Training never goes out of fashion

It’s important to keep your knowledge and skillsets up to date with regular training, writes Navien’s national technical manager Sean Keleher.

With 26 million homes on the gas grid, there are a lot of heating systems that will require servicing and maintenance for many decades to come. The skills and knowledge of gas engineers are still very much in demand, which means it’s still important to stay up to date with training.

Investing in training can be seen as a big commitment but it will pay off in the long term. We know that it can be challenging to fit training into your work schedule, but there are commercial rewards to be gained: enhancing your knowledge of the newest boilers can help you recommend and upsell the latest heating systems, generating more revenue.

Proper training ensures that you have the confidence, skills and product knowledge to do your job well and to reassure your customers.

It’s not just about sitting in a classroom: a good training course should give you hands-on experience and face-to-face sessions under the supervision of experienced industry professionals. Sessions should feature comprehensive technical explanations and practical tuition covering a manufacturer’s entire product portfolio. This provides experience in working with live gas, oil and water connections, while getting to know the latest controls and industry legislation.

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Of course, training doesn’t stop at just boilers. Accessories also need to be understood; everything from flues and pumps through to condensate traps and control systems. When considering the latter, technical aspects such as wiring and connectivity should not be overlooked and there should also be a focus on functionality. Smart devices, diagnostics and zoning should be demonstrated and explained.

Training should encompass the benefits of hydrogen-ready heating and hot water technologies. Learning about this now will help you to prepare for more sustainable heating systems as and when they are introduced. ■

A training day at Navien includes a detailed overview of either the gas or Blue Flame oil boilers, covering essential angles such as installation, servicing and commissioning, in addition to parameters, settings and fault analysis. There’s a focus on the new NCB ON gas boilers, with built-in DHW recirculation pump for fast hot water delivery, as well as the NaviCirc recirculation valve for simple set-up of a hot water return system.

Training on oil boilers covers adjusting the pump and measuring combustion at the commissioning stage, as well as heat exchanger cleaning and maintenance. All attendees go home with a free training giveaway pack.