Central Heating Design

My house (in Scotland) is nearly 8 yrs old and covered by a NHBC guarantee.

I have been having problems with my central heating system (will be covered by another post) but the Heating Engineer initially stated that the system was under designed for the size of house.

It has 15 radiators with a 2.0kW combi boiler and is fed from 8mm micro bore pipes.

What do the building regs say with regards to specifying heating system and views on a claim against the builder, NHBC or failure of building control to adequately check.

I have a cold house with a baby about to come home.

Thanks in advance.

1st thing...2kw combi? Check boiler data plate for rating.Its obviousy a modern house with good insulation.Have the rads been sized correctly and do they all get hot?

45yearsagasman said:

1st thing...2kw combi? Check boiler data plate for rating.Its obviousy a modern house with good insulation.Have the rads been sized correctly and do they all get hot?

Click to expand...

Sorry, yes it is a modern house and insulation is very good. But for 2.0kW this should read 28kW.

Found the installation/commissioning document. It is a Ariston Microsystem 28 RFFI.

I can get all the radiators burning hot in isolation following a recent repair (see other post) and have had no problems with them for nearly 8 years.

Was this "Heating Engineer" from British Gas, by any chance??
If he was, then he's probably not a heating engineer. More likely to be a salesman.

Firstly the NHBC is as much use as a chocolate teapot, they’re really only of any use if major structural problems such as subsidence occur. They’re just another insurance company mainly there to give the mortgage suppliers comfort and give the developers some more spiel with which to be able to promote their wares to naïve buyers! Sorry but you’re on a hiding to nothing tbh, will be far cheaper and easier to just spend a few quid upgrading your current installation than pursuing developers and the NHBC etc. Ask your ‘heating engineer’ if he’d put it in writing and ask how he thinks his statement will stand up to the riggers of the law? Then check out the blank look on his face! Why has it taken you 8 years to take action? Heating systems in developer houses are literally fine tuned down to the last penny.

The house has never been cold for 8 years, and not being an engineer of the heating variety never considered there was ever a design problem.

It wasnt British Gas, a local company recommended by Dom & Gen.

Got a second opinion this morning. During the initial pressure vessel repair the engineer never reconnected the wire modulation/gas valve. The second engineer who visited following my complaint of a cold house never bothered to look in the boiler, claiming the system was under designed.

"Im 99.9% certain that your problem is an under designed system, and you have sludge, cause Im the heating engineer".

All working fine now