PHAM NEWS | APRIL 2026


Industry viewpoint Benchmark goes digital


For many years, the Benchmark Checklist has helped to ensure that an appliance has been correctly installed, commissioned and serviced. Now its latest evolution should make life easier for installers, as Stewart Clements, director of the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC), explains.


T


he traditional paper checklist is now being phased out and replaced by Benchmark Online, supported by an app. This shift refl ects the


wider digital transformation taking place across the heating sector and is designed to make life easier for installers while ensuring continued compliance and record keeping for householders and appliance manufacturers. Moving from paper to digital brings


immediate, practical benefi ts on site. Completing the Benchmark Checklist online using the app is quicker and more intuitive, reducing paperwork and saving valuable time during installation and annual servicing. Once the checklist has been completed, the engineer can email the householder a copy straightaway, removing the risk of paperwork being lost and ensuring the customer has a clear and accessible service history. Benchmark Online provides a single


digital record covering the installation, commissioning and ongoing servicing of boilers, heat pumps, hybrid systems and hot water storage. As appliance manufacturers move across to the digital platform, paper versions of the checklist will gradually be withdrawn and replaced by the online format. New models will go straight onto the digital Benchmark. It is also worth noting that all future


updates to standards and any additions to the Benchmark checklist will only be incorporated into the digital version. In other words, the paper version will soon become obsolete, so installers will have to use the new platform, either by completing Benchmark online or by downloading the app to use on their smart device.


Water treatment Another important development within Benchmark is the inclusion of water treatment testing results as part of the checklist. Installers will be able to record water quality data directly on the Benchmark app, including inhibitor checks at commissioning and during each annual service visit. This refl ects the growing emphasis on maintaining good system water quality throughout the life of the heating system. Correct inhibitor concentration has


a major impact on system effi ciency, reliability and longevity. Poor water quality can lead to corrosion, sludge build-up and reduced performance, and it may also aff ect manufacturer warranties if problems arise. Having this information clearly


recorded online means that engineers returning to service a system can quickly see which inhibitor has been used, select the correct on-site test kit and top up the concentration if necessary. It also provides a clear service record that demonstrates the system has been maintained in line with recognised standards.


Your Views Star letter


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In breach of


regulations I am a landlord and have experienced many issues with my boilers. In fact, four boilers in one year and two within a week all needed replacing and there was one thing in common – there was no inhibitor in any of them. One of my boilers was only 10 months old and one was three years old and all had Gas Safe checks and services. This led me to look into the standards in more detail. I have discovered that literally none of


the accredited engineers working for the big brands – whether service companies or boiler manufacturers – carry out the inhibitor checks. As I understand it, BS 7593.2019,


Stewart Clements HHIC director These changes also refl ect recent


developments in industry standards. During 2024, the British Standards Institution published BS 9593:2024, a new standard for assessing the performance of chemical inhibitors used in domestic heating systems. This replaces the former NSF Industry Test Standard used within the Chemical Inhibitor Approval Scheme and is


now referenced in the updated BS 7593:2019+A1:2024. BS 7593 continues to set out best practice


for the preparation, commissioning and maintenance of domestic central heating and cooling water systems. The 2024 amendments include additional clarifi cation around inline fi lters, identifying local water hardness and managing microbiological growth risks in low-temperature systems. Benchmark Online supports compliance


with these requirements by providing a structured way to record key system data throughout the life of the installation. As the heating industry transitions


towards lower carbon technologies such as heat pumps and hybrid systems, maintaining high system water quality becomes even more important. Heat pump components, including plate heat exchangers, have narrower waterways than traditional boilers and can be more sensitive to debris or poor water quality. Recording system preparation, inhibitor


levels and maintenance checks on Benchmark helps ensure systems continue to operate effi ciently and reliably.


And fi nally… Benchmark has long been a trusted part of good installation and servicing practice. Moving to a digital platform builds on that legacy. By reducing paperwork, improving access to records and including water treatment testing as part of the checklist, Benchmark Online supports compliance, effi ciency and professionalism across the heating and hot water industry. Further information about Benchmark Online and how to download the app can be found at: ◼ www.benchmark.org.uk


which was integrated into the Part L of the Building Regs on 15th June 2022, uplifted this from a recommendation to mandatory. It states that: “there must be a fi lter fi tted to every new boiler fi tted from this date and that an inhibitor check MUST be carried out at every annual service.” But this does not happen. I have asked


almost every organisation and they all say they do not do them. Benchmark states that there has been an


inhibitor check carried out and that there must be one carried out annually at every service. This must be completed by a Gas Safe engineer, not even a plumber. As a landlord, it has been suggested that


I carry the tests out myself, but this of course would not satisfy the manufacturer as I am not qualifi ed. This begs the question as to how my boiler gets signed off on the Benchmark in order to fulfi l the warranty. We all know that the main reason that


boilers fail is due to the sludge. My three- year-old boiler was so blocked that it needed fi ve power fl ushes and I am now having to pay £9k to have my concrete fl oors dug up to re-pipe. On another boiler, the service provider left two-and-a-half times the cleanser in and then they even fraudulently sent a photo to show there was inhibitor in when in fact there was none. I cannot understand how so many


engineers appear to be ignoring the regulations and are allowed to get away with it. I think this needs attention. Lesley March Via email


As stated in the Industry Viewpoint column on this page, the heating industry recognises that the correct inhibitor concentration has a major impact on system effi ciency, reliability and longevity. The use of inhibitors is referenced in the Building Regulations and is a key part of the Benchmark checklist, but is a failure to comply with regulations as widespread as the above letter implies? We would be interested to hear your views.


Let us know what you think...


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