New Boiler install

[Abrwstr]

Hi We have just been allocated a sheltered bungalow by our housing association, it has a newly installed gas service and also a new boiler an ECO Combi Compact RF not sure if it is a 24, 30, or 36.

The boiler is plugged into a standard kitchen wall socket there is no room thermostat or timer control clock.
It has been intimated by the HA and their heating engineer contractors that the heating is controlled by the thermostatic valves on the radiators and that as we are in sheltered accomodation we would usually leave the heat on constantly, a timer control clock is only required if we were working in order to turn the heating on and off as and when we are in. A room thermostat is not required as we have thermostic valves on every radiator

Currently in our home from which we are moving, we have set our controller to turn on at 07.30 in the morning and switch off at approx 22.30 in the evening and the temperature is controlled by a room thermostat in the living room.
The housing association is guided by their Heating contractor.
Are they right in what they are saying or are they assuming that because I am 71 years old I am a bit thick and will swallow whatever they say, Please any advice would be most welcome.

Many thanks


Tony

 

[rpm]

Hi We have just been allocated a sheltered bungalow by our housing association, it has a newly installed gas service and also a new boiler an ECO Combi Compact RF not sure if it is a 24, 30, or 36.

The boiler is plugged into a standard kitchen wall socket there is no room thermostat or timer control clock.
It has been intimated by the HA and their heating engineer contractors that the heating is controlled by the thermostatic valves on the radiators and that as we are in sheltered accomodation we would usually leave the heat on constantly, a timer control clock is only required if we were working in order to turn the heating on and off as and when we are in. A room thermostat is not required as we have thermostic valves on every radiator

Currently in our home from which we are moving, we have set our controller to turn on at 07.30 in the morning and switch off at approx 22.30 in the evening and the temperature is controlled by a room thermostat in the living room.
The housing association is guided by their Heating contractor.
Are they right in what they are saying or are they assuming that because I am 71 years old I am a bit thick and will swallow whatever they say, Please any advice would be most welcome.

Many thanks


Tony

Welcome to the forum Tony and we don`t care if you are 71 or 17, it is all straight answers to straight questions here.

 

[johnf]

Hello Tony
A Combination boiler should have a programmable room thermostat used in conjunction with thermostatic radiator valves (TRV's) as a mimimum. Just installing TRV's is not good enough in this day and age as it will not turn the pump off in the boiler and this will continually circulate which will cost you money. The programmable room thermostat will allow you to control the temperature at what level you want at times of the day to suit you. In the room that you have the programmable room thermostat you should not have a TRV on the radiator, it should be standard lockshield valves.

 

[chris watkins]

Hi Tony
Is this a new (ish) heating system ?

As you guessed they are take you for a mug Building Regulation (Part L1a or b) state that there must be both time and temperature control over both the heating & if you have a hot water cylinder then that as well.

Fitting TRV does not constitute control, as a minimum a room thermostat must be provide (normally in the hall) plus TRV in all rooms but that with the stat.

 

[chris watkins]

Hello Tony
A Combination boiler should have a programmable room thermostat used in conjunction with thermostatic radiator valves (TRV's) as a mimimum. Just installing TRV's is not good enough in this day and age as it will not turn the pump off in the boiler and this will continually circulate which will cost you money. The programmable room thermostat will allow you to control the temperature at what level you want at times of the day to suit you. In the room that you have the programmable room thermostat you should not have a TRV on the radiator, it should be standard lockshield valves.

Tony writes a mean email so I have no reason to think that he couldn't program or use a programable room thermostat on the other hand his 20 year old wife may not be able to work it, so maybe have a time clock and room stat fitted or at least check that all will be able to use the controls first. :wink:

There is no point installing complicated controls that customers can't / don't use, how many times do you see a heating system controls sole on the room stat.

 

[chris watkins]

Building Regs Part L is a legal requirement and this minimum level of control has been in place for something like ten years.
Equally plugging a gas boiler into a socket has also not been allowed for a good number of years. They are required not least by the manufacturer to have their power supplies from a switched fused connection unit fitted with a 3amp fuse.

If it is a new installation it (could) should not have been signed off to Building Control without these being completed, write to your housing association asking them to correct this so you can control your heating system economically.

 

[Masood]

Hi Tony,

Just to be clear, is this an Intergas Eco RF combi? As in the picture below:



If so, it's really odd that you don't have a programmable room stat - these are designed to pair natively with the Honeywell CMT927 without need for a receiver!

Why would anyone buy a boiler with that feature, the not supply the accompanying thermostat? It can't even be a cost decision, as the Eco RFs cost more than the other Intergas boilers which don't have the RF module!

 

[Abrwstr]

Hi everyone,
I got in touch with the the installers yesterday, their details were on the landlords gas safety check certificate (tennants copy) cuttin out the middle man (my landlord ) and quoting some of the info that I had got from your posts regarding Building regulations
This afternoon a time clock and wireles thermostat were fitted, albeit rather reluctantly, but they were fitted, the electrician said that his company had not supplied a time clock, but when I said ok we will see you again shortly, when you come back with one, he suddenly found one in his van and fitted it.
Now we have a fully functioning heating system.
May I offer my heartfelt appreciation to all who took the time and trouble to offer their advice and support.
Thank you all.

Tony

 

[johnf]

Good one Tony. Glad to hear you got it sorted. I think they knew they were in the wrong.

 

[julesverne]

great news Tony. great to hear you got it sorted in the end.

 

[chris watkins]

As above, take care Tony.

I love these kind of threads, this is what a forum should be about.