As heating season begins, installers are being advised to check they are commissioning new heating circulation pumps correctly to avoid undermining energy efficiency. The warning comes from Wilo, the efficiency-first pump manufacturer. With colder months approaching, installers once again will face more callouts to replace broken heating circulation pumps for homeowners and landlords.
However, even if modern alternatives are being fitted, installers are still being urged to check they are commissioning them correctly to avoid unintentionally setting them as a default to a fixed speed setting.
Old pump's fixed settings
The problem can occur if installers are using app-based services that copy the old pump's fixed settings. This could be costing homeowners up to 80% more in electricity use as the new pump will use more energy than if it was set to a variable setting.
Andy Thompson, National Sales Manager for Plumbing and Heating at Wilo, said: “You wouldn’t replace a car with a modern version that had the same inefficient engine, so why do that when fitting and commissioning heating circulation pumps? Despite a pump being new, installers could be inadvertently set to an outgoing pump’s settings through the use of app-based technology.”
Demands of the home's heating system
Installers should commission pumps so that they work to the demands of the home's heating system
Installers should commission pumps so that they work to the demands of the home's heating system. To help installers, Wilo has a simple diagram on the box of its most popular heating circulator, the Yonos PICO, with pre-set settings to select from based on the number of radiators in the property.
For quick and easy installation, the Yonos PICO can be commissioned without the need for additional app-based registration or programming. Instead, all the settings are to hand, displayed on the pump’s interface.
Additional features include Wilo's unique Wilo-Connector for quicker electrical connection, as well as manual and auto functions for deblocking and venting to remove blockages or airlocks in the heating system.
Fast and simple installation
Andy Thompson adds: “We design our pumps so that installers can ‘fit and forget’. Everything needed for a fast and simple installation comes in the box. Homeowners deserve certainty that their heating systems are energy-efficient, which installers can ensure through commissioning pumps correctly.”