The Quiet Revolution
Since Part L of the Building Regulations were introduced to drive the installation of high efficiency (HE) condensing boilers, there has been steady rise in the number of system boilers installed in the replacement sector. Dave Simpson, marketing director at Ideal Boilers, outlines why these appliances are growing in popularity amongst installers.
Without doubt there is increasing pressure on UK homeowners to be more energy efficient. This can partly be attributed to legislation changes and the volatile nature of energy prices. Another major factor is the increasing awareness amongst consumers about the impact that climate change is having on the environment. This is making them more conscious about how they can play their part in helping to reduce their own carbon emissions.
This increasing awareness amongst homeowners is ultimately good news for the heating industry. 'Energy efficiency' has become a buzz word and there is now more consumers than ever before that are not only receptive, but are also actively looking to take advantage of a high efficiency heating and hot water system for their home that will save them money off their fuel bills and help reduce emissions.
However, the fact still remains that there are approximately six million boilers in existing homes throughout the UK of the conventional flue and permanent boiler type which could be replaced with HE equivalents. The main barrier to this is that some homeowners may be deterred by the initial purchase price and cost of installation of replacing their old conventional central heating system with an energy efficient one, but this still presents an excellent market opportunity that installers can take advantage of.
Whilst much has been written about the developments and growing popularity of the combi boiler since legislation changes were introduced, with many manufacturers investing in their combi product offerings, one appliance that is quietly going about its business and capitalising on the HE drive is the system boiler. The main reason for this is that a system boiler is the modern alternative to a traditional boiler, therefore it is an ideal choice for replacing a conventional heating system.
Unlike a combi, both a system and a regular (conventional) boiler work on the principle of stored hot water, but a system boiler does differ from a regular boiler in a number of aspects.
In a traditional, open vented system for example, the feed and expansion cistern is usually installed in the roof space. The issue with this is that problems can occur if the cistern and pipework are not insulated properly, with a risk of the water freezing in cold weather. The alternative to this is to connect the boiler to an expansion vessel on a sealed system, which can be sited almost anywhere. Traditional systems also require a circulating pump, which is usually fitted inside the cylinder compartment and takes up more space.
Looking at the benefits of a system boiler compared to a traditional appliance, the main advantage is that many of the major individual components of the heating and hot water system, including the circulating pump and expansion vessel, are built inside a system appliance. This means the installation is simpler, neater and quicker for installers, saving them both time and money through reduced labour costs.
The icos system HE boiler from Ideal Boilers is one such appliance that has had an upsurge in demand since legislation changes were introduced. With all the same benefits as the icos heat-only models, such as flexibility of siting, ease of installation and advanced reliability, the icos system has the additional benefit that it contains all the necessary components incorporated into the boiler to enable easy installation to a fully pumped sealed system.
An automatically controlled fan-flued high efficiency boiler, the icos system HE is available in 15kW and 24kW models and modulates its heat output to suit the demands of the individual heating load. It also incorporates a variable thermostat for CH temperature control, adjustable from 30oC to 82oC. The use of a pre-mix burner allows control of gas input to the appliance to be directly linked to fan speed, so, as the fan reduces speed to match heating load, the gas valve maintains the correct proportional flow ensuring a high boiler efficiency throughout its output range.
Like all of Ideal Boilers’ market leading range of HE appliances, the icos system features a contemporary and stylish exterior with simple yet highly reliable engineering. The 80mm diameter twin-pipe flueing feature offers a maximum combined flueing length of up to 46 meters, that can be run either horizontally or vertically. This allows the boiler to be installed much further away from the outside wall, fitting safely and unobtrusively in almost any situation, whilst condensate drainage can be overcome using the optional Ideal condensate pump kit.
Overall, the introduction of the Building Regulations have without doubt raised the bar for the heating industry. For manufacturers, this has meant investing to bring the most advanced products to the market, whilst for installers this has meant learning new skills and adapting their existing knowledge to take advantage of the HE opportunities available. The HE system boiler is one such appliance that has helped installers make the transition as smoothly a possible, which is why it continues to be a popular choice in the trade.