heating, ventilation & services
Condensing boilers are growing in popularity
Customer Services and Marketing Manager for Saniflo UK, Ann Boardman, explains what’s so good about condensing boilers and the problem that they solve
were first introduced in the early 1980s due to a number of misconceptions and a general lack of awareness. Since then the technology has improved and there has been an increase in the number of trained installers. Condensing boilers offer tangible benefits by reducing
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carbon dioxide emissions thereby helping to combat global warming and improving household efficiency thus reducing fuel bills. However, one of the challenges of working with domestic
condensing boilers can be the need to dispose of acidic condensate safely. This condensate is formed when steam produced by the boiler is converted back to water droplets on cooling. In most installations it can be safely removed through the normal gravity drain in conjunction with the boiler manufacturer’s instructions. However, if a boiler has to be installed on internal walls or within a basement, for example, the use of a boiler condensate tank pump or soak away can often be the only solution for the installer. The principle behind condensate pumps is a simple and
proven one, ensuring reliable and effective operation. Working in the opposite way to a water turbine (whereby energy from flowing water is transferred to a propeller), a condensate pump transfers energy from a powerful motor to the condensate water via a rotating impeller. This action creates the pressure needed to pump condensate
water up and away through an unobtrusive, thin clear tube (provided with the pump). Condensate water is then disposed of in a soil stack or outside drainage point. Condensate pumps usually run intermittently through the
use of a small tank in which the condensate water accumulates. When it reaches a preset level, a float is raised to energise the pump. This then runs until the level of liquid in the tank is suitably lowered. Intermittent – rather than constant – operation ensures minimal energy usage to keep your costs as low as possible. Go for a small pump that may be used to pump condensate
from condensing boilers, HVAC system, water heater systems, etc. Choose one that will pump condensate water up to 4.5metres in height and/or 50 metres away from a soil stack. Look inside the pump for a float mechanism, which starts and
stops the unit, and the motor, which should drive the pump. Check that when the water enters the pump, it activates the
float mechanism, which in turn should start the motor. Check the motor is sealed for life in an oil filled enclosure with a spindle/shaft that drives the impeller so the moving parts are kept to an absolute minimum. Water should enter the chamber and be pumped away into the sanitary sewer. The unit should pump the effluent upward to 4.5metres
and/or 50 metres horizontally (with gravity fall). Once the water is discharged and the water level in the container goes down, the float should deactivate the unit until water enters it again. A normal operating cycle can be as short as 2 - 10 seconds
depending upon the discharge pipe run configuration; power consumption is therefore minimal. The discharge connection on the top of the unit must come
equipped with a non-return valve, which prevents back flow into the unit.
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ondensing boilers are highly efficient boilers that have much lower fuel and running costs than conventional boilers. Take up of them was slow initially when they
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