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The complete stress-free package

When undertaking a building project, construction managers can often be faced with multiple decisions about which supplier to choose. However, one company is making this process easier.

Giacomini UK has recently seen an increase in requests for a combination of its services to be used on sites. The company is already firmly established as a leading UK supplier of heat interface units, as well as a specialist in providing a unique complete underfloor heating package, taking projects from manufacture (with three production plants, all based in Italy), through to design and installation via its UK wide network of approved UFH installers. Recent new projects and enquiries have seen an increase in calls for the two services to be combined and sees Giacomini leading the way in the industry in offering a joint package.

Giacomini UK’s managing director, Matt Lowe, explains: “Aside from our brass valves and components range, there are two main strands to our business – underfloor heating and heat interface units. Historically, customers would be looking for just one of these services but we are increasingly being involved in projects that would like a joint UFH and HIU package”.

Some of the key benefits of selecting a single point of contact for both HIU and underfloor heating systems are; improved communication, by having a dedicated project engineer overseeing the orders; eases time constraints to help meet deadlines; and finally, ongoing support and maintenance is easier and more efficient.

Matt continued: “Using Giacomini for the underfloor heating and heat interface units makes complete sense. We can handle all enquiries and ensure everything runs smoothly, so that our customers do not have the stress of having to deal with multiple companies. It also ensures the same consistent high level of quality throughout the entire process.”

Recent development sites where Giacomini’s joint package has been called upon are all extra-care developments. This includes the Harmby Road site in Leyburn, North Yorkshire where over 4,500 m2 of underfloor heating and 26 twin 49kw HIUs have been installed. Other projects include Langley Court in Cambridgeshire where 55 of Giacomini’s hot water only heat interface units were installed alongside underfloor heating in the lounge and dining areas of the apartments. Another project was Butlers Green in Haywards Heath, Sussex where Giacomini’s underfloor heating was supplied throughout a 64 bedroom care home, as well as in ten additional retirement cottages, as well as 58 HIUs being installed.

For more information about Giacomini UK’s HIU and UFH offering, call 01454 809100 or visit www.giacomini.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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