Product category:
Heating Systems, Controls and Management
News Release from: Johnson and Starley | Subject: Warm Air heating
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 January 2006
Warm Air - economical and reliantly
compliant
Warm Air heating is reliant ,cost effective and meets the new changes in regulations and it does not even need a "exception" assessment/certificate to do so.
For an industry notoriously slow to countenance change, it seems strange - to say the least - that some construction professionals are apparently resigned to the assumption that Part L regulation changes effectively lead them into giving up one of the most reliable, cost effective and user friendly means of central heating available on the market As the country's foremost manufacturer of warm air heating systems as well as other heating appliances and now the SEDBUK band A range of Reno high efficiency wet boilers - Johnson and Starley has found itself having to counter a cohort of misconceptions and even incidences of misinformation
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 18 Jan 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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While being fully involved in the consultation process with government departments and industry advisory groups on the amendments to Approval Document L, the company has had to deal with the concerns of many customers, worried that they might not be able to install the Economaire or Hi-Spec warm air heaters after last April's changes.
In fact, not only is Warm Air reliant and cost effective, it meets the new changes in regulations and it does not even need a "exception" assessment/certificate to do so - unilke the few standard efficiency wet boilers that are now being fitted.
Managing Director of Johnson and Starley, Glenn Page, comments, "It seems the problem for some people is that they have been mislead, through stereotyping, into thinking that all forms of domestic heating are by wet boilers and wet boilers will have to be condensing from April".
Further reading
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Installers should take advantage of warm air heating opportunities
Warm air heating suit new and replacement needs
Economaire and Hi-Spec warm air heater ranges suitable for both new and replacement installations without any assessments.
Prestwich Tenants Prefer Warm Air Heating
Residents of the Rectory Green Estate in Prestwich, Lancashire, have voted overwhelmingly to have new high efficiency warm air heaters, manufactured by Johnson and Starley, fitted in their homes.
"Many do not realise that other forms of heating such as Warm Air Heaters, Solar Heating modules and heat pumps are not centred on wet boilers - warm air heaters are not boilers and they do comply with the regulations in their own right".
"To further underpin the argument he points to the ODPM Part L consultation document and its alignment with the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD)".
"In article 2 of the directive a boiler is defined as:- "the combined boiler body and burner unit designed to transmit to water the heat released from combustion." A warm air heater transmits to air the heat released from combustion - as such it cannot be termed or considered to be a boiler".
"This distinction is fundamentally and extremely important, not only in ensuring that warm air appliances like Economaire and Hi-Spec are viewed in their own context, but also in the manner and regulatory compliant framework that helps explain their excellent performance".
"Because these appliances heat the air directly there is none of the time delay or slow thermal response which typifies most wet installations".
"Occupants can benefit from comfort almost instantly rather than waiting for hot water to be circulated to radiators and then for the room to be warmed - or not - by conductivity then convection".
"Johnson and Starley was rightly worried that, in not allowing warm air heaters to be individually recognised and compliant under the amendments to Part L, usersmay have been prompted to switch to fuels and systems that are less carbon efficient, having the effect of narrowing consumer choice".
"Electric based warm air heaters, for instance, emit nearly twice as much carbon over a 12 month period".
"The absence of pipework and radiators also has a hugely significant impact on cost comparisons between warm air and wet heating systems - something that one of Britain and Europe's biggest landlords has investigated in detail".
"A report commissioned by Birmingham City Council's Housing Department revealed a startling disparity between the life cycle costs for warm air and wet systems".
"In 2002 it stated that the installation cost of the latter was £2,800 (a figure which rises by approximately £300 for a condensing boiler) whilst warm air units could be fitted for just £1,100".
"The annual service cost of the wet system is also higher at £69.70 as against £58.88, but the biggest difference stemmed from the likely life expectancy".
"While Birmingham's engineers expect to replace a boiler every eight to 10 years, warm air units have historically given between 25 and 30 years reliable service".
"These factors worked out to a total 30 year life cycle cost for a warm air unit of £2,876 ".
"The council expects the three boilers required to warm a property over the same period to set it back a staggering £6,291".
"Glenn Page sums up by saying: "Warm air meets the minimum efficiency standards as set out in BS 5864 2004.
When you are looking to replace a warm air heating system with one of our modern high efficiency units, such as the Economaire, you do not have to apply for an "exception", it is compliant in its own right".
"With no condensate drain or distribution pipework to fit, heating engineers can install the units in less than a day". Request a free brochure from Johnson and Starley ...
"Disruption to those in occupied buildings is less and the whole system works extremely efficiently.".
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