The Client
Wandsworth Council and the main contractors were Westminster Building Services Ltd.
The Challenge
The council’s heating replacement project was to replace old back boilers with new boilers and heating systems for their tenants in its Edgecombe Hill portfolio of houses. Removing the old back boiler and its fire front leaves a hole in the wall. For many tenants who have enjoyed a fire as the focal point of their living room, they want it replaced by something of similar aesthetic appeal and quality.
The Solution
Smith’s Fan Convectors provided its Hydroflame® flame-effect fan convector, as the favoured solution by the council. It was selected because it neatly and easily replaces the old gas fire that used to front the back boiler and plumbs into the existing central heating system without needing its own gas supply or flue, entirely eliminating any potential risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Products
The Hydroflame® works by drawing in cool air and the heat is produced from the water within the central heating system itself. This means there are no flue gases produced and so no flue is required. It also means that the fan convector doesn’t require any special ventilation and can operate as part of the ‘whole house’ central heating or to provide an extra boost of heat on cold days. It also functions as a single heat source when the entire central heating doesn’t need to be switched on. Equally useful is that although the Hydroflame® still looks like any other focal point fire, with a cosy flame-effect glow, it has no live flames or hot coals. As a low surface temperature heat emitter, this can prove advantageous in many social housing settings.