Heating for nextgeneration households

Children are no longer flying the nest as early as they once did, and an increasing number of young adults live with their parents. Sean Keleher, national technical manager at Navien UK, looks at the UK’s changing heating and hot water needs for multi-generational homes.

The number of adults living with their parents in England and Wales has risen by 14.7 per cent in a decade* to reach nearly 4.9 million – an increase of 700,000 from 2011.

The increase in the number of adults per household, combined with factors such as the rise in the number of home workers, is placing increased demands on everyone’s heating and hot water needs.

Many will be all too familiar with the ritual bickering about whose turn it is to use the shower, or how important it is that whoever goes in next must leave enough hot water for the next person, or not turning on the taps or using the ensuite while the family bathroom is in use, and so on. Up to now, there has never been a realistic alternative that pleases everyone.

In 2022, Navien UK launched its new NCB ON range, a series of new 20% hydrogen blend boilers designed to cope with the heaviest heating and hot water demands. The largest model, the NCB700 ON, can deliver hot water to three bathrooms simultaneously.

Simultaneous showering

The NCB ON range has a built-in domestic hot water recirculation pump, state-of-the-art flow adjustment valve and auto-mixing valve for hot water comfort and rapid delivery.

We believe this is a real game changer for installers working in larger homes. The NCB700 ON offers flow rates up to 22 litres per minute, which enables the system to deliver instant hot water to several outlets at the same time. For customers in multigenerational homes, this means that they can run up to three showers at the same time.

No hot water cylinder is needed, making installations in larger homes less timeconsuming and less expensive.

The NCB ON range brings together the power of a high-performance system boiler with the cylinder-less advantages of a compact combi model. We call it a combi crossover. For homes where there is already a system boiler, the combi crossover range allows for the tank or cylinder to be removed entirely, creating new space for storage or even a small WC – essential for the evergrowing space requirements of the modern home or those looking to add value to their property.

The boiler has a turndown ratio of 15:1, is 20% hydrogen blend ready, 94 per cent efficient and has an ErP A+ energy rating when used with a Navien Smart Plus controller. The NaviFill filling system uses just a single lever to top up the system pressure.

Tightening purse strings

Almost all households are feeling the pinch now. Boilers in the combi crossover range use 38 per cent less gas than a standard combi boiler and can help homeowners to save more than 7,500 litres of water every year.

With no predictable let-up in the rising cost of living and a foot on to the property ladder remaining difficult for many young adults, the trend of multi-generational homes will likely continue, as will the increased strain on home heating systems. With product innovations like the combi crossover range from Navien, we’re making it easier than ever for installers to deliver high-quality, reliable heating systems for your customers’ changing needs.

www.navien.co.uk/professional