Steven Evans, sales director at Potterton Commercial, comments: “Summer is a busy time for school estate managers, who use the shutdown period to make building and system repairs. With pupils and teaching staff away for a six-week break, it’s the perfect time for contractors to get in and get to work. 

“However, as budgets tighten, often it is only essential maintenance that is carried out, with energy efficiency upgrades taking second place. The performance of the school’s heating system is likely to be put to one side until colder months, or until a fault is found with the system. 

“This leaves many schools vulnerable to system failure. As we experienced a record-breaking warm summer, it’s likely that boiler maintenance has been put on the backburner. Therefore, it’s vital that systems are checked ahead of time before periods of peak demand. But with the requirements set by the ErP Directive making it difficult to select a like-for-like replacement for a non-condensing boiler, which many schools still have, there are many things to consider. 

“If a replacement is required, a condensing boiler will offer high performance and cost savings. This choice will require additional work on-site, such as replacement pipe work, new flues and condense drainage. This means it’s essential to assess a system sooner rather than later in case extensive work needs to be carried out.

“The work involved in installing commercial boilers can vary, so it’s an area that’s definitely worth investigating. Some manufacturers have invested in making their boilers quick and simple to fit, and as light and as easy to manoeuvre as possible. For example, Sirius three WH boilers are compact in size and lightweight; the 110kW, 130kW and 150kW models occupy the same compact footprint as the 90kW model. 

“In addition to ensuring a constant, comfortable temperature for pupils and teachers, schools that upgrade their heating system to condensing technology will also benefit from improved energy efficiency, especially when replacing old, inefficient non-condensing boilers with efficient condensing boilers. That means reduced carbon emissions and energy bills – with the money saved being put towards other valuable resources.

“Having worked closely with contractors and estate managers in the education sector for some time, we would always recommend that any upgrades and replacement works are carried out ahead of winter, to safeguard against any disruption which could result in school closures and higher maintenance costs in the long run.”