S
Secret
Over a year ago a good local plumber installed for me (the householder) a new Grant Vortex Eco Utility 26 35 boiler, but ended the job (for which I paid his firm in full) and left the area without first pricing/fitting the secondary return that I had requested. A different - OFTEC-registered - firm's plumber then installed the secondary return. It seemed to work well in bringing hot water to a distant sink tap far more quickly than before. However, some weeks later I noticed that water from the boiler was cooling quite rapidly. Water that had before remained hot for well over 24 hours now became cool after 8 hours. (The secondary return crosses a large loft area - 40 feet there and 40 feet back.)
I am writing to ask advice about the suitability of the installed pipework and of its insulation. The outgoing copper pipe is 22mm, with Armacell 13mm insulation. The return pipe is 15mm, with Climaflex 9mm insulation.
Three questions:
(1) Is it satisfactory/normal for two different gauges of pipe to be used - one outward, one return? If not, why not?
(2) Is the insulation sufficient? From what I've been reading on the internet, the more insulation the better to minimise water heat loss. Isover Climpipe offers 15mm x 25mm as does Climaflex, and Armacell Tubolit offers 15mm x 19mm. So why was a thicker insulation not provided for both the 15mm return, and for the 22mm pipe?
(3) The lengths of 15mm x 9mm Climaflex should, according to the manufacturer, be glued end-to-end so that heat cannot escape. This has not been done - no glue. So there is a ragged gap of a few millimeters between each section. Is not gluing common practice?
Thanks.
I am writing to ask advice about the suitability of the installed pipework and of its insulation. The outgoing copper pipe is 22mm, with Armacell 13mm insulation. The return pipe is 15mm, with Climaflex 9mm insulation.
Three questions:
(1) Is it satisfactory/normal for two different gauges of pipe to be used - one outward, one return? If not, why not?
(2) Is the insulation sufficient? From what I've been reading on the internet, the more insulation the better to minimise water heat loss. Isover Climpipe offers 15mm x 25mm as does Climaflex, and Armacell Tubolit offers 15mm x 19mm. So why was a thicker insulation not provided for both the 15mm return, and for the 22mm pipe?
(3) The lengths of 15mm x 9mm Climaflex should, according to the manufacturer, be glued end-to-end so that heat cannot escape. This has not been done - no glue. So there is a ragged gap of a few millimeters between each section. Is not gluing common practice?
Thanks.
