Each month, HVP readers get in touch to share their views and reactions to the latest news and content, with the best letter winning a £100 Amazon voucher thanks to Honeywell. Here are the letters from our November/December 2018 edition.

 

Over-engineered headache

Having just read the article ‘Solutions on Tap’ [Ed: See p56 of HVP October], I am somewhat bemused by the author’s only slight criticism of the difficulty and cost of repairing quarter turn ceramic disc taps.

The brassware industry has almost completely dumped the classic traditional tap based on the BS1010 stopcock. This was easily overhauled in less than five minutes with a couple of tools and a 10p rubber washer. Anyone could do it.

The industry has now contrived to produce a grossly over-engineered product that to overhaul requires any one of a number of ceramic cartridges, or a suitcase full of specialised aftermarket components.

What a joke. Replacements can cost anything up to £50 for just one cartridge. On that basis, why does the author state that ceramic taps are cheaper to manufacture?

A washing machine is not a tap, but I can buy a cheap automatic washing machine for £130 in Argos. Think of all the components and size of a washing machine for a moment. You could buy two washing machines for the price of one of these taps. Shocking.

B. Parish, via email

Education is important

Dear Editor, regarding your comments regarding gas work legally [Ed: See p5 of HVP September].

Qualified gas engineers have to prove competence at recognised ACS centres every five years in all their areas of work. ACS assessments are not qualifications, just proof of competence. Centres are not allowed to train engineers to pass ACS assessments. ‘Upskill’ is more appropriate.

NVQs, QCFs, Foundation,  and City and Guilds are recognised as formal gas qualifications and, on completion, engineers still before commencing gas work must complete ACS assessments in all the areas of their gas work – e.g. CCN1 as prerequisite for gas safety, and Cen/Wat1 for engineers installing and/or servicing boilers and/or water heaters.

 Having had a number of years in the gas industry, from CORGI registration through to ACOPs, to ACS and Gas Safe Register, we now have YouTube showing members of the public how to test gas installations. Sorry, the plumbing engineers in this country are in for a shock.

I hope this will be received in a positive way.

Name withheld, via email

The American way of life

Is the ‘color’ of HVP changing?

In a recently published article, Lee Stones discusses why installers should take advantage of the growing boiling water tap market [Ed: See p50 of HVP October]. He later uses the word ‘faucet’. 

I can cope with that, but then Nigel Sanger debunks four common myths about UFH [Ed: See p72 of HVP October] and states that the market is growing fast, with a projected value of $3.92 billion by 2025! – it must be ‘across the pond’?

Are we destined to become another star on the ‘Star Spangled Banner’?

A. Hulme, via email

 

If there's an issue close to your heart, or problem you want to address, we welcome all correspondence from readers. Please get in touch by emailing HVP Editor Joe Dart at j.dart@hgluk.com.