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BOILERS


ongoing source of income. Social landlords realise the importance of keeping their tenants’ homes warm and dry, however, they face a number of challenges when trying to upgrade or replace heating systems within their housing stock. Bill Jones, sales director, specification at Potterton, discusses how heating engineers can help out in these scenarios, winning and maintaining those all-important contracts in the process. Social housing providers, particularly those


The social solution W


orking with social housing providers can deliver a reliable,


promote new connections to the gas grid, but it does not provide funding for heating systems. Thankfully, £150m of funding is available via the


responsible for housing tenants who are elderly or with chronic health issues, recognise the fact that low indoor temperatures can have a detrimental effect on public health. In 2014/15 there were 43,900 excess winter deaths in England and Wales, and at least 14,000 of which were attributed to cold homes. Worryingly, there are also more than 2.3m families living in fuel poverty in England, meaning a cold and damp home is likely to be a reality for many this winter. However, there are wider issues at play. Households without a connection to the gas grid are one and a half times more likely to be in fuel poverty, due to the high costs of alternative fuel types. Yet, 54% of these properties are within just 23 metres of the gas distribution network. As such, the Fuel Poor Network Extension Scheme (FPNES) is in place to


Warm Homes Fund Local Authorities (LA) and Registered Social Landlords (RSL), to encourage the installation of affordable heating solutions in eligible households which do not use mains gas as their primary heating fuel. This presents an opportunity for heating engineers to secure lucrative installation work for social landlords that have a large portfolio of non- gas properties. However, there are practicalities to be aware of such as space limitations in smaller premises; pipework and flue constraints; concerns over CO safety; and reluctance amongst tenants to allow tradespeople into their homes. Thanks to product innovation, heating engineers can counter these issues by installing a boiler which has been designed to meet the needs of the social housing market. To tackle space limitations, manufacturers now produce powerful, efficient boilers that are small and light - making them easier to install. The latest models are also much quieter than their predecessors, meaning it is possible to place them in living spaces without causing disruption. Certain products, such as the


Potterton Assure, are even compact enough to fit in a standard kitchen


Potterton’s Assure boiler


cupboard which gives contractors more flexibility when siting the boiler. It also comes with an optional pre-plumbing jig and fully pre-bent pipe behind kit, so that piping and system pressure testing can be carried out without the boiler in place. These enhancements make it possible to complete a greater number of installations in a shorter amount of time, resulting in a more cost-effective process. Another challenge faced by engineers is when tenants restrict their access to a property, as they see it as an invasion of their privacy. To tackle this, the Assure boiler features an optional Safety Assist facility. If installed, this module reduces the boiler’s performance after 11 months, thereby encouraging problem tenants to contact their landlord, who can then instruct the engineer to carry out required work and return the boiler to full power. To safeguard tenant wellbeing, this reduction in performance will only reduce the boiler to levels which are uncomfortable but won’t put them at risk. Working in social housing is not without its challenges, but with the right know-how and careful product selection, engineers can capitalise on the opportunities this sector presents.


he Gas Appliances Directive (GAD) is changing. From April 21, 2018 all products in the market will have to comply with the new Gas Appliance Regulation (GAR). Nick Winton, divisional manager for Nortek Global HVAC UK Ltd explains more about the changes and the absence of any transition period. The EU GAD is changing and will be replaced by the new GAR. The change moves away from having several country-specific requirements and replaces them with one consistent set of rules across the entire European Union and associated free trade areas. After two decades in use, review is desirable to


ensure the regulations are fit for purpose. In a modern world the GAD has some shortcomings in terms of how it deals with standards, regulations and the role of notified bodies.


Gettingitright T


Placing a CE Marking on products means that it has been declared as complying with all applicable regulations. The CE Marking of gas appliances is currently regulated by the EU Gas Appliances Directive (GAD) (2009/142/EC). This will be replaced by the Gas Appliances Regulation (GAR) (EU 2016/426) which comes into effect from April 21, 2018.


Other CE Marking directives that may also


apply to gas appliances are unaffected and will continue to apply (if they did so previously). This change will impact everybody in the gas appliances and fittings supply chain within the EU, including manufacturers (supplying to the EU), importers, distributors and even retailers. The Gas Appliance Regulation requires manufacturers to ensure products comply with ‘state-of-the-art’ EN standards together with


www.heatingandventilating.net


mandatory risk assessment. This includes a maximum 10-year validity period on CE certification from the first date of issue. It also requires the Notified Body and the manufacturer to stay informed of changes to the "state-of-the- art" and update appliances as needed to ensure they still meet essential regulatory requirements.


How Does Brexit Affect This? The new regulation comes into force at least


one year before the UK leaves the EU. Current understanding is that the EU regulations will be subsumed into UK law with little evidence that the GAR would not be included in this approach. Nortek have a wide range of products that the


GAR applies to. Our aim is to ensue that each and every one of our products is compliant with the new legislation.


November 2017


43


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