Insidethis issue 3 FEBRUARY 2026 VOLUME 64 ISSUE 1 Editor’s
Viewpoint by Chris Jones
The best laid plans
It’s been some time in the making, but after much anticipation the government’s Warm Homes Plan has fi nally seen the light of day. Some £15 billion of public funds have been set aside to allow easy access to grants and loans which should help to incentivise UK households to invest in clean energy technology such as solar heat pumps and batteries (see this month’s cover story). If anyone doubted the government’s commitment to transition away from fossil fuel heating, then the self-proclaimed ‘biggest homes upgrade plan in British history’ should at least help to confi rm the direction of travel. For now at least, the emphasis is very much on ‘carrot’ rather than ‘stick’, with no reference to future potential boiler bans, but the electrifi cation of heat remains the core driver behind the scheme and inducements to combine heat pumps with solar panels and battery storage clearly make a lot of sense. As has been pointed out many times, a signifi cant reduction in
the price of electricity (compared to gas) would probably do more to boost the uptake of heat pumps than any fi nancial support to lower the cost of the initial investment, but at least manufacturers, suppliers and installers can be confi dent that funds remain on the table to encourage their own commitment to the cause. The promise of thousands of clean energy jobs and more funding for training should also help to get industry stakeholders on board, while the government’s stated aspiration to have 70% of the heat pumps installed be manufactured in the UK – albeit currently lacking in detail – should at least alleviate any concerns that public money is being spent on imports from China and elsewhere. However, while the Warm Homes Plan has broadly been
welcomed by the industry for providing some much needed certainty, if there’s one thing we have learned in recent years it’s that nothing stays ‘certain’ for long. There’s a certain politician riding high in the polls who doesn’t share the same climate change concerns, and who knows what might happen should he be standing outside the steps to Number 10 in a few short years’ time.
Special Features 19
Pipes, Fittings & Valves
The benefi ts of advanced plastic plumbing systems and the inner workings of TMVs
Regulars
04 News Review 10 Talent Show 10 People on the Move 11 Merchant News 12 Industry Viewpoint 13 Gadgets & Tools 14 Energy Saving Awards 16 Training Update 17 Business Matters
Products in Action
18 Energy Matters 26 Products in Action 36 Product News
Don’t forget to use our online reader enquiry service to quickly fi nd the web page you need
See page 26 for the latest case studies 27
Domestic Boilers
A low carbon alternative to traditional boilers and why heat-only boilers are growing in demand
32
Accessible Bathrooms
The latest product ideas and design advice for installers working on multi- generational bathrooms
Contributors
Adam Pearson Pipes, Fittings & Valves
19
How the latest plastic push-fi t systems are helping to save time and deliver long-term performance
Andy Speake Domestic Boilers
28
Why the installation of a heat-only boiler could be the best option for many UK homes
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The Essential Magazine for Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement Professionals
Incorporating: Plumbing & Heating News Plumbing & Heating Equipment News
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© Copyright 2026 Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement News All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without written consent from the publisher. Attributed articles represent the views of the Author(s) and are not the necessarily those of the Editor. The publishers accept no responsibility for claims made by manufacturers or advertisers. This magazine includes a number of colour editorial photographs paid for by suppliers.
Managing Editor Chris Jones Assistant Editor Carol Hitchcock Consultant Publisher Chris Evans Southern Advertisement Manager Nathan Wood Production Paul Forster Design Consultant Tim Plummer
Stuart Reynolds Accessible Bathrooms
34
Highlighting new guidance on bathroom installations for customers with arthritis
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