HEATING, VENTILATION & SERVICES 53 THE UK CA MARK IS COMING
With the end of the Brexit transition period looming, Dennis Milligan of the British Flue and Chimney Manufacturer’s Association (BFCMA) looks at how the UK CA Mark will differ to its EU predecessor
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nlike many in the industry who have been set back by the coron- avirus and having to furlong staff,
legislators and those creating product standards have been busier than ever. The end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December will see the introduction of the UK CA mark (UK Conformity Assessed). The UK CA mark will replace the CE mark for products being placed on the market in Great Britain. There is of course one complication; in Northern Ireland and for products being sold into the European Union the CE mark will still be required. After all, it is Brexit. But, for the most part, housebuilders
and developers must be aware of the upcoming change and ensure all products used meet the new requirements.
TRANSITION 2021 will be a transition year for the new arrangements, but the CE mark will no longer be valid in Great Britain from 1 January 2022. In 2021 a new product designed and manufactured in accordance with UK CA regulations should carry the UK CA mark. The CE mark has become widely recog-
nised as the mandatory approvals mark on flue and chimney products. The UKCA mark will take on this role now. Like the CE mark, the UK CA mark will be your guarantee that the product meets the latest product standards - to achieve the CA mark a product must be tested by a UK conformity assessment body to ensure that the product meets the latest standards and is fit for purpose. The British Flue and Chimney
Manufacturers (BFCMA) is currently working on the development of new product and installation standards that are due to be published in 2021. Specifiers and installers in GB should
start to look for the UK CA mark when they are considering the use of a product.
MATCHING THE FLUE The function of a chimney or flue is to discharge the products of combustion safely into the atmosphere. This, however, is not as straightforward as it may sound. Most chimneys operate under negative
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pressure, relying on the laws of thermo- dynamics to transport the flues gases up the length of the chimney or flue to the atmosphere. This requires an unimpeded flow path to the top of the flue that maintains the temperature of the gases above the dew point. Effective and continuous insulation is a key part in maintaining flue gas tempera- ture, and chimney and flue standards are there to specify the components that should be used and how they should be used to achieve this primary function. Chimneys and flues are required to discharge a variety of combustion gases, and different types of flue will be required to safely handle the different gases. A key feature of the chimney and flue
standards is a user-readable classification system that designates the features of the flue components. The features covered include temperature and pressure rating, fire, condensate and corrosion resistance,
and distance to combustibles. With stainless steel flues, a label showing the classification must be deliv- ered with each flue component, so that the product’s specification can be easily verified. It is important, for example, to use a condensing flue with a condensing appliance, and the designation will help housebuilders to ensure this is done.
PRODUCT TESTING ---Product testing is the backbone of setting standards. Chimney and flue components are rigorously tested by approved test houses to prove that they can safely meet the required performance. In addition to this, most chimney and flue companies use simulation software to confirm that a system chimney or flue will function as specified. If in doubt about the effectiveness of your chimney design, talk to the chimney or flue manufacturer about a chimney or flue simulation.
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