Heating

47 articles

• Air Source Heat Pumps: How They Work, Sizing, COP Values & BUS Grant
  Air source heat pumps: CoP 2.5-4.0, MCS sizing methodology, 35°C flow temperature design, BUS grant (£7,500)
• Biomass and Wood Pellet Boilers: Fuel Storage, Flue Spec, MCS & BUS Grant Eligibility
  Biomass boilers: BUS grant £2,500 off-gas-grid only, ENPlus A1 pellets, fuel store design (dry, vented, pneumatic delivery port, 8m³ for 4 tonnes), HETAS registration, BS EN 303-5 twin-wall flue
• Biomass Boilers and Log Burners: HETAS Certification, Part J Air Supply, Fuel Storage and BUS Grant Comparison
  Biomass boilers and log burners: HETAS registration, Part J air supply calculations, fuel storage requirements, BUS grant £7,500 eligibility, DEFRA-exempt appliances for Smoke Control Areas
• Biomass Boilers: Fuel Types, Store Sizing, Commissioning and Maintenance Requirements
• Boiler and Heat Pump Efficiency: SEDBUK, ErP Ratings and Running Cost Comparisons
  Boiler and heat pump efficiency: SEDBUK seasonal efficiency, ErP label A-G classification, SCOP calculation methodology, BS EN 14511/14825, SAP 2012 assessment inputs
• Boiler Flue Types: Horizontal, Vertical, Shared & Plume Kit Requirements
  Boiler flue types: horizontal coaxial/twin-pipe, vertical, shared Se-duct; Approved Document J terminal clearances (300mm from windows, 2m from ground); plume management kits
• Boiler Plus Legislation: Minimum Heating Control Requirements from 2018
  Boiler Plus (2018): mandatory controls for new gas boilers in England — room stat, TRVs, plus one of four measures (zone control, load/weather compensation, smart thermostat)
• BUS Grant Application Guide: MCS Installer Requirement, Eligible Properties and £7,500 Process
  £7,500 ASHP/GSHP, £5,000 biomass; MCS installer applies (not homeowner); ≤45kW; valid EPC; replaces fossil fuel; funded to 2028; RECC/HIES consumer code; 3/6-month voucher windows
• Central Heating System Additives: Inhibitor, Cleaner and Scale Reducer - What to Use and When
• Central Heating System Cleansing and Inhibitors: BS 7593, Sentinel vs Fernox, MagnaCleanse and Commissioning
  BS 7593:2019 clean→flush→dose→sample→maintain; inhibitor required to validate Benchmark/boiler warranty; chemical clean vs power flush vs MagnaCleanse; in-line magnetic filter; concentration test kit/lab sample; re-dose interval
• Central Heating System Commissioning: BS 7593:2019 Step-by-Step, Chemical Dosing, Magnetic Filter Fitting and Benchmark Sign-Off
  BS 7593:2019 system flush, FERNOX or equivalent inhibitor dose, magnetic filter on return, flow/return temperature balance, Benchmark checklist completion for warranty
• Central Heating System Design: Open Vent, Sealed, S-Plan & Y-Plan Explained
  Central heating systems: open vent (F&E tank) vs sealed, S-plan (2 zones) vs Y-plan (mid-position valve), pump sizing
• Central Heating System Flush: Chemical Clean vs Powerflush, Inhibitor Dosing and Maintenance
  Central heating flush: chemical clean vs powerflush comparison, BS 7593:2019 inhibitor dosing, magnetic filter requirement, step-by-step procedures, post-flush documentation for warranties
• District Heating & HIUs: Installation, Maintenance & Tenant Billing
  District heating: HIU components (actuator valve + plate heat exchanger), SMETS2 heat meters, Ofgem regulation from 2025, HIU fault diagnosis, no gas connection in dwelling
• Domestic Hot Water Cylinder Sizing: Recovery Rate, Primary Coil, G3 Compliance and Selection by Property
  Size by occupancy/bathrooms; recovery rate + primary coil area (heat pump needs ~3m²+ for low flow temps); vented vs unvented; G3 (Part G3) + unvented qualification; T&P relief/tundish/discharge pipework; reheat times; ErP/standing loss
• Electric Underfloor Heating: Mat vs Cable, Thermostats & Running Costs
  Electric UFH: mat (150W/m²) vs cable, floor sensor positioning, thermostat programming, running costs vs wet UFH
• Flue Gas Analysis for Heating Engineers: Combustion Testing Procedure, Analyser Types and Gas Safe Requirements
  Combustion analyser BS 7967 / BS EN 50379; CO/CO₂ ratio max 0.004 for correct burn; CO2 ~8.5-10% NG [verify]; O2, flue temp, efficiency; commissioning + ACS; calibration; GSIUR — complements gas/flue-gas-analysis (tuning angle)
• Flue Liner Installation: Twin-Wall, Flexible Stainless and Pumice Systems — Sizing and Spec
• Ground Source Heat Pumps: Horizontal Loop vs Vertical Borehole, COP 3.5–5.0, MCS Sizing, BUS Grant Eligibility
  Horizontal loop 1.5–2× floor area, vertical borehole 50–100m per kW, COP 3.5–5.0 vs ASHP 2.5–4.0, MCS 021 sizing, BUS grant £7,500 (2025)
• Heat Pump Annual Servicing: Maintenance Checklist, F-Gas Requirements and COP Monitoring
  Annual service; F-Gas certified for refrigerant circuit; 5t CO₂e leak-check threshold; coil/condensate/glycol/filter/weather-comp checks; COP trend monitoring; R290 flammable handling
• Heat Pump Hot Water Cylinders: Oversized Coil Requirements, Buffer Tank Decision and Legionella Cycle
  Heat pump cylinders: oversized coil requirements (2–3m² for ≤12kW), buffer tank decision framework, legionella pasteurisation at 60°C, immersion heater weekly cycle
• Heat Pump Sizing: Room-by-Room Heat Loss Calculation and Flow Temperature Design
  MCS 3005 heat pump sizing: BS EN 12831 room-by-room heat loss, design external temp by postcode, radiator output derating at lower flow temps, flow temp selection 35–55°C, SCOP target 3.5+; typical UK domestic loads 4–12 kW
• Heating Controls and Boiler Plus: What's Required by Law?
  Boiler Plus legislation: what controls are required, smart thermostat comparison (Nest, Hive, Tado), load/weather compensation
• Heating Zone Systems: S-Plan vs Y-Plan Wiring, Motorised Valves & Programmers
  Heating zone control: S-plan (two 2-port valves) vs Y-plan (single 3-port mid-position valve), bypass circuit (ABV) requirement, Boiler Plus SI 2018/590 compliance
• Heating Zone Valves and Wiring: S-Plan, Y-Plan and Mid-Position Valve Diagnosis
  S-plan (two 2-port valves) vs Y-plan (one 3-port mid-position valve); Honeywell V4043H and V4073A wiring colour codes; end-switch boiler call circuit; mid-position stuck-in-DHW-priority diagnosis; Y-plan to S-plan retrofit; Boiler Plus compliance
• Hot Water Cylinder Replacement: Vented vs Unvented, Sizing and When to Upgrade
• Hot Water Cylinder Selection: Direct, Indirect, Unvented & Sizing Guide
  Hot water cylinder selection: direct/indirect/unvented/thermal store; sizing 50L per person; G3 notification for unvented; heat pump oversized coil requirements
• How to Balance Radiators: Step-by-Step Guide
  Step-by-step radiator balancing procedure using the 12°C delta-T method, lockshield valve adjustment, common mistakes
• Hydrogen-Ready Boilers: H2-Ready Certification, Timeline & Future-Proofing Advice
  Hydrogen-ready boilers: H2-ready certification, 20% blend compatibility, 100% H2 conversion costs (£100–300), current UK market reality, heat pump BUS grant comparison
• Log Burner Installation: Part J Air Supply, Hearth Dimensions and HETAS Registration
  Log burner installation: HETAS self-certification, Part J air supply (550mm²/kW above 5kW), hearth 840×840mm minimum, flue 150mm internal diameter, CO alarm mandatory, Smoke Control Area exempt appliances
• Low Temperature Heating System Design: 45°C Flow Temperature, Oversized Radiators and Heat Emitter Guide
  Low temperature heating design: 45°C flow radiator sizing (2.3–3× conventional), MCS Heat Emitter Guide methodology, weather compensation, DT20 correction factor (0.34)
• Magnetic Filters: Why Every Boiler Needs One, Installation & Maintenance
  Magnetic filters: Magnaclean/Fernox type, 22mm inline installation, annual cleaning procedure, BS 7593 requirement
• Magnetic System Filters: When to Install, Where to Fit and Maintenance Requirements
• MCS Certification Explained: What MCS Covers, How to Become MCS Certified, Costs and Renewal
  MCS gateway to BUS + Smart Export Guarantee; product + installer cert; Certification Body (NICEIC/NAPIT); RECC/HIES; Nominated Technical Person; MIS 3005; annual surveillance; ~£1-2k+ first year
• Oil Boiler Installation: OFTEC Notification, Bunded Tank Requirements and Part L Compliance
  Oil boiler installation: OFTEC OFT600 self-certification, bunded tank mandatory above 2,500L or within 10m of watercourse, 110% secondary containment, Part L1B SEDBUK Band A/B requirement
• Powerflushing a Central Heating System: When, Why, and How
  When to powerflush, comparison vs chemical flush and MagnaCleanse, procedure overview, BS 7593 requirements, and when NOT to flush
• Radiator Compatibility with Heat Pumps: ΔT20 vs ΔT50 Output, Uprating and Replacement Criteria
  BS EN 442 ΔT50 ratings; heat-pump ΔT20-30 gives only 30-50% output; correction factors (n≈1.3); uprate ~2-2.5×; fan-assisted/UFH options; microbore flow check
• Radiator Sizing Calculator: BTU Requirements by Room Size, Windows & Insulation
  Radiator BTU sizing: heat loss calculation by room volume, correction factors for flow temperature, panel vs column output
• Radiator Types: Panel, Column, Towel Rail, LST & Designer — Outputs & Applications
  Radiator types: Type 11/21/22/33 panel, column, towel rail, LST (43°C max surface); BS EN 442 delta-T 50 output ratings; heat pump sizing correction factors
• Smart Thermostat Compatibility: Combi, System & Heat Pump Wiring
  Smart thermostat wiring: 2-wire (no neutral), 3-wire (with neutral), heat pump compatibility, OpenTherm vs on/off
• Solar Thermal Systems: Flat Plate vs Evacuated Tube, Sizing & Building Regs
  Solar thermal: flat plate vs evacuated tube, glycol circuit (33–40%), twin-coil cylinder, MCS certification, G3 unvented qualification, 1–1.5m² collector per person
• Thermal Stores: Combined Heat and DHW Storage, Solar Integration and Comparison with Cylinders
  Thermal stores: open-vented (no G3 qualification required), solar primary coil integration, combined DHW/space heating buffer function, stratification principles, comparison with unvented cylinders
• Thermostatic Radiator Valves: Operation, Installation, Sizing and Common Faults
  M30×1.5 universal thread (Danfoss M28 exception); flow vs return side; head orientation rules (vertical/horizontal/remote sensor); installation steps with PTFE/jointing compound; common faults (stuck pin, capsule failure, head orientation error); ΔT bypass requirement; smart TRV physical clearances
• Thermostatic Radiator Valves: Selection, Setting Temperature Ranges & Lockshield Balancing
  TRV selection and balancing: setting scale (position 3 ≈ 20°C), bypass radiator requirement, lockshield balancing procedure (ΔT 10–12°C target), smart TRV installation (neutral wire/OpenTherm requirements)
• Wet UFH Controls: Wiring Centres, Weather Compensation and Zone Control
  Wet UFH controls: 24V actuator and wiring centre configuration, weather compensation curves, Boiler Plus SI 2018/590 compliance, zone sizing, room thermostat and TRV coordination
• What Regulations Apply to Domestic and Commercial Air Conditioning Installation?
  F-Gas Regulations SI 2015/310, City & Guilds 2079 refrigerant certification, mandatory leak checks by GWP×kg, BS EN 378, split vs VRF, Part F local authority notification
• What Size Boiler Do I Need? Sizing Guide by Property Type
  Boiler sizing guide by property type: combi kW by bathrooms, system boiler by radiator count, mains pressure considerations