Boosting water in commercial installations

Good water pressure and flow forms a critical part of the infrastructure of larger properties and commercial buildings.

Poor water performance can cause widespread disruption to the building, negatively impacting the water supply to appliances in kitchens, bathrooms and other areas of the property. Having adequate water pressure and flow is also essential for installers if they are to carry out a new installation or a renovation, such as a B&B conversion or installing a shower block, where additional water flow in the property is required.

To provide the perfect solution to ongoing and disruptive water performance woes, Salamander Pumps has launched TankBoost. An easy-to-install, single-unit solution, TankBoost has been brought to market to fulfil the fundamental need to optimise water performance to multiple outlets in large, multi-storey properties.

Here, Salamander Pumps details three reasons why TankBoost ensures that water performance remains at optimum levels in high water demand premises such as offices and commercial applications.

1. TankBoost will boost water performance above and beyond

With an all-in-one unit made up of a water storage tank and integrated submerged pump, TankBoost will deliver up to 3 bar pressure and water flow rates up to 80L/min, providing adequate water performance for multiple outlets across multiple floors.

Because water is also replenished when TankBoost is use, it’s is ideal for even the busiest of properties where taps, toilets, kitchen sinks and other appliances are being used at the same time by multiple people, such as hotels, B&Bs, offices and gyms.

2. Quiet in operation

The latest product in the expanding MainsBooster range, TankBoost combines a cold water storage tank and an integral pump. The high-quality stainless-steel pump is submerged within the tank, resulting in a product that is compact and extremely quiet throughout operation.

Commercial properties should always factor in sound levels when choosing water boosting pumps to avoid disruption caused by intrusive noises.

3. Multiple outlets can be linked for increased water storage

TankBoost has been designed to meet the water pressure and flow needs of domestic and light commercial installations, with four tank sizes available ranging from 100L to

450L, providing flexibility in terms of water storage, usage requirements and availability of space.

If the water storage provided still isn’t enough, then additional storage tanks are also available to increase capacity for large properties with high water usage or those with particularly low incoming flow rates.

Installers can provide this additional storage by linking TankBoost and a storage unit together. Linking multiple tanks will enable large amounts of water to be stored, which provides an easy solution to deliver increased water flow across the property.

Although the typical application for the product is a larger dwelling, with several floors and bathrooms, TankBoost can also service smaller properties due to its compact size.

CAT5 variants and additional water storage tanks are also available as part of the range, again making it the perfect solution for commercial applications. www.salamanderpumps.co.uk/tankboost

Free water pump pliers with Testo FGAs

Testo’s summer special offers are out. All Testo 327 and 300 flue gas analyser kits will come with a free set of three adjustable water pump pliers (7 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch). The pliers have a comfortable rubber grip, long handles and ultra-strong hardened steel, making them perfect for your day-to-day tasks.

This offer is also available across digital manifolds for heat pump servicing and installation. You can

New hot water cylinders from Baxi

claim free water pump pliers when you buy any Testo 550i, 550s, 557s and new 570s digital manifold, featuring smart error analysis, logging functionality for long-term measurements and rechargeable battery.

This offer is available through authorised Testo distributors only. Offers end on 31 August 2023. Terms and conditions apply.

www.testo.com/en-UK/ free-pliers

Stelrad designs compact rads for renewables future

Stelrad is bringing out a range of 900mm radiators in a variety of widths, designed to cope with lower-temperature and renewable systems.

The latest Building Regulations state that the maximum flow temperatures for new wet heating systems should be 55°C and that heating appliances and radiators should not be oversized, says Stelrad. TRVs need to be fitted to every radiator except where a room thermostat is fitted. The differential between the flow and return should be 10°C – giving a 45°C return and a mean water temperature of 50°C.

Head of marketing Chris Harvey says: “There is a clear need for larger size radiators to cope with the lower circulating system temperatures generated by renewable heating systems and we are making sure our customers have access to the full range of options they will need.”

He adds: “This will have an impact on radiators but simply means that sizing is more important than ever.

“The transition from fossilfuelled, boiler-driven systems to heat pump-driven renewable systems is well under way and we’re making sure that installers and specifiers realise that radiators are fit for the future and more than capable of providing the necessary heat.” www.stelrad.com

Baxi has added a range of direct and indirect hot water cylinders to complement its Megaflo brand.

Designed and made in the UK by Heatrae Sadia, the cylinders provide a high-performance, cost-effective option for heat-only and system heating set-ups.

The cylinders provide hot water without the need for additional shower pumps or tanks, even at low pressure, delivering up to 76 litres per minute of hot water at 3 bar pressure.

The tank is made of high-grade stainless steel with a high corrosion resistance and its 50mm injected foam insulation provides heat retention and energy efficiency. Indirect models have a high performance ‘coil-in-coil’ heat exchanger for fast recovery time.

The range has a 25-year warranty on the inner tank and two years for other components, subject to terms and conditions. All cylinders are compatible with other system and heat-only boilers, including those from Baxi’s latest 600 and 800 ranges.

Commercial and marketing director Nick Platt says: “This first ever high-performance range from Baxi opens up a cost-effective set of options that complements the high-quality ranges from Megaflo that installers know inside out.” www.baxi.co.uk/products/ cylinders

Resideo L Series protects against water damage

Resideo’s new L Series water control products help to protect against costly water damage.

The L1 Wi-Fi water leak and freeze detector alerts consumers to leaks or frozen pipes with smartphone notifications, on-site alerts and an alarm. The Braukmann L5 Wi-Fi water leak shut-off valve automatically turns off the water supply when a water leak is detected by the attached sensing cable or by a paired water leak and freeze detector.

The combination of products creates a water leak damage defence system, connected via the Resideo Smart Home app, that raises awareness of leaks and helps to safeguard belongings and the home’s structure from potential costly repairs.

Global water product director Sylvain Baladon says: “Water damage is one of the most common types of domestic property damage claim.

“For many years we have been focused on raising awareness of the risk of water damage through our existing water leak detector portfolio. However, now with our new L5 water leak shut-off valves, we are going one step further and making a difference to the speed at which homes and belongings can be protected following the detection of a leak.”

> Simple magnetic protection from RadMag

RadMag is a simple and inexpensive way to install magnetic protection in the heating system with a minimum of tools and without breaking into existing pipework.

It’s an unobtrusive unit with a high-powered magnet array that can be extended to optimise the ferrite capture area for magnetic metal debris circulating in the heating system. It can be fitted in most towel rail-type radiators and can be removed periodically for inspection, wiped clean and re-inserted.

Inventor Mark Norris says: “RadMag is the easiest way to add magnetic filtration to any wet heating system that has standard towel rails or designer radiators.

“When coming up with the idea for RadMag, I recognised that manufacturers fit heating elements to them so why not a removable magnetic filter? A lot of heating engineers use the towel warmer to dose a system with cleaner or inhibitor so why not use it to fit a filter too?” www.navigatormsl.com/ radmag

Electrical safety kit for gas engineers

Martindale’s TB118KITA kit has been designed specially for gas engineers. It includes the VIPD138 voltage indicator and proving unit and the LOKKITGAS1, for securely locking off circuits before carrying out work on appliances connected to the mains power supply.

The kit is suitable for working on systems with electrical content: it includes the main items of test and safety equipment to help safe isolation, verification that the circuit is dead and lock-off procedures as detailed in Technical Bulletin 118a.

TB 118a provides information and guidance on safe-to-touch and safe isolation procedures on single-phase supplies when carrying out gas work.

Modutherm adds Monobloc heat pump range

The AWC/AWST Monobloc from Modutherm is a range of air source heat pumps suitable for heating, cooling and domestic hot water. AWC Monobloc is available in five models, with a range of 6kW to 19kW, while AWST is available in four models from 6kW to 15kW, and is paired with a 250L stainless steel DHW cylinder.

The AWC/AWST Monobloc can be used in new-build and refurbishment projects, where it can replace or supplement an existing heat source.

The AWC Monobloc uses a heat curve to provide a constant indoor temperature: when the external temperature drops, the heat pump then raises the temperature of the water to the heating system (and vice versa when it gets warmer outside). The unit can set two heat curves for two different heating circuits, so that it can run both underfloor heating and radiators. This feature offers greater energy-saving potential and, in some cases, eliminates the need to add additional system components.

The outdoor unit has an automatic and selflearning defrost function, which minimises defrosting time and increases efficiency.

Where heating and cooling only are needed, or where an alternative cylinder is required, the AWC is paired with an indoor control box. For AWST systems, there is an integrated controller on the DHW cylinder. Both can be controlled using the touchscreen or remotely via a smartphone or computer.

Modutherm managing director Ian Bradley says: “All units are easy to install and produce low noise levels when operating, in addition to excelling in terms of increased comfort and energy efficiency.” www.modutherm.co.uk

Martindale managing director Steve Dunning says: “We are urging all gas engineers to identify the point of isolation, lock off the electricity supply and place warning tags on the equipment before they begin any work. It is vitally important and could save a life.” www.martindale-electric.co.uk

Fernox system filter fits into small spaces

The Fernox TF1 Sigma UB system filter can be installed horizontally at a 90° angle, directly under the boiler, close to the wall and with direct connections to the system. It’s suitable to use in restricted spaces and has been developed for use with concealed pipework.

The filter captures circulating debris: system water passes through the manifold into the main body, where the magnetic debris is transferred directly to the powerful, neodymium magnet.

The drain valve is a service point so that the filter can be emptied without the risk of spillage. It also acts as a dosing point for chemical water treatment.

Because the system does not need to be drained down, it helps to save time on site, and cleaning and dosing can take place in less than two minutes.

Head of Mechanical Engineering Mark Hall says: “The TF1 Sigma UB Filter provides an effective solution for new-builds or properties where boilers are housed behind cupboards and close to kitchen counter tops, meaning installation of an in-line filter was -42not practical or convenient.” www.fernox.com/ubfilter