oil installer winter 2012

www.warmow.co.uk

Warmow Condensing Warmow Stainless Warmow

OIL BOILER RANGE

CYLINDER RANGE

SOLAR RANGE

QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE GUARANTEED

Topical issues affecting the industry today

in association with www.oftec.org

Find out more at your nearest branch or go online at:

plumbcenter.co.uk partscenter.co.uk

Wherever the location, whatever the fuel,

we make light work of it.No matter where youre working or what your fuel source, we can help. We have everything from solid fuel burning stoves, electric and oil boilers to plastic oil tanks and complete LPG condensing systems. And dont forget our trade counter Parts ID System can help to locate the parts you need quickly and all from the leading names in heating.

Youll nd our next day delivery service useful for heavier items while our regular promotions will help lighten the load on your wallet.

No matter how far off-gas the job is, were on it.

Winter 2012 Oil Installer | 3

Help us raise oils proleAs we approach the end of another year, its been a tough and challenging time for the oil heating & cooking industry. Recognising the terric contribution that many technicians and companies make to keep industry standards high, the OFTEC Awards for Excellence were held in Manchester last month. The awards followed the two-day Oil & Renewable Energy Show, which showed how oil can work with renewable technologies.

From 28th January, 2013 cashback available on an oil condensing boiler Were very pleased that oil condensing boilers are included in the governments Green Deal scheme. Customers will be eligible for a 310 cashback when they buy a new boiler, provided they invest in Green Deal measures within six months. Technicians can now apply to OFTEC to extend their scope and become Green Deal registered installers.

Green Deal helps people make their homes more energy efcient. OFTEC is in discussion with Green Deal providers about how registered technicians can benet from the additional work which will be generated.

Alongside these positive developments, were very disappointed that bioliquids will probably not be included in the governments domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. This is an own goal because conversion to bioliquids represents an easy way for rural households to lower carbon emissions.

On the campaign trailWorking closely with the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers, OFTEC is busy promoting the benets of oil heating. The new OilSave campaign highlights the cost and CO2 savings when installing a condensing boiler. Switching to renewable technologies can involve high installation costs and, in many of the older rural properties, such technologies may not work as effectively customers need to be in a position to make an informed choice.

When servicing or repairing a customers boiler, please leave an OilSave leaet and encourage them to nd out more at www.oilsave.org.uk.

Best wishes,

4-7, 12-13 / Industry News

8-11 / The Oil & Renewable Energy Show

14-15 / OFTEC Awards for Excellence

16-17 / Irish Initiatives

18-19 / In Conversation with Warmow

20-28 / Boiler News

29-30 / Hot Technical Topics

31 / Installer Focus south west England

32-34 / Tank News

35-38 / Training

39-43 / Products & Services

44-45 / Renewables

46 / Gallery

Editorial Contents

The publishers gratefully acknowledge the support of those rms whose advertisements appear throughout this publication. As a reciprocal gesture we have pleasure in drawing the attention of our readers to their announcements. It is necessary however for it to be made clear that, whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication and the statements it contains, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, or the products or services advertised.Printed by Pelican Press, Manchester Tel: 0161 273 3434

Ashley & Dumville Publishing Ltd Caledonian House, Tatton Street, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 9AB 6AGTel: +44 (0)1565 653283; Fax: +44 (0)1565 [email protected]

Advertising Publishing manager: Jonathan HibbertMedia pack on request [email protected]

News Desk Editor: Jane Hughes [email protected] 2011 Volume 5 No 3ISSN 1755-3490

Credits

T

Jeremy Hawskley

4 | Oil Installer Winter 2012

Industry News possibilities, promotions and pondering

Now live!

News Features Opinions . . .

Government U-turn no help for rural areas says OFTEC

Bioliquids will not be included in the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). According to OFTEC, the latest announcement by the government means that homes in rural areas will have very little incentive to switch to renewable fuels, so will continue to have very large CO2 footprints.

The U-turn comes after the government accepted B30K a blend of biofuel and kerosene as a potential candidate for RHI support in 2010 because it has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 28%. But now ministers say they will only give RHI support to biomass boilers, air or ground source heat pumps and solar thermal technologies.

Were very disappointed at this decision, said OFTEC director general, Jeremy Hawksley. We will continue to argue forcefully during the consultation period for bioliquids to have RHI support. Whilst extensive eld trials have demonstrated that B30K works ne in existing boilers, it seems odd that government policy wants to make rural oil users rip out those perfectly good systems when they could just be converted to run on bioliquid.

In contrast, recent trials of heat pumps have revealed the limitations of the technology in many homes, such as having to install oversized radiators to cope with the lower heat temperatures. The cost of running electricity driven heat pumps is similar to the running costs of an oil boiler, so its difcult to see the benet to the consumer of changing their system. We hope that ministers will consider all these points during the consultation process.

Around 1.4 million UK households use oil; OFTEC thinks many will nd the RHI unworkable. RHI technologies proposed in the consultation have expensive up front capital costs, and many require home improvements before the property is considered eligible. Applicants will have to demonstrate that they have already installed certain measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation. In addition, the grants payable under RHI may change in future years, so there is no guarantee of payback.

Promoting the oil message reliable, safe and established

OFTEC has joined forces with the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) to launch a joint consumer marketing and PR campaign to help protect the existing market share for oil heating and cooking.

The new initiative includes yers, leaets and web-based information with the www.oilsave.org.uk website now refocused and updated as a focal point for the campaign.

OFTECs marketing manager, Malcolm Farrow said: Registered technicians and FPS delivery staff can play an important role in getting the message out to their oil heating customers. We hope that everyone supports the campaign to protect our industrys market share.

The campaign promotes oil a reliable, safe and established choice as the best option for rural users, and encourages upgrading to a condensing boiler which could save around 25% on fuel bills.

As well as being a cheaper fuel than LPG, users can benet from changing supplier at any time, and getting cheaper prices by ordering in the summer months. www.oilsave.org.uk

Oilsave advice, information and the

best possible service for oil customers, enabling them to make informed choices for their future

energy needs

On pages 44 and 45 of this issue, the Heat Pump Association provides a comparison between oil-red heating and heat pumps in off-gas grid applications.


@OilInstaller

Products Training Events..

What is the future for oil heating?

A debate on the future of oil heating was held at last months Oil & Renewable Energy Show. On the panel (pictured below) were OFTECs Jeremy Hawksley, Mark Askew from the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS), Brett Hale of Riello and Peter Carter from Atkinson Equipment. Chairing the debate was Jane Hughes, editor of Oil Installer.

With a packed seminar theatre and several people keen to give their views, this debate could, and should, have lasted far longer.

To be expected, the panels views on the future of oil heating were very diverse and in some cases, totally opposing.

Explored by both OFTEC and the FPS, current threats to oil include its price, its exclusion from new build properties under the Code for Sustainable Homes, bioliquids being ruled out of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), the possibility of an extra tax and the RHI subsidies.

Whilst Riello sees oil working in partnership with solar thermal and heat pumps, the company believes that without bioliquids, oil does not and will not have a green credential to t into the future energy mix.

Whilst agreeing that our industry should work with renewables particularly those unable to supply hot water all year round Atkinson Equipment made a plea for our industry not to tinker with fuel and equipment that is tried, tested and trusted by its customers. Peter Carter argued that happy customers would give the industry greater leverage, should the government decide to ban oil heating altogether!

In 2001, kerosene sales were at 2639 kilotonne (kmt), last year this was down to 1973kmt reported Mark Askew. The government predicts that by 2020, 380,000 homes will have switched to alternative technologies aided by the RHI.

One of oils problems is that its so damn good, said Andy Townsend in Oil Installer summer 2012. Now also working with renewables, Andy pointed out that we cant just turn the oil tap off.

But, the question the industry does need to ask now is, if more than a quarter of heating oil customers have stopped using kerosene by 2020, how long will a declining market remain attractive to reners, wholesalers and fuel distributors?

Your views on the ability of the oil heating market to resist the threats are invited [email protected].

Send your views on the future of oil heating to [email protected]


Industry News Green Deal and the need for energy to work more efciently

Oil theft be more vigilantFull tanks and rising prices make heating oil a very attractive target at this time of the year

Recent incidents have seen thieves target quiet rural communities, siphoning fuel from oil storage tanks outside peoples homes. One recent incident even saw the tank and its contents being totally removed. Most victims are completely unaware that anything is wrong until their heating stops working.

Help your customers to protect their fuel supply by recommending the following:

Check fuel levels regularly to make sure none has gone missing. Fit a tank lock or a lockable ller cap Install automatic movement sensor security lighting around the

tank Fit an alarm system to the tank to warn if oil levels drop suddenly If planting shrubs or using fence panels to hide the tank, ensure

minimum separation distances are adhered to so they dont cause a re hazard

At last months Oil &Renewable Energy Show, Dunraven Systems launched a new range of tank alarms see pages 32 and 33.

OFTEC Direct www.oftecdirect.com has a range of accessories to help prevent oil theft see page 41.

New radiators to improve UK energy efciencySimply replacing existing radiators will improve the energy efciency of millions of homes across the UK

A survey conducted on behalf of the Manufacturers Association of Radiators and Convectors (MARC) has shown that 20% of homeowners still have radiators in their homes which do not have convectors.

MARC chairman John Colling said: While the Green Deal focuses on other product areas, radiators are still as efcient, if not more so, than other emitters on the market, and, with these products already installed in 23.6 million of the 26.3 million homes in the UK, changing them and making a difference to the environment couldnt be easier, or cheaper.

Reducing energy demandInitiated by the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efciency in Buildings (EuroACE), the Renovate Europe Campaign is lobbying for an ambitious roadmap to be drawn up on how to triple the annual renovation rate of the EU building stock.

The campaign promotes using all available energy saving technologies, and aims for a renovation rate increase from 1% to 3% by 2020, leading to an 80% reduction of the energy demand of the building stock by 2050, as compared to 2005. www.renovate-europe.eu

Shaken not stirred at 50Managing directors past and present gathered to celebrate Worcester, Bosch Groups 50th anniversary with a James Bond themed evening in September.

Looking ahead, were condent that our core business of manufacturing high-efciency condensing boilers still offers huge growth potential, said current managing director, Carl Arntzen.

In addition to this, weve have got a fantastic opportunity to expand our current product offering through diversication too. This will involve moving into new markets and product segments that we havent traditionally operated in before but are well placed to do so. www.50yearsofwarmth.co.uk

More efcient products

The main way to deliver energy efciency is through a commitment from manufacturers to design more efcient products says the Green Alliance.

Its Cutting Britains Energy Bill report states that by 2020, 42% of energy cost reductions are expected to come from more efcient products, saving 158 off the average energy bill. The report also says that more should be done to make UK consumers aware of the benets of energy efciency.

The Green Alliance is also advocating an electricity efciency feed in tariff as the simplest and best way to reduce electricity demand by 40% by 2030 with users rewarded for every unit of electricity, known as a negawatt, they save. www.green-alliance.org.uk

Cecil Duckworth, Kevin Lee, Richard Soper CBE and current managing director, Carl Arntzen were joined by employees and industry partners from the last ve decades

The power of negawatts rewards

for reducing electricity usage


Installers crucial to Green DealGreen Deal could fail if the government does not attempt to change how consumers respond to energy efciency messages warns the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC).

HHIC believes that the scheme, launched in October, will only succeed if potential users understand how their lives can be improved with the new technologies, and how to use them effectively.

Roger Webb, HHIC director, said: Its important to recognise that the installer has a huge inuence over the consumers purchasing decisions. So in the end, the installer will have a crucial role in determining the level of Green Deal uptake and hence the extent to which the efciency of the UKs housing stock will be improved.

Becoming a Green Deal installerBacked by signicant government funding support, condensing oil boilers are eligible as an energy efciency measure under Green Deal, providing an opportunity for registered installers to carry out the work

OFTEC is an accredited Green Deal certication body for the installation of condensing oil boilers, heating controls and heating system insulation. Instead of an up-front payment, the cost of any work is paid for through a nance plan with an installment charge added to the customers energy bill.

To help registered technicians become Green Deal installers, OFTEC has published a guide at www.oftec.org.

To add Green Deal to its scope of registration, a business must employ - a technician registered for OFT 105E (installation of

combustion appliances and systems) PLUS either OFT 101 (single stage pressure jet servicing &

commissioning) or OFT 201 (multi-stage pressure jet servicing &

commissioning)NB: If a business does not employ a technician with these scopes of registration,

it will need to demonstrate, during an evaluation, how it controls the sub-contracting

of this area.

Registered technicians can download a Green Deal installer application form from the OFTEC website along with an information sheet explaining associated business opportunities.

As part of the approval process an OFTEC inspector carries out a business audit. Once veried and accepted installers will be issued with a Green Deal registration certicate and ID badges, and be included on the Green Deal national register as an accredited installer.

the installer will have a crucial role in determining the extent to which the efciency of the UKs housing stock will be improved

Energy Effi ciency Installer

Meeting the needs of a developing

market

Energy effi ciency is set to be a huge part of the future

Heating & Cooling Microgeneration Building Fabric

Water Heating Lighting Windows & Doors

Providing expert opinion on latest technologies. Keeping you up to date with changing legislation and policies. Explaining complex Green Deal structures and relationships and increasing the understanding of complimentary sectors. Insights into business issues such as fi nance, sales and partnerships.

For all advertising enquiries please contact Paul Smith on 01565 626 762 or [email protected]

To request your personal copy of Energy Effi ciency Installer contact Meryl Egan on 01565 653 283 or [email protected]


The Oil & Renewable Energy Show took place at Manchester Central in mid October. The following pages give a avour of the show which tackled some of the hottest topics in energy the future of oil heating, Green Deal, the Renewable Heat Incentive, integrating oil with renewables, energy performance certicates and much more in a packed two-day seminar programme.

Harlequin tanks were displayed to perfection in the grandeur

of Manchester Centrals architectural heritage

Providing up to 70% of a homes hot water requirements,

Kingspans Thermomax solar vacuum tube collectors catches a

visitors eye

OFTEC was on hand to answer queries seen here taking one from Richard

Harper of British Gas!

Oil Installer would like to thank the shows sponsors pictured above for their support in a very tough market which was most appreciated.

Oil installer editor, Jane Hughes

interviews Chris Clancy on the

Worcester stand nd out more on

the new Oil Installer website

www.oilinstaller.co.uk

Warmows Phil Craggs introduces visitors to some of the companys new

renewable technologies

Making renewables more do able for installers in off gas areas was

Parts Center/Plumb Center

Brett Hale (r) of Riello chats with Jason Selkirk from Preston-based PGO

Plumbing Gas & Oil


The show offered opportunities to get up close and personal with a whole range of boilers

and.. to check out safe solar

installation on a mock roof (see below) and

.to seek advice from the staff at Heating World of Spares

(right)

Mark Gibbs (far right) of Norwich-based Gibbs Heating & Plumbing Services

questions the panel at the future of oil heating debate

Mark Askew, chief executive of the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers refers to the Oil Save campaign which

was launched jointly with OFTEC earlier this month

Green Deal whats it all about? Simon Allen, head of sustainability at Plumb Center, Lu Rahman, editor of

Renewable Energy Installer and Cathy Debenham, director, YouGen were on

hand to answer questions

Vikki Smith, Carolyn Jarrett, and Angela Street from Oldham-based HSB Engineering Insurance chat with

Sandra Curties (centre) from A&D Publishing

Babek Daemi of Everlasting Marketing & PR demonstrates the ease of

solar installation


Speaking at the integrating oil with renewables seminar was Dave Hall, national sales manager, Grant UK

Looking at Warmows 2013 range with Mike Pryde (l) are Jason Wright and Stuart

Harvey from Shropshire-based Green Energy Solutions. The new range includes a ground

source heat pump.See page 18 for full details

The 2010 oil cooker/stove installer of the year, Richard Thwaites of RT Thwaites in Cumbria

with wife Susan and OFTECs Ollie

OFTEC assists Tim and Emma Smith from KD Tank Supplies

in Marlborough, Wiltshire

Trevor Seed (r) of Preston-based tank

manufacturer, J Seed & Co with daughter, Wendi Whittle and

Ronnie Blake, from the Edinburgh-based, Blake

Group

From Southern Energy

Installations in West Sussex regional sales

manager, Matt Jones with Russell

Hunt

The Spira condensing wood pellet boiler from

Grant


Visitors get the training facts from UK Certication

On camera Barry Finnegan, general

manager for KingspanSensor talks about the companys

new App nd out more on www.oilinstaller.co.uk

Peter Carter of Atkinson Equipment with visitors

The Oil Installer and Renewable Energy Installer team look forward to welcoming readers to future events

Back row: Meryl Egan, Nick Smith, Mark Green, Jonathan Hibbert, Liz Boardman and Linda Farrow. Front row: Hannah Curzon, Jane Hughes,

Sandra Curties, Alex Porter and Louise Cwiklinski

Thank you very much to those who attended the show. Your feedback is welcomed at [email protected]

Stewart Binnie of EOGB announced that from

November 2012, EOGB is offering the OFT102 vapourising course- see

page 35

Dunraven launches new products see pages 32

and 33

Coming to the show from mid Wales were Mark Lloyd, the Plumbline,

Steve Smith, BPS renewable thermal products in Welshpool, David

Darlington, The Plumbline and colleague


Industry News

Working hard for ScotlandIn his new role as OFTECs representative in Scotland, Sandy Pagan is busy raising consumer awareness of OFTEC and the work it does

Having worked as a self-employed inspector for the past ve years, Sandy, who previously ran his own boiler installation company, joined OFTEC full time in June, handing the reins of his business to son, Colin.

Fruitful meetingsDedicated to educating the public about the benets of working with a registered, competent engineer, Sandy has already met with stakeholders such as the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water and Building Standards to impress upon them the need for properly trained oil technicians.

A recent meeting with Scottish Gas the largest single installer of oil heating systems in Scotland was fruitful. Scottish Gas is keen to ensure that its own quality assurance procedures dovetail with OFTECs technical books. Sandy is also hopeful that the company will soon insist that their technicians install only bunded tanks, and that SEPA and Building Standards can also be persuaded to support the policy.

The drive for bunded tanksInstalling a bunded tank really does provide a safeguard to the environment, said Sandy. Although theres an initial extra cost involved, the benets are signicant. Condensation is much reduced, decreasing the possibility of contamination of the stored oil. The inner tank is protected from variations in outside temperature, and from UV rays. Extreme cold not only affects the molecular structure of a plastic tank but also the oils density and uidity. For the consumer, bunded tanks have a longer life span, and the outer layer can protect the environment from oil spillages.

Another key aspect of Sandys role is the formation of a works notication system, similar to that in England and Wales.

Working hard for OFTEC in Scotland, Sandy is always available for registered technicians seeking advice. Call Sandy on 01506 844348 or 07540 502305, or email [email protected]

Support for sustainable bioenergy The Highlands and Islands of Scotland have become the UKs rst bioenergy region

Led by the University of the Highlands and Islands www.uhi.ac.uk information on all aspects of sustainable energy is available to households, small businesses and communities on a freephone advice line 0800 512 012.

Interest free loansUp to 10,000, with a repayment period of up to 8 years, for heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal -

Up to 2000, with a repayment period of up to four years, for solar PV, wind turbines and micro hydro

Sustainable bioenergy offers great potential for meeting the Scottish governments heat and transport targets, reducing both fuel poverty and energy costs for businesses, says Fergus Ewing, the Scottish governments minister for energy, enterprise and tourism.

New service highlights need for upgradeAn on site inspection carried out by OFTECs newly launched consultancy service found that a landlord was at risk of an enforcement notice being served by the Environment Agency.

A single skin tank, sited within the garden of a single private dwelling, was in fact being used to convey oil to two separate residences. By taking a second oil supply pipe from the tank to serve a neighbouring property, the tank was no longer deemed to be one that serves a single home.

Non-domestic regulations applied, meaning that the tank falls under the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001, and requires secondary containment.

The tanks owner was advised to obtain a quote from an OFTEC registered technician to either install a compliant oil storage/supply facility serving just one domestic property, or to upgrade the installation to comply with the above regulations.

The consultancy service can be contacted on 0845 65 85 080.

Clamping down on logo misuseOFTEC is clamping down on non-registered businesses using its trademark

Three non-registered businesses were approached for the unauthorised use of the OFTEC logo in September. OFTEC is actively assisting two local authority Trading Standards departments in court proceedings against businesses falsely claiming OFTEC registration.

The tougher actions are designed to successfully enforce the rules of the competent persons registration scheme, and to protect the reputation of legitimately registered businesses. Also in September, 12 businesses had their registrations suspended for not complying with the rules and requirements of the scheme.

Full rules of registration (R100) can be downloaded at www.oftec.org.

Guillaume Piolle


Recent news reported a decrease in prots for AGA Rangemaster, but when Oil Installers Alex Porter spoke to the company, a story of positivity emerged, with strong hopes for the future

Were condent we have the right mix of products, so when the economy improves we can bounce back strongly, said Nigel Morrison, marketing manager, Rayburn.

AGA has already reported growth in sales volume this year, and with Rayburn following a similar pattern to previously, this condence does not seem misplaced.

Global expansionThe company is expanding globally, with a focus on building business in China and the USA.

Weve been working in the USA for a number of years, and the reaction there to new products is very positive. Its very early days in our work in China, probably too early to say how successful we will be in that region, but we have high hopes for the market.

Sustaining innovation in product development The continued release of new, innovative products has been of key importance to AGA Rangemasters strategic planning in a tough climate.

One of those new products has been Eco-Connect, which links multiple products together, and automatically uses the

greenest energy source at all times without having to adjust any switches. Thats been a slow starter. But its more about pushing a mix of renewables in combination with other products. Were seeing a gradual uptake.

Nigel is keen to stress that moving into the alternative market has been a long term vision, rather than a knee jerk reaction to recent sales gures.

At the time we moved into the renewables market, there wasnt the decrease in boiler sales that weve seen over the last 12 months. The company has been looking at that market for ve years.

As the government announces its proposals for the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, Nigel remains unfazed by the potential impact. Its unlikely to affect AGA sales much at all. There have been constant delays, and a lack of commitment from the government to move towards renewables.

The future of oil lies in combining oil products with alternative technologies, adds Nigel. But for AGA Rangemaster product development, the future is bright.

AGA Rangemaster condent of a bright future

New appointments at OFTECTwo new faces have joined the OFTEC inspection team, taking the number of inspectors out in the eld to eleven.

Based in Southampton, Dean Wroe previously worked for a major boiler manufacturer, and has run his own oil and renewable heating company. Dean will carry out audits and inspections in south central England.

In the Republic of Ireland, Sean McBride has taken over responsibility for inspections. Sean previously worked as a freelance trainer running oil and plumbing courses at an OFTEC approved training centre.

At head ofce, Tracey Waite has joined as a registration administrator to process an increasing number of applications from businesses and technicians. Charlotte Bethel has joined as a part-time marketing assistant.

Your legal obligation to notify workWhen registered with a competent persons scheme like OFTEC, it is a legal requirement to notify your local authority of any work deemed as a controlled service under the building regulations in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Notication must take place within 30 days of a job such as a boiler being put into service being completed.

Register the job within 21 days of completion using OFTECs system, and OFTEC will notify on your behalf.

If OFTEC does not notify, you must apply for a retrospective regularisation order from your local authority which will cost considerably more. Failure to notify jobs is a direct contravention of the building regulations and could result in prosecution.

Heatingoil.co.ukFuel distributor GB Oils has launched heatingoil.co.uk. Online manager, Rhodri Andrews, said: When autumn weather is mild, stocking up on oil for winter can be the last thing on a customers mind, but ordering well in advance is benecial, especially with all fuel optimised for winter conditions, meaning it will not freeze or develop wax crystals in storage during cold snaps. www.heatingoil.co.uk

Adding to a customers online choice of heating oil websites is heatingoil.co.uk

Out in the eld, Dean Wroe (l) and Sean

McBride are spreading the OFTEC message

The future of oil lies in

combining oil products with

alternative technologies,

says Nigel Morrison, marketing manager, Rayburn


Introducing the winners of the

Wonderful to win after 45 years in the job!Having recently celebrated 20 years providing servicing & commissioning services in and around Worcestershire, Paul Shepherd of Shepherd Combustion Services in Tenbury Wells was delighted to take the title of service & commissioning engineer of the year. Paul, who also spent 25 years as a service engineer with a major heating manufacturer, commented: After 45 years of doing the job, I was over the moon that my work has been recognised it was just wonderful.

Really proud to be nominatedPhilip Shakespeare from Premium Heating Services in Swadlincote, Derbyshire was a runner up in the service & commissioning category. Starting his company just seven years ago, Phillip has built up a good solid customer base in many Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire villages, based on word of mouth recommendations. I was quite moved to be nominated, said Phillip. It made me really proud that the standard of my work had been recognised on a national level.

Recognition for quality of workKnown as Tony to his customers, Antonio Martin-Castano, whose business AMC Services started life in Leamington Spa 16 years ago, was also a runner-up in this category. It was a bit of a shock to hear that Id reached the nals of a national competition, but it was also a nice for the quality of my work to be recognised.

Paul receives his award from Cheryl Phipps of Trade Direct., the awards sponsor

Runners-up in the servicing & commissioning

sector Philip Shakespeare and

Tony Martin-Castano with Cheryl

Phipps

Servicing & Commisioning Award

Jane Hughes, editor of Oil Installer, the awards

sponsor, presents the best website award to Simon

Veitch, marketing co-ordinator for Grant UK

The award for best technical support went to Worcester

Bosch Group. Colin Simpson (centre) and Alison Thould

accept the award from Paul Rose, OFTEC technical

director

Brian McCann, managing director of Clarehill Plastics

presents John Cofn of JMC Plumbing & Heating

in Oswestry with a Clarehill sponsored oil tank installer

runner-up award. The winner of this category was Weymouth-based Martin Sly

Winning the training centre title was Grant UK. Philip Stanley, training manager, receives the

award from Paul Sharp, national sales manager at Riello, sponsors

of the award

Best Website

Best Technical Support

Oil Tank Installer

Training Centre


Trainee of the Year

With David Knipe, OFTECs training manager (far right) are, Louise Collins of Chestnut Plumbing Services in Kent and James Kelly from Clarehill

Plastics, both runners up in the trainee of the year category Daivd Knipe (r) congratulates the winner of

the trainee of the year title, Declan Phelan from Uniheat in Laois, Ireland

Successful oil installers share top prizeGraham Taylor and Adam John Smith were joint winners of the oil boiler installer award.

Expanding their winning ways in oil to include renewable energy solutionsGraham, who works for the family business WD Taylor Plumbing & Heating alongside his sister, twin brother and another heating engineer, said: I was really pleased when my local OFTEC inspector put my name forward for the award. Started by Grahams father in 1958, the Tunbridge Wells-based business provides oil & gas heating services, as well as renewable energy solutions including solar thermal and heat pumps.

Adam John Smith is one of 12 employees at Total Energy Services based at Sturminster Newton in Dorset. Working on oil & gas domestic and commercial plumbing/heating projects, the company has recently expanded into renewable energy installations. Adam said: When my name was announced I was a bit nervous about having to go up and collect my award. But it was fantastic to win a national prize.

Adam (l) and Graham (r) receive their awards from Dave Hall, Grants national sales manager

This year the innovative product prize was shared by Grant and Kingspan.

Kingspans award was for the FuelServ oil management solution, an innovative pay as you go option for oil heating for vulnerable households.

Grants winning product was CombiSOL, a simple, cost effective solution to integrate solar thermal with both new and existing heating systems.

Innovative Product Awards

Oil Boiler Installer

Martyn Bridges (l) of Worcester Bosch Group presents the joint winners Neil Sawers (above) of Grant UK and Philip Browne (below) of Kingspan Environmental with the Worcester sponsored

innovative product award


Irish Initiatives

12 million to replace boilersIn Northern Ireland, the Department of Social Development is making 12m available for consumers to upgrade boilers over 15-years old.

Grants of up to 1000 are now available towards a new condensing boiler.

OFTEC Ireland has information yers available for technicians to give to customers, just call 0845 6002105 for your copies.

More information can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk/boiler-replacement-allowance.

Bioliquids under discussionThe introduction of bioliquids into the Republic of Ireland market to help meet the countrys 2020 renewable energy targets has been discussed.

Along with Irish staff, Jeremy Hawksley, OFTEC director general met with a senior civil servant from the Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources and of cials from Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI).

OFTEC pressed for an oil competent persons scheme to be established in the Republic to protect the consumer, and to ensure that SEAl grant monies are not wasted through poor boiler installations.

A formal submission is also to be made to the department.

Oil heating promotionsOFTEC Ireland has been busy promoting the installation of high ef ciency condensing boilers throughout Ireland.

The rst marketing yers, which focus on the boiler scrappage subsidy available in the North (detailed above), and the SEAI grants given in the Republic for the installation of condensing oil boilers, are now being delivered to heating oil customers by fuel distributors.

The campaign promotes cost savings, best practice in installation and the use of OFTEC registered technicians. OFTEC members are encouraged to take part in promotional activity and local press coverage. Contact [email protected].

Introducing a new boiler passportA revised version of the boiler passport has been agreed. The new passport has a separate certi cate for the installer and commissioning engineer. The new form should remove any confusion between installer and commissioning engineer on who was responsible for completion of the passport. The onus remains with the commissioning engineer to return the passport to the manufacturer.

Carbon monoxide awareness raisedTo promote Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, OFTEC teamed up with the Commission for Energy Regulation, Bord Gais and other utility providers in the Republic of Ireland.

The national media campaign included radio and TV interviews on how consumers can prevent the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. One of the key messages to consumers was to get their appliances serviced annually by a competent person, such as an OFTEC registered engineer.


Dunraven scoops awardDunraven Systems, suppliers of Apollo tank telemetry equipment, won Dundalks Best High Growth SME award at the annual Louth County Business Awards.

Speaking about the companys success in the awards, which are open to businesses that have demonstrated strategic growth, innovation and entrepreneurship, managing director, Gerry Jones said: Were delighted. Its testimony to everyones hard work, effort and commitment, together with the loyalty of our customers. Since Dunraven was established, weve sought to provide quality, innovative and best in class solutions, backed by world-class levels of service and product support.

During the past 12 months, weve continued to develop through the introduction of new products in response to customer demand and in anticipation of future market demands. www.dunravensystems.com

Celebrating their success managing director, Gerry Jones (centre)

with members of the Dunraven team

OFTEC on showDavid Blevings with regional inspector, Norman Armstrong chats with OFTEC registered technicians Michael Gilpin and Elsworth Corkin of Newell Boiler Services at the Plumbing & Heating Trade Show held in Belfast in early October.


Biomass pellet boilerManufactured specically for the UK market, the biomass pellet boiler is fully self-contained and an extremely compact unit, measuring 650mm wide, 1100mm depth and 1050mm high. An external model which is also suitable for internal installation, the product has a 100kg internal hopper. The heat exchanger has an automatic self-clean operation allowing for extended ash pan cleaning. The boiler is fully modulating between 4 20kw.

The product has class-leading efciency and emissions, has a low initial cost giving a short payback time, and is designed to be easy to install and maintain.

In conversation with Warmow

Three stages of successOver the past 40 years, Warmow has invested in development, and now employs over 200 staff between its main manufacturing facility in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, and the sales and distribution site in Telford, Shropshire

In 2006, the company invested over 2 million into Europes most automated oil boiler manufacturing plant, and today its oil boilers continue to be built to exacting standards and have some of the industrys top efciency ratings. Warmows condensing oil-red boiler has become one of the UKs best selling ranges.

In 2010, the evolution continued when the company commissioned and installed one of the UKs most modern

automated stainless steel cylinder manufacturing facilities, costing in the region of 1million. The site now produces a full range of direct, indirect, solar direct, single coil, twin coil and triple coil cylinders.

The story continues to unfold. A biomass pellet boiler, ground and air source heat pumps are set to roll off the production lines in March 2013. This next stage of development is the result of over two years of research, with new renewable

products designed to have unique features for the UK market.

National sales manager, Phil Craggs commented: Warmow is very excited about the upcoming launch of these outstanding new products, and we believe that the brand will see a huge rise in sales during the next 12 months as installers realise how much more suitable our products are against the European competition.

All our new products

are designed to suit typical UK installations and weather conditions. The research and development team have worked tirelessly over the past two years to enable us to offer a full portfolio of new generation heating products, which will push the boundaries beyond what is currently available.

Ground source heat pump

Phil Craggs

Air source heat pumpWarmow has the patents pending on unique product features, including heat exchanger technology.

Capable of operating at external temperatures as low as -25 degrees, the pump has fully modulating heating circulators to guarantee maximum seasonal energy efciency. It features a central microprocessor for control of the heating system, with time and temperature regulated by either external weather compensation or internal temperature.

The product also comes with the option of additional solar thermal control.

A compact size for a fully modulating unit, the product measures 600mm x 595mm x 850mm. The heat pump is fully modulating, with output between 2kw and 16kw. It features a single phase supply and has ground breaking efciencies.


Some success amid the difcultiesKenneth Churcher of Dundee-based Blue Flame Heating Solutions told OI: Its going very badly. Certainly everyone in the business is struggling and no one has any money to spend. Were still tting new boilers, but only when its absolutely necessary. Colin MacLeod of Deeside Gas Services agrees: Theres denitely been a downturn and as a result fewer customers want prep and servicing.

Mark Viccars of Oxfordshires Chestnut Plumbing commented that although he was very quiet at the moment, he felt sure that business would pick up as the weather became more autumnal. (Editors note: Hope falling leaves brought rising amounts of work)

For Andy Holding, A J Holding Heating, Oxfordshire, the year has been quite mixed: Economically its been difcult and the press negativity doesnt help. I was busy until the Jubilee and then business noticeably slumped. Several colleagues have also remarked upon this. Thankfully things have picked up and Im quite busy again. Im not doing as many installations as I was ve years ago, but Ive done one in the last month and Im doing more servicing. Andy puts this down to the fact that he works in an afuent area and that in general there is a skills shortage. At 41 Im one of the youngest installers in my area, he laughed.

It is a very different story for Devon-based ARN Heating. Owner, Tony Norris explains: Theres been no downturn here. Ive been busier than ever on both installations and servicing. At the moment Im installing an average of two boilers a week.

Jeremy Boers, of Worcestershire company, Sponners, raised a very interesting point: When quoting for an installation job recently, I found the customer could buy the boiler cheaper off the internet than I could from my merchant. I think the internet has made making a prot more difcult.

Being in controlWith an overall drop in boiler sales, OI questioned whether installers were tting more ancillary products, such as temperature controls and whether manufacturers were actively pushing their products. However, with customers nances already stretched, it appears that this is an area which is also suffering.

Alex Murchison of A. M Plumbing and Heating said: Ive been to many installations where theres a lack of control over the heating system. Ive tted very few extra controls on existing systems as people are set in their ways. Even though I explain the benets and increased efciencies it doesnt always persuade customers. However on all new installations I do t full controls which pull the maximum efciency from the system.

Colin MacLeod added: I do talk to customers and advise them that these products could help increase efciency, but no-one is interested at the moment for nancial reasons. Neil Phillips of Plumbtec, Grimsby, is of the same opinion: A lot of customers with oil boilers already have room thermostats and other temperature controlling devices, and those that dont, arent particularly bothered or interested in the idea of saving money in the long term

strange, I know! Whilst the majority of installers receive

very little in the way of promotional material from ancillary product manufacturers, Kenneth Churcher said that he gets a huge amount of emails and calls from companies trying to push their products. Alex Murchison agreed: I regularly receive emails and newsletters relating to offers and new products for the oil industry.

Andy Holding had some advice for manufacturers: I cant knock them as they do promote their products very well, but I would like to see more case studies, documenting the savings delivered by their products. They dont do enough in this area and it would help to have something to hand to customers.

Looking at possible add onsFor many, additives are the great unknown and only a couple of installers contacted by OI were actively promoting them to customers. Andy Holding said that on new jobs he always does a ush out and uses additives. Many however, are reluctant to, as Alex Murchison explains: So far I havent sold any additives but perhaps this is due to my lack of knowledge. Tony Norris echoed this: I leave well alone, nothing has been proven!

Neil Phillips commented: I usually nd that in this area a lot of people are quite anti the idea of change, so additives or even biofuels become the devil incarnate.

Is the downturn affecting your business? Email [email protected]

Boiler News the views of installers and manufacturers

Dealing with the downturnWith boiler sales falling, Oil Installer spoke to installers across the country to see how they were faring, and to nd out if perhaps there were other areas of their business they were actively trying to push

Im not doing as many installations as I was ve years ago; Im doing more servicing

Theres been no downturn here. Ive been busier than ever on both installations and servicing

I would like to see more case studies, documenting the savings delivered by manufacturers products


Recent gures revealed that sales of oil boilers are at their lowest for 10 years. Numbers supplied by OFTEC members to the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council saw sales during the rst six months of 2012 at 23,254 compared with 26,590 in the rst six months of 2011

The last few years have seen a decline in oil-red boiler sales, said Anna Wakeeld, marketing manager at Grant UK. But whilst some installations in new build properties have been lost to alternative technologies, the main replacement market has slowed due to recession, and in Grants opinion, householders are currently repairing boilers, rather than replacing. This is evident by a signicant increase in oil boiler spares sales.

Over a million homes in the UK use heating oil as a primary fuel source; over 750,000 of these have a non-condensing oil-red boiler. Upgrading to a modern condensing boiler would result in a dramatic decrease in fuel costs but whilst things remain tight, homeowners are choosing to

hold onto capital. Martyn Bridges, director of marketing

and technical support at Worcester Bosch, agreed. Yet again, its been a disappointing year for oil boiler sales. Previously, customers changed their boiler when it was beyond repair, very old or as home renovations took place. However, there are now compelling reasons to encourage homeowners to change ageing appliances when compared to the cost of running a 20-year-old boiler, fuel savings on a condensing appliance can be signicant.

Whilst the markets down, Grant volumes have actually remained fairly consistent, added Anna Wakeeld. Our market share has grown, which is testament to the Vortex brands strength among our growing band of loyal installers.

In the future we see installations being more diverse with a possible mix of products being tted. These could be bivalent systems combining more than one heating source, or simply adding solar thermal into the mix with a cylinder upgrade.

Grant is investing heavily in biomass and heat pumps. Also investing in renewables is Firebird: Weve concentrated on increasing our oil boiler market share, which has been quite successful but were also focusing on renewables that work alongside oil reducing dependency.

Martyn Bridges added: The future direction for both ourselves and the industry is to encourage boiler exchange to high efciency condensing oil boilers, and then reduce oil usage by incorporating solar, or even hybrid technology such as an air to water heat pump, into the overall system. With the Renewable Heat Incentive just around the corner, the combination of oil and the offer to pay for heat generated by renewable sources, is a very tempting thought for a lot of end-users.

Oil boiler manufacturers back system upgrades

compelling reasons to change ageing boilers


Boiler News

Greater service support from GrantGrant UK has expanded its external service support team to help improve response times and customer satisfaction

As the company moves further into new technologies, it is determined to match sales growth with adequately trained service personnel. Positioned around mainland UK, the team is fully trained on all new and existing Grant product ranges, including oil and wood pellet boilers, solar thermal, air source heat pumps and cylinders; and will carry rst line spares to assist installers and third party service engineers in the eld.

Neil Sawers, technical manager for Grant UK, commented: Our customers expect a highly efcient service, not just highly efcient products. It is therefore imperative the company provides this, so we have pre-empted our installer and engineer needs for tomorrow by creating this support network today. www.grantuk.com

UFH + an oil condensing boilerNu-Heat has launched a new underoor heating (UFH) construction ideal for householders looking to increase the efciency of their heating system. A practical retrot product, the LoPro10 system offers potential for installers to increase revenue.

With the advent of the Green Deal, homeowners off the gas grid who decide to make insulation upgrades and install LoPro10 are also likely to look at installing a new oil condensing boiler.

The efciency of a warm water UFH system with an oil condensing boiler has major benets over electrical UFH, particularly with regard to cost. A recent comparison showed costs of with oil at 6p per kWh, against electric UFH at 12/14p per kWh, meaning that warm water UFH costs at least half as much to run. Although the initial cost for a water-based system may be more than an electric system, the payback will be relatively quick as the system will be far less expensive to run.

Suitable for refurbishment properties with insulation upgrades to the required levels or most properties built within the last 10 years, the system has one third less thermal mass than a screed oor, allowing it to heat up and cool down rapidly, making it more economical to run in retrot properties. The low thermal resistance and high-density properties provide a high thermal output compared to similar low height plywood and chipboard based systems.

The system can be installed quickly, and, with a height of just 15mm, it is perfect for retrotting into properties able to accommodate build-up. Tiles can be xed directly to the LoPro10 panel, and carpet and underlay can also be laid directly on top, without the need for a ply deck. Engineered wood oors can be oated directly over the panel. www.nu-heat.co.uk Comprehensive guides

Firebird now has a new single volume guide with full details of its extended product range. A comprehensive guide to Firebirds range of oil boilers, the guide also covers biomass wood burners and Enviropel wood pellet burners with technical drawings, full product details and specications. A new price list details Firebirds guarantees and warranties.

A new guide to solar thermal systems showcases three ranges of solar panels, including the newly introduced TZ58 heat pipe solar collectors. It aims to give the specier and installer everything they need to know about the differences between systems, system design, panel sizing, schematics and installation. www.rebird.ie

LoPro10 a new UFH oor construction aimed at the refurbishment market has major benets with an oil condensing boiler

Grant investing in a larger service team to give customers and installers a highly efcient service


Following the harsh temperatures experienced in the winter of 2010 -11, there have been several initiatives to help prevent external condensate pipes from freezing

New from the Worcester, Bosch Group is CondenseSure which can be tted with any condensing boiler, either at the time of installation or as a retrot. It consists of a syphonic trap and insulation, which connects to the boilers condensate outlet pipe. It can then be attached to the heating ow pipe, and requires no electricity to function.

After the UK experienced the coldest winter for 100 years, a plethora of anti-freeze type gadgets were introduced, said Martyn Bridges, director of marketing and technical support. These included a variety of fans and electrical-based products, which prompted Worcester to introduce our own energy-free device.

As the condensate discharge pipework

leaves the boiler, condensate is collected in the CondenseSure syphon. Condensate subsequently discharges automatically in 500ml quantities through the external pipework to drain outside. The majority of condensing boilers have internal syphons of around 100ml.

When running in full condensing mode, a typical condensing boiler can generate around two litres of condensate an hour. In these instances, the internal syphon can empty every three minutes, but with CondenseSure it is limited to once every 15 minutes, ensuring external pipework does not contain any condensate for long periods, making it less susceptible to freezing.

Intensive laboratory test work proved that an uninsulated 32mm diameter condensate discharge pipe would not freeze, even when subjected to -15C for over 48 hours. www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

Preventing frozen condensate

The energy-free CondenseSure compatible with any condensing boiler on the market

Firebirds pump actionFor properties with a large amount of external condensate dispersal pipework, Firebird recommends the use of a pump, to ensure ow is quick enough to prevent freezing.

The pump can be incorporated within the boiler casing, avoiding the need for expensive external pumps and unsightly add-ons.

The Firebird pump means condensate discharge can be carried out into waste pipework from a higher level in the house and at loft level into the rainwater drainage system, giving installers more options for siting the boiler.

Choosing the correct boiler can help prevent condensate freezing, says Firebird. Where the condensate trap is located within the boiler casing, the temperature is kept higher. The trap should allow a suitable volume of liquid to build up before releasing.

To prevent sagging, installers should ensure that clips on external pipework are xed at a safe distance apart. After a service check, external pipework should be checked to ensure that no debris remains which could block the ow. www.rebird.ie

Choosing the correct boiler can help prevent condensate freezing says Firebird

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Everything you need... backed up with a 5 year guarantee

Install any Greenstar oil-red condensing boiler, or any Greenstar

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Boiler News

Community servicingThe growing trend of buying heating oil as a community rather than as an individual remains a hot topic. For some community buying groups, the groups remit now extends beyond supplying members with cheaper priced heating oil; the offer now includes boiler servicing

A boiler service at a knock-down price?Fred Hanbury, who runs WOPEC in Devon, has negotiated a cheaper boiler service for WOPEC members who following six months of free membership, have paid their annual fee. With his prices starting from 40 for an AGA or Rayburn service, and 50 for a new condensing boiler, Fred explained that some customers nd it more cost effective to forgo their six month free membership and pay immediately, to get instant access to the boiler service.

The quotes provided seem alarmingly cheap, even for non-OFTEC registered companies, said Malcolm Farrow, marketing and communications manager at OFTEC.

Without having a breakdown of what is included as part of each service, its difcult to know whether the prices are indeed a good deal. Minus this detail, our concern is that the quotes suggest a boiler clean rather than a full professional service. Does the service include checking the tank, oil supply and appliance or just the appliance? In general, discounted prices mean a lower quality of service and a greater likelihood of a quick check over, rather than a detailed professional job.

This is a very popular service, said Fred Hanbury. With many companies charging considerably more I suppose the average is about 80, although 100 is not uncommon, our boiler service can save members a considerable amount.

Offering a quality serviceSteve Blood, co-ordinator of Oxfordshires Merton Oil Buying Group (MOBG), believes the biggest benet of using its boiler servicing scheme, is customer service.

The scheme has been running for nearly two years now; I know its successful when speaking to the servicing companies involved. Theres a small saving to be had between 10-20 but I think the most important thing here is customer service and trust there have been many accounts in the press regarding rip-off merchants and untrustworthy servicing technicians. This is the reason why I sought recommendations from members before I approached the servicing companies, and I needed three individual recommendations before I made the call.

David Nicholas, of Yelvertoft Village Heating Oil Buying Group, said: By talking to so many people over the years, we think we know who the reliable and good service engineers are and we speak to them to offer our heating oil buying members a group rate. It also helps everyone and can offer a considerable saving if boilers can be serviced during the summer months.

Existing relationshipsOther groups contacted by Oil Installer did not consider it worthwhile to offer a boiler servicing scheme to members.

Richard Holland, co-ordinator of the Wellow Oil Group in Somerset, said: There may be some demand but most of our 184 members already have a relationship with

their own preferred and existing servicing company. However, if other companies wished to contact me with good terms I would be happy to promote them to the group, providing they had a good reputation in the local area.

Whilst some groups do not offer boiler servicing directly, they do recommend engineers to members.

Lisa Poole, owner of My Consortium, which covers areas in the south west and east Midlands, explained: I recommend a heating engineer to my buying group. Its not a hugely popular service and rather than offering cheap servicing I use an engineer from whom I can guarantee quality.

Newslogs, based in Somerset has a different approach. Owner, Dave Smith, said: We do not offer boiler servicing but we do have three installers within our group who offer their services to other members at discounted prices.

With opinion split on the merits of community buying groups offering boiler servicing, Malcolm Farrow advised: For anyone considering the offer of a cheaper service, we would recommend they nd out exactly what is being offered rst. Then compare this with what an OFTEC registered servicing technician recommends should be included.

Oil Installer invites your views to [email protected]

Our boiler service can save members a considerable amount

Quotes provided seem alarmingly cheap, even for non-OFTEC registered companies

As a boiler is a very expensive thing to repair or replace I think quality is more important than price

Its good to know its a Grant

For further information visit: www.grantuk.comor call our sales team: 01380 736920

Green products. Great think

ing. Grant engineerin

g.

From condensing oil and wood pellet boilers to air source heat pumps and solar thermal systems, Grant products lead the way in design, efficiency and value.

All of our technologies are designed to fit together, giving you the option to install a complete green home heating solution with ultimate performance and reliability in mind.

Spira condensing wood pellet boilers

Vortex oil-fired condensing boilers

Solar thermal water heating systems

Aerona air source heat pumps

Wave cylinders and thermal stores


A couple in Herefordshire have reduced their energy bills by up to 50%, thanks to the installation of a new oil-red Rayburn 440K central heating range cooker in their period cottage.

Paul and Sandi Evans wanted to keep the benets of traditional cast-iron range cooking, with exible control to match their lifestyle. Replacing an ageing model, the new Rayburn 440K was able to provide both cooking and energy efcient central heating and hot water.

Although the required heating system load was well below the Rayburns maximum output of 12kW, there is no loss of efciency thanks to the internal energy management system.

The new owners said: Weve been really impressed with the controllability of the new model and have been amazed by the reduction in oil consumption over the rst year alone its really made a difference to our utility costs. Plus, with far quicker oven response times it allows us to

use the Rayburn more often for cooking throughout the week overall we couldnt be happier with its performance.

The appliance is available with a choice of conventional or balanced ues, making it suitable to stand against an internal or external wall. All user controls and access for servicing are located at the front of the Rayburn, allowing the cooker to be slot-tted into standard kitchen units and worktops. www.rayburn-web.co.uk

A 50% energy saving!

Boiler News

Boilers the virtues of a thorough cleanseA new video gives installers an ideal opportunity to emphasise the benets of system cleansing to customers

Investing in diversityTurkington Engineering has secured 500,000 worth of orders in the UK for its wood pellet boilers following support from Invest Northern Ireland

Trading as Turco Boilers, the company is the rst in Northern Ireland to manufacture biomass boilers. Two of its 150kW models were installed in the 2012 Olympic sailing village.

Ryan Turkington, Turcos managing director said: Invest NI offered 50,000, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, which has enabled us to capitalise on market demand for an efcient biomass heating system.

The wood pellet range has efciency levels of above 90% and is fully MCS approved, making users eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Turco has taken a structured approach to product diversication and process improvement in a bid to establish a competitive market position for its biomass boilers, says Kevin McCann, Invest NI director. Its export drive and focus on innovation has already produced impressive results and will continue to propel Turco on towards achieving its target of 2 million additional sales by 2014.

Available via Worcester, Bosch Groups YouTube channel, the video features diagrams and metaphors making the benets easier for installers to explain. As an educational tool, installers can remind customers that regular system treatment improves boiler performance and ultimately prolongs its lifespan.

A thorough cleanse of a homeowners heating system remains one of the best ways to maximise energy efciency and keep heating bills to a minimum, as well as maintaining the manufacturers boiler warranty. However, it is often assumed that costs associated with the required labour time, are a barrier to the system ushing process.

Martyn Bridges, director of marketing and technical support, commented: Our

ethos has always been to help our installers, whether this is through training or providing them with the tools needed to educate the homeowner, and this was the concept behind our YouTube channel. System cleansing is arguably an under-valued method for improving heating efciency.

By using the videos we believe installers can make customers aware of important issues, simplify the processes involved and help prevent any confusion surrounding the heating system within the

home.The video can be viewed at www.

worcester-bosch.co.uk/systemcare or access the Worcester, Bosch Group YouTube channel at www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/videos.

Worcester, Bosch YouTube channel aims to help installers educate their customers

System cleansing is arguably an under-valued method for improving heating efciency

A new oil-red Rayburn 440K central heating range cooker has really made a difference to our utility

costs

Weve been amazed by the reduction in oil consumption over the rst year alone


Hot Technical Topics

Encouraging customers to buy oil earlierBy the time you are reading this issue of Oil Installer, the country could already have experienced some low temperatures and maybe even some snow.

At this time of the year, OFTECs technical helpline is frequently busy with queries about the price and delivery of heating oil across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Inevitably, cold temperatures bring the usage of heating oil up signicantly, increasing demand for rells and heightening the cost of fuel. With the on-set of severe weather, such as snow, oil delivery vehicles can be prevented from reaching some areas of the country, leaving a number of users without their normal means of heating and hot water.

Taking into consideration historical trends in fuel prices and consequences of snowfall, OFTEC joins the Department of Energy and Climate Change in asking technicians to always encourage their customers to buy heating oil during the summer when prices are normally lower and delivery can be better guaranteed.

This will help to avoid the winter premiums and guarantee a supply of oil during the coldest months in the calendar.

Tankers can and do get stuck in the snow please encourage customers to order their heating oil before the onset of winter. This tanker had to be tted with an AutoSock to help traction


Hot Technical Topics

Looking after boilers in unheated spacesAs winter approaches, another popular enquiry has concerned the requirements surrounding frost protection of heating systems together with ways to protect installations from frost damage. Boilers and associated pipework located in unheated areas, such as garages and external boiler rooms, do require frost protection.

Using frost and pipe thermostatsProtection is generally achieved by a frost thermostat located as near to the boiler as possible. On external boiler models, this control is usually included reference should always be made to the boiler manufacturers installation instructions.

Where a frost thermostat is used, consideration should be given to the tment of a pipe thermostat in series on the primary return to prevent unnecessary boiler operation. Additionally, the system water can also be dosed with an antifreeze agent to provide further protection. Frost protection arrangements can found in section 3.16.3 of OFTEC technical book 4.

Finally, primary circulation pipes for heating and hot water circuits should be insulated to comply with the Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide wherever they pass outside the heated envelope of a building, including voids which communicate with unheated spaces.

Internal oil tank installationIn the winter months, when trees and foliage are out of leaf and oil tanks become more exposed, homeowners often enquire about the possibility screening, disguising or moving their oil storage facility into an internal location for security and/or aesthetical reasons.

BS 5410-1, which covers domestic oil tanks up to 3500 litres capacity, allows installations within non-habitable areas of a building, so long as the tank is provided with secondary containment and enclosed in a 60-minute re resistant chamber at the lowest possible level. Additionally, the chamber should be ventilated to the outside and provided with a re resistant door, which is self-closing and openable from the inside with the use of a key. Further information can be found in Section 1.10 of OFTEC Technical Book 3.

Your duty of care new warning & advice note now availableBut what about existing, internally installed oil tanks, which do not comply with BS 5410-1? The aforementioned requirements are not retrospective but for safety and environmental protection, OFTEC would always advise that installations are brought up to standard at the earliest opportunity. Technicians not contracted to replace or relocate an existing non-compliant oil tank installation (e.g. service technicians) should advise the owner, in writing, of any associated faults, under their duty of care. The NEW OFTEC CD/14 Warning & Advice Notice form would be ideal for this purpose.

OFTEC technical books and control documents are available from OFTEC Direct. Visit www.oftecdirect.com to purchase online or call 0845 65 85 080 and select option 2.

News from Danfoss Burner Components Danfoss would like to introduce their new credit card USB stick containing all of their data sheets, nozzle calculator and even an animation showing the workings of a burner. They have also up-dated their Service Handbook for 2013. Please use below contact details to obtain your copy.

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The market is reasonably buoyant weve a good customer base and four depots across the region to serve them, said Gary Taylor, engineering manager at Dorset-based Ford Fuel Oils, which offers boiler servicing in addition to heating oil deliveries. The company has ve engineers but may add more. Theres more demand for servicing than repairs at the moment, added Gary.

John Stenner, of John Stenner Heating Services, agrees that servicing is very popular. Its hugely busy, I could do more but dont want to! When calling people to remind them that their service is due, Ive noticed that sometimes they havent booked for several years. Although our prices arent expensive, it could still be a cost issue and is probably just a sign of the times.

Based in the far west of Cornwall, near Lands End, Johns company deals with servicing, commissioning and breakdowns, and is now too busy to accept referrals for new business. Ive had lots of enquiries but I pass them onto two newly qualied OFTEC guys who often ring me for advice. I retain business through offering good customer service. Its very busy I rarely get a holiday!

Phil Blackler, of South Hams-based Oil Burner Service, said: Very few customers actually plan to have their boiler or system upgraded a VAT reduction would be great.

Money is hard earned in this area. The majority of customers have a regular service, but fewer customers now consider upgrades

to equipment. New property buyers are spending to improve their heating/hot water, and oil tank replacement is brisk. Servicing for us is all year round with about a dozen services a day completed by three service technicians.

Were also undertaking training and assessment for certain renewables which will work well within our operation.

Phil added: Good service and customer satisfaction, by way of skilled and knowledgeable staff, are the key.

Working among the cowboys and the under-qualiedTony Norris, owner of ARN Heating in Cornwall, said business was going very well. With his stepson in the business, Tony can slow down. We now employ ve people and have a brand new van.

ARNs been busy installing tanks, recently completing ve in a three-week period. The company receives plenty of new business recommendations by word of mouth but sometimes nds it difcult to

keep on top of them. When OI asked Tony about the

biggest issue faced, he immediately said unregistered technicians. Theyre a bunch of cowboys and Im sick to the back teeth of them. They just dont go away.

Inferior works carried out by trained oil tank installers are the only issues I nd, said Bryan Paulley, of Dorset-based Bryan G Paulley. Many dont know regulatory distances for siting tanks, correct tank base requirements, or the correct ttings to use. They price for cheap wooden re walls to protect tanks from re hazards, instead of concrete re panels which are obviously more expensive making our quotes dearer. There are now too many under-qualied installers whove managed to get OFTEC registration.

The company works within a 150-mile radius of Stalbridge, installing new oil tanks for the public and farmers, as well as local councils, churches, housing associations, the MoD and the building industry.

Bryan spends a signicant amount of money on advertising local papers, telephone directories and on the internet as well as receiving a lot of business through word of mouth from satised customers.

Its obviously a successful strategy. Over the past six months weve been so busy that Ive had to work from 7.00am to 10.00pm six days a week, and sometimes seven days a week! added Bryan.

Installer Focus

Busy, brisk and buoyant .although there are a few cowboys out thereIn the rst of a series of regional focuses, installers reveal what life is like in the south west

Cornwall400 registered technicians46,609 households use oil

Devon 385 registered technicians 41,190 households use oil

Dorset 183 registered technicians

15,595 oil households use oil

Somerset 114 registered technicians 47,778 households use oil

I rarely get a holiday


Tank News FUEL TANKS

DO YOU REMEMBER 1977? AT CARBERY, WE REMEMBER IT WELL.

Do you remember 1977? Queen ruled the airwaves, the Raleigh Chopper was King of the Road, and Summer seemed to last forever.

Flares were hip (yes, really) and Bjrn Borg stood up to the plate at Wimbledon. The world said farewell to Elvis and said hello to punk. The Ford Cortina was a best seller and Apple launched its Series II computer.

1977 was also the year Carbery Plastics Limited manufactured its rst product. Much has changed during the past 35 years, but Carbery products today are as good as theyve ever been. And they continue to be characterised by quality, reliability, strength and safety.

To nd out more about tanks with a proven manufacturing pedigree, call us on +353(0)23 883 3531, click www.carberyplastics.com or e-mail [email protected]

Carbery Plastics LimitedT: +353(0)23 883 3531 F: +353(0)23 883 4368E: [email protected]

Nationwide tank distributionCarbery Plastics has announced a new national distribution service for customers across Great Britain.

The companys range of single skin and bunded heating oil tanks can be delivered direct to almost any location on the mainland in a maximum of ve working days.

The introduction of this new service is consistent with Carberys commitment to provide customers in all markets with access to added-value products and services. In the event of a product not being held in a customers stock, we can arrange for it to be delivered quickly and directly to their customer. This ensures they need never miss out on a sale again, said UK sales manager, Mark OConnell.

The availability of a truly nationwide delivery service from John OGroats to Lands End, also allows Carbery customers to reduce carriage costs, eliminate unnecessary product handling and potentially reduce their stockholding requirements too.

The service complements Carberys existing offering across Ireland.

Remote tank monitoringDunraven Systems, suppliers of storage tank telemetry solutions, has announced all-new GPRS and Broadband versions of its RMS remote tank monitoring system.

Broadband is found in around 40% of UK homes; our new Broadband option conveniently plugs into existing consumer Broadband hubs, says Dunravens managing director, Gerry Jones. The device can be tted in seconds and offers transmission speeds of up to 80Mb, often at zero incremental cost to the fuel user or distributor.

The company already offers an analogue option which ensures RMS is the optimum choice for oil heating installations in rural areas, beyond the reach of the mobile phone network.

A new GPRS option sees a tanktop sensor monitor the level of fuel inside the tank, relaying this information to the GPRS modem positioned inside the customers premises. The modem then relays this data periodically to the customers preferred fuel distributor. www.dunravensystems.com

Never miss out on a tank sale, says Carberys UK sales manager,

Mark OConnell

More options for remote tank monitoring


A new range of anti-theft alarms was unveiled at the recent Oil & Renewable Energy Show

The range from Dunraven Systems, suppliers of Apollo ultrasonic oil level monitors, offers oil users a choice of four different anti-theft technologies.

At the heart of each system is a tank mounted transmitter unit. The transmitter has been optimised to monitor variances in the level of fuel inside a tank. A long life, temperature resistant, lithium battery is supplied as standard, with an operational life of up to 10 years.

In the event of a theft event being detected, the transmitter unit sends an encrypted signal to a remote receiver unit. Dependent upon application, the receiver unit will activate one of several alarm options, alerting users that a theft is in progress.

Apollo Alert is ideal for heating oil users who are continually on the move. In the event of a fuel theft being detected, a text message will be despatched to the users mobile phone anywhere in the world.

Apollo Alarm also sends a text message plus an external alarm box is immediately activated alerting those in the vicinity of the storage tank to the theft event.

Managing director, Gerry Jones said: The issue of fuel theft has probably never been higher on the agenda. Recognising that no two fuel storage installations are the same, weve launched no fewer than four ways of combating

fuel theft, providing the marketplace with a choice of technologies and systems instead of a compromise.

As well as anti-theft protection, Dunraven appreciates many consumers have a requirement to monitor the contents of their tank on an ongoing basis.

Apollo Smart the worlds rst heating oil energy monitor allows consumers to remotely monitor the level of fuel inside their tank, and to track fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and heating oil costs on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis. The latest version has an inbuilt fuel warning system as standard. Visual and audible alarms are activated as soon as theft is detected, 24 hours a day.

Fuel theft new tank alarms

New anti-theft alarms offer a choice of technologies and systems instead of

a compromise, says Gerry Jones


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Tank News

Putting consumers in control

The launch of checkmytank.com is set to put the customer back in control of their oil supply says developer Spillsure Solutions.

Alan Smith, managing director of Spillsure Solutions told Oil Installer: Previously, tank monitoring services have only been available to a customer signing up to a supply arrangement with a single oil distributor. However, Check-my-tank.com allows the consumer to view the current level of oil in their tank from any internet connection, as well as volume usage trends and a price comparison from participating local oil suppliers.

Distributors are provided with information regarding likely size and timing of potential orders in the area free of charge.

When we built the price comparison element of Check-my-tank, we were concerned that oil distributors might see it as a threat. But once they realise they dont have to pay anything to list their prices or pay commission when they sell oil, they recognise it for what is, a cost free new distribution channel. www.check-my-tank.com

More online at CarberyCarbery Plastics has an all-new website. Designed and developed by Belfast web technology specialists Crafty Devil, the new site showcases storage tanks, recycling products, storage bunkers, agricultural equipment and construction products.

The new website has been developed in response to customer demand for a site which is much more than simply an online brochure, said Carberys John Switzer. The site has a comprehensive FAQ section with a wealth of information on installation and maintenance requirements in accordance with OFTEC guidelines and statutory requirements. Visitors can also catch up online with the latest industry news, courtesy of an exclusive syndication agreement with OilFiredUp.com.

The inclusion of a click and buy option means visitors are no more than a click away from an approved Carbery reseller, added John.

Continued development of our online presence and internet technologies is at the heart of our marketing strategy, explained John. It allows us to drive sales to Carbery customers, increase brand awareness and helps us to deliver even higher levels of service and customer satisfaction. www.carberyplastics.com

Check-my-tank.com allows the consumer to view the current

level of oil in their tank from any internet connection


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Training

In demand a cast iron service The parlous state of the economy is encouraging oil-ring businesses to expand their work-scope by adding extra registrations, says AGA training manager, Mike Kiddie.

The longevity of cast-iron range cookers ensures that demand for service support will be there for years to come. As the major manufacturer of oil-red, vapourising cookers and stoves, where better to obtain expert training on actual appliances, not just bench-top rigs. www.agarangemaster.co.uk

New courses from EOGBFrom November 2012, EOGB is offering OFTEC 102 vapourising courses. The company also provides training and assessment in OFTEC 101, 105e and 600a, from its head ofce in St. Neots, Cambridgeshire. Full dates and availability can be found on the website. www.eogb.co.uk

Boilerserve goes commercial Boilerserve now offers the OFT 201 commercial course. A practical course designed for experienced operatives working on commissioning/servicing commercial pressure jet oil red appliances such as commercial boilers and warm air units.

The OFT 101 commissioning and servicing unit qualication is a prerequisite and must already be held, or taken at the same time. www.boilerserve.com

Train in Bristol, Derby, North Yorkshire and DublinFour new OFTEC approved training centres are now running courses Gas Flare in Bristol, GTS in Derby and GTEC Training in

oil installer winter 2012

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