GETTING THE MOST FROM GAS!

Mission Statement:

To promote efficient use of energy through appropriate heating system design.


Controls  - the missing link in energy efficiency!

Ecotechnicians specialize in the installation of energy efficient  heating and hot water systems, using sophisticated and proven technology regularly used in the rest of Europe. Such technology is different from the controls used in the UK, as the European controls give feedback to the heat sources about how much heat is needed at any one time....

Why are controls important? Clearly over heating a room or house wastes energy, yet on-off controls that turn off at the desired temperature don't stop radiators giving out heat. The resulting over shoot wastes energy, and makes for an uncomfortable  environment. We all know how we reach for the thermostat under these circumstances.

Much like driving  car less fuel is used cruising along at medium speeds rather than hitting the floor with the accelerator, and then the brake...in a heating system its the same, a  steady tick over makes more efficient use of gas, is more comfortable and kinder on the boiler....

 

 

  • Sophisticated and proven technology used in Germany and Holland to enhance comfort and ensure that gas is burnt at the highest efficiencies possible.
  • Viessmann, ATAG, Vaillant, Atmos, and Remeha Broag appliances installed with modulating controls as part of intelligent heating systems

UK Regulations versus good design:

Whilst in the UK modern  boilers have to be condensing they do not have to operate efficiently. This is because  whilst the boiler has the potential to be efficient UK regulations do not require the installation of controls that are equally sophisticated. The resulting loss of efficiency can, according to some manufactures, be as high as 20%  ( www.viessmann.co.uk ) which represents a sizable lowering of gas bills as well as reductions in CO2 emissions, and a more comfortable house to live in.


As Heating engineers installing  boilers in London and the South East and we specialize in the use of modulating controls (either from the boiler  manufacturer  using proprietary controls such as Viessmann, Vaillant and Atag or from  Honeywell and Timeguard, using the  OPENTHERM communciation system for Broag Remeha, and  Atmos) These controls ensure that the boiler works as efficiently as possible without  compromising comfort. But beware just because the controls have a manufacturers name doesn't mean to say that it is intelligent and communicates with the boiler other than a simple on-off signal.

It is worth reflecting that in Holland heating systems have to have Opentherm controls and in Germany  heating systems have to have outdoor sensors. In both cases the effect is the same comfort AND fuel efficiency


We are going for warm rooms not hot radiators!

Both Opentherm and proprietary modulating controls have the same effect, rooms are consistently warm  (as programmed)  and radiators vary  in temperature. In some cases they are warm when the system is effectively off (reduced or set back temperature). Reducing the amount of work the boiler has to do later (when the  house is to be occupied) is a way of ensuring that the boiler doesn't have to work too hard  and inefficiently later on.   Warm radiators ensure that gas is burnt at very high efficiencies as more heat is extracted from the burning gas.   Only when necessary (i.e. when the rooms are getting cold) will the radiators be hot.

A radiator  with a high temperature ensures that more heat goes out of the flue than is necessary representing inefficiency, as well as putting the whole boiler under strain as boilers are designed with modulating controls in mind, not on-off controls as required by UK regulations.

It is worth adding here that all these systems are fully automatic requiring almost no user intervention. They  all have holiday programme's and turn themselves off in summer. And the reason for this is simple, the software knows how to manage gas use efficiently...much more so than us!


See what people who have these systems say:

The system does what it should, I never have to touch anything and the house is warm as programmed

Dr V D T  NW3

We love our Viessmann weather compensated boiler

Erica N16


Just amazing, I never thought I would be enthusiastic about a heating system!

Carol N6

This is light years ahead of our old system, no more reaching for the thermostat. Marc N6


Why on-off controls are inherently wasteful:



A heating system that relies on simple on-off which are promoted by UK regulations have the following disadvantages:

1) Rooms have to cool off to turn the heating on, a drop of up to 2c is necessary in some cases depending on the thermostat location. The reaction is to turn the thermostat up and run everything at a higher temperature than necessary. Modulating room controls save up to 7% of the gas bill for every 1c, (source Theben)

2) The  boiler always fires at maximum out put and temperature, rapidly forcing the boiler to be inefficient as invariably the radiator temperature is set at around 75c, thus ensuring that heat is wasted through the flue

3) If the radiator temperature can float then on milder days the radiators will be kept at a temperature that reflects the heat lost by the house rather than  hot.  Boiler intelligence ensures that comfort is not compromised and gas is used efficiently.

Ecotechnician's is a group of self vetting corgi registered gas installers who understand condensing technology, modulating controls  and alternative technologies. We specialise in Condensing Boiler Installations in London and other parts of the UK. Membership is for those installers that provide technically advanced installations usually similar to those found in Germany, Holland and other North European and Scandinavian countries.

Modern technologies that  manage gas use need to be tailored to the installation in question to minimize energy consumption and ensure comfort levels are maintained. No longer should  an over sized boiler be installed   just because "its sure to do the job" as it is hugely wasteful. Alternatively over sizing a solar installation not only causes problems of over heating in summer, but is wasteful of capital. In short the application of modern technology is a specialist  technical job, not that of a jobbing  plumber.

There are synergies between technologies too, modulating controls for example  are used on ground source heat pumps to manage energy use, so at some stage technician and the end user is going to have to understand this to use it.

We understand that technology will play a key role in our future domestic heating and hot water needs, and work with customers to get the best technology available. It is worth noting that as efficiencies are so high in some cases this could be the last gas boiler you will have to buy. It is also worth investing in the best and we know which these are. 

Ecotechnican membership is for individual installers, and companies may also use our logo if their staff have been trained by us and use the available resources to ensure that the installation is going to be as efficient as possible.  These technicians have to prove their competence to other installers through  a combination of discussion and a written exam.

Unlike some websites where promotion is based on ability to pay, Ecotechnician's on this website  have to prove their knowledge to their peers.  From the clients point of view this means that Ecotechnicians have a minimum standard of knowledge and access to other Ecotechnicians as support. Gas Safe Register registration only addresses issues of gas safety, not installation design and so a Gas Safe Registered  installer is no guarantee of a good design. Most Ecotechnicians will have  additional access to a wealth of technical knowledge through the Association of Registered Gas  Installer and the Institiute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering

Ecotechnicians Ltd is run by Alec Morrow of Pleasing Plumbing Ltd., John Brooks of Croydon Calorific, Peter Hoffman of Aquaforma Ltd and Peter Greenbank of Gaswise (UK) Ltd who are Gas Safe Registered installers running installation companies in London.

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