Enhance energy efficiency: Henco pre-insulated piping system in alignment with Part L building regulations

Lee Kenney, Sales and Country Regional Manager for UK and Ireland at Henco, tells us more about the new Part L Legislation and how UK homes can benefit from faster installation times and a more cost-effective solution by using the Henco pre-insulated multilayer piping system for heating projects requiring Part L compliance.

The new Part L Building Regulations[1] sets out recommendations by Dame Judith Hackitt about building a safer future for new homes and those being renovated. An important requirement is that these homes must produce at least 31% less carbon emissions, and certain aspects of any newly installed pipework must comply with the new standards. This includes the mandatory requirement to insulate pipework in horizontal area’s such as ceiling voids. Local authorities and housing inspectors will be encouraging installers and building owners to comply with these new requirements, often with pictorial evidence.

Henco, a well-known and trusted piping manufacture since 1992, has developed a robust, lightweight, detectable and pre-insulated piping solution for heating and cooling networks that complies with the new Part L Building Regulations.

The pipework of any heating solution sits at the heart of the system and must work in harmony with the fitting joints used to join the system together. The Henco multi-layer piping solution is a ‘hybrid’ pipe that brings together the best features of synthetic and metal in one solution, as the name suggests, it combines multiple layers of both materials. So, the smooth synthetic bore of the pipe helps long term flow rates, as well as reducing scale and corrosion which can build up in a copper pipe and in turn allows biofilm to embed and encourage pathogen growth. The aluminium layer in the Henco system ensures it is strong, flexible, can be easily fabricated and has an expansion rate similar to copper.

Multi-layer piping can accept bending by using simple hand tools, especially around corners and into tight spaces – this makes it ideal for underfloor heating. This helps reduce the need for extra fittings or joints and therefore minimises potential leak paths. Furthermore, when using the Henco Pro-fit system, the only tool’s that are required during the install are; clippers and if required, a hand bender for the tube, which makes the install much faster and drives down the cost of the overall installation. In addition, the multi-layer piping is less prone to theft as opposed to copper piping networks.

Robustness and lightweight
The Henco Synthetic fittings and pipes are designed to have at least a 50-year life span and they will not degrade over that time, continuously offering a robust and reliable solution. The longevity of a synthetic system also feeds into its sustainability. According to independent studies, plastic pipe systems made from cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) for plumbing hot and cold solid wall applications have a lower environmental impact than those made from copper[2].

Henco’s fittings and pipes are also detectable when installed. This means that even if the pipe or fitting is hidden behind a wall or under the floor, it can still be found to avoid accidently drilling through or damaging the pipe. The system is ideal for ground source or air source heat pump installations.

Speeding up installation
One of the major advantages of the Henco system and the push fit technology is the speed at which it can be installed. In fact, push fit installation is two to three times faster than even press-fitting. This is because there are no tools required for installation, it is a simple case of measuring the pipes and pushing the fittings into place, often just taking seconds to create a secure seal. For instance, the new Henco Pro-Fit fitting requires no press tools, calibration or pipe insert (it is built into the fitting), meaning installers can simply cut the pipes and push them into the new Henco Pro-Fit fitting, enabling a secure, fast and easy install. It also has a helpful visual indicator to show the pipe is completely pushed home as well as no requirement for additional tube liners, which are easy to forget. The integrated internal O-ring also means external scratched pipework is not an issue for the Henco Pro-Fit fitting.

With installation taking less time, it frees up more of an installers time to move on to different projects thus ensuring they can work effectively and efficiently and reducing the cost of the overall insulation.

To find out more about the Henco compliant system visit www.henco.be

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-control-changes-for-higher-risk-buildings-and-wider-changes-to-building-regulations/circular-letter-changes-to-the-building-control-process
[2] www.teppfa.eu/wp-content/uploads/LCA8_HC-Leaflet-PEX-vs-Cu.pdf

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