Installers are being encouraged to adopt efficient hot water circulators that incorporate similar control options to modern heating circulators
The callout comes from Wilo, amid a growing expectation that directives aimed at making hot water circulators mirror the changes to legislation pertaining to heating circulators will arrive before the close of the decade.
In recent years, changes to the Energy-related Products (ErP) Directive and associated Ecodesign regulations have been enforced to limit the energy consumed by heating circulators.
These include compliance with the minimum Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) requirement of 0.23 and the mandatory adoption of variable speed technology in new circulators. The latter adjusts pump speed in accordance with the changing demands of a HVAC system.
With impending rule changes seemingly on the horizon, installers are being encouraged to adopt efficient hot water circulators that incorporate similar control options to modern heating circulators.
Andy Thompson, national sales manager – plumbing & heating at Wilo UK, said: “Efficient secondary hot water circulators offer various benefits beyond energy savings, from maintaining hygiene to making the lives of installers much easier. With legislation expected to follow the trajectory of heating circulator reforms, now is the time to futureproof secondary hot water systems in homes.”
Modern hot water circulators are typically much more advanced than their predecessors, often known as bronze pumps. Innovative features available with newer pumps, which include automatic venting and deblocking, make future maintenance work simpler and faster. Other functions include timers and temperature controls to reduce energy consumption during off-peak times.
Thermal disinfection modes can also be an additional layer of protection by sensing a temperature increase and boosting flow and pressure to pump the heated water around the system to kill harmful bacteria, such as Legionella.
Andy continued: “So many homeowners across the nation rely on the expertise of installers to make informed decisions about the products that go into their homes. As the trusted link between manufacturers and households, it’s vital they stay ahead of the curve and embrace technologies that offer peace of mind in terms of both reliability and against any future regulatory decisions.”