Keston Boilers score top marks at lancing college

Leading British Manufacturer Keston Boilers has supplied three 55kW Heat Only twin flue boilers and a Frame and Header Kit to Lancing College in Lancing, West Sussex, which have been installed as part of a refurbishment project to improve the reliability of the heating system in one of the accommodation blocks and reduce overall running costs.

Lancing College is an independent boarding and day school, providing education for boys and girls aged 13-18 years. The boilers have been installed in Gibbs House, an accommodation block providing boarding facilities for 650 boys. Like all the buildings at Lancing College, Gibbs House is over 170 years old and the old heating system had previously been served by a central boiler room located in the main building over 50 metres away. The old boilers were not only unreliable and less energy efficient, but the long external pipe run resulted in excessive heat loss, as did the five inch cast iron pipework delivering the hot water to the radiators in the building, all of which contributed to high fuel bills.

The new Heat Only Boilers were installed on Keston’s Frame and Header Kit, which was delivered in prefabricated modules that were then quickly and easily assembled on site by Chris Smith, Heating Engineer. The system was installed in a new plant room within the building, eradicating the need for a long pipe run, and serves 60 radiators. Around 200 yards of new 67mm copper piping runs along four foot high tunnels located throughout the building, ensuring they are out of sight and retain the character of the school.

There are around 30 Keston boilers installed throughout Lancing College and this installation was the first that utilised the new range of Keston boilers, which were launched in 2013. Chris Smith commented, “The Keston Heat Only boilers were very straightforward to install, especially with the Frame and Header kit as supplied by Keston. They have been running perfectly since their installation and the increased energy efficiency has meant a large reduction in running costs for the school.” He added, “The flexible flueing options offered by Keston twin flue boilers were perfect for our needs, as they allow us to hide the flues so they do not affect the character of the buildings by emerging from the original flintwork.”

The Keston Heat Only condensing boiler range includes 45kW and 55kW outputs and it is the only dedicated boiler on the market for domestic or light commercial applications that combines twin flue capabilities with a fully modulating Energy related Products (ErP) approved pump built into the framework of the appliance. Continuing to make boiler efficiency easy for customer and installer alike, the Keston Heat-Only range is also supplied with integrated weather compensation and an outside sensor as standard. Weather compensation is instantly activated when the outside sensor is installed, creating a simple ‘plug and play’ solution with no intricate programming required.

Keston’s boiler range for both domestic and light commercial applications, manufactured in Britain and launched in 2013, includes system, combi and heat-only boilers, all of which incorporate market-leading twin flue capabilities that are highly adaptable, offering the perfect solution for awkward installations. All boilers in the range offer a high SEDBUK efficiency rating, are Energy Saving Trust endorsed and also feature on the Energy Technology List (ETL), qualifying them for inclusion in the Government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme.

For more information on Keston’s condensing boiler ranges, visit www.keston.co.uk, email info@keston.co.uk or call 01482 443005.
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Insite Energy appointed at former Olympic Village energy centre scheme

District heating specialist to meter and monitor heat network performance at the Chobham Farm development of registered housing provider East Thames.

Insite Energy, the district heating specialist, has been appointed to provide full metering, billing, payment and monitoring services to one of the UK’s largest energy centre schemes. The community energy network which previously supplied the Olympic Village in Stratford, London, will now distribute heating and hot water to the 176 flats and houses of Chobham Farm, a new development by registered housing provider and social regeneration charity East Thames.

East Thames Group says monitoring the network will ensure residents pay the appropriate amount over the long-term, promptly identify if any faults occur in the system. Data gathered from this scheme will help East Thames Group develop the most efficient energy systems for housing schemes in future.

Simon Page, project manager at East Thames Group, commented: “In a competitive tender process, Insite Energy impressed us with its ability to provide a comprehensive service, which crucially will include monitoring overall heat network performance on site. Insite also demonstrated an excellent approach when working with the construction contractors to ensure successful metering system deployment.”

Anthony Coates-Smith, Insite Energy’s Business Development Director, said: “The planning consent for this site requires East Thames to connect to the district heating scheme operated by Cofely, taking away some control over the cost of heat supplied to their residents. Through Insite Energy, East Thames receives detailed information on heat network performance within their buildings, safeguarding the element of heat costs they can influence and reducing the risk of costly penalties included in the supply agreement with Cofely.

“With the provision of Insite’s flexible pre-payment and billing system, East Thames is also able to keep in touch with residents’ needs and protect itself from the risks associated with operating a heat network.”

The Stratford site’s energy centre scheme – which includes combined heat and power (CHP) units and biomass boilers, creating 20% fewer CO₂ emissions than a conventional system – was the largest in the country, with approximately 10 miles of energy distribution networks, when officially opened by Mayor of London Boris Johnson in 2011. It was designed at the outset to be adopted after the 2012 Olympics by new buildings and communities and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has granted planning consent to ultimately build a family neighbourhood of more than 1,000 new homes on the six hectare (14.8 acre) Chobham Farm site.

Insite Energy is the provider of metering, billing and payment services to more than 120 communal and district heat networks and 15,000 end-customers across the UK.

For more information please visit www.insite-energy.co.uk.
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Four ways to create attractive brick soffits

A new 8-page brochure and online animation from brick support specialist, ANCON, show just how simple it is to create suspended masonry soffits on virtually any brick building, regardless of soffit dimensions, brick type or bond pattern. The new resources are available at www.ancon.co.uk/Nexus.

An increasingly popular design choice for architects, deep brick-faced reveals and soffits add extra depth to a building façade, maintaining the colour and texture of the main brick façade typically above door and window openings.

Key to achieving this aesthetic is the design of the supporting steelwork which is hidden from view and this is where Ancon’s expertise comes in. Ancon provides four effective, yet distinctly different, soffit suspension solutions, all covered in a new technical brochure.

Ancon’s recommended solution and latest innovation, Nexus, developed in partnership with cut brick specialist Ibstock Kevington, offers a modular lightweight steel alternative to cast concrete brick-faced soffits.

The Ancon-Ibstock Nexus system is easier to handle on site than precast concrete soffit systems, without the need for mechanical lifting equipment, meaning it is far faster and simpler to fix and provides contractors with a more cost-effective solution.

To demonstrate the speed and simplicity of Nexus, an animated installation video is now available at www.ancon.co.uk/Nexus, which takes the viewer step by step through the process from initial fixing of the Ancon MDC Nexus support system, through the bolting on of the lightweight Nexus brick faced soffit unit and how it can be adjusted and levelled in all three planes, to the final pointing of the brick slip face.

Available in virtually any brick type in a wide range of bonds and shapes, Nexus offers the designer complete flexibility.

For more information on Nexus or the three other Ancon soffit fixing systems, call 0114 275 5224 or visit www.ancon.co.uk/Nexus.
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Venture launches contemporary LED filament lamp range

Venture Lighting Europe has launched its very first range of VLED Filament Lamps for the domestic and commercial markets.

As the trend for classic filament lamps in bars, restaurants, hotels and homes following an industrial or vintage theme returns, Venture has created a highly efficient, low-energy alternative to the classic lamp using the latest high performance LED technology. Designed to be a direct replacement for halogen or incandescent lamps, Venture’s new stylish VLED Filament Lamps are A+ rated and can help businesses and homeowners save up to 90% in energy and significantly reduce carbon emissions.

The new VLED Filament Lamps, Venture’s latest addition to its growing range of VLED lighting solutions, carries many great benefits besides the attractive aesthetics, and can be selected in a range of traditional or alternative styles and a choice of outputs to find the right lamp to suit any application.

The VLED Filament Lamp is available as a GLS, candle, golf ball, globe or squirrel bulb, all of which offer a 300° multi-directional beam angle for a wide distribution of light across the room. Unlike other, traditional lamps, the LED technology means that the lamps reach the correct level of lighting instantly to avoid lengthy lamp ‘warm up’ times.

Available in 4W or 6W, the low-output lamps significantly reduce the electricity consumption of the scheme, which allows users to save a considerable amount of money on operating costs, with a very fast payback period of about one year. The VLED lamps also offer a 15,000 hour average lamp life, which is up to 15 times longer than average halogen or incandescent lamps. The VLED lamps are dimmable as standard to help save more energy where possible.

Based on the standard screw or bayonet fixing, the full range can be easily installed without the need for a professional electrician to allow businesses or homeowners to simply upgrade their existing lighting to these stylish lamps to create a warm, vintage ambience. The lamps can also be used as a stylish, contemporary alternative to standard bulbs to enhance the attractive aesthetics of pendant fixtures or chandeliers.

Designed for stylish interiors that reflect an industrial, vintage or contemporary design, Venture’s VLED Filament Lamps have been created with a colour temperature of 2700K to emit a warm colour light as standard, reflecting the original design of classic filament lamps. In having these warm light levels, a soft and relaxed ambience is created which is an increasing trend in the hospitality sector. Although the lamps have a low colour temperature, they also offer a high efficacy rate of up to 100 lumens per circuit watt to ensure high quality light is produced.

Venture Lighting Europe has produced an extensive brochure covering the full range of VLED Filament Lamps, highlighting their key features, benefits and application options, as well as an explanatory Payback Calculator to help customers understand the monetary savings involved with the lamp replacement. This brochure can be downloaded from the company’s website, www.venturelightingeurope.com/downloads.

Further information on the VLED Filament Lamp range is available from Venture Lighting Europe on 01923 692600, by emailing: info@venturelighting.co.uk or by visiting the company’s website at www.venturelightingeurope.com.
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Selly Oak students get bronze!

Birmingham University scholars, lucky enough to have student accommodation at the new Athena Sudios, Bristol Road, Selly Oak, have top quality bronze anodized, composite windows, with dark Anthracite Oak veneers internally, in every room – which sets them apart from ordinary accommodation.

Uniform Architectural Ltd is pleased to have supplied the latest, Italian designed uni_one® range of composite windows and doors, to Torsion Group Ltd, major building contractors.
As can be seen on this impressive development, Uni_one composite windows are ‘raising the bar’ by having introduced to UK, a new higher standard of excellence, in terms of quality, innovation, design originality and reliability – plus, many exclusive and valuable features:-

  • Welded aluminium corner joints – simply NO joint to see, or to deteriorate
  • Car windscreen glazing system – structurally bonded, factory glazed sashes for ultimate weather protection and strength
  • Thermal and acoustic excellence – Triple glazing, 0.8 U values and Rw 50+ dB sound reduction
  • Narrow sight-lines and flush exterior of the uni_one Executive™ outward opening casement windows and doors – including Fully Reversible – and ‘Parallel’ opening, pushing straight out
  • Maximum performance and widest range – uni_one Standard™ tilt & turn system, double and triple glazed
  • Lift & Slide patio units – up to 3 metres wide per door, ultra-smooth, finger-tip light operation
  • Widest range of finishes in UK
  • Internally, 12 beautiful and hard wearing timber shades and pastel colours
  • Externally, Bronze or Aluminium, natural or anodised, any RAL colour & texture
  • Fully concealed for maximum elegance – Hinges, drainage, trickle vents and handles
  • Spandrel panels – externally deglaze-able for inspection behind, or if damaged

Despite the many advantages above, all schemes are tendered for and won against fierce competition in the Design and Build market.

For further information, brochures or a quotation, please visit www.uniform-arch.co.uk or email us at enquiries@uniform-arch.co.uk or call 01275 217227.
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The importance of lighting controls solutions tailored for education applications

Important legislative changes have impacted on the use of lighting control systems within the education sector. Contractors must now provide controls which deliver greater energy savings in line with increasingly stringent regulations around sustainability. Additionally, these must be designed to meet each institution’s precise operational requirements, making decision-making around lighting and controls more complex.

Meanwhile, lighting controls have become significantly more sophisticated in functionality and quality. This allows specifiers and installers to select the most appropriate products for each customer, with expectation from end users around lighting controls increasing considerably.

There is now greater emphasis within BREEAM on consultation to truly understand client needs. Similarly, the implementation of BIM requirements means specifiers, armed with this in-depth understanding, must select fully compliant products.

A valuable lesson

As in any sector, it makes sense to select a lighting controls partner with significant experience in educational projects. Where schools and educational facilities differ from commercial spaces or offices is that the primary objective is to create an environment optimal for learning.

Budgetary constraints in the education sector cover both initial cost of purchase and delivering ongoing reduction in energy usage.

For instance, occupancy-sensing controls ensure lighting is used only when required, creating a well-lit classroom suited to effective learning while minimising unnecessary energy consumption and cost.

The best of both worlds

Typically, there will be three or four banks of lighting in a classroom – one close to windows, with another at the front where the whiteboard is. A lighting control system adjusts lighting accordingly to account for varying levels of artificial and natural light.

Typically, this means the lights nearest to the windows will be dimmable, and on a sunny day may dim down to as low as 25% of full output. Further into the space, depending how far the daylight penetrates, other rows may dim down to, say, 75% – or even remain at 100% output.

With widespread use of interactive whiteboards and projectors, dimmer switches help focus students’ attention as these can be used to dim light elsewhere within the teaching space.

Many classrooms, particularly in secondary schools, are used by numerous teaching staff and support staff outside teaching hours. This means the control interface must be easy to use by individuals unfamiliar with that classroom and with varying degrees of technical competence.

Versatility

Classrooms are often also used for extra-curricular and community-based activities. To optimise energy use, it makes sense to implement flexible systems which can cater for this. The absence of such measures can lead to wasteful energy consumption and increased cost, as lights are left on when only a few classrooms, connecting corridors and stairways are in use.

Similarly, rooms in universities and colleges are occupied sporadically, highlighting the need for automated systems ensuring lights are kept on only when in use. Selecting the right occupancy detection can deliver significant savings. In a classroom, for instance, a single microwave detector may offer the same control as two or more PIR detectors, reducing capital costs and cabling requirements.

The same applies to corridors, where the directional qualities of occupancy detectors can provide maximum coverage with the minimum number of sensors.

Conclusion

Lighting controls are continually evolving to meet the precise needs of the education sector. Correctly chosen solutions can help create the optimal learning environment. Seeking advice from those with specialist knowledge and experience in these crucial areas can help ensure clients receive the best solution.

The new Vitesse Plus, a seven-channel lighting control system by CP Electronics, has been specially designed with BIM and EFA guidelines in mind, as well as a growing need to find a cost-effective solution which is easy to set up. Features such as graduated dimming and corridor hold are simple to set up and control, with photocell detectors making adjustments that take advantage of natural light levels.

To find out more visit www.cpelectronics.uk.com.
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Decorative casing – in a class of their own

If it wasn’t for column casings and interior wall lining solutions, building interiors would be considerably less attractive environments, which is as true for academies, schools and universities, as it is for the commercial or retail sectors.

Yet, as they are usually designed to integrate as part of the fabric of an educational building, their importance can often be overlooked or taken for granted by the building’s occupants.

Very few people stand back to admire a laminated plywood column casing at a school or brushed stainless steel wall cladding in a new university, yet they are key elements in interior design and integral to the aesthetics of the learning environment.

For column casings, at least, their role has been transformed from being a purely functional device for concealing structural steelwork to one of visual and decorative importance. While initially used by a relatively small number of architects in the mid 1980s, column casings are now commonplace, with their aesthetic values and appeal being a key consideration alongside size and material during the specification process.

The demand for wider choice and increased aesthetics from architects, educational design teams and specifiers have been key influences on Peterborough based casing and interior cladding company, Encasement, whose range has continually expanded and diversified during the past ten years to become the most comprehensive available in the UK.

Alongside the company’s six individual ranges of column casings, its ‘Vecta’ system provides a high quality solution for interior wall linings, bulkheads and reveals. Launched just a few years ago, the system has been used in a diverse range of key retail and commercial projects with Tesco and Prêt a Manger, as well as its extensive use for a new extension at South Bank University, London.

While Vecta has already gathered significant momentum, it is for column casings that Encasement is perhaps best known. The company’s extensive range not only includes pre-formed plywood and glass reinforced gypsum (GRG), as well as a specialised fire resistant solution for use with mezzanine floors, but also aluminium, stainless steel and glass reinforced polymer (GRP) casings for use on exterior applications due to their inherent weather resistance.

Interestingly, Encasement’s ‘Forma’ metal casings and ‘Polyma’ GRP range are also widely used in educational building interiors, where the wide selection of finishes coupled with their durability, make them an ideal solution. In particular, the Forma range provides specifiers with an even greater scope of options and can be specified with diameters from 250mm up to 1000mm or as square, rectangular or even hexagonal forms.

Recent projects, such as Winchester College, Birmingham University Dental School, University College London, Farnborough Sixth Form College, Shenley School and Liverpool University’s Donnan Laboratories have all exploited the practical and decorative properties of Encasement’s ‘Forma’ metal casings, as well as its ‘Circa’ and ‘Quadra’ products manufacturer from pre-formed plywood.

Alongside Forma, the Circa’ and Quadra ranges were the first to be launched by the company and are still arguably the most popular, as they provide specifiers and contractors with an unrivalled selection of finishes, which includes plain, laminated or real wood veneers.

In addition, as Encasement is the UK’s only supplier and manufacturer of pre-formed plywood pipe boxing and decorative casing products that holds an FSC® ‘Chain of Custody Certification’ from the Forest Stewardship Council, both Circa and Quadra are manufactured from FSC® certified plywood. This makes them compliant with sustainability codes and environmental procurement policies, which is key consideration on educational building projects.

Designed solely for interior decorative applications, Circa and Quadra casings are used in an extremely diverse range of projects beyond the education sector, which underlines their versatility, ease of specification and the immense range of decorative finishes available to complement or contrast with a building’s interior design scheme.

While Circa and Quadra are available from Encasement as a plain casings for on site painting and decoration, by far the most popular casings are those finished with decorative laminates, which not only resist damage, scuffs and scratches, but also provides the specifier with a diverse palette of finishes from plain colours, wood grain and metallic, as well as textured and real wood veneers, to name but a few.

The choice of sizes available is also wide, allowing specifiers to choose not only circular and square shapes, but also extended circles and rectangular profiles, which use additional infill panels to give greater design flexibility while ensuring they are still easy to install.

Encasement’s Managing Director, Martin Taylor, commented: “Column casing provide a perfect mix of practicality and aesthetics, which are essential considerations for all educational buildings, whether they’re schools, colleges or universities. We’ve taken a lot of care to ensure our range meets both of these key criteria while ensuring that we always remain competitive and deliver high quality products, which are probably key factors behind why we have undertaken so many projects in this sector.”

“The Vecta interior cladding system enhances our educational building interiors offer and allows specifiers to source a range of specialised interior finish products from a single company with high levels of expertise and experience in this sector. We also have our own contracting arm, which enables us to offer a full supply and install service to support contractors.”

Encasement’s latest ‘column casing solutions’ e-brochure is available for download from the company’s website and covers every product in the range as well as providing details on materials, sizes and finishes available alongside an extensive technical information section. Further information is also available from their website at www.encasement.co.uk or by calling 01733 266889.
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Cosmetic surgery from Encasement for new Birmingham Dental Hospital

Birmingham’s new £50 million dental hospital and school of dentistry in Edgbaston is using 200 metres of custom designed elliptical aluminium column casings from Encasement to conceal primary structural steelwork used in the extensive feature curtain walling, which stands the full height of the four storey building.

Constructed on the site of the former BBC Pebble Mill TV studio, the new facility replaces the existing 50-year-old building adjacent to the local Children’s Hospital and is expected to treat more than 100,000 patients each year.

The large glazed facades at the front and rear of the hospital are key design features, which allow natural light into the building and their primary support structure of steel columns and beams are concealed with Encasement’s ‘Forma’ aluminium decorative casings to create a more aesthetic finish to the building’s interior.

Manufactured and installed by Encasement, every horizontal and vertical casing section, the tallest of which stands 25 metres high, was formed into a unique 1500mm deep semi-elliptical ‘aerofoil’ profile and finished in white PPC to complement building’s bright interior colour scheme.

Due to the complexity of the project, Encasement provided full CAD design assistance to develop the concept as part of the planning process prior, which not only helped during the design and manufacture stages, but also simplified the installation, as each 3 metre long ‘Forma’ casing section had to be secured to create smooth, virtually joint free finish.

Martin Taylor, Encasement’s Managing Director, explained: “This is one of the most challenging and rewarding projects we have undertaken. Not only were we working to extended heights, but the casings also used unique elliptical geometry and demanded the utmost precision when being installed to achieve the level of fit and finish required by the client.”

He added: “The end result, however, was worth all the effort and the Forma casing solution add the finishing touch to and exceptionally well designed, constructed and much needed state of the art facility, which is among the world’s best university dental hospitals.”

 

Find out more about Forma column casings range here.
View the Birmingham Dental Hospital project gallery here.
Discover more about Encasement’s product range here.
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ScaleBuster® Performance and Longevity Encapsulated at James Hornby School

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Between August 1998 and February 1999 three Scalebuster® units were installed at the James Hornby School in Basildon, Essex. The Scalebusters® were specified to protect the calorifiers in the school heating system by inhibiting the build-up of harmful limescale and so preventing the need for costly repairs or premature replacement.

In 2014 a refurbishment programme was undertaken at the school that included changes to the heating system, but the question was, had the Scalebusters® actually done their job? The ideal chance came when the three original units were removed 16 years after their installation. Between December 2014 and February 2015 new boilers were installed for the upper and lower schools as well as the sports hall. At the same time five new Scalebusters® were installed to protect the new system and the old units were returned for a detailed examination.

Their effectiveness was immediately evident from the condition of the calorifiers. The contractor involved in their replacement took internal photographs of the original, 16 years old calorifiers, shown here, before they were removed. The images show no build-up of scale on either the cylinder walls or the heat exchange walls demonstrating conclusively that the ScaleBusters® had performed their function of inhibiting the build-up of hard scale throughout their operational life.

But what of the Scalebusters® themselves? If the old boilers hadn’t been replaced would they have carried on working even longer? External inspection showed the body of the units to be in good order. The nickel plating was in good condition and there was no corrosion or pitting of the brass. The central spindle and all PTFE fins were in good order on the flanged units. All the fins were present and were tight within their housing indicating that minimal reduction in the anode had taken place.

The PTFE sections within the ISB C50 threaded unit were clean and showed no sign of wear or fouling. All the zinc anodes were in place and although some signs of depletion were evident, this was to be expected after having been in use since 1999. A detailed internal and external examination of the units confirmed that despite the use of a zinc anode as a sacrificial element, minimal depletion of the anode had actually taken place.

During a service life in excess of 15 years, thousands of cubic metres of water would have been treated as they passed through the three units. The service life in the case of the removed ScaleBuster® units within the system and water type at the James Hornby School was found to be well in excess of 15 years.

How do Scalebusters® work?

The Scale-Buster® unit conditions hard water (preventing lime-scale build up) by combining a number of actions that release zinc ions into the water as it passes through the unit. It does not contain magnets or involve any sort of magnetic process. It needs no power supply and works completely automatically with no control panel to maintain. They are WRAS approved and can be installed with new systems or retro-fitted to existing installations.

Scale-Buster® is designed to cause precipitation of calcium carbonate into the water stream. This is as a result of the breakdown of the bicarbonate into carbon dioxide, water and carbonate due to the effects created within the Scale-Buster® itself. The particles which are formed in the water stream act as nuclei for the formation of further scale when the water is heated. In this way, scale deposition upon heating surfaces is minimised.

When a salt is precipitated from solution it results in a relatively less saturated solution remaining. The less saturated water is then able to dissolve and breakdown existing scale from pipe surfaces which form bigger particles that can then be removed from the system with a filter.

For further information, call The Rodin Group on 01795 423400, Email info@therodingroup.co.uk or visit www.therodingroup.co.uk

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RINNAI – reliability really rules

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Rinnai, leading manufacturer of a complete range of A-rated continuous flow gas fired water heaters, is supplying the UK with what is thought to be the most reliable individual units* on the market.

The ErP A-rating** applies over the complete Infinity range – from small domestic models to XXL sized industrial units. Rinnai is the only manufacturer that can field a complete range of gas fired water heaters that more than achieve to coveted A-rating.

Rinnai can combine high efficiencies with high levels of reliability. During 2015 warranty claims against Rinnai stood at 0.05% demonstrating unparalleled reliability.

The next issue is servicing – the Rinnai system is simple and straightforward to service as all components are easily accessible and parts readily available.  Compare this to a business, for example a fast food restaurant or a hotel, running on just one cylinder, they would have to shut down the hot water system to allow it to be drained and inspected as part of the service. This would mean that during this down time the business may have to cease operating for a few hours while the work is carried out.

Another problem is a breakdown: if your only source of hot water fails then you have no means to provide hot water until the fault is rectified. If we take the worst-case scenario of a cylinder failure the whole thing needs to be replaced and this is no easy task especially when you consider the weight. You are now looking at multiple problems:

  1. a) You have lost all hot water capability.
  2. b) You need to pay for a replacement (if it isn’t covered by warranty).
  3. c) You have to pay for engineers to remove the faulty one and replace it, which can take days to change.

If we then look at a Rinnai Infinity water heater or multiples thereof, the down time would be reduced significantly, in the case of multiple units, putting up with reduced capacity for a very short period of time.

Servicing not only reduces the down cost of the business but can also reduce the servicing cost as a Rinnai water heater can be fully serviced and back operating within one hour. If a unit fails whereby it needs replacing, this replacement can be done in a couple of hours and if you have a bank of heaters you will still have the facility to provide hot water, albeit at a slightly reduced capacity, while one of the heaters is down. This is nowhere near as disruptive as having no hot water at all, and perhaps having to close the business while servicing or replacement takes place.

According to Rinnai UK Associate Director Chris Goggin: “The configuration of the Rinnai system is supportive of operational reliability. In effect, if you have a cylinder and you need to service it, or it breaks down, you are left with nothing but a standing body of water.

“Many Rinnai systems supply additional benefits to storage by using multiple heaters, let’s say three so the total system is made up of 33.3% by each heater. If one needs servicing there is still 66.66% still operational so there is no downtime for the hotel, restaurant or any other facility that uses hot water as a criteria feature.

“Some facilities incorporate additional heat engines as a means of built-in redundancy so that the system will always operate at full capacity even during servicing.”

Goggin concludes: “The Rinnai continuous flow system has significant USPs over any stored hot water system while at the same time offering built-in reliability and peace of mind to both installers and their customers.”

* With regards to the reliability of the units themselves a comparison of unit sales from 2013 until April 2016 against Rinnai UK’s warranty database shows 0.003% first year failure rate. (2013 is when the new database was set up.)

** All water-heating products sold in the UK need to meet minimum energy performance criteria in order to be legally placed on the market, and require an energy label.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

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