Heating & renewable energy
Turning around system efficiency
Francine Wickham of Fernox explores how to improve central heating system longevity and efficiency through the use of chemical cleaners, inhibitors and filter technology
households. Consequently impacting on the National Health Service (NHS), the effects of cold homes are approximated by Public Health England to cost £1.36 billion, not including associated social care costs. Reducing this risk is therefore of significant importance for housing
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associations. However, the UK’s housing stock consists of relatively inefficient properties built across various decades to evolving planning regulations. This is often the case with older housing association properties and therefore significant energy efficiency improvements can be both expensive and disruptive. Consequently, one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways for social
housing providers to reduce the risk of cold homes is to improve the efficiency of the installed central heating system. When left untreated, central heating systems are susceptible to internal
corrosion and the formation of sludge and scale. These contaminants can then accumulate and circulate within the system, leading to blocked radiators and pipes, causing the boiler to work harder and consume unnecessary energy to reach the desired temperature. This overworking can significantly reduce the boiler lifespan while increasing day-to-day running costs for tenants. In addition, faulty boilers are the number one tenant complaint according to
Property Let By Us, and are often the result of a dirty central heating system. It is therefore advisable to ensure the heating system and boiler are thoroughly protected; reducing visits to site due to complaints and increasing the system’s overall efficiency. Before dosing a heating system with chemical treatments, any existing
contaminants should be removed. For many properties, the best course of action would be to powerflush the system. However, the UK’s housing stock includes some of the oldest homes within the EU and the systems within these properties can suffer from poor system design and low flow rates, which can prevent a successful powerflush.
The effects of cold homes are estimated to cost the NHS £1.36 billion per year
To provide a belt and braces approach in all scenarios and for properties
where thorough cleaning by powerflushing may not be achievable, technological innovation has resulted in high performance system filters, capable of capturing and containing circulating debris, to improve system efficiency. To ensure the correct course of action is taken in these scenarios, a 360
degree approach to cleaning and protecting social housing heating systems is strongly recommended.
he Cold Homes Crisis and the rise of fuel poverty within the UK is a widespread and ongoing issue currently estimated by National Energy Action (NEA) to affect more than four million
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM November 2017 | 39
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