, or Legionnaires’ disease. While everyone can develop the disease, people over 45 years, smokers heavy drinkers, and those with impaired immune systems sufferers from certain chronic conditions are at a higher risk.

Microorganisms feed on organic and inorganic substances contained in the water and can multiply rapidly.

When corrosion is present, they have an even better chance to thrive. For this reason, the Health and Safety Executive recommends the use of fittings,

Scale build-up in a water heater

materials and appliances approved by the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS).

becomes an issue, a physical water softener or chemical treatment can be an option, too.

System design

It is recommended to carry out a disinfection according to HS 2 4 once the hot water system has been installed, followed by a system flush until all chemicals are removed. To protect the aquatic environment, a so called consent to discharge might be required when the system is drained. To test if the disinfection was successful, a bacteriological sample should be taken a week after it has been performed.

After the disinfection and when the system is ready to take up operation, we recommend getting it commissioned by a water quality professional.

Commissioning sheets and water quality certificates should be kept for future reference.

Sacrificial anodes, should they be used, also require regular check ups. They need replacing when worn down to 60% to ensure continuing protection. If any water treatment equipment is installed, this also needs to be regularly looked at. ther than visual checks, regular water samples should be taken to monitor water quality.

Designing a safe and efficient hot water system depends on many factors. Therefore, a bespoke approach to design, equipment, and material choice is necessary for each individual application. Lastly, it is a matter of finding a balance to overcome all the risks as outlined.

When it comes to system design, dead legs, where Legionella can grow under favourable temperatures (20 45 C), should be avoided. Following HS 2 4, hot water should be stored at 60 C or higher and distributed at 50 C or higher (55 C in healthcare premises).

In water heaters, a built in Legionella protection cycle, which automatically heats up the water to this temperature at certain intervals, can provide safety. However, you must consider the outlet for the hot water at these higher temperatures. To avoid scalding incidents, thermostatic mixer valves (TM s) need to be fitted.

Scale of economy

Hard water, affecting around 60% of the UK , contains a high amount of calcium carbonate and often magnesium bicarbonates. As calcium carbonate becomes less soluble with higher water temperatures, scale is especially problematic in hot water applications. nce heated up, scale forms and deposits on equipment. This affects the system performance negatively, as heat transfer is impacted by limescale layers inside pipes, on heat exchangers, etc, increasing fuel wastage (see table, left).

Eventually, this can lead to a breakdown. However, this is not the only risk: scale can affect the flow velocity of water through pipes and also clog up things like showerheads, which can cause an accumulation of Legionella bacteria in those areas.

Regular maintenance is vital to ensure an efficient and reliable system. This means the installation needs to be cleaned and scale removed. If hard water

Disinfection

Find out more

For further information, refer to the ‘Water quality consideration of domestic hot water systems for commercial applications’ guide, developed collaboratively by members of the IC M Energy Association, available from icom.org.uk. Alternatively, use the reader link below. phamnews.co.uk/520/

28/05/2020 15:32

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PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

Water Heating & Cylinders 27

Hotel reaps the ðāłāƩŶŭ ŋĕ 1Áz

Matt Dolan, maintenance and energy manager at Whitbread, says: “A key learning for us is ŶĞā óķāÖũ ðāłāƩŶŭ ėÖĢłāù ðƘ replacing older assets before they completely break down. We aim to replicate this approach across our Premier Inn estate of approximately ˝ˡ˙ hotels in a ðĢù Ŷŋ ĿÖĴā ŭĢėłĢƩóÖłŶ āłāũėƘ savings across the UK.”

Hotel chain Premier Inn guarantees to refund óŽŭŶŋĿāũŭ Ģĕ ŶĞā ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ ŭŽťťķƘ Ģŭ óŽŶ ŋƦ̍ ¦Ğā chain’s owner, Whitbread, was interested in the ĕŽłóŶĢŋłÖķĢŶƘ ĢĿťũŋƑāĿāłŶŭ ŋĕ ŶĞā łāƒ m ÇÇƪŋ 1Áz ŶĞÖŶ ƒŋŽķù āłÖðķā ũāĿŋŶā ĿŋłĢŶŋũĢłė̍

P

remier Inn’s ‘Good Night Guarantee’ means that large volumes of instant hot water in shower and bathroom facilities are required at all hotels. Its hotel in Oxford found that its existing ˚˚-year-old water heater, which had been running at ˠ˝% āƧóĢāłóƘ̇ ƒÖŭ łŋ ķŋłėāũ Öł āƦāóŶĢƑā ŭŋķŽŶĢŋł̍ Across ˡ˙˙ Premier Inns, ˟˙ͮ ÖķũāÖùƘ ĕāÖŶŽũāù ŶĞā ƩũŭŶ ėāłāũÖŶĢŋł m ÇÇƪŋ ķÖŽłóĞāù under Baxi’s Andrews Water Heaters brand. In ˛˙˚ˢ, Whitbread ŶŋŋĴ ťÖũŶ Ģł ŶĞā ƩũŭŶ Ʃāķù ŶũĢÖķ ŋĕ ŶĞā łāƒ m ÇÇƪŋ 1Áz̍

āĿŋŶā ĿŋłĢŶŋũĢłė Whitbread opted to change the water heater at the Oxford site before it reached the end of its life in order to limit disruption to the hotel’s trading. It was also crucial that, where possible, the installation caused little or no disruption to guests. ¦Ğā m ÇÇƪŋ 1Áz̪ŭ ùāŭĢėł allowed for an easy installation process, between the hours of ˚˙am and ˝pm when the gas óŋŽķù ðā ŭĞŽŶ ŋƦ̍ ¦ƘťĢóÖķķƘ̇ Ö change of water heater takes eight to ˚˙ hours, however contractors at Spie Heating were Öðķā Ŷŋ ƩŶ ĢŶ ƒĢŶĞĢł ŶĞā ŭĢƗ-hour window.

ĢėłĢƩóÖłŶ ŭÖƑĢłėŭ

With building management system (BMS) connectivity as ŭŶÖłùÖũù̇ ŶĞā m ÇÇƪŋ 1Áz was selected due to its ability to provide a cost-āƦāóŶĢƑā solution. It provided the energy management team with visibility of their energy usage, Öłù ĞÖŭ ÖóĞĢāƑāù Ö ŭĢėłĢƩóÖłŶ ũāùŽóŶĢŋł Ģł ĕŽāķ Žŭā̍ ¦Ğā ƒÖŶāũ heater is designed to be low NOx, with emissions of ˜ˢmg/kWh and below, meaning it is suitable for larger commercial premises in areas with even the most stringent air quality policies. ¦Ğā ùĢÖėłŋŭŶĢó āĿÖĢķŭ Öłù alerts provided through BMS connectivity enables site

managers to gain real-time ĢłĕŋũĿÖŶĢŋł̍ 'ŽũĢłė ŶĞā Ʃāķù trial, the service engineer could check the water heater’s performance at any time – including monitoring running hours, gas consumption and fault codes. If there is a fault, a message is automatically sent to the user, helping to prevent ùŋƒłŶĢĿā ̟ Ö ƩũŭŶ ĕŋũ ÂĞĢŶðũāÖù and crucial for maintaining its Good Night Guarantee.

In the future, the new connectivity features will identify faults, meaning reactive maintenance contractors can attend sites armed with the parts required.

Within eight months, Premier Inn Oxford has seen a steady ˚˟̍ˠ% reduction in energy usage and, since February, savings of ˛ˡ̇˟˞ˡkWH which is equivalent to over £˚˜˙˙ on gas bills. Consequently, the new water heater is now running at ˢˡͮ āƧóĢāłóƘ̇ Ö ĿÖũĴāù improvement on the previous ˠ˝%. ¦Ğā óŋłłāóŶĢƑĢŶƘ Öłù monitoring mean that Whitbread can ensure a consistent standard ŋĕ ĢŶŭ ŭƘŭŶāĿŭ̍ ¦Ğā ĢłŭŶÖłŶ łŋŶĢƩóÖŶĢŋł ŋĕ ĕÖŽķŶ óŋùāŭ Öłù problems has also contributed to ĢĿťũŋƑĢłė ŶĞā óŋĿťÖłƘ̪ŭ ƩũŭŶŶĢĿā ƩƗ ũÖŶā̇ ƒĞāũāÖŭ ťũāƑĢŋŽŭķƘ ŶĞā ŶāÖĿ ƒāũā łŋŶ łŋŶĢƩāù ŽłŶĢķ a customer complained. ͻ ťĞÖĿłāƒŭ̍óŋ̍ŽĴ̓˞˛˙̓˜˛

PHAM MAYJUNE20 EDIT:Layout 1 01/06/2020 09:01 Page 28

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Water Heating & Cylinders

Continuous flow suits residences Designed for the domestic market, ĢłłÖĢ̪ŭ ũÖłėā ŋĕ óŋłŶĢłŽŋŽŭ ƪŋƒ ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ ĞāÖŶāũŭ Öũā ŭÖĢù Ŷŋ ėŽÖũÖłŶāā ĞĢėĞ āƧóĢāłóĢāŭ Öłù ķŋƒ ũŽłłĢłė óŋŭŶŭ̍ mŋùāķŭ Öũā ÖƑÖĢķÖðķā ĕŋũ properties ranging from studios to ķÖũėā ĞŋŽŭāŭ̍ The Rinnai ˚˟Ģ ĢłŶāũĢŋũ Ŀŋùāķ measures just ˟ˠ˞ x ˜ˠ˙ x ˚˜ˢmm, ƒāĢėĞŭ ː˗Ĵė̇ Öłù ùāķĢƑāũŭ Ö ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ

ùāķĢƑāũƘ ƪŋƒ ŋĕ Žť Ŷŋ ː˕ ķĢŶũāŭ̍ ¦Ğā room-ŭāÖķāù ŽłĢŶ ĞÖŭ Ö ŶāĿťāũÖŶŽũā range of ˜˞΅! Ŷŋ ˕˙΅! ƒĢŶĞ ùĢũāóŶ āķāóŶũŋłĢó ĢėłĢŶĢŋł̇ ƒĞĢķā ėÖŭ óŋłŭŽĿťŶĢŋł ũÖłėāŭ ðāŶƒāāł ˝̍ˠ and ˕̍˞Ĵ ĕŋũ łÖŶŽũÖķ ėÖŭ Öłù ˝̍ˢ to ˜˟̍ˡĴ ƒĞāł ŽŭĢłė ťũŋťÖłā̍ pŋĿĢłÖķ operation pressure is ˚̟ˠ ðÖũ Öłù ĢŶ uses a ˛˜˙V AC ˞˙Hz ˚Ğť ťŋƒāũ ŭŽťťķƘ̍ ÂĞāũā Öł āƗŶāũłÖķ ĢłŭŶÖķķÖŶĢŋł Ģŭ required, the ˚ˠā āƗŶāũłÖķ ĿŽķŶĢťŋĢłŶ ƒÖŶāũ ĞāÖŶāũ ŋƦāũŭ ėũāÖŶāũ ƪāƗĢðĢķĢŶƘ ÖŶ ŶĞā ùāŭĢėł ŭŶÖėā Öłù Ö ƑĢÖðķā ŭŋķŽŶĢŋł ƒĞāũā ƪŽā ũŽłŭ Öũā ťũŋðķāĿÖŶĢó ŋũ ĢłŶāũłÖķ ŭťÖóā Ģŭ łŋŶ ÖƑÖĢķÖðķā̍ ͻ phamnews.co.uk̓˞˛˙̓˜˜

Guide to provision in healthcare settings Rł Öł āƦŋũŶ Ŷŋ ĢĿťũŋƑā ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ ťũŋƑĢŭĢŋł Ģł ŶĞā ĞāÖķŶĞóÖũā ŭāóŶŋũ̇ NāÖŶũÖā ÖùĢÖ ĞÖŭ ķÖŽłóĞāù Ö ėŽĢùā Ŷŋ óŋĿťķƘĢłė ƒĢŶĞ NāÖķŶĞ ¦āóĞłĢóÖķ māĿŋũÖłùŽĿ ̛N¦m̜ ˙˝̟˙˚̍ ̨¦ÖĴĢłė ŶĞā ťÖĢł ŋŽŶ ŋĕ ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ Ģł ĞāÖķŶĞóÖũā̪ ĞĢėĞķĢėĞŶŭ ŶĞā ĴāƘ óŋłŭĢùāũÖŶĢŋłŭ ĕŋũ pN ĿÖłÖėāĿāłŶ̇ óÖũā ĞŋĿā ťũŋĕāŭŭĢŋłÖķŭ̇ ĕÖóĢķĢŶĢāŭ ĿÖłÖėāũŭ Öłù āŭŶÖŶā ĿÖłÖėāũŭ ŋł Ğŋƒ Ŷŋ āłŭŽũā ŭÖĕāŶƘ ĕŋũ ťÖŶĢāłŶŭ̇ ƑĢŭĢŶŋũŭ Öłù ŭŶÖƦ Ģł ũāķÖŶĢŋł Ŷŋ ƒÖŶāũ ŶāóĞłŋķŋėƘ̍ HTM ˙˝̟˙˚ Öùùũāŭŭāŭ ĢŭŭŽāŭ ķĢĴā ùāŭĢėł̇ ĢłŭŶÖķķÖŶĢŋł̇ óŋĿĿĢŭŭĢŋłĢłė̇ Öłù ŋťāũÖŶĢŋłÖķ ĿÖłÖėāĿāłŶ̇ ťÖƘĢłė óķŋŭā ÖŶŶāłŶĢŋł Ŷŋ ŶĞā ũĢŭĴ ŋĕ ƒÖŶāũðŋũłā ťÖŶĞŋėāłŭ ŭŽóĞ Öŭ dāėĢŋłāķķÖ̍ ĢĿŋł Žŭŭāķķ̇ łÖŶĢŋłÖķ ŭÖķāŭ ĿÖłÖėāũ ÖŶ NāÖŶũÖā ÖùĢÖ̇ ŭÖƘŭ̆ ̦ÂĢŶĞ ĿÖłƘ ŶāóĞłĢóÖķĢŶĢāŭ Ŷŋ ðā ÖƒÖũā ŋĕ̇ ŶĞāũā Ģŭ Öł ĢłóũāÖŭĢłė łāāù ĕŋũ ŭĢĿťķā Öłù óŋĿťķĢÖłŶ

ŭŋķŽŶĢŋłŭ̍ Âā̪Ƒā ÖĢĿāù Ŷŋ ùāƑāķŋť óŋłŶāłŶ ŶĞÖŶ ŶĢóĴŭ Öķķ ŶĞā ðŋƗāŭ Ģł Öł āÖŭƘ Öłù ŽłùāũŭŶÖłùÖðķā ĕŋũĿÖŶ̇ ŭÖƑĢłė ĢłƑÖķŽÖðķā ŶĢĿā ĕŋũ ðŽŭƘ ĞāÖķŶĞóÖũā ťũŋĕāŭŭĢŋłÖķŭ̍ ̦RŶ̪ŭ ĢĿťŋũŶÖłŶ ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞŋŭā Ģł ĞāÖķŶĞóÖũā Öũā ÖƒÖũā ŋĕ ŶĞā ĿÖıŋũ ũĢŭĴŭ ŭŽũũŋŽłùĢłė ƒÖŶāũ̇ Öłù Ğŋƒ ðāŭŶ Ŷŋ ťũāƑāłŶ ÖłƘ ĢŭŭŽāŭ ĕũŋĿ ŶÖĴĢłė ťķÖóā̇ ĢłóķŽùĢłė ĢłĕāóŶĢŋł̇ ŶĞā ėũŋƒŶĞ ŋĕ dāėĢŋłāķķÖ̇ ŭóÖķùĢłė Öłù ðŽũłŭ̇ ŋũ ťũŋðķāĿÖŶĢó ðũāÖĴùŋƒłŭ̧̍ ŭ ŶāóĞłŋķŋėƘ āƑŋķƑāŭ ÖŶ ťÖóā̇ NāÖŶũÖā ÖùĢÖ Ģŭ ŽũėĢłė ĞāÖķŶĞóÖũā ťũŋĕāŭŭĢŋłÖķŭ Ŷŋ ŋťŶ ĕŋũ ŭŋķŽŶĢŋłŭ ŶĞÖŶ Öũā ŭĢĿťķā Ŷŋ Žŭā Ģł ŋũùāũ Ŷŋ ũāùŽóā ùŋƒłŶĢĿā̍ ŽĢķŶ-in ĢłŭťāóŶĢŋł ĞÖŶóĞāŭ Öłù ŶÖťķāŭŭ ŋŽŶķāŶŭ Öũā āƗÖĿťķāŭ ŋĕ ŽŭāĕŽķ ĕāÖŶŽũāŭ Ŷŋ Ĵāāť ĿÖĢłŶāłÖłóā ŶĢĿāŭ Ŷŋ Ö ĿĢłĢĿŽĿ Öłù āłŭŽũā ŽťĴāāť Ģŭ Öŭ ŭŶũÖĢėĞŶĕŋũƒÖũù Öŭ ťŋŭŭĢðķā̍ ͻ phamnews.co.uk̓˞˛˙̓˜˝

Go electric for no on-site emissions ĢĿāù ÖŶ óŋĿĿāũóĢÖķ Öłù ķÖũėā ũāŭĢùāłŶĢÖķ ÖťťķĢóÖŶĢŋłŭ̇ ŶĞā !ÖƑÖķĢāũ ũÖłėā ŋĕ āķāóŶũĢó ƪŋŋũŭŶÖłùĢłė ŭŶŋũÖėā ƒÖŶāũ ĞāÖŶāũŭ ĕũŋĿ dŋóĞĢłƑÖũ Ģŭ ÖƑÖĢķÖðķā Ģł ŭāƑāł Ŀŋùāķŭ̍ ¦ĞāƘ Öķķ ĿāāŶ ŶĞā requirements of the 1óŋ'āŭĢėł ̛1ũ ̜ ùĢũāóŶĢƑā Multiple and can operate at Immersion ƒŋũĴĢłė ťũāŭŭŽũāŭ ŋĕ Žť Elements Ŷŋ ˗ ðÖũ̍ The units feature ĿŽķŶĢťķā ĢĿĿāũŭĢŋł āķāĿāłŶŭ ĕŋũ ũÖťĢù ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ ťũŋùŽóŶĢŋł ̟ ĕũŋĿ ŶĞũāā ˜Ĵ āķāĿāłŶŭ Ģł ŶĞā ķŋƒāŭŶ ŋŽŶťŽŶ Ŀŋùāķ ̛ˢkW) up to nine ˟kW āķāĿāłŶŭ ťŋƒāũĢłė ŶĞā ĞĢėĞāŭŶ ŋŽŶťŽŶ ̛˞˝ĴÂ̜ ƒÖŶāũ ĞāÖŶāũ̇ ƒĞĢóĞ Ģŭ óÖťÖðķā ŋĕ ťũŋƑĢùĢłė Žť Ŷŋ ˢ˛ˢ ķĢŶũāŭ ŋĕ óŋłŶĢłŽŋŽŭ ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ ťāũ ĞŋŽũ ÖŶ Ö ŶāĿťāũÖŶŽũā ũĢŭā ŋĕ ˞˙ºC. !ÖƑÖķĢāũ ƒÖŶāũ ĞāÖŶāũŭ Öķŭŋ ƒŋũĴ ŭāÖĿķāŭŭķƘ ƒĢŶĞ dŋóĞĢłƑÖũ̪ŭ ĿĢóŽŭ ũÖłėā ŋĕ ĞāÖŶ ťŽĿťŭ ƒĞāł ĢłŭŶÖķķāù Öŭ ťÖũŶ ŋĕ Ö ̨ĞƘðũĢù̪ ŭƘŭŶāĿ̇ ĿÖĴĢłė ŶĞāĿ ĢùāÖķ ĕŋũ ťũŋıāóŶŭ ũāŨŽĢũĢłė Ö ĞŋŶ ƒÖŶāũ ŭŋķŽŶĢŋł ƒĢŶĞ ơāũŋ ŋł-site emissions.

Storage capacities are either ˛˙˙ or ˜˙˙ ķĢŶũāŭ Öłù ŶĞā āłÖĿāķķāù ŭŶāāķ ŭŶŋũÖėā Ƒāŭŭāķŭ ĢłóķŽùā Öł ĢłŶāėũÖķ ĿÖėłāŭĢŽĿ Öłŋùā ĕŋũ óÖŶĞŋùĢó ťũŋŶāóŶĢŋł̍ ¦ĞāƘ Öũā ĢłŭŽķÖŶāù ƒĢŶĞ ˕˞mm ťŋķƘŽũāŶĞÖłā ĕŋÖĿ Öłù āłóÖŭāù Ģł Öł āłÖĿāķķāù ėũāƘ ıÖóĴāŶ̍ ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˜˞

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

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Taking a fresh approach to indoor air pollution With mounting evidence that poor air quality can be seriously detrimental to our health, what more can we do to remove indoor pollutants from our homes? Paul Williams from Domus Ventilation highlights some of the effective solutions that are currently available.

T

he Government’s Clean Air Strategy 201 has been praised by the World Health Organisation as ‘an example for the rest of the world to follow’. It addressed the issue of air pollution in England, highlighting the threat to public health, and firmly setting it on the news agenda. There is now widespread recognition that air pollution is a serious issue and it needs to be tackled using both preventative measures and solutions to reduce our exposure to it.

Today the focus is on particulate matter, notably PM2.5, and NOx, the collective name for oxides of nitrogen (with NO and NO2 having the most effect on the environment and human health).

The World Health Organisation’s annual mean target for NO2 is 40 micrograms per cubic metre but in 2015 only six of the 43 UK air quality assessment zones met the annual mean limit value for NO2.

Long-term exposure to manmade air pollution in the UK has an annual impact on shortening our lifespans, equivalent to 28,000 to 36,000 deaths

according to The Department of Health and Social Care’s advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants.

Paul Williams

Product manager from Domus Ventilation

When it comes to NOx, the main source of air pollution is transport, with road transport being the biggest offender at 34%. This is also a PM emissions source, but at a much lower level (12%), with domestic fossil fuel burning being the major problem here. The latter is also a source of NOx emissions, along with industrial combustion and energy generation such as power stations. Major advances have been made in the HVAC industry to tackle this but we have made very little impact when it comes to reducing air pollution from road traffic.

Even before the Clean Air Strategy 201 identified N x concentrations around roads as an ‘immediate and urgent’ air quality challenge, local authorities in England were mandated to develop plans to bring roadside concentrations of NO2 within legal limits in the shortest possible time.

We like to think we’re safe in our homes – we shut the door to the outside world and the

potential dangers it poses. But when it comes to air quality, that’s not always the case. Levels of air pollutants in the home can be significantly higher than those outside.

The Clean Air Strategy 201 aims to adopt a nationwide approach to air pollution, and to make relevant legislation easier to enforce. It also recognises ‘the importance of effective ventilation to reduce exposure’.

It has set out some ambitious targets, including reducing PM emissions by 30% by 2020 and reducing emissions of NOx against the 2005 baseline by 55% by 2020.

However, the Strategy lacks a clear plan; where are the details and timeline? And why, when 34% of NOx emissions comes from road transport, are there no new plans to tackle this?

Ultimately, it does little to alleviate the immediate impact of breathing in polluted air.

Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention and solutions do exist to remove pollutants from our homes.

Carbon filtration is one of the best options as wide ranging pollutants are attracted to the surface of the carbon and absorbed.

For new builds, incorporating a carbon filter in to the supply leg of a standard MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) duct system is an effective way to do this as it delivers fresh, filtered air into the main living areas of homes.

When choosing a N x filter,

99 5

29.indd 1

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obviously ensure it can be used with your MVHR system of choice, but also opt for one that has a low profile so it readily fits into restricted spaces and provides quick and simple access to the filter. Some filters come with the added benefits of both NOx and PM2.5 pre-filters. The life expectancy of carbon NOx filters is generally two years, and a PM2.5 filter one year, depending on the installation environment. ur N FILT carbon filter, for example, prevents up to .5% of NO2 pollution from entering a home, making it the best performing unit on the market.

With an impressively low profile and direct 204 x 60mm spigots readily accommodating the UK’s most popular size of duct, it has been designed to work with our range of high-performance mechanical ventilation systems – including the HRXE, HRX2D and HRX-aQ MVHR ranges – as well as with other manufacturers’ systems.

Prevention is undoubtedly better than cure, and it’s vital we all work towards reducing air pollution. Work continues to be done around the Clean Air Strategy, but we can’t afford to wait for these actions to take effect.

Taking a ‘fingers crossed’ approach or ignoring the problem, especially in inner cities where pollution levels are very high, isn’t an option. We don’t have all the solutions – existing properties, for example, remain problematic as MVHR systems are mostly unsuitable – but where we do, surely we have a duty to use them? /520/ 6

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Ventilation & Heat Recovery

Small duct solution Widely used in the United States, small duct heating, ventilation and cooling is now available in the UK thanks to a partnership between US manufacturer Unico Systems and UK distributor and training provider Bell Plumbing ŽťťķĢāŭ̍ ĢóĞÖũù ŋťāũ ĕũŋĿ ­łĢóŋ ƘŭŶāĿŭ ĞĢėĞķĢėĞŶŭ ŶĞā ĴāƘ ðāłāƩ Ŷŭ̍

A

ir conditioning and ventilation has always been seen as a ‘nice to have’ in the UK, thanks to our temperate climate, but with a series of record summers and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns many people now view climate control as an essential requirement. Air conditioning is more widespread in our cars and public spaces, so people are now seeking that same level of comfort in their homes.

The problem to date is that the air conditioning systems available in the UK have traditionally been developed for commercial applications with little or no regard for homes. Often those refurbing or developing properties have had to rely on large, unsightly outlets that are entirely unrelated

to heating systems. The US is used to much larger variances in temperature, meaning that domestic ventilation and air conditioning is often installed as standard. One of the main solutions to this is small duct heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Small duct systems provide both heating and cooling through small, discreet outlets, similar to recessed spotlights.

How it works

Richard Soper CBE Unico Systems

To enable air conditioning as well as heating, the best option is to connect the system to a reversible heat pump, which will absorb geothermal energy or warm and cool air from the outside which is passed through the specially designed heating and cooling coil.

In an air source heat pump, lowlevel heat within the external air is transferred to the refrigerant

through evaporation. This is then passed through to the indoor evaporator which releases the absorbed heat over the heating coil. The cooling cycle is the reverse of this cycle, where the indoor heat is absorbed by the refrigerant and transferred to the outdoor heat exchanger, the cooling of the air condenses the refrigerant which is then passed over the cooling coil. ̵¦Ğā ŭƘŭŶāĿ ƒĢķķ ŶĞāł redistribute throughout the home to create the required temperature. The design of small duct systems means that they remove up to ˜˙% more humidity than conventional air conditioning, creating a more comfortable environment and contributing to the prevention of damp and mould. ̵ÂĞĢķā ŶũÖùĢŶĢŋłÖķ ŭƘŭŶāĿŭ distribute air unevenly, small duct heating and cooling delivers even, draft-free cooling and heating. ¦Ğā ŶāĿťāũÖŶŽũā ùĢƦ āũāłŶĢÖķ Ģŭ łŋ greater than ˚°C. ̵ łŋŶĞāũ ðāłāƩ Ŷ Ģŭ łāÖũ ŭĢķāłŶ operation. The supply tubing is designed to be as quiet and āƧ óĢāłŶ Öŭ ťŋŭŭĢðķā̇ ƒĢŶĞ Ö łƘķŋł inner core and insulation that absorbs sound. The air handlers isolate noise and vibration, with

closed cell, sound-deadening insulation. As a result, the system is near silent, operating at under ˜˙ decibels.

Easy installation As you would expect with a small duct system, there isn’t the requirement for large recesses and cavities. The system’s modular air handlers can be easily installed in lofts, utility rooms and cellars. It is important however to carefully consider the location of the central duct Öłù ŶĞā ŭŋŽłù ÖŶŶāłŽÖŶāù ƪ āƗĢðķā supply tubes that run through and around the construction of new or existing buildings. Non-invasive installation methods also mean that it’s as applicable to the refurbishment market as well as self-build and new-build projects.

Cooling is now a must-have in UK homes, but for best results systems have to be designed ĕŋũ ŶĞā ŭťāóĢƩ ó ũāŨŽĢũāĿāłŶŭ ŋĕ domestic properties. Fortunately, the more mature US market can point the way and small duct heating, cooling and ventilation ŋƦ āũŭ Öł āłāũėƘ-saving solution to meet a variety of requirements, whether for a new build property or a home refurbishment. ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˜ˠ

PHAM MAYJUNE20 EDIT:Layout 1 01/06/2020 09:01 Page 31

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

Ventilation & Heat Recovery 31 Expandable whole house heat recovery system Unohab is the name of a whole house heat recovery ventilation ŭƘŭŶāĿ ĕũŋĿ Ģũƪ ŋƒ̇ ùāŭóũĢðāù Öŭ ‘virtually silent’ and featuring a low-energy EC motor and three speed settings (low, medium, ðŋŋŭŶ̜̍ RŶ ŋƦ āũŭ óŋłŶĢłŽŋŽŭ operation up to ˝˞m3/hr.

At its heart is an EPP insulated,

dust-repellent, ceramic heat exchanger recovering up to 88% of otherwise wasted energy which is then returned into the dwelling. As a system it delivers improved indoor air quality and draught-free air movement throughout the dwelling.

Solution for air tight homes RDZ has unveiled three new models of mechanical ventilation units with heat recovery: CHR ˚˙˙, CHR ˛˙˙ and CHR ˝˙˙. They are ductable solutions, designed for constant air renewal in small or medium-ŭĢơāù ĞŋŽŭāŭ Öłù ƪ ÖŶŭ̇ ensuring improved indoor comfort in air tight, modern buildings.

All models are equipped with a ĞĢėĞ āƧ óĢāłóƘ ťŋķƘŭŶƘũāłā ĞāÖŶ āƗóĞÖłėāũ Öłù óŋłŭŶÖłŶ ƪ ŋƒ ũÖŶā EC motors inside a pre-painted galvanized steel plate frame

with internal thermo-acoustic insulation. The use of G˜ and M˞ Ʃ ķŶāũŭ ŋł ŶĞā ŭŽťťķƘ ķĢłā Öłù Ö F˓ Ʃ ķŶāũ ŋł ŶĞā āƗŶũÖóŶ ķĢłā Öũā ŭÖĢù to ensure the right protection of the exchanger while ŋƦ āũĢłė āƗóāķķāłŶ Ʃ ķŶũÖŶĢŋł ŋĕ ŶĞā łāƒ air introduced into the room.

Each unit is also provided with bypass for free-cooling, four NTC sensors, antifreeze

Dual Unohab units are installed in standard core drilled holes either in a single habitable room or with multiple dual units located in other rooms linked to form a whole home ventilation system. They are small and aesthetically pleasing for wall mounting and can vent directly to the outside through a grille.

Alternatively, they can be sited alongside a window, using an insulated EPP plenum in the cavity wall.

Supported by a range of dedicated installation kits and sensor options, Unohab is a fully expandable ventilation with heat recovery system. ͻ phamnews.co.uk̓˞˛˙̓˜ˡ

ĕŽłóŶĢŋł̇ Öłù ùĢũŶƘ Ʃ ķŶāũ detectors. A condensate drain kit or similar accessory is required to ensure the right functioning of the appliance. ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˜ˢ

Tailored to social housing ŭťāóĢƩ óÖŶĢŋłŭ The intelligent Lo-Carbon Response ˠ from Vent-Axia is a new Ʃ ķŶāũķāŭŭ ŽłĢŶÖũƘ ĕÖł ùāŭĢėłāù Ŷŋ ĿāāŶ ŶĞā ŭťāóĢƩ ó łāāùŭ ŋĕ ŭŋóĢÖķ housing. Replacing the company’s original Lo-Carbon Response, the new Lo-Carbon Response ˠ fan features a series of new and improved features to meet the changing needs of the sector, including: an ultra-ķŋƒ ťũŋƩ ķā ĕŋũ discreet installation; increased ÖĢũƪ ŋƒ ťāũĕŋũĿÖłóā̒ Ö łāƒ ùĢėĢŶÖķ control menu; as well as a sevenyear guarantee. ¦Ğā ũÖłėā ùāķĢƑāũŭ ŨŽĢāŶ̇ āƧ óĢāłŶ ventilation, helping to provide good indoor air quality and comfort for residents, while being quick and easy to install and low maintenance.

With four new models – Response ˠ, Response ˠ Pro, Response ˠ SELV, Response ˠ Pro 1dÁ ̞ ŶĞā ũÖłėā ĞÖŭ ƪ āƗĢðĢķĢŶƘ built into the digital control menu, allowing it to meet the variety of needs encountered in social ĞŋŽŭĢłė ťũŋťāũŶĢāŭ ðƘ ŋƦ āũĢłė continuous ventilation as well as constant volume and SELV options.

Plus, the Response ˠ (IPXˠ-rated on SELV models) is backwardscompatible with previous Response installations, so it is easy to replace old units. The latest models also ðāłāƩ Ŷ ĕũŋĿ ŭŽðŶķā ÖāŭŶĞāŶĢóŭ Öłù Ö ķŋƒ ťũŋƩ ķā ĕŋũ ĿĢłĢĿŽĿ ĢĿťÖóŶ Ģł the home, allowing installation in tighter corners while achieving greater resident acceptability. There is also the option of a decorative frame to further improve aesthetics.

Response ˠ is suitable for properties where a longer duct run is needed since the fan speed can be turned up as required, providing āƧ óĢāłŶ ƑāłŶĢķÖŶĢŋł ƒĞĢķā ŭŶĢķķ maintaining low noise levels. ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˞˛˙̓˝˙

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

32

Water & System Treatment

Selecting the right solution for the job

The SpiroCross AX, combining hydraulic balancing, deaeration and dirt separation, is an ideal solution for applications with multiple zones

As more heating engineers adopt air and dirt removal to improve system efficiency, it is important to understand the range of solutions available to suit different solutions – Spirotech’s Dave oodyer, explains more.

W

hen it comes to an existing domestic system, the chances are that you will find a dirt removal solution already in place, as in recent years they have been specified by boiler manufacturers as a condition of extended warranties. However, it is important to remember that dirt is only the consequence of a much more problematic issue – air which must also be removed from a heating system in order to achieve maximum efficiency.

By removing air in the form of microbubbles from the water before it travels around the heating system, installers can reduce the possibility of corrosion taking place within the pipework. This limits the formation of magnetite that can affect the performance of the heating system.

If a system is left unprotected and air isn’t removed, dirt will continue to develop, air will become trapped, and the heating system will suffer, resulting in system noise as well as radiator cold spots and reduced system flow. Eventually, this can lead to system breakdowns and expensive heating bills.

An effective solution is the installation of a deaerator. The deaerator should be fitted at the hottest point within a system where the water exits the boiler, as this is where the microbubbles will

Guardian welcomes updated guidance BSRIA has updated its guide to pre-commission cleaning of pipework systems. The sixth version of this document was published at the end of April and includes new guidance to reflect changes in industry best practice since the last 2012 edition.

Topics that were not previously

32.indd 1

be released from the system water when temperatures peak. For the best results, heating engineers should ensure that air and dirt removal are working in tandem, installing both a deaerator and dirt separator on the system.

New domestic system

Dave Goodyer

Sales manager at Spirotech

CUT TO THE CHASE  A deaerator should be fitted at the hottest point within a system, such as where water exits the boiler  A combined air and dirt removal product is ideal for any new system installation  Deaerators and dirt separators are all designed to work based on certain flow rates  For systems with multiple zones, a hydraulic separator, such as the SprioCross, may represent the best solution

covered include: the cleaning of thin-walled carbon steel pipes, closed-loop pretreatment procedures, corrosion monitoring solutions, and the cleaning of heat networks and low carbon systems.

The guide has been welcomed by the UK air and water hygiene services specialist, uardian Water Treatment – most notably for the emphasis on the detection of oxygen and how this can prevent corrosive issues.

“The industry has moved on apace over the last eight years,” says MD Steven Booth, and while we’ve always understood the effect of oxygen,

If you are working on a new system within a standard domestic property, you are in a great position to optimise system performance and efficiency from the outset.

While you could opt to install separate air and dirt removal units, there are also combined units available on the market, such as the SpiroCombi MB3.

Selecting a combined air and dirt removal product is ideal for any brand new system installation, where there is no pre-existing build-up of dirt. In this scenario, a combined unit can be installed on the flow, where the temperature is highest, to remove any air and microbubbles. This prevents the formation of magnetite from the outset, while still removing any non-magnetic dirt and debris.

By investing in this technology early on, a heating system will be protected from the very first time it is fired.

Within larger domestic and light commercial systems, common problems found in a regular domestic environment are magnified. What’s more, while modern heating systems are markedly improved in terms

of design and efficiency compared to their older counterparts, they are much more sensitive to air and dirt contamination.

Treating the presence of air and dirt in a light commercial heating system is similar to that of a domestic property. For the best results, it is important that the installer specifies the right product for the job, and there are a number of factors to consider when making this choice.

When sizing up a light commercial project, installers will need to keep in mind the heat output of the boiler and the size of pipework. This is because deaerators and dirt separators are all designed to work based on a certain flow rate and this will dictate which si e fitting an installer will need. If a deaerator or dirt separator is undersized, it will still work but it will not perform at its optimum level and this can lead to further inefficiencies.

The brass SpiroVent RV2

developments in technology mean that its presence can now be accurately identified.”

The guide also references specialist corrosion monitoring equipment that is available to measure and record specific corrosion influencing parameters. This technology allows remote diagnostics so that site visits are minimised.

“This is something we have been championing since 201 ,” says Steven. “For our clients, remote monitoring saves time and money by preventing issues before corrosion takes hold.

The system we use, Hevasure, notifies clients of changes in

system condition, including all-important dissolved oxygen, which is the precursor to almost all corrosive conditions, therefore stopping problems before they occur. Compared with sampling, it is far more accurate and instantaneous.

“We wholeheartedly support the updates to B 2 2020. It now better reflects today’s precommissioning cleaning best practice and will help water systems be cleaner, more efficient and less likely to corrode and breakdown.” uardian is a sponsor of the B 2 2020 guide and a certified partner of Hevasure.

is available in connections up to 2in, but for any pipework larger than this the steel version of the SpiroVent would be required ,which is available with larger connection sizes.

Multiple zones For systems with multiple zones, a hydraulic separator may be required to ensure the circuits do not interfere with each other and cause system inefficiencies.

A hydraulic separator such as the SpiroCross should be considered in systems where primary and secondary pumps are used; when primary and secondary flows are not equal; or when a constant primary flow is required. A welldesigned hydraulic separator will not only perform hydraulic balancing, but will also have both deaeration and dirt separation capabilities too. phamnews.co.uk/520/4

phamnews.co.uk/520/42

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PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

34

Water & System Treatment

Providing protection plus e tra profit Encouraging customers to invest in a water softener will help to extend the lifespan of their household appliances, boost energy efficiency and provide extra business for installers – Monarch Water’s Kevin Johnson explains.

T

he recent pandemic and the restrictions associated with it mean that increased numbers of people have been spending more time inside their homes, giving them more time to focus on ways to make improvements. This is great news for installers because once restrictions are relaxed many homeowners will be chomping at the bit to get going on these projects.

Whether customers want to invest in a new kitchen or bathroom, or need to replace their boiler, installers are in the prime position to boost job earnings further. By highlighting the importance of protecting these costly investments from the negative effects of hard water, with cutting edge water softening technology, installers can increase both customer satisfaction and their own bottom lines.

 Limescale build-up inside household appliances is a common cause of breakdowns

The installation of a water softener will help to ensure that a customer’s new bathroom can continue to look as good as the day it was installed

Kevin Johnson

Managing director of Monarch Water

KEY SELLING POINTS 

Quick payback



Compatible with any boiler

 Compact for easy siting and installation

Inside story



24 hour protection for homes

Water that flows through underground chalk beds picks up magnesium and calcium, which makes the water hard. These minerals are harmless while the water remains cold, but once the water is heated in boilers,



Removal of existing limescale



Reduced energy consumption

 Increased life of household appliances

Savings on detergents, chemicals and toiletries 

 Improved results from washing machines and dishwashers

washing machines, electric showers, dishwashers and kettles they transform into limescale covering the heating elements.

With 60 of the UK suffering from the negative effects of hard water, limescale is a major issue that blights around 13 million homes. With only 5% of homes living in hard water areas benefiting from a water softener, there is plenty of profit potential to be had.

Hard water, when heated, can have a devastating impact throughout people’s homes, costing homeowners a significant amount of money in terms of repairs and increased energy bills, yet it is something that is rarely given a second thought.

Damage control For over half of UK residents, hard water will not only cause unsightly scale and scum around the home, but it will cling to the inside of pipes and coat heating elements, forcing them to work harder.

With hard water estimated to be responsible for 0% of equipment failure, tackling limescale build-up in equipment is essential to prevent

Monarch Water’s next generation of water softeners – the Master HE, Midi HE, MiniAqua HE

34.indd 1

breakdowns of household appliances, as well as damage to boilers.

This increased exertion on heating elements can cause breakdowns, decrease their working life, make them less efficient and more costly to run. In fact, according to British Water, just a 1.6mm coating of limescale on a heating element makes it up to 12 less effective.

Money matters Educating customers about the ill effects of hard water is the key to securing sales of water softeners.

With the average family living in a hard water area producing around 0kg of limescale a year, an investment in a quality water softener could be considered a vital protection measure.

Water softeners can extend the working life of household appliances by protecting the sensors and heating elements from the harmful effects of limescale build-up. This can only have positive implications for homeowners, including cost savings on detergents and cleaning chemicals and better results from washing machines and dishwashers.

Installing a water softener will not only protect end users’ homes from the ravages of limescale build-up 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, but it will remove any that’s already accumulated.

To put it into perspective, a unit’s running costs simply equate to the price of salt blocks or tablets,

which is around £8-10 per person, per year, with electric units costing just a few pounds a year. With the savings that these units offer the running costs are negligible.

Sustainable solution The beauty of recommending that customers invest in the latest generation of sustainable water softeners, such as our HE range, is that they are compatible with any boiler, so everyone’s a potential customer. They are more energy efficient than their equivalent counterparts, using 12% less salt and 24% less water, making them the ultimate ecofriendly water softening option.

Installing a water softener needn’t significantly add to a job’s timeline either, as new models are quick to fit and come in a range of sizes, making them easy to site. Not only that, but the HE range comes with quick, mini top-up regeneration times with the added bonus that they are more efficient than their predecessors.

Installers should also look out for models that feature the rapid fit bypass, which removes 0% of the equipment needed to fit, making the process even quicker.

By recommending the latest water softening technology, installers will not only increase their profits per job but ensure their customers are protecting their investment for years to come. phamnews.co.uk/520/4

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PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

Water & System Treatment 35

Contamination risks With many buildings unoccupied and water tanks and systems not having been used in recent weeks, the risk of microbiological contamination is high. Richard Crisp from Fernox explains about potential issues and how to deal with them.

T

he Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors recently released a warning to landlords, property owners and employers about the potential increased risk of Legionella growth as a result of the lockdown measures due to COVID-˚ˢ. The article stressed the importance of contacting a plumbing and heating engineer to assess and control this type of contamination.

To advise customers correctly on the best course of action, it is important to understand what causes Legionella and, most importantly, how it can be treated.

With many premises – including ŭóĞŋŋķŭ̇ ŋƧ óāŭ̇ ŭĞŋťŭ Öłù restaurants – currently closed, water tanks and plumbing systems are not in use. As a result, the water within them is stagnant and is therefore prone to microbiological

Richard Crisp Head of chemistry at Fernox

contamination. Premises with poorly designed water systems or with water temperatures between ˛˙°C and ˝˞°C are also at risk.

Microbiological contamination includes algae and bacteria, such as pseudomonas, and Legionella – and these can cause serious health issues if they enter the human body. For example, if inhaled (usually from water droplets dispersed from outlets such as taps, showers, hot tubs and airconditioning units) Legionella bacterium can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a serious and potentially fatal type of pneumonia.

It is therefore vital that you make building owners aware of this potential risk – and carry out the necessary measures to treat the water correctly before occupants return to the premises.

To protect against microbiological contamination, appropriate water treatment

should be dosed into the system water to disinfect it and make it safe for human consumption. There is an array of water treatment products available on the market that can be used to quickly and easily treat contaminated water.

1Ʀ āóŶĢƑā ŶũāÖŶĿāłŶ One method of disinfection is the use of chlorinating tablets. ¦ŋ ðā āƦ āóŶĢƑā̇ ŶĞĢŭ ĿāŶĞŋù requires maintaining a minimum of ˞˙mg/L of free chlorine in the system for at least one hour.

Once the tablets have dissolved and the chlorinated water is released into the system, you ŭĞŋŽķù ƪ ŽŭĞ ŋŽŶ ŶĞā óĞķŋũĢłÖŶāù ƒÖŶāũ Öłù ũāƩ ķķ ƒĢŶĞ ĕũāŭĞ ƒÖŶāũ at least three times. The water should then be tested to check that the chlorine level is no greater than that of the incoming mains water. Although free chlorine is not harmful, it can leave an unpleasant taste in the water.

Always check that you are using the correct quantity of chlorinating tablets for each individual application, because if under-dosed the water may not be properly disinfected. For example, two Fernox Sterox tablets (which come as part of our Sterox Chlorinating Kit) will be suitable

to treat 225 litres of water.

Alternatively, for a faster dosing process, you can use a silver stabilised hydrogen peroxide, such as Fernox LP Sterox. This will disinfect water contaminated with Legionella, as well as pseudomonas, bacteria, ÖķėÖā Öłù ðĢŋƩ ķĿŭ̍ ĢĿĢķÖũ Ŷŋ other chemical water treatments, it can be dosed simply by adding the required amount to the tank and circulating it throughout the whole system by running all hot and cold water outlets.

You should then test the water at each outlet using the LP Sterox indicator strip. When all outlets have achieved ˚˙˙ppm, the treatment is complete. Each ˚-litre bottle is suitable to treat a ˝˙˙-litre system – which should not be used for ˛˝ hours after application – or a ˜˙˙-litre system during normal use.

It is vital that action is taken to prevent microbiological contamination and minimise the risk to occupants on their return to premises. Now is the time to speak to your customers and make sure that they are aware of this potential risk and ensure that the necessary remedial work is completed before buildings reopen. ͻ ťĞÖĿłāƒŭ̍óŋ̍ŽĴ̓˞˛˙̓˝˝

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

36

Product News

Compact HIU o ers e tra features and benefits UK heating and plumbing product manufacturer Inta has unveiled its latest HIU – the Hiper II. The original Hiper proved to be a success for Inta, thanks to its compact size, practicality, reliability and value for money.

Benefits of the Hiper II include its electronic PID control unit, which provides constant monitoring of the system, and the Modbus communications system, which provides easy-to-understand feedback for users.

Tested and registered with BESA, further features include optimised heating functions,

Controls come in darker elegance

auto-fault diagnostics and pay as you go (prepayment) switching, all designed to make the Hiper II one of the most user-friendly HIUs on the market. For ease of installation, pipework has also been reduced to a minimum.

Intatec director Stuart i i comments The Hiper II takes the key features from the successful Hiper HIU model and takes them to the next level, improving functionality and performance. phamnews.co.uk/520/45

The latest addition to Drayton’s TRV range is the TRV4 Anthracite, designed with a stylish matt finish that complements anthracite radiators. The fourth incarnation of Drayton’s TRV, the original Classic model was launched almost three decades ago in 1 2.

Since then, the range has expanded to include the TRV4 Chrome and TRV4 White.

Remi Volpe, MD at Drayton, comments: “Despite changing times, our highly efficient TR 4 range has remained one of the most popular choices amongst installers, with over half a million installed each year.

Manufactured at our factory in Plymouth, the TR 4 allows heating engineers to provide their customers with accurate, reliable and efficient heating control in a range of different styles. As more homeowners look to incorporate anthracite radiators into their homes, it was important for us to ensure there was a style to complement these, which is why we’re excited to have introduced the TR 4 Anthracite to the range. phamnews.co.uk/520/47

S and Y-plan heating control packs The Honeywell Home ready-made heating control packs from Resideo have been repackaged to give installers everything they need for Sundial S or -Plan applications.

These sets feature a combination of Honeywell Home zone valves, room thermostats, and timers to suit a range of installation types, including single one combi boiler installations, stored hot water control, and multi- one heating systems.

The S-Plan installer pack includes T6360 room thermostat, two channel ST 400 C -day programmer, cylinder thermostat, and 2 X V4D43 motorised one valves.

The -Plan installer pack includes T6360 room thermostat, two channel ST 400 C -day programmer, and V4D 3 motorised mid position diverter valves.

Sales director Martin Wilson says: “With heating controls becoming an increasingly important aspect of any modern heating system, it’s important that installers have access to the components they need, quickly and easily. These ready-made packs contain everything installers need for an S or -plan installation, minimising the time spent at merchants and negating the risk of forgotten or missing parts. phamnews.co.uk/520/46

Higher e ciencies in latest Aquarea The Aquarea High Performance J eneration Bi-Bloc from Panasonic is described as an advanced heating and cooling solution suitable for new installations, refurbishments, and low energy homes. The heat pump can reach the highest possible energy rating of A in heating.

The new model uses air-towater heat pump technology and R32 refrigerant and is said to be a highly efficient and a more environmentally friendly solution compared to R410A refrigerant.

Thanks to Panasonic’s Inverter Compressors, the heat pump

36.indd 1

Aerator stops the spout splashes

ONLINE

adapts its operation to the demand of the house. Even in adverse weather conditions as low as -20 C, the Aquarea unit is claimed to warm the home effectively and efficiently. Not only does it provide heating throughout the

cold months, it is also able to cool a home in summer for year-round comfort.

The J Series also includes quieter outdoor units compared to previous models. phamnews.co.uk/520/48

For further information about any of the products featured on this page, simply visit phamnews. co.uk/520/ followed by the relevant enquiry number.

New from Neoperl is an aerator designed to open slowly and delay the initial high flow of water from a tap, preventing any splashing when the kitchen tap is first turned on.

The ‘smooth open’ aerator incorporates an integral damping element that ensures a deliberate delay in the flow range and prevents heavy spray when the water hits the sink. It’s also easy to retrofit onto a tap, providing a solution to any splashing problem.

The device is especially suitable for taps with a large drop height between the spout and sink and is also useful for electronic taps. The smooth open feature is available as an aerated or laminar (non-aerated) water stream and there are versions available in standard si es to suit many taps.

Aerators shape the water to produce a non-splashing stream, and add air to make the water pleasantly soft.

Combined with a flow regulator, they control the flow of water, reduce plumbing noise and save water. phamnews.co.uk/520/49

01/06/2020 14:34

PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

COMPETITION

Product News End-to-end package solution With its bespoke end-to-end solution for district energy networks (DEN), Danfoss offers a complete package that optimises heat transfer and system control from the energy source at one end of the network through to end-user level. Solutions include variable speed drives for efficient pump control, bespoke building connections featuring advanced heat exchangers, an extensive range of control components, and ultrasonic energy meters for accurate billing of energy consumption and system diagnostics.

Key components include Danfoss VLT Drives which offer reliable, accurate pump control and help minimise total HVAC system and lifecycle costs. Solutions also feature the company’s heat interface units for buildings served by a district heating system.

Within building connections Danfoss

Add-on adds e ciency The Wilo-Connect Module is a new add-on product from Wilo that allows for additional features on the existing Wilo-Yonos MAXO pump range, enabling more energy saving capabilities.

The pumps are suitable for use in hot water heating systems, air conditioning systems, closed cooling circuits, and industrial circulation systems.

The module gives users greater flexibility by enhancing the functionality of the Wilo-Yonos MAXO and allows for integration into building management systems (BMS) with

can also provide controls right down to the thermostats. The Danfoss TPOne programmable room thermostat, for example, gives users control of their indoor environment and energy usage, while radiator thermostats optimise balance and performance of the heating system. phamnews.co.uk/520/50

volt free contacts, fault/alarm signal, enable signal, run signal and dual pump management/integral changeover control for smooth operation when no BMS is on site.

Dual pump management gives auto changeover of twin head pumps on a time or failure basis where no BMS is on site. This means there is no need for a manual changeover by an operative. When combined with the Connect Module, the Wilo-Yonos MAXO offers up to 32 variable speed setpoints and multiple alarm warning codes that can help indicate if there is a system issue or pump issue; error codes and alarms can even indicate if there is dirt in the system or if the pump is running dry – eliminating any potential failure. phamnews.co.uk/520/5

37.indd 1

We've teamed up with Daikin to offer you the chance to win an exciting prize bundle featuring a DeWALT combi drill, DeWALT ToughSystem Sound Centre Radio and Daikin’s own Streamer Technology Air Purifier. We'll be running the competition over six issues – so there's six chances to be a winner!

Daikin

is celebrating the launch of its Sustainable Home Network – a scheme designed to provide both heating installers and ACR engineers with the support needed to take advantage of the growing renewable heat pump market, creating a network of well-trained heat pump installers and local support centres.

Daikin is offering one lucky reader the chance to win an exciting prize bundle in each issue, featuring a DeWALT combi drill, DeWALT ToughSystem Sound Centre Radio and Daikin’s o trea er e h olo A r ur fier A great addition or upgrade, if your favourite drill is getting a bit old and tired, the DeWALT 18V cordless combi-drill is a fantastic tool to

have in your line-up. The compact drill uses a combination of a brushless motor and high capacity batteries to deliver longer run-times between charges and comes with a carry case and two 4.0Ah Li-ion batteries included in the kit.

For those who enjoy adding some entertainment to work, the DeWALT ToughSystem Sound Centre provides great sound quality, DAB+, FM and Bluetooth connectivity, while also being robust enough to withstand any dust or bumps on site.

Finally, Daikin’s powerful Streamer Technology Air Purifier is an ideal addition to any home, using streamer technology to capture and break down any dust particles, bacteria, odours or allergens present, providing you and your family with cleaner, purer air.

With the new stylish and compact design and its whisper quiet operation, you can achieve improved indoor air quality without compromise.

The Prize: One winner gets all three!

1

DeWalt ToughSystem Sound Centre Radio

2 DeWalt Combi Drill

Greenstar HIU now registered with BESA The Greenstar HIU range from Bosch Commercial & Industrial is now BESA Registered. Coming with a two-year guarantee, the Greenstar HIU is described as a premium appliance that offers up to 21 litres per minute flow rate and incorporates components such as a differential pressure control valve and summer by-pass.

Pete Mills, commercial technical operations manager, says: “We’re proud to have achieved this registration for our Greenstar range. We pride ourselves on our top-quality products and customer service.

It’s great to get the stamp of approval from the UK standard. Using HIUs with verified performance is one important part of the drive to raise technical standards for new heat networks.”

Win af trio os! prize

3

HOW TO ENTER

Daikin's own Streamer e h olo A r ur fier

The picture below appears more than once in this edition of PHAM News. To be in with a chance of winning the prize bundle, simply tell us on what page you found it and email your answer with ‘Daikin’ in the subject line to: editor@phamnewsedit.co.uk

Please make sure you include the following: • Your name • Your company’s name • Contact telephone number • Please type ‘YES’ in the body of your email if you are happy to receive email offers from Daikin Bosch Commercial Industrial offers design support and equipment across the full spectrum of district heating - from HIUs and controls to the heat source. phamnews.co.uk/520/52

All correct answers received before the closing date of 1st July 2020 will be entered into the prize draw. Only one entry per person allowed.

www.daikin.co.uk/en_gb/energy-for-change

29/05/2020 14:37

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PHAM NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2020

38

Directory Controls

Radiators

Radiators

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Heaters (Water) phamnews.co.uk/520/107

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Why not order your radiators online today

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Safety Products

Heating Controls Next day delivery available on 100s of controls

www.heatingcontrolsonline.co.uk phamnews.co.uk/520/105

Temperature Sensors

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The Copper King

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Plumbing Products

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Training & Assessments

Information Centre 39 Approved Training Courses in Gas, Electric, Plumbing & Heating & Renewable Energy

Established in 1997 Basildon, Essex SS13 1EU

Small relaxed and friendly classes

For more information visit www.gas-training-and-assessment.co.uk Telephone 01268 727797 or Email gastraining@btconnect.com phamnews.co.uk/520/115

MIDLANDS GAS ASSESSMENTS

Unit 1, Mainstream Way, Nechells, BIRMINGHAM B7 4SN email: mgabrum@tiscali.co.uk www.mgabrum.co.uk Domestic Natural Gas & LPG Changeover, Energy Efficiency and Water Regulations.

Un-vented, Part P Electrics, Training & Assessments.

0121 333 3903

phamnews.co.uk/520/116

phamnews.co.uk/520/113

To find out more about highlighting your Training Courses to over 29,000* PHAM News readers, please contact Sharon classified@phamnews.co.uk 01889 577 222

phamnews.co.uk/520/150

Snickers New Stretch Work Shorts

These new AllroundWork and FLEXIWork shorts are great for working in the warmer months.

Made from self-ventilating stretch fabric with Cordura reinforcements for all-round mobility and durability these lightweight work shorts deliver superior flexibility and comfort and come in a body-mapping design and a range of new colours including Hi-vis options.

Snickers Workwear Shorts are a must for everyone who wants the ultimate in cool comfort this summer.

Checkout the website and download a digital catalogue at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk or enter the code below.

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*ABC Audited Circulation 29,033 Jan-Dec 2019

Advertiser’s Index AIC Heating UK Ltd

28

Airflow Developments Ltd

30

Aqualisa Products Ltd

7

BES Ltd

3

Daikin Airconditioning Domus Ventilation Geberit Sales Ltd Glow-worm

31 20 5, 6

JG Speedfit (RWC)

19

Kamco Ltd

33

Navien UK

9, 11

Nero Pipeline Connections Ltd

22

Pegler Yorkshire Group Ltd

21

Pipesnug

17

Robert Bosch Ltd

40

Spirotech UK Ltd

35

Stelrad

15

Stiebel Eltron UK Ltd

27

Telford Copper Cylinders Ltd

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Front Cover, 2

4

Vaillant Ltd

14

Viega Ltd

23

Grant UK unveils updated website A number of exciting changes and new features have been incorporated into Grant UK’s website including a series of stylistic and content updates, a more sophisticated ‘Find an Engineer’ search function, the launch of a brand new Blog as well as other improvements designed to enhance user experiences and to increase the range of resources available to visitors.

For more details enter the code shown below or visit www.grantuk.com

phamnews.co.uk/520/152

Knee and Body Protection from Redbacks Cushioning

The Redbacks Pocket Kneepad is specifically designed to fit work trousers and features the award winning flexible ‘Leaf Spring’ cushioning held within a thermoplastic honeycomb matrix which unlike foam or gel ensures a high compression rate and 100% recovery to its original shape.

This combination and the inherent ‘memory’ aspect gives unique controlled weight distribution protecting both the knees and body.

For more information or to become a supplier visit: www.redbackscushioning.com email: sales@redbackscushioning.com Telephone: 01327 702104 or enter the code shown below.

phamnews.co.uk/520/153

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