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How van drivers can work out on the road

  With the aim of helping busy van drivers join the rest of the population in the traditional January effort to recover from festive overindulgences, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has created a special Working Out With You exercise regime that can be completed anywhere, anytime, with its Mobile Gym Transporter. The company has teamed up with Pimlico Plumbers and its in-house personal trainer, James Dean, to devise the programme which is designed to tackle different muscle groups for a well-rounded workout. Exercises include cable skipping, the toolbox squat and rise, bumper dips, seated wrench curls and panel push-ups.

Sarah Cox, Head of Marketing, comments: “Our brand promise Working With You is devised to keep customers and their businesses moving forward, and that goes beyond just the health of the vehicle. We want to encourage van drivers to get fit this New Year with our on-the-go workout that can be done anywhere drivers may find themselves with a spare five minutes. It’s all part of putting our customers first.”

The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRypLoCFurE

from Boilers on Finance https://awardheating.co.uk/how-van-drivers-can-work-out-on-the-road/

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Sentence for landlord who falsified gas safety certificates

A Torquay landlord has been sentenced after failing to ensure proper landlord’s gas safety checks were undertaken at his tenanted property. Newton Abbot Magistrates’ Court heard how Mr Mehmet Sevim, a former Gas Safe Register engineer and current landlord of residential properties, had contracted a fitter who was not a member of Gas Safe Register to undertake a landlord’s gas safety check at one of his tenanted properties.

During an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Mr Sevim repeatedly maintained that he had used a person whom he could not name to undertake the landlord’s gas safety check for him. He failed to make any checks on the individual, including checking if he was registered with Gas Safe Register.

The investigation also found the landlord’s gas safety certificate used false Gas Safe Register engineer details. Mr Sevim later admitted to the court that he had produced the fraudulent certificate. It was also found that Mr Sevim had tried to bribe a prosecution witness before the trial by offering them £300 to change their evidence.

Mehmet Sevim of Ellacombe Church Road, Torquay was found guilty of breaching Gas Safety Regulations and has been sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to undertake 240 hours unpaid work. Mr Sevim was also ordered to pay costs of more than £5330.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Simon Jones said: “Mr Sevim lied throughout this investigation and only at sentencing did he finally tell the truth about how he falsified a landlord’s gas safety certificate.

“There can be no excuse for a landlord to ever falsify a gas safety certificate and this sentence should send a clear warning to all landlords that the courts take such matters very seriously.”

from Boilers on Finance https://awardheating.co.uk/sentence-for-landlord-who-falsified-gas-safety-certificates/

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Rogue HETAS installer punished…

To make sure appliances work safety and efficiently, it’s important that installation and servicing is carried out by a properly trained and registered installer.

A rogue installer from Poole has been ordered to pay a £1,750 fine and costs of £8,000 when he was found guilty of presenting a £12,500 invoice to an 84-year-old resident for work that wasn’t necessary.

Thanks to a concerned neighbour, Trading Standards intervened, and work on the property at Broadmayne, near Dorchester, was stopped.

The unnamed installer, who claimed to be HETAS Registered when in fact he had never been registered, pleaded guilty and was charged under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Members of the HETAS team were required to act as witnesses in a court case which resulted in the fine.

The case follows several successful prosecutions throughout 2018. HETAS has a number of procedures in place to limit false and misleading practices within the solid fuel industry, protecting consumers, including a whistleblowing procedure to report issues on an anonymous basis for both consumers and registrants wishing to raise awareness of non-compliant work.

Bruce Allen, CEO of HETAS, said: “Enforcement against rogue traders and those pretending to be HETAS Registered has become more common in recent years, aided by HETAS entering a formal Primary Authority relationship with Trading Standards.

We partner with Trading Standards and our registration team have provided numerous and regular Witness Statements to support legal enforcement nationwide.”

from Boilers on Finance https://awardheating.co.uk/rogue-hetas-installer-punished/

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Baxi ready for no deal Brexit

With political certainty over Brexit continuing during the past week, leading boiler manufacturer and distributor, Baxi, has admitted that it is well placed should the UK quit the EU with no deal.

On Friday, EU leaders rejected outright the Prime Minister’s last-ditch attempt to save her Brexit deal, despite Theresa May pleading with them to bolt on legal assurances that would assuage lawmakers over the Irish border ‘backstop’.

But EU leaders rejected the demands and instead stepped up plans for a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking at a press lunch on Thursday, Andrew Keating, marketing director UK and Ireland at Baxi, said: “We are planning for a No Deal. We are trying to show transparency, we are spending a lot of time and a lot of money which we weren’t spending, securing warehousing space, securing truck contracts, making sure drivers are in the right place and ensuring we have additional ports to go to.

“We are also increasing stock levels and the number of finished goods in our warehouses. The No Deal scenario may not come to pass, in which case that is fine, but if it does we are ready.

“The most important thing for us is that our products will be available to our customers who will still need boilers, or water heaters. The end game goes on for us, irrespective of the political climate.”

Looking ahead, Andrew added: “2019 is going to be an exciting year for us. There will be a bunch of new things products wise and we will be seen more on social media and working more actively with our customers. We will continue to be as outfacing as we have always been.”

Baxi, is part of BDR Thermea, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers and distributors of domestic and commercial water and space heating systems, and represent ten of the UK and Ireland’s most best-known brands of high efficiency heating and hot water products.

from Boilers on Finance https://awardheating.co.uk/baxi-ready-for-no-deal-brexit/

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For an easy way to get massive flow rates and space heating, try the Navien combi and wall hung water heater.

Torrance tower house is now two private residences, one of which is owned by the customer who contacted Wm. Donnelly & Co Ltd to request an estimate for a new heating system to be installed.

Using a Navien combi cascaded with a Navien water heater it was able to meet the high water demands, providing over 30 litres a minute, and space heating.

New Combi Boiler

Navien felt that the customer’s current heating system was effective at an approximate temperature of a 65°C flow and a 55°C return.

At these temperatures, it was confident that it could match its system design to run the customers’ existing central heating. This could be achieved with a 24% reduction for the heating capacity, down to 34.6kW with an approximate 98% efficiency for the gas consumption and giving the customer a 50% reduction from their current 70kW boiler.

from Boilers on Finance https://awardheating.co.uk/13216-2/

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Buildbase launches Plumbingbase

Buildbase launches Plumbingbase

Builders merchant Buildbase is launching a dedicated plumbing and heating business within 44 branches. A core range of plumbing and heating products will be stocked across all branches, from boilers to waste pipes. A wider breadth of products will be available at larger sites.

Plumbing and heating specialists have been recruited to ensure that all branches can provide knowledgeable advice and support.

Lyndon Johnson, Buildbase Commercial Director, says: “We understand that time is money for our customers. Plumbingbase will complete our ‘one stop shop’ philosophy, reducing the need for customers to go to several merchants for a project, saving time and making their lives easier.

“We don’t just sell products – we have fantastic knowledge about everything we supply as many of our staff are former tradespeople themselves. We can help our customers to find the right product for the job and suggest solutions that they may never have considered. Plumbingbase will be no exception.”

The Buildbase estate comprises more than 170 branches throughout the UK. Plumbingbase will be rolled out at further locations in 2019.

Plumbingbase is in addition to the standalone Plumbase branches that are also part of Grafton Merchanting.

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/buildbase-launches-plumbingbase/

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Ideal Boilers offers installers the chance to win a pair of designer Ray-Ban sunglasses

Ideal Boilers offers installers the chance to win a pair of designer Ray-Ban sunglasses

To celebrate the great weather we’ve had this summer, Ideal Boilers is giving away of pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses worth £125.

The designer glasses are just one of the rewards Ideal has been offering its loyal customers who sign up for the Premier Club, Ideal Boilers’ exclusive installer club.

Next spring the company will take customers who have reached their target number of boiler sales on an all-expenses paid trip of a lifetime to Miami’s stunning South Beach in Florida.

South Beach’s famous Art Deco district is famed for its endless stretches of white sandy beaches, unmissable vibrant nightlife, world-renowned cuisine and fantastic shopping.

Register now at premierclub2019.co.uk/ to be in with a chance of making the trip.

In the meanwhile why not try and win a pair of Ray-Bans by answering the following question:

What was the name of the cop show set in Miami starring Don Johnson?

Miami Nice

Miami Vice

Miami Price

Answer

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/ideal-boilers-offers-installers-the-chance-to-win-a-pair-of-designer-ray-ban-sunglasses/

[awardheating]

New Hometree company threatens to “disrupt the boiler and home services industry”

Another company is threatening to disrupt the boiler and home services industry. 

Over the last two years, the heating and plumbing industry has seen new technology-lead companies entering the market, targeting consumers with “Uber-style” online business models.

This has been a big talking point with independent installers who run small and medium-sized businesses, who are concerned that they’ll be priced out of jobs and lose work to these big businesses.

READ: Are customers ready to buy their boilers online

Now, Hometree has just signed up four new people to its senior management team, including Rob Gladwin, former board member at Wolseley.

The company claims it wants to “put control back into the hands of consumers where previously the industry has been opaque and uncompetitive, with limited consumer knowledge.”

A huge 1.7 million boilers are installed in the UK every year, but this tends to happen only once every 10 years or so for each consumer. Since a boiler is not an everyday expense, it can be difficult for consumers to genuinely understand the product and associated costs.

Hometree says it “offers upfront and clear online costs for boiler purchases and installations, and customers are offered video chat advice with an engineer as well as guaranteed times for an engineer to show up at a customer’s home (ending wasted days off work).”

The new hires are:

Paul Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) joins from VoucherCodes

David Lee, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) joins from StrataJet

James Kydd, Brand Adviser joins alongside role as Marketing Director at Purplebricks

Rob Gladwin, Strategic Adviser joins following stepping down from the board of Wolseley

Hometree was founded in 2016 by Simon Phelan, an engineer who began his career at Jon Moulton’s private-equity firm Better Capital, and Andreu Tobella, also an engineer who headed up the product team at British Gas owned subsidiary, Hive.

Hometree is funded by Paul Pindar’s Literacy Capital, LocalGlobe, DN Capital, as well as a number of high profile angel investors such as Jon Moulton, Founder of Better Capital, Ian Marchant, former CEO of Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) & Anthony Gutman, CEO of Goldman Sachs UK. 

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/new-hometree-company-threatens-to-disrupt-the-boiler-and-home-services-industry/

[awardheating]

‘Apprentice of the Year’

Callum Megarry an apprentice at West London based WPJ Heating, has been named Worcester Bosch’s 2018 ‘Apprentice of the Year’.

21-year-old Callum entered and won the Apprentice of the Year (AOTY) competition by responding to the monthly online challenges set by Worcester. The tasks included Callum stripping down a boiler, sharing photo examples of his installations, and demonstrating his ability to bend, join and clip copper. The budding apprentice impressed the judging panel with his vast skillset, creativity and obvious passion for the plumbing and heating industry.

To congratulate Callum on his win, Worcester awarded him with a new iPad, a half-day racing experience with Team Dynamics at Honda, Worcester Bosch branded workwear, and a set of professional power tools.

Callum, said: “I’m really glad that my apprenticeship provider WPJ Heating encouraged and supported me to enter, because it feels great to have won this year’s competition and have my name recognised by Worcester Bosch – a household name in the plumbing and heating industry. It has helped boost my confidence no end and will be a great achievement to put on my CV.”

Martyn Bridges, Director of Technical Communication and Product Management at Worcester Bosch, commented: “Callum really stood out as a candidate in this year’s competition. He was consistent, creative and had meticulous attention to detail in all of the challenges he took part in. Not only did he show great skill, but his videos were extremely engaging and fun to watch. Callum is the epitome of what we want to see from the next generation of installers in the HVAC industry.”

To find out more about the ‘#WeAreWorcester AOTY competition please visit www.weareworcester.co.uk. For more information about Worcester Bosch visit www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/apprentice-of-the-year/

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What’s the difference between a boiler “safety check” and a “service”?

Getting a gas boiler inspected on an annual basis by a Gas Safe registered engineer is key to maintaining boiler efficiency, reliability and, most importantly, safety. But we often get asked what is the difference between a boiler ‘safety check’ and a ‘service’?  Darren Payne, Operations Director at Vokèra by Riello, offers his thoughts on the differences.

When it comes to booking a boiler service we know that some consumers will be driven purely by price and choose the cheapest options available without fully understanding what will and won’t be covered during the engineer’s visit. However, not knowing the difference between a service and a safety check could prove to be a false economy and may even invalidate any manufacturer’s warranty. That’s why we always advise engineers to make the differences clear to their customers. Let’s start by looking at the basic checks to ensure the safety of the user and the appliance.

Safety check

First and foremost, always start by asking the customer whether they have had any issues since your last visit, as much can be gleamed in a five minute conversation with the customer before you put your toolbox down.

Visual inspection of appliance and entire flue system to ensure there are no signs of distress and installed as per manufacturer’s instructions.

Flue gas analysis (room sealed boiler) to verify combustion characteristics; including but not limited to leaks within flue system and adequate supply of air for combustion.

Check ventilation is adequate for appliance type and/or location.

Gas rate check to ensure adequate fuel supply with inlet working pressure and burner pressure as necessary.

If a sealed system, relieve pressure in the water circuit and check expansion vessel pressure is correctly charged.

Refill a sealed system to the correct operating pressure and disconnect the filling loop or link. (Permanent connection to class one potable water without fitting a specialist valve can be subject to a fine).

On an open vented system, locate the feed and expansion cistern to check the ball valve is operating correctly, that there is sufficient water in the cistern and that gaps between water level, overflow outlet and ball valve outlet are correct (these provide the expansion space and backflow prevention). Also ensure Open Vent Pipe is free to discharge back into the tank.

Ensure the condensate outlet(s) from the flue or heat exchanger are clear, free running, with sufficient fall (Vokèra recommends at least 3°) and terminated correctly.

Visually inspect the condensate trap, but preferably dismantle, clean, refill and complete an operational check.

Remove combustion box or cover to inspect seals on internal automatic air vents and check for evidence of any leaks.

If a sealed system, check any pressure relief devices for signs of leakage or malfunction.

Check operation of all safety devices to ensure they are working as intended.

Annual service

In addition to these safety checks, manufacturer’s instructions may also include

Removal of burner door / cover and physical cleaning of heat exchanger flueways, inspection of flame rectification probes, spark gap etc.

If appliance has a separate secondary heat exchanger, remove access cover and clean inside.

Inspect insulation panels / shields.

Replace door seals as required by manufacturer when reassembling.

Check dilution levels of inhibitor and top-up if deemed necessary.

Bleed any vent points around the system.

Record Service Intervention in Benchmark Log, typically located in back of manufactures instruction booklet.

Integrated service reminder

By adhering to the manufacturer’s instructions, the appliance can be maintained in good order and used safely. Additionally, most current Vokèra boilers include an integrated service reminder/timer based upon the boiler’s true condensing operation that will alert the user or engineer whether a full service is required (the boiler operates as normal but the display or status LEDs will remain illuminated to draw attention to the fact in a manner similar to that in a modern car).

Don’t wait until winter

And while we are on the subject of service reminders, It’s worth mentioning the benefits of encouraging homeowners to book a service before the winter, rather than leaving it until the cold weather starts to bite and then discovering their boiler isn’t working as well as it should. A summer service will uncover any technical faults that need fixing to be sure of a warm home come the winter

Simplifying servicing and repairs

Through the development of smart heating controls, such as Vokèra’s BeSMART, servicing is also becoming a much easier process for installers, homeowners and landlords. For example, when a compatible Vokèra boiler is connected to BeSMART, the intelligent control system will alert the homeowner if a fault is detected. And with permission from the customer, installers can also gain access to a protected technical menu of which offers them information and the ability to adjust parameters where necessary. This development makes some of the elements of servicing and repairs a far simpler, quicker and smoother process for all.

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/whats-the-difference-between-a-boiler-safety-check-and-a-service/

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Government seeks stronger regulator to aid social housing overhaul

A new consultation aims to improve the safety and quality of social homes, while building on recommendations within the Hackitt review over how infringements are policed

The government has set out several key aims that it hopes will overhaul the quality of social housing in the UK. This will include the introduction of a stronger regulator and new standards on home quality that will determine factors such as energy efficient heating.

Secretary of state for communities, MP James Brokenshire, today unveiled the social housing green paper with the stated aim of rebalancing a relationship between tenants and landlords with a particular focus on safety and quality standards.

He said, “Our green paper offers a landmark opportunity for major reform to improve fairness, quality and safety for residents living in social housing across the country.”

“Regardless of whether you own your home or rent, residents deserve security, dignity and the opportunities to build a better life.”

An estimated 8,000 residents shared their views and concerns on social housing – largely online. This feedback has helped shape the green paper’s proposals

A wider industry consultation will now run until November 6 with the aim of tackling a number of concerns that mirror recent recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, which was launched in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

These recommendations will include ensuring a more transparent and effective resolution oforresident complaints, forming a stronger regulator and introducing new standards for ensuring homes are safe and “decent”.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that it was also committed to “bring forward legislation” in supporting an overhaul of fire safety in domestic properties. This would take on recommendations in the Hackitt report.

Respondents to the social housing green paper identified an “opaque, inaccurate and chaotic” complaints property for residents that offered little clarity on who was responsible for different components of a property and its systems.

The consultation process will now look at reforming the existing complaints procedures and give an residents an opportunity to challenge landlords about living standards.

A revised regulatory framework for social housing is also backed in the green paper. An additional call for evidence had therefore been launched by the government along with the green paper to ensure social homes are of a higher standard in terms of safety and performance.

The social housing paper will also consider how best to review the government’s ‘Decent Homes Standard’ in order to determine required levels of quality within a home for factors such efficient heating and insulation. The government last revised the standard in 2006.

The ministry said in a statement, “Progress has also been made on improving standards of decency.”

“The green paper will consider how the Decent Homes Standard should be reviewed to ensure it delivers the right standards for social housing residents and reflects the government’s current and forthcoming priorities.”

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/government-seeks-stronger-regulator-to-aid-social-housing-overhaul/

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Mitsubishi Electric braces for RHI boost to heat pump take up

Manufacturer expects market shift away from current gas boiler dominance of heating via mechanisms such as RHI as it launches a new low noise heat pump design

Mitsubishi Electric says it expects UK legislation such as the Clean Growth Strategy will help drive a market shift away from the current dominance of gas boilers in heating towards a greater use of renewable powered alternatives such as air source heat pumps.

The company argues that upcoming changes to current UK incentive programmes aimed to support a shift to heating systems powered by renewable energy will improve the mainstream appeal of heat pumps alongside the technology’s strong potential for use in more rural off-grid areas.

The comments were made ahead of the upcoming launch of Mitsubishi’s Ultra Quiet Ecodan air source heat pumps. Mitsubishi Electric claims the appliance design, which is provided in 8.5kW and 11.2kW variations, curbs operational noise by three times the amount of previous iterations of the company’s heat pump. It says this allows for improved flexibility for use of the technology against planning restrictions concerning sound, representing ten years of ongoing R&D work.

Flexibility of use is viewed by the company as a key driver of the new design for both heating and cooling applications, especially at a time of significant market changes driven by new environmental requirements around reducing carbon emissions.

Marc Overson, senior product manager for Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental System in the UK, cited changes being introduced to the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) as helping overcome the traditional investment cost barriers that have held back heat pump take up.

The introduction next month of an ‘assignment of rights’ extension to the domestic RHI scheme was a positive sign of legislative changes supporting a shift away from more carbon intensive heating systems, Mr Overson said.

“We believe that this is a step-change in the market itself in the sense that now homeowners can assign their rights to RHI payments to third party investors going forward. This will open up the ability for capital expenditure problems to be solved.”

“Typically, an air source heat pump would be more expensive than a boiler and this has often bene a barrier to the expansion of this market, but moving forward there is a real change in legislation around this market towards heat pump use.”

The technology will face competition from the potential emergence of new forms of hydrogen heating appliances that is also being considered at present by government as a means of supporting lower carbon ambitions.

Questions also remain over the current capacity of the electric grid in the UK to support widespread expansion of a number of potentially greener technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.

Max Hallliwell, product manager for Mitsubishi Electric’s renewable heating systems, says that the UK government was actively planning how viable electric capacity would be for powering lower carbon heating solutions.

He added that representatives from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) would be meeting with the company over the potential for larger scale adoption of heat pumps in the coming weeks.

Mr Halliwell said, “The government are already starting to do quite in-depth studies in terms of the impact of doing this. We’re now moving from direct electric heating to heat pumps.”

He said it was uncertain when these studies were set to be published, but the issue was being addressed by UK government to get an understanding of the role they may play in realising the aims of the Clean Growth Strategy.

Mr Halliwell argued, “The government are the ones who stuck their coat hangers on the uptake of heat pumps and therefore they are going to have to do the calculations to ensure we have enough power in the grids.”

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/mitsubishi-electric-braces-for-rhi-boost-to-heat-pump-take-up/

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Electrical heating to overtake gas by 2018

The number of electrical boiler and electrical heating system installations is set to overtake their gas counterparts in 10 years’ time, predict industry groups.

The anecdotal forecast was issued after a member of the Association of Registered Gas Installers told H&V News that residential landlords were increasingly replacing their old gas boilers with electrical boilers or water heaters.

In addition, many developers of high rise buildings and flats were doing away with gas altogether by only specifying and fitting electric heating, he said.

H&V News research revealed that there was a dearth of statistical evidence available to substantiate of dispel the observations but a Home Builders Federation spokesman confirmed that electricity was indeed the dominant energy source for heating in new build apartments.

He said this was “…probably due to construction practice, since it is easier to fit electric heating than it is to install a gas central heating system.”

Giuliano Digilio, head of technical services at the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), said he was aware of both trends. He said: “Many landlords are not returning to gas for various reasons and I’ve been predicting this would happen for years.

“Traditionally, gas was regarded as cheaper than electricity and so almost everybody installed gas central heating systems; very few people relied on electric heating. That has been changing over the past 20 years or so as the cost of electricity came down.”

Mr Digilio also said concerns over energy security made electric heating an attractive proposition to developers.

Energy commentators have suggested that declining North Sea gas production means that the UK will need to import 40 per cent of its gas by the end of this year and 75 per cent by 2015, potentially placing the UK in a state of dependence on unreliable energy-exporting regimes.

“Also, as a result of the [more stringent] Building Regulations and new energy efficiency standards, the energy requirements of buildings are coming down,” Mr Digilio continued.

“In the past, commercial and domestic buildings used to leak [energy] like a sieve and heat was lost at a substantial rate.

“New and refurbished buildings now have to comply with much better loft and cavity wall insulation and double glazing standards, and the amount of energy needed to heat the average home is far less than it was.”

Consequently, electricity is now considered to be a viable alternative energy source for heating, he said.

Asked whether he accepted assertions that installation of electric boilers and heating systems would supersede their gas counterparts over the next 10 years, Mr Digilio said: “I agree with that. Developers are increasingly specifying that new apartments should have electrical heating systems because of lower installation and lower ongoing maintenance costs. Electric heating systems are also slightly cheaper.”

Bob Towse, head of technical and safety at the HVCA, said: “Gas will continue to be the dominant fuel in this country for three or four-bedroom houses, but certainly in smaller properties, like flats, at the affordable housing end of the market and in lower energy properties, the electric heating industry may well see that there are opportunities for them.”

“It is disappointing that developers are moving to electric heating, since it is not the most efficient way of heating a home.

“Having said that, as we move closer towards a zero carbon economy, Government pressures are pushing private and local authority clients in that direction.

“In turn they are pushing contractors towards low carbon heating and one way of achieving that is not to install gas boilers at all.”

Mr Towse said this trend would become more prevalent post 2016.

He said: “There is going to be a big revolution in the heating market over the next 10 or so years and a shift away from gas to electricity and green energy has implications for industry.

“Installers will need to think about developing new skills, not just on the electrical side but also with regards to combined heat and power systems, solar thermal, heat pumps and a whole range of other renewable technologies.

“On the electrical side it won’t be a case of starting from scratch because most installers have knowledge of electricity,” he concluded.

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/electrical-heating-to-overtake-gas-by-2018/

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Underfloor heating app proving popular

UK plastic plumbing and underfloor heating (UFH) systems manufacturer Polypipe is celebrating signing up the company’s 1000th user of its new UFH Estimate Tool. The Doncaster-based business took just two months to hit the milestone for its app, which enables merchants and heating engineers to provide quotes to their customer’s underfloor heating projects via email.

Launched in April this year, the free tool, which is available on Apple and Android platforms, also allows heating engineers to add labour costs, offer manifold and control upgrades, and email quotes directly to customers.Furthermore, quotes and emails can be prepared offline by syncing to a user’s profile, with emails later sent automatically once internet signal is restored.

Rachel Smith, General Manager of Polypipe Underfloor Heating, comments: “We are delighted to have reached 1000 users. It clearly highlights the continuing shift towards digital services within the underfloor heating sector and we are thrilled to be able to provide this worthwhile service to our users, who can pass on the benefits to their customers.”

The app is the latest digital innovation launched by Polypipe, having recently upgraded its Smart Plus control range, which allows users to set underfloor heating temperatures and programmes remotely.

For more information visit: www.ufhestimate.polypipe.com

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/underfloor-heating-app-proving-popular/

[awardheating]

Don’t neglect gas safety in the summer

The Gas Safe Register is highlighting the importance of the regular servicing and inspection of gas appliances, pointing out that this is just as important in the summer as the winter. Nearly 1300 sites were identified as unsafe by Gas Safe’s inspection teams last summer due to dangerous gas appliances, 18% higher than the number of unsafe sites recorded in winter months.

The cities where the most unsafe gas appliances were found last summer are:

London (277)

Birmingham (89)

Coventry (45)

Cardiff (41)

Newcastle (38)

Manchester (34)

Sheffield (34)

Norwich (33)

Edinburgh (26)

Nottingham (24)

  Despite these findings, a survey of more than 2000 UK adults found that one in five (19%) would only consider getting their gas appliances checked if they stopped working. Unsafe gas appliances resulted in 201 call outs from the fire and rescue services last year, so Gas Safe is calling for people to get their gas appliances checked by a suitably qualified engineer if it’s been a year or more since they were last looked at.

Jonathan Samuel, Chief Executive of Gas Safe Register, comments: “The sun may be shining but that doesn’t mean that checking your gas appliances can be left until later in the year when you may be cranking up your heating. Our inspections data shows that it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, your gas appliance could still put your health and home at risk if it’s not been safety checked recently. It’s important that gas appliances are checked regularly, we recommend on an annual basis so that you can have peace of mind that they are working safely and efficiently whilst making the most of the Great British summer.”

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/dont-neglect-gas-safety-in-the-summer/

[awardheating]

Engineer and landlord faked gas safety certificates

A Waltham Forest landlord and his Gas Safety engineer have both pleaded guilty to falsifying Gas Safety Certificates at Thames Magistrates Court and Snaresbrook Crown Court in landmark prosecutions.

Mr Tariq Hussain, of Walthamstow, had induced engineer Mr Muhammad Waseem, of Manor Park, to falsify four Gas Safety certificates for four rental flats in a property in Chingford. The certificates would have been presented to prospective tenants as a document that guaranteed the boiler had been passed as safe, and provided to the council as part of the process for obtaining property licences.

In fact, the boilers had not been adequately serviced and therefore the safety of Mr Hussain’s tenants would not have been ensured.

Mr Waseem pleaded guilty to four charges under the Fraud Act at Thames Magistrates Court. He was fined £200 for each offence, plus £200 costs and a £30 victim surcharge. For his part in the fraud, Muhammad Waseem will be removed from the register of certified Gas Safe engineers.

Mr Hussain pleaded guilty to four charges under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act at Snaresbrook Crown Court. He was fined £250 for each offence plus costs of £500 and £100 victim surcharge.

The case follows on from the prosecution of Tariq Hussain’s wife, Nasim Hussain, who pleaded guilty on Friday 12 May 2017 to four offences under the Housing Act 2004 for supplying false or misleading information after she stated that the four flats did not have any gas appliances. She was fined £40,000, plus costs of £1839.64.

Mr and Mrs Hussain own approximately 30 addresses in Waltham Forest. Following these convictions, existing property licences will be reviewed.

Cllr Louise Mitchell, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:

“This is a great result for tenants in Waltham Forest. This needless fraud could have cost Mr Hussain’s tenants far more than the price of a safety certificate – it could have cost them their lives.

“If you are a landlord we expect you to meet basic obligations to ensure your tenants’ safety, and if you are not prepared to meet them we will find out and we will press for the maximum penalty available under the law. This prosecution shows that we are serious about ensuring the safety of private rental tenants in Waltham Forest. The message is clear: do not be tempted to cut corners when lives are at stake.”

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/engineer-and-landlord-faked-gas-safety-certificates/

[awardheating]

Building regulations enforcement shake-up ‘vital for sustainable construction’

UK Green Building Council has argued that Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations must transform all areas of building specifications, including energy efficiency

Ensuring a stronger enforcement and inspection regime for construction standards as called for in Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations will be a vital step to improve the sustainability of building services, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has said.

A spokesperson for the organisation said that the highly critical nature of Dame Judith’s findings, which call for a major overhaul of building regulations, was expected to significantly impact every area of building specification. This is expected to include energy efficient design and construction.

However, UKGBC said that efforts to ensure high standards of both fire safety and energy performance were not mutually exclusive functions and should be expected from customers as standard in any new building.

Dame Judith used her findings to push for a new approach to regulation that focuses on meeting clear outcomes that would allow industry to decide on the best way of meeting performance standards for systems such as HVAC appliances. This would mark a change from a ‘tick-box’ approach currently used in building design

UKGBC said that it would strongly endorse a move to outcomes-based regulation as a driver for industry devising more innovative and practical approaches to improve the environmental impacts of green initiatives.

UKGBC said in a statement, “Hackitt also identifies that better compliance needs to be driven by a much stronger inspection and enforcement regime.”

“She recommends a broader range of enforcement methods to secure compliance with the law and to ensure a proportionate response to any breaches of the regulations. This recommendation is relevant to the built environment as a whole and one which we fully support.”

UKGBC said it was also pushing to ensure all new buildings were built to net-zero carbon standards by 2030. Under these conditions, new constructions would have to curb energy use as much as possible, with all remaining power demands met through renewable sources.

The organisation’s calls for new energy performance standards have been backed by 50 business leaders as a means to try and address what they claim is a lack of significant change in regulations over the last half decade.

Building regs review

The Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety was launched following the Grenfell Tower Fire last year. The release of the final report in May was hugely critical of the existing systems for ensuring buildings, particularly high risk, high rise properties, are secure and built as intended.

Industry bodies such as the Construction Products Association and BSRIA have backed full implementation of Judith Hackitt’s recommendations for a new regulatory approach.

However, the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) has argued that some recommendations in Dame Judith Hackitt’s findings will fail to effectively protect public safety and improve competency in construction.

CIPHE CEO Kevin Wellman said the organisation had anticipated the review would have done much more to outline news ways of ensuring accountability within the construction and maintenance of high rise buildings.

He added, “The review has not gone far enough to immediately address the issues of competency, formal accreditation and regulation of those involved in the building and maintenance industries.”

“It looks, once again, like a missed opportunity when recommendations are restricted to only residential buildings above 10 storeys. Many of the regulatory failings apply equally to thousands more buildings both in size and in purpose. It is equally disappointing that once again there has been no recommendation for the wholesale adoption, including retrofit in existing buildings, of residential sprinkler systems.”

from Boilers on Finance http://awardheating.co.uk/building-regulations-enforcement-shake-up-vital-for-sustainable-construction/