Rob Nezard, Managing Director of UK Radiators, has welcomed Rishi Sunak’s decision to postpone the blanket ban on gas boilers until 2035.
Rob, representing the UK’s most sustainable radiator supplier, believes that banning gas boilers is premature, and that the focus should be on regulating radiators. According to him, most radiators currently sold in the UK do not work efficiently with A-rated boilers. He argues that addressing these issues with radiator efficiency is essential before transitioning to heat pumps.
Rob stated, “My perspective is that we have not yet fully harnessed the potential of A-rated gas boilers due to the way radiators are marketed and sold. Radiators are typically sold with a delta 50 (temperature difference), often without proper regulation enforcement, leading to significant exaggerations in advertised heat outputs and misleading consumers. However, A-rated boilers lose efficiency when operating above delta 40.”
“To outlaw the previous solution before fully realising its benefits seems illogical. It would also be unwise to push people onto heat pumps without first addressing the problems in the radiator market, as the consequences of misleadingly advertised radiator heat outputs in a heat pump system would be even more severe.”
“What we truly need is robust regulation enforcement for radiators, and we should specify radiators at delta 40 for gas central heating systems to unlock the advantages of A-Rated condensing boilers, which consumers have been investing in since the legislation was introduced. Furthermore, when we eventually witness widespread adoption of heat pumps, radiator regulations must be updated accordingly to avoid repeating the mistakes made with previous A-rated boiler legislation.”
Rob emphasises that the delta value of a radiator should match the delta value of the boiler, but the lack of regulation in how radiators are marketed results in suboptimal system efficiency. He explains the delta values as follows:
- Delta 50: Non-Condensing Boilers installed before April 2005 with a standard configuration, operating at flow temperatures of approximately 75-85 degrees.
- Delta 40: Condensing boilers operating in condensing mode, providing high efficiency. Any gas boiler installed after 2005 is a condensing boiler.
- Delta 30 (Recommended): Low-temperature systems like heat pumps, with flow temperatures around 55 degrees.
Rob Nezard’s stance highlights the importance of addressing radiator efficiency as a key element in achieving sustainable and energy-efficient heating solutions in the UK.
