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Fake fitter had been warned not to work on gas

A self-employed plumber has been given a suspended prison sentence after carrying out illegal and dangerous gas work and forging a Gas Safe registration number.

North Staffordshire Magistrates Court heard that, in April 2018, Jeffrey Lewis, from Cheadle, incorrectly installed a new boiler in a domestic property in Stoke-on-Trent despite never having been registered. HSE, prosecuting, told the court that he also issued an invalid gas safety certificate to the occupier instead of a commissioning certificate, and faked a Gas Safe registration number.

The boiler had been connected to an old flue from a different manufacturer, and its spigot had been pushed in and not installed in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. HSE said the gas supply pipe to the boiler was undersized at 15mm instead of the 22mm that was required for part of the pipework run. Mr Lewis had not installed the original pipework under the floorboards but it would have been visible when he connected the new boiler and should have been upgraded to the correct size.

Six months after the installation, the boiler locked out during cold weather and couldn’t be re-lit. The landlord had difficulty getting the boiler repaired and the lack of heating was reported to the local authority housing department, which discovered that Mr Lewis was not registered and reported its findings to HSE.

The HSE investigation found that Mr Lewis had not undertaken any appropriate training in gas work since the 1970s. He was also in breach of a Prohibition Notice that the HSE had issued to him in 2015 not to carry out gas work until he was competent to do so and had become Gas Safe registered.

Jeffrey Alan Lewis of Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 as amended, and one breach of Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for 18 months, a four-month curfew from 7pm-6am, and ordered to carry out 20 rehabilitation activity days. He was ordered to pay court costs of £1,000.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Wendy Campbell said: “Mr Lewis knew that he was not registered to undertake gas work, but still put the occupier and her family at serious risk by carrying out the work.”

Fatal explosion caused by cutting through live gas pipework

A Glasgow asbestos removal contractor has been fined £150,000 after one employee was fatally injured and another was seriously injured in a gas explosion.

Hamilton Sheriff’s Court heard that, on 5 October 2017, workers were removing a boiler and pipework, and overspraying walls to remove asbestos residue at the former Pastoral Centre in Bonkle Road, Newmains, Wishaw.

Work was being carried out prior to demolition and the intention was to cut the boiler and pipework into sections to make it easier to remove. However, the gas supply had not been isolated and the workers cut through a live gas outlet pipe. The gas ignited and caused an explosion.

Two workers received extensive burns and underwent surgery, but one died in hospital several days after the incident.

The HSE investigation found that the risk assessment and plan of work for the job had identified that there were gas services in the boiler room, but the company failed to ensure that the gas pipework was isolated and purged before work started.

Enviraz (Scotland) Limited of Kelvin Avenue, Hillington Business Park, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £150,000.

HSE inspector Helen Diamond said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided if the company had ensured that the gas pipe in the boiler room had been isolated and purged prior to removal.

“Given the potential consequences of using a power tool on live or unpurged pipework, the management system to establish the status of the pipework needs to be robust and there should be written confirmation of isolation.

“Tragically, one man has lost his life as a result of this incident and a second worker has sustained life-changing injuries.”

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Worcester and Ariston scoop up green awards

Worcester Bosch and Ariston have both been named class winners in the Green Homes Awards 2021.

Worcester won the award for Best Heating Innovation for its hydrogen-ready boiler. The boiler is built and works in the same way as a natural gas appliance and can run on natural gas until hydrogen becomes available. At that point, it can be converted to run on hydrogen by changing just two or three components.

Martyn Bridges, director of technical communication & product management at Worcester Bosch, says: “Our research and development team have been hard at work to create a hydrogen-ready prototype that can be used by the masses and help meet our net-zero 2050 targets. The fact that this prototype has been recognised as a key innovator towards green housing is testament to the amazing work and commitment they’ve put in over the years.”

Ariston’s Velis Evo Wi-Fi was named Best Hot Water Innovation. The judges were impressed with the electric storage water heater’s performance, efficiency, environmental accreditations and uniqueness in the market, as well as sustainable production methods.

Managing director Mustafa Findik says: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this prestigious award. Not only is it a fantastic achievement, it also reflects our ongoing commitment to developing water heating products that utilise the latest cutting-edge and energy efficient technology.”

The Green Home Awards celebrate the best in sustainable home builds and commend organisations that are leading the way in sustainable technologies designed for a low-carbon future.

Free voltage tester with Testo flue gas analysers

Testo is giving away its 750-1 voltage tester with all 327, 320B and 300 analysers, which come in standard, advanced and 300LL kits.

The Testo 750-1 is suitable for testing electrical systems and equipment and is an important safety tool for gas engineers to check the safe isolation of boilers before starting work.

Standard analyser kits include a soft carry case with shoulder strap, they’re robust, with plenty of space for the analyser, and include a probe and accessories.

For all three analysers, the advanced kits include a range of pipe clamp probes that fit pipework from 6mm-36mm and come with a 1.2m cable and NTC thermocouples.

The free voltage tester offer also applies to the new Testo 300 all black analyser. The 300 is hydrogen-ready and comes with an optional NO sensor upgrade.

The offer ends on 31 August 2021, from participating Testo distributors only.

Train online on Navien’s LCB700 blue flame oil boilers

Navien’s on-site training is set to resume this month (June), and it has simultaneously created a complementary e-training course that focuses on the key elements of its LCB700 blue flame oil boilers.

The online training provides information on installation and controls, through to servicing and maintenance. The 20-minute course is in four sections and covers a variety of topics, including an overview of the range and key components; boiler installation; understanding the front display, menus, settings and error codes; plus essential service and maintenance information.

Each section is designed to expand gas engineers’ knowledge of the LCB700 boiler and provide a comprehensive overview. National technical manager Sean Keleher says: “Our online videos are designed to provide installers with the skills they need for fast, easy installation and servicing. Plus, engineers who successfully complete the e-training will receive a free gift.”

navienuk.com/training

Boiler sales bounce back as consumers renovate

Sales of domestic gas boilers have bounced back this year, according to new figures from the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC). Its figures show that 2021 sales so far have increased by 41 per cent compared with the same period in 2020, and 670,000 units were sold between January and April 2021. Average sales over the year to April rose by 14 per cent.

HHIC director Stewart Clements says: “Consumers are once again investing in home renovation as they see the light at the end of the dark Covid tunnel. We expected this April to be better than last year, when sales fell off a cliff, but the whole year so far has seen a massive increase in sales.

“This is great news for the UK manufacturers who make the appliances, for the whole supply chain that gets them ready for the home, and for the 130,000 Gas Safe registered engineers who fit them. It is also good news for the consumer, who gets new high-efficiency products in their homes, helping to keep bills down.”

Anton acquired by Crowcon parent

Anton Industrial Services has been acquired by Halma plc, the parent company of Crowcon Detection Instruments.

Crowcon, which manufactures the Sprint range of flue gas analysers, has provided gas monitoring equipment for more than 50 years.

Since the acquisition of Telegan in 1993, Crowcon has continued to invest in the Sprint range, with the seventh generation Sprint Pro, designed and manufactured in the UK and introduced in 2018. The company’s products include fixed and portable gas detection, engineered and sampling systems, flue gas analysis and industrial air quality monitoring.

Anton’s operations will be merged into the existing Crowcon business but it says sales and service will remain unchanged.

Decarbonised heating must take place house by house, says EUA

Heat pumps alone are not the solution to decarbonising domestic heat: they must be supported by a mosaic of solutions, including a hydrogen gas network, according to a new report by the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA).

The report, “Decarbonising heat in buildings: Putting consumers first” takes a deep dive into the UK’s diverse housing stock. Published in partnership with Leeds Beckett University and Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities, the report explores the challenges of retrofitting various low-carbon heating technologies into homes of different size, age and construction, as well as customer acceptance of these solutions.

It also highlights that although energy efficiency will be crucial to net-zero targets, some measures supporting the heat pump roll-out will be intrusive to install, and less acceptable to energy customers.

In addition to examining the external building fabric, the report recommends further analysis should be undertaken to consider the internal system changes needed for heat pumps and hydrogen boilers. This includes the suitability of radiators and potential changes to hot water cylinders if combi boilers are replaced with heat pumps.

While heat pumps will play a vital role in the UK’s net-zero transition – for 7-10 million homes there are no limiting factors to installation – the EUA report findings show that for the rest of the existing housing stock, the levels of disruption and cost, as well as lack of available space, mean that heat pumps will only be the best solution for a minority of properties.

For 8-13 million homes out of the 22.7 million that currently use gas, the lack of outside space and thermal properties of the building mean that a heat pump cannot meet the space requirement of the property, or can only do so through disruptive measures such as solid-wall insulation.

The roll-out of heat pumps must be supported by a decarbonised gas network carrying a gas such as hydrogen, which is zero carbon at the point of use, says the report. The gas transportation infrastructure can be converted incrementally to support the switchover with limited disruption to customers in their homes.

Mike Foster, CEO of the EUA, says: “Heat pumps will play a key role in the future of heat. However, it’s important to recognise that for them to work effectively as the sole heating source, the building needs to be thermally efficient, and they require internal and external space as well as changes to internal systems such as radiators.

“Levels of disruption to people in their homes and associated costs mean heat pumps will be a solution for a minority of properties only, so hydrogen, biogas and hybrid systems need to play a significant role in the decarbonisation of heat in order to support our 2050 net-zero ambition.

“This analysis shows a house-by-house heating solution is needed, and any thoughts to carve up the UK and force regional solutions upon consumers will be doomed to fail.”

You can read the full report at: https://eua.org.uk/

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‘Rural homes can’t afford net-zero plans’

More than one-quarter of rural households living off the gas grid wouldn’t be able to afford a new heating system at any price if they have to fit one to meet net-zero emissions targets, according to research by Liquid Gas UK. One-third (34 per cent) can’t afford to pay more than £4,000 towards a heat pump, and only 12 per cent would be prepared to pay more than £6,000. The cost of a new heat pump alone can range from £11,000 to £18,000 – well beyond the reach of most people living off-grid in rural areas, says Liquid Gas UK.

There are more than 1.5million rural off-grid homes, many of which are old buildings that are hard to heat and which use fuels such as LPG, oil and coal for their heating and hot water.

When the survey asked people what they thought about the estimated cost of a heat pump, two-thirds (68 per cent) said that they represented poor value for money. Only 3 per cent believe that heat pumps provide good value for money.

The research found increased concern among rural households about suggested government policy towards the decarbonisation of rural areas. Three in five (61 per cent) said that it would be unfair if the government introduced policy that would restrict or punish homeowners with regard to mortgage applications that were dependant on the efficiency of their home. Two-thirds (68 per cent) said it would be unfair if the government was to restrict the sales of homes that do not meet Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) targets, as the Scottish government suggested last year.

Off-grid households say they are not opposed to all efforts to decarbonising heating, but they want the government to listen to their concerns and put in place policies that reflect the nature of rural homes.

This might include allowing homeowners to install a back-up heating system in case of power outages, which can be more common in rural areas.

A previous study by Liquid Gas UK and Ecuity Consulting showed that a mixed-technology approach to decarbonisation would save over £7 billion, the equivalent of over £4,700 for homeowners, compared with a full electrification pathway.

Liquid Gas UK CEO George Webb says: “It is clear that if the government is serious about meeting its ambition to cut 78 per cent of CO2 emissions by 2035, it must drop its one-sizefits-all approach to decarbonising heating, begin to take seriously the views of rural homeowners and adopt policies that reflect the specific nature of homes in rural areas.

“Many off-grid homeowners simply can’t afford a heat pump and, even if they could, electrification alone will not be the answer to every home.

“Indeed, the only clear route to decarbonisation is a mixed approach. While heat pumps will have an important role to play, so too will LPG and bioLPG.”