Commercial heating
Quality matters T
Chris Meir explains why maintaining the performance and efficiency of heating equipment also helps to control water borne minerals and keep water supplies safe
o prevent safety and performance issues, and, most importantly, the contamination of drinking water, water
One recommendation is to fit a base or ion WRAS approved
heaters undergo rigorous tests to ensure they are of the highest quality. From ensuring the use of the latest, robust materials to committing to best practice initiatives such as the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS), product quality should always be front of mind when in the manufacturing and design of water heaters. The easiest way for a manufacturer to demonstrate the quality of any product associated with the delivery of water is by achieving WRAS approval. Although it is not compulsory, this seal of approval shows that the manufacturer has created a product which does not contaminate the water supply or otherwise jeopardise public health. In the public sector, leisure buildings where potentially hundreds of people come into contact with water on the premises, ensuring it is safe is absolutely imperative. In the healthcare sector, the implications of unsafe water can be even more serious, with the health of vulnerable patients put at risk. WRAS approval can apply to both materials and
products. To achieve approval, whole products are put through complete mechanical, material and water quality tests to ensure they meet the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations or Scottish Water Byelaws. These guidelines are in place to protect public
health, safeguard water supplies and promote the efficient and safe use of water. They apply to the design, installation, operation and maintenance of plumbing systems, water fittings, and of course water-using appliances. While WRAS approval demonstrates the quality, safety and efficiency of a water heater, this is not the end of the story. Ensuring a water heater performs to its optimum efficiency throughout its life span
Andrews Water Heaters products are WRAS approved and to ensure they remain compliant, approval is reapplied for every five years. “While this can be a large administrative task across our entire product portfolio, we think it’s important to have the quality of our products independently verified,” says Chris Meir.
requires manufacturers to provide solutions that will combat the detrimental effects of water borne minerals on water heater performance. Almost 60 per cent of the UK’s water supply can be
graded as ‘hard water’. The key problem hard water causes is limescale, which forms due to a build-up of the naturally occurring high levels of calcium and magnesium minerals in the water supply. When this happens, hot water cylinders, water heaters and calorifiers are particular at risk, as limescale develops more rapidly in hot water. Research shows that deposits can begin forming as soon as a water heater is first installed and commissioned. When a water heater is installed in a hard water
area it is possible that limescale deposits could form on the heat exchanger surface, the internal surfaces of pipework and other system components, in the same way as can happen to a household kettle. This could cause blockages in the system and potential equipment failure. When limescale coats the heat exchanger surfaces, it also effectively insulates them, impairing the efficiency of the heater. As limescale is very difficult to remove once it’s
formed, the best solutions to keeping a water heater running at its optimum performance are based around prevention. There are a number of WRAS approved devices on the market to treat hard water that connect at the point of supply to prevent limescale build up.
exchange water softener. This typically utilises the ion exchange process to replace high levels of calcium and magnesium salts in the water with sodium salts, thereby softening water. Another approved option is to fit a physical
water conditioner, often referred to as a magnetic water conditioner. Unlike a water softener, the feed water is not softened by this treatment. It works by altering the physical characteristics, rather than changing the chemical composition, of the minerals in the
water supply. Both methods of hard water treatment require dedicated maintenance. It’s also worth remembering that silt and sludge
can also collect inside a water storage tank and can cause similar issues to limescale, in terms of impaired performance and added maintenance. Periodic flushing of the system as part of a regular maintenance schedule can easily remove it, or a sediment filter can be fitted at the point of incoming water supply. Upon commissioning, discuss all your options with the customer, as water treatment forms an essential part of any maintenance schedule. In addition to the installation of high quality,
approved equipment and additional measures to protect water quality, manufacturers would always advise the routine checking of water quality. This can highlight any issues early on and is an approach supported by manufacturers, BSRIA and ICOM. From manufacturers, specifiers, contractors, building managers and engineers, we all have a responsibility to ensure that the highest standards of health and safety are upheld. By choosing water heaters that are built to perform and putting in preventative and regular maintenance, we can ensure that the products fitted today remain safe and reliable, and that health and safety risks are minimised. • Chris Meir is the sales director of Andrews Water Heaters
Combinned Optimised Heat and Po er..w …for maximised CHP
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www.sav-systems.com www.heatingandventilating.net
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