Social housing
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Boiler design puts safety first
When properly installed and maintained, gas boilers are extremely safe appliances. However, if they are tampered with by tenants, it can pose a serious risk to health – including carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Here, Scott Ditchfield, sales director – specification at Potterton, explains how boilers are using modern technology to provide the ultimate in gas safety
cases over the last two years. While causes of CO poisoning can range from faulty gas fires to indoor BBQs, leaking boilers are one of the main culprits. Most recently two men in London fell victim to a suspected CO leak, believed to have been caused by a faulty boiler. In fact, CO poisoning from leaking boilers sends 4,000 people to A&E each year, with around 50 of these cases resulting in death. These statistics are why it’s so important for gas safety checks to be carried out. Servicing is an integral part of an engineers working life and working with a social housing provider is an effective way to secure regular jobs. By law, all landlords and housing associations must arrange for a suitably qualified and registered engineer to visit their property once a year to inspect the gas appliances and issue a Gas Safety Inspection Certificate (CP12). During these inspections it’s crucial to check the safety of all pipework, appliances and flues and if there is a problem, fix it on the spot or make repair recommendations in the safety report if there’s a more complex issue at hand. However, servicing social housing
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properties is not without its challenges, especially when it comes to gaining access and ensuring the safety of residents. Often, when a landlord attempts to
arrange access to the property for an engineer this can cause tension with the occupier. Many tenants don’t realise the importance of these checks and continue to deny gas engineers entry to their homes. This a huge financial burden for housing providers, in fact, the Gas Access Campaign calculates that every year, £50 million in public money is wasted by housing providers who need to go to exceptional lengths to undertake annual gas safety checks. But most importantly it
August 2018
here has been a rising number of CO poisoning incidents throughout the UK, with a 10% increase in suspected
Regular boiler servicing is essential, particularly when tenants are young, elderly or have chronic health problems, as they are more susceptible to the effects of CO
means that some of society’s most vulnerable people are being put in danger. Regular boiler servicing is essential, particularly when tenants are very young, elderly or have chronic health problems, as they are more susceptible to the effects of CO. Servicing not only ensures that the system continues to run safely, it also allows it to run as efficiently as possible, reducing tenant’s fuel bills and preventing minor issues from developing into major ones – saving money for the landlord in the long run.
A safe solution
Modern boilers now feature technology that is designed to make the entire maintenance and servicing procedure easier and faster for both the engineer and tenant.
An example of this is Potterton’s Assure
range. Designed in partnership with over 50 local authorities, housing associations and contractors, the range has been created specifically for the social housing sector – with ease of servicing and maintenance an area of focus. It was important that the boilers would not only meet the needs of social housing but also the engineers who would be installing and maintaining them. As a result, one of the Assure’s features includes an optional Safety Assist facility. If installed, this module will purposely reduce the boiler’s performance after 11
months, with the aim to encourage tenants to make contact with their landlord. Once contact has been made they can arrange for an engineer to visit and carry out the required service safety checks, before returning the boiler back to full power. With safety always front of mind for Potterton, this feature will only reduce the boiler to an uncomfortable level, just enough to prompt tenants to make the call without putting them at risk. As further protection for vulnerable
tenants, the temperature controls on the front of the boiler can also be disabled by flicking a separate switch built into the safety assist module. This again offers peace of mind for landlords and the families of those vulnerable occupants. Carrying out maintenance is simple and quick with the Assure. Engineers can swiftly access the interior of the boiler and all components are accessible and removable from the front – providing a cost-effective solution for the landlord and avoiding prolonged disruption to the tenant. The Assure range features an external gas test point for ease of access, further speeding up the maintenance process. It also features a dedicated boiler drain that enables the boiler to be cleared for maintenance without draining the entire system. Again, this reduces the time spent servicing the boiler and in the tenant’s home, speeding up the whole process from start to finish. When correctly maintained, modern
Scott Ditchfield, sales director – specification at Potterton
boilers will continue working at optimum efficiency for a number of years. However – much like a car – the individual components must be checked, cleaned or replaced as required. Gaining access to a tenant’s home for maintenance work, in particular boiler servicing, can sometimes be tricky. However, with the latest developments in technology, this process can be made easier through boiler design.
www.heatingandventilating.net
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