The house, located in leafy Caterham, Surrey, was built in the early 60s and was heated by a warm air ducted system. In common with many installations of this period, some rooms had no direct ducting and relied on leaving the doors open.
Our customer wished to use the large cupboard currently occupied by the warm air system for storage. They also wanted a mains pressure delivery of hot and cold water, and minimum wastful stored hot water.
We suggested the new Worcester Bosch Highflow 440CDi. This is a floor mounted unit, recently updated from the Highflow 440. With identical dimensions to a washing machine, the new Highflow has a new control panel and has more flexible flue outlet arrangements.
The Highflow 440 incorporates a small internal unvented store of hot water, which enables it to deliver up to 20 litres of hot water a minute. Being able to be sited under a worktop, it is a very neat space efficient solution.
It is always difficult fitting radiators in a property formerly fitted with warm air, because there are pipes to run. In this property there was a solid ground floor, but we found ways to minimise the visual impact of pipe runs.
Our customer agreed to specify our preferred Vogel and Noot radiators, which have a modern neat panelled appearance. The single panel versions fit very close to the wall indeed, minimising visual impact in the room. Honeywell radiator valves were used throughout, as usual.
The new Highflow 440 CDi can be used with the Worcester outside plume management kit, which we fitted to take the flue output to a satisfactory high level discharge point, where it was unlikely to be a nuisance.
The hot water cylinder and water tanks were removed, the Worcester Highflow now manages the supply of heating and hot water for the entire property singlehanded.
As a Worcester A+ installer, our customer enjoys a 5 year parts and labour warranty on his new boiler. Our experience with previous Worcester Highflow models suggests he is unlikely to need it, but nevertheless it is covered until 2014!