No two applications are the same, so it’s important to ensure that you recommend the right boiler to meet the customer’s needs. Ideal Boilers Accredited Installer, Dale Merry of M&N Heating, Banbury, offers his thoughts on communicating with householders.
As any heating engineer will know, no two customers, properties or quotes are the same. Even if an installer quoted for new heating systems for two adjoining terraced or semi-detached houses, they wouldn’t simply change the address and submit the same recommendation to both homeowners, as both households may have different routines, requirements and budgets in terms of their heating needs.
The key to helping customers choose the right type of boiler for their needs is communication.
Identifying needs
There are a number of basic points installers need to take into account when discussing heating and hot water needs with customers, including the number of bathrooms they have and their usage, as well as the number of occupants in the property and daily routines.
There is also the potential for homeowners to do more than just replace their old, inefficient boiler with a modern condensing gas boiler. For instance, if the homeowner is interested in making their heating system as efficient as possible, they may be interested in adding TRVs, heating zones or smart controls to help them ensure they are not paying for energy that is not required.
They might also have an old system that needs additional powerflushing and water treatment to ensure a new boiler isn’t damaged. Powerflushing will also help to increase the efficiency of the system. Customers may also be interested in other efficiency options, such as weather compensation or passive flue gas recovery systems.
Any installer who takes the time to chat to a householder about all the available options will be more likely to win the work, having shown an understanding of and interest in the potential client’s actual requirements.
Types of dwelling
According to figures released in September 2014 by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there are 27.8 million residential properties in the UK. 21 million homes in Britain use mains gas. Of the estimated 23.4 million dwellings in England, 14.7 million are owner-occupied, 4.6 million privately rented and 4 million social housing or affordable rental.
Installers need to keep these facts in mind when assessing the different dwelling types they are quoting for. However, there will be opportunities in all these housing types for the entrepreneurial installer. The installer must also consider the age of the property, with the highest rates of gas heating occurring in housing built in the inter-war and immediate post-war years, and very old housing to be least likely to have gas heating.
When quoting for a new build project from architect’s plans, the installer should quote according to the number of rooms, bathrooms, and number and size of radiators specified. However, if a family has been in residence for a couple of years, its important to talk to the homeowner and take into account their changing needs.
Internal features
Within the property itself, installers should always take into account some basic details, such as the number and size of radiators (actual and proposed), number of bathrooms, whether the house has double-glazing and is well insulated.
While the glazing and insulation factors might not immediately affect the householder who only wants a new combi boiler, it’s worth chatting through these additional measures that could help improve the energy efficiency of the home and contribute to increased cost savings.
It’s important to consult the homeowner about their current and future plans. Perhaps there is the potential for a loft conversion or extension, which could necessitate the removal of a cold water storage tank, or they are keen to consider renewables and would like the flexibility to incorporate that in the future. Therefore the potential for adding more sophisticated controls or heating zones will also need to be discussed.
When it comes to boiler sizing, installers need to take into consideration the number of and sizes of radiators. For example, an old house might have a 60,000 Btu boiler, equivalent to a modern 18kW boiler, and the installer could put in a like-for-like replacement. However, they should also measure every radiator in the house to see what size boiler is the right option for the property. With modern modulating boilers it is not as critical to get the sizing as precise as previously recommended, as these boilers can modulate their operation down to the actual heat requirement at any time.
Discuss the options
There is a huge range of heating options for all these different properties, budgets, families and scenarios. Installers will need to take the time to discuss householders’ needs and the options in order to put together the best recommendations and quotes.
There are arguments in support of and against the various types of boilers and it’s important to explain these to homeowners when helping them consider which type of boiler that should be installed.
For example, one of the positive arguments for combi boilers is that almost all components are within the boiler itself, which makes the boiler more compact and neater looking. In addition, there is no need for a cold water storage tank and expansion tank in the loft and the customer can immediately get hot water on demand.
This system is better suited to a household with a smaller number of people that tend not to need to use hot water at the same time, as they will only be able to use hot water from a combi boiler system for one task at a time.
In contrast, heat-only boilers are usually better suited to larger households where several people frequently need to use hot water at the same time. However, unlike a combi gas boiler, once the storage tank runs out of hot water, the homeowner will have to wait for the water to heat up again before using it. An open-vented heat-only gas boiler system with a water tank also has components housed externally from the boiler and will usually require cold water as well as feed and expansion tanks in the loft.
If removing tanks in the loft of an existing property, an installer might recommend an unvented hot water system and pressurise the heating system (also then unvented). Certain parameters, such as testing the pressure and flow rate of the incoming main, which is essential, also need to be considered. Manufacturers usually recommend a minimum 25 litres per minute flow rate and 1bar water pressure coming into the house.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when looking at replacing a potential customer’s heating system, but clear communication and taking the time to talk to a family about how they actually live in the property will ensure an installer gains their trust and, crucially, the work.
M&N Heating
Based near Banbury in Oxfordshire, M&N Heating is an independent heating company serving Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire. The company has been in business for over 30 years and is an Accredited Installer for Ideal Boilers.
