If you’re fitting a new gas fired combi boiler in England – currently not Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland – then Boiler Plus is important to you. You have to make sure your customer’s new boiler is fitted with time and temperature controls, as well as one or more energy efficiency measures from a list of four.
The four options are load compensation, weather compensation, a flue gas heat recovery device or a smart thermostat with automation and optimisation.
Now some companies are getting themselves overheated by the claims of other companies that are claiming their controls are very much Boiler Plus Compliant, but it’s actually very straightforward to check and it’s probably best if controls companies concentrate on their own products and their pluses or minuses rather than spreading unfounded and inaccurate rumours about successful competitors!
Over recent years ESi has enjoyed phenomenal growth and is a highly competent heating controls brand, and it proudly stands behind two of its control products that very definitely are Boiler Plus compliant and selling very well on that basis. ESi’s ESRTP4RF and ESRTP5 Wifi controls are both fully Boiler Plus compliant, offering a smart thermostat with Automation and Optimisation as standard.
What is Load Compensation? It’s a type of boiler control that adjusts the temperature of the heat going to the radiators. When a property is cold, the temperature going to the radiators will be high. But as the room warms up and less heat is required, this feature will lower the temperature supplied to the radiators. As a result, comfort is maintained but energy use is significantly reduced.
What about Weather Compensation? This is another type of control that works by monitoring the weather outdoors using an outdoor sensor. It gets this information and the control adjusts the temperature of the hot water going to the radiators. If the temperature outside falls, radiators will respond and run hotter. If the outside temperature is milder, the boiler will get the message to supply less heat, boosting energy efficiency and lowering bills.
OK so let’s look at option three. What is a flue gas heat recovery unit. A flue gas heat recovery device will usually connect to the boiler flue outlet – although there are some boilers with it built-in – and uses a heat exchanger to extract residual energy from the waste flue gases. This energy is then used to pre-warm the cold water that is fed into the combi boiler, reducing the amount of gas required to reach the desired hot water temperature. In our experience at ESi, these devices have tended to be most popular for housing associations and local authorities, but are beginning to be more popular in the private housing sector.
What is a smart thermostat with automation and optimisation? This is the ‘Real McCoy’, with regard to Boiler Plus. If you fit a smart thermostat, your customer’s heating efficiency will more or less take care of itself. By pairing with devices such as Electronic Thermostatic Radiator Valves (eTRVs), you can divide a house into different heating zones, while a combination of internet connectivity, load compensation, and weather compensation allows the heating system to perform to its full potential.
ESi Controls Sales Director for the UK is Tristan James:
“The main change with Boiler Plus, is the need to fit at least one additional energy efficiency measure from the list of four options. It’s been blown out of proportion by some, but it’s really not that difficult to comply with. Select either the ESi ESRTP4RF or ESRTP5 Wifi and you’ve nailed compliancy. Increasing numbers of installers are doing just that through their merchant, and specifiers are recognising the quality of our solutions and specifying them as part of new build and replacement heating systems.”
ESi Controls are also currently working hard to bring their Load Compensation control range to the market place, which will add an additional feather to their cap.
Take a closer look at the ESi solutions available to you on the company’s straightforward and easy to navigate web site at www.esicontrols.co.uk. Alternatively call them on 01280 816 868 or email them for information on sales(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)esicontrols.co.uk.