Archive for the ‘Gas Boilers’ Category
Vaillant VRT392F Wireless Programmable Room Control
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
Vaillants excellent range of digital controls continues with the VRT392F Wireless Programm Room Control for all Vaillant EcoTEC Boilers.
Vaillant VRT392F Wireless Controller
Its blue backlit screen and the plain text display with numbered screens allows an easy and clear understanding of information. Only two ‘click and turn’ knobs are needed to select and change data. The Vaillant VRT 392f has 3 independent time periods per day to adapt the heating and hot water supply to your daily schedule. However if you want to adjust your time programmes temporarily an advanced heating function to override the current time programme will be available.
Even more, going on holiday the VRT 392f provides you with a holiday set-back function for Vaillant Boilers, which reduces the temperature in your property and heats is up before you come back home. There is also a calendar function for automatic summer/winter changeover.
For additional installation comfort and flexibility the VRT 392f communicates wireless through radio frequency technology with the receiver in the boiler fascia. The receiver simply needs to be plugged into the boiler fascia which dramatically reduces the installation effort and time.
The Vaillant VRT 392f can be used with all ecoTEC boilers.
Posted in Boiler Spares & Parts, Combi Boilers, Condensing Boilers, Gas Boilers | No Comments »
Boiler safety and maintenance
Monday, July 5th, 2010
As time has passed and the technology of boilers has leaped forward, there has been a less and less need for any real safety precautions and standard safety procedures to be aware of. With the incorporation of digital technology you are unlikely to notice when something is wrong with the boiler from directly looking at it, only from finding that the water is not getting hotter and the cosy home really isn’t that cosy.
There is however a number of simple checks and precautionary measures which can not only ensure that your boiler is working efficiently, but you remain in good health as well.
1. Boiler Insurance and Upkeep
If your boiler were to suddenly breakdown and you needed some repairs which could amount to a small fortune, setting up boiler insurance will help you to recover those costs.
2. Yearly Checks
Keeping an eye on your boiler with yearly checks from a Corgi (The Council for Registered Gas Installers) technician will help to ensure its smooth running.
3. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Often known as the silent killer, deaths from carbon monoxide leaks in the home have increased year on year. The odourless and colourless gas can be emitted from a range of appliances within the home which have not completed the burning of gas.
This could be due to the improper installation of the appliance, lack of ventilation surrounding the product or the appliance is faulty. This can usually be found through shared boiler flues or chimneys as well as a number of other household appliances.
It is a scary thought not knowing whether you have any potential leaks within the home, and as they can occur suddenly it is vital to keep tabs on. There are a number of carbon monoxide detection alarms that could be purchased off the market (usually £20 plus), which will alert you to any potential threats.
4. Free Boiler Checks
Keeping up with the on-going maintenance of your boiler can certainly hit you in the pocket, but if you contact the EST (Energy Saving Trust) you may qualify for free checks via the priority services register.
Tags: Boiler Maintenance, Boiler Safety, Boilers
Posted in Gas Boilers | No Comments »
Vaillant Ecotec Plus Combi Boilers : Setting The Standard
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Vaillant EcoTEC Plus Combination Boiler Range
One of the most popular models of boiler in the UK today are the Vaillant Ecotec Plus Combi boilers. Its no surprise either, with their superb A rated energy consumption, excellent logenvity and availability of parts and ease of installation.
By providing your hot water and central heating from one central unit, the Vaillant EcoTEC Plus is a hassle free purchase with almost “fit and forget” usability.
Vaillant EcoTEC Plus from Direct Heating Supplies
ecoTEC plus combination boilers have the following central heating heat output ranges:
- ecoTEC plus 824 – 6.7 – 19.0kW
- ecoTEC plus 831 – 8.7 – 24.0kW
- ecoTEC plus 837 – 12.0 – 28.0kW
Features and benefits |
|
| High condensing efficiency | SEDBUK Band ‘A’ |
| Compact dimensions | Offers excellent siting versatility and easy installation |
| Stainless steel heat exchanger | Allows more heat to be extracted by recapturing otherwise lost heat |
| ‘AquaComfort’ system | Providing instantaneous hot water at a constant temperature |
| Built-in status / diagnostic display | Comprehensive status and diagnostic information and push button programming |
| Single electronic circuit board | Simplifies commissioning and servicing |
Vaillant EcoTEC Boilers can be purchased from Direct Heating Supplies
Tags: Boilers, Combi Boilers, Condensing Boilers, condensing combi boilers, Gas Boilers
Posted in Gas Boilers | No Comments »
Do It Yourself Gas Boiler Installation – Don’t Pay With Your Life
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
Trying to save money by attempting to work on a gas boiler yourself can endagers lives.
With the recession still very much in everyones minds, and saving money high on many peoples lists, surveys have found 1 in 3 people would attempt to fit or service a gas appliance in the hope of saving as little as £60
The Gas Safe Register, the official list and authority of gas engineers claim Three out of four people (75%) admit they would rather attempt fitting a gas boiler than leave it to the professionals, but worryingly only 23% said they were any good at it.
By UK Law, Only Gas Safe registered engineers can work on gas in your home – it’s the law and will keep you and your family safe.
Other factors around general DIY also come into play when working around gas appliances such as boilers or fires.
- Always use a Gas Safe Registered Engineer
Doing DIY? Follow these top tips to stay gas safe:
- Never DIY with gas appliances. Fitting a gas fire or cooker may look like a simple job but it’s not.
- Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer and check their Gas Safe ID card to make sure they are qualified to do the work you want them to do.
- Never block or cover air vents and flues. This could cause a build up of deadly gas fumes.
- Never attempt to remove back boilers and fires* yourself. This could leave pipes and gas flues exposed.
- Don’t cover up gas pipes without treating them with wrapping tape or paint first as this could cause them to rot and leak gas.
- Know where your gas pipes are located so you don’t accidentally hammer or drill into them. Pipe detectors are available from most DIY shops.
- If you’re doing general building or having a shed, extension or conservatory built make sure your boiler’s flue isn’t blocked.
Jamie Cooper from Gas Safe Register, warns people about dangerous DIY gas work:
“While the most capable of do-it-yourselfers might like to tackle things such as plumbing and tiling, when it comes to gas it’s not worth taking the risk. I’ve seen the aftermath of gas jobs that have gone wrong and it’s frightening what can happen. And it’s not just DIY gas work that is dangerous. Accidentally covering or blocking up air vents, or drilling into gas pipes by mistake can have serious consequences for you and your family.”
“For most gas jobs, the costs to call in a legal gas engineer are very modest. On average Gas Safe registered engineers charge £113 for fitting a new gas fire and £61 for a gas cooker. So why take the risk? It will cost you more money to put a DIY job right. But more frightening is the fact that badly fitted gas appliances can lead to fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. These incidents killed 18 people in the UK last year and hospitalised a further 310. I would urge anyone considering gas DIY to leave it to the professionals.”
There are around 123,000 engineers on the Gas Safe Register to assist in fitting a gas boiler or fire. To find one in your area and check their identity and qualifications, visit the Gas Safe website or call their free helpline.
Tags: Boilers, Combi Boilers, Condensing Boilers, condensing combi boilers, Gas Boilers, heating
Posted in Boiler Flues, Boilers, Combi Boilers, Condensing Boilers, Gas Boilers | Comments Off
Which Gas Boiler do I need?
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Is often the question many people ask when looking for a new Gas Boiler
Our handy guide below, outlines the types of gas boilers available, and the one most suited to your needs. The guide below which help you choose the right boiler for your install.
Combi Boiler
A combi boiler provides heating and hot water directly from the boiler.
Here’s an example of a central heating and hot water system layout using a combi boiler:
A combi (or combination) boiler is an ingenious space-saving idea, and an increasingly popular choice in UK homes. In fact, combis now account for well over half of all the new domestic boilers installed in Britain every year.
A combi boiler is both a high-efficiency water heater and a central heating boiler, combined (hence the name) within one compact unit. Therefore, no separate hot water cylinder is required, offering space saving within the property.
Further benefits of a combi boiler are significant savings on hot water costs and the fact that hot water is delivered through your taps or shower at mains pressure. So you can enjoy powerful showering* without the need for a pump.
Another combi boiler benefit is that it can generally save you money on installation time and costs, since no tank in the roof space means less pipe work and a shorter installation time.
Click here to see a range of Gas Combi boilers
Regular Boiler
Regular boilers heat your central heating system directly and produce hot water for your cylinder.
Here’s an example of a central heating and hot water system layout using a regular boiler:
If you are replacing an older model of boiler, the chances are that you will have a regular (also known as ‘conventional’) boiler.
A typical regular boiler system incorporates a boiler, extended controls, a hot water cylinder which is often fed by a cold water storage cistern located in the loft and a feed and expansion cistern – also located in the
loft.
Click here to see a range of Regular Gas Boilers
System Boiler
A system boiler heats your central heating system directly and produces hot water for your cylinder.
An example of a central heating and hot water system layout using a system boiler with an open-vented hot water cylinder:
An example of a central heating and hot water system layout using a system boiler with a pressurised unvented hot water cylinder:
A system boiler, just like a regular (conventional) boiler works on the principle of stored hot water. However, a system boiler differs from a regular boiler in some important respects.
Firstly, many of the major individual components of the heating and hot water system are built into a system boiler, which means that installation is quicker, neater, easier and more efficient.
Secondly, the hot water is pumped from the system boiler through the heating system to the radiators and hot water cylinder, resulting in a fast response and more economical running costs. The system boiler removes the need for a feed and expansion cistern.
Click here to see a range of Gas System Boilers
Tags: Boilers, Combi Boilers, Condensing Boilers, condensing combi boilers, Gas Boilers
Posted in Boilers, Combi Boilers, Condensing Boilers, Gas Boilers | 1 Comment »
A High Efficiency Condensing Combi Boiler can save you money
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
The Vaillant Ecotec boiler can save you money and energy in the long term
Find out why fitting a Condensing Boiler can not only save you money, but also save on valuable resources to help save the planet.
Condensing boilers get their name because they enter what is called “condensing mode” periodically. In other words, they start to extract heat from the exhaust gases that would otherwise escape through the flue, in the process turning water vapour from the gas back into liquid water or condensate.
A condensing boiler captures much more usable heat from its fuel than a non-condensing boiler. Its high operating efficiency is made possible by the design of the condensing boiler’s larger – or sometimes dual – heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger makes sure that as much heat as possible is transferred from the boiler’s burner – and as little as possible lost in gases through the flue.
There are two types of condensing boiler: regular and combination (also known as a Combi Boiler). Regular condensing boilers heat your hot water through a hot water cylinder. Combination condensing boilers give you instant hot water without the need for a cylinder.
Please bear in mind that not all home heating systems will be compatible with a combination boiler. A qualified installer will tell you which type of condensing boiler, regular or combi boiler, is most suitable for your home.
If your boiler is 15 years old or more then it could be a G rated boiler. You can find out if your boiler is G rated by checking the list here. Replacing an old G rated boiler with a new A rated condensing boiler and a full set of heating controls can save up to a quarter on your heating bills straight away and up to 1,300kg of CO2 year. If your boiler is younger than 15 years then it is likely to be more efficient so will save you less if you replace it.
If your boiler is newer then it may well be in a higher energy efficiency band. Below are typical savings which can be achieved by replacing boilers with new A-rated condensing models and installing a full set of heating controls:
| Old Boiler Rating | Annual Saving (£/yr) | Annual Saving (kgCO2/yr) |
| G ( < 70%) | £235 | 1,260 |
| F (70% – 74%) | £150 | 800 |
| E (74% – 78%) | £110 | 575 |
| D (78% – 82%) | £70 | 375 |
Some of the most popular brands of condensing combi boilers include:
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How Do Gas Central Heating Boilers Work?
Friday, June 4th, 2010
I bet this is the question that people would have wished about asking years and years ago when people were making their own wood and coal fires to keep warm. The amount of time it would have taken to set a fire alight, summer would have already arrived!
Ok maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but boilers naturally do save the hard work and provide a steady flow of heat into our homes.
So how does a gas central heating boiler actually work?
The boiler is the part of the system which produces the heat, and undoubtedly is the most important aspect of any heating system. The boiler will connect to a gas mains supply within your home, and at the flick of a switch the valve opens and gas passes into the combustion chamber within the boiler via small jets.
Once the gas is in the boiler chamber, it is set alight by an electric ignition system which in turn heats cold water pipes to around 60°C. The pipes would run throughout the home and pass through each hot water radiator before then returning to the boiler. An electric pump is used within the boiler to keep the water flowing through the circuit.
As this is quite a long circuit, once the water returns to the boiler it has already cooled down forcing the boiler to continually keep firing in order to produce heat for the home.
The carbon dioxide and steam that is created as a waste product of burning gas flows through a small boiler flue to the outside of the building.
This is the basic gas central heating system that would be incorporated in most homes, however depending on the type of fuel you use (gas, electric, wood, oil etc) will determine the slight differences that would be made to this system.
Tags: Central Heating System, Gas Boilers
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Welcome to the new Direct Heating Supplies Blog
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
Hello and welcome to the new Direct Heating Supplies Blog. The aim of this blog is to provide you with helpful information and advice on just about everything to do with boilers!
We hope that you will find the information contained within this blog useful, and hopefully you will then recommend us to your friends 
Over the coming days, weeks and months you will find new postings on different topics so be sure to check back regularly to keep up to date. Whether it is gas, electric or combi boilers that you are looking for advice for, you will be sure to find it here. No one can promise everything to be covered, so if there is a topic that you would like some more information about, or a niggling question which you are bursting to ask please drop a comment somewhere on our blog and we will be sure to take a look into it (we may even mention you within a new blog post!).
Tags: Boilers, Combi Boilers, Direct Heating Supplies, Electric Boilers, Gas Boilers
Posted in Gas Boilers | No Comments »
