FAQs - Ravenheat

In this section you will find some of the most frequently asked questions about our products and heating systems in general. If you can’t find the answer you are looking for, then please call our technical helpline on 0113 252 7007.

If you are an installer or heating engineer, click here to read our technical FAQs.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO REGISTER MY BOILER?

You need to register your boiler to validate the full manufacturer’s warranty.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE MY BOILER SERVICED ANNUALLY?

Having your boiler serviced will ensure that the appliance is working safely and efficiently. It is also a requirement for the guarantee that applies to your product. You should make sure that the service is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

If you are a landlord then an annual service is a legal requirement for you to be able to let out your property.

HOW DO I BOOK A SERVICE?

In the first instance we advise you to contact the Gas Safe registered engineer who fitted the boiler to carry out any subsequent annual servicing. If this is not possible, then we can send one of our own service engineers.

To arrange a service, please call us on 0113 252 7007, selecting option three on the menu. Alternatively you can email [email protected], including your full contact details and one of our team will call you.

Whenever possible, please make sure you have the boiler serial number to hand when you contact us.

DO I NEED TO REPLACE MY OLD BOILER WITH A CONDENSING BOILER?

Since 2005, the Building Regulations require that all newly-installed boilers in the UK must be high efficiency condensing models. This is part of successive Governments’ commitments to reduce carbon emissions. If your existing boiler is still working, then you are not required to replace it, however, you might want to consider doing so as a condensing boiler could save you as much as 30% on your gas bills. If your boiler has broken down and cannot be repaired then you will need to have a condensing boiler installed.

WHAT DOES ENERGY SAVING TRUST RECOMMENDED MEAN?

The Energy Saving Trust, the UK’s leading body for the promotion of energy efficiency, operates their own endorsement scheme which recognises products that exceed minimum performance specifications. Recommended products help to minimise your energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.

WILL A THERMOSTAT HELP TO REDUCE MY ENERGY BILLS?

Yes. A thermostat will ensure that your boiler only comes on when the temperature in the room falls below the desired level. Reducing the temperature setting by even 1°C can save 10% on your heating bills.

DO RAVENHEAT BOILERS HAVE A TIMER BUILT IN?

Most models already have a built-in 7-day digital timer, which you will find in the control panel of the boiler. Details of how to set the timer can be found in the instruction manual supplied with the boiler.

We also offer a range of wireless programmable room thermostats which can be used for both time and temperature control, with a wireless transmitter unit that can be moved around (i.e. does not have to be in a fixed position).

I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS NO MAINS GAS – DO RAVENHEAT BOILERS OPERATE ON LPG?

Yes they do. There are specific models that are factory set to work with LPG. Your heating engineer will be able to advise you further.

CAN I BUY A RAVENHEAT BOILER DIRECTLY FROM YOU?

We do not sell products direct to the public. Ravenheat boilers are available at a wide variety of plumbing and heating merchants around the country and you may be able to buy directly from them. We do however recommend that you ask your Gas Safe registered engineer to buy the product for you – or at least get their advice on which product is right for your home and the type of heating system you have.

Fill in the form below to find your nearest stockist.

ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS AS TO WHERE BOILERS CAN BE SITED?

The main restriction is that the installation must comply with Building Regulations, which includes specific requirements for the flue and flue terminal on the outside of your property.

Some boilers can be fitted in certain zones in bathrooms depending on their individual IPX rating. They must always comply with IEE regulations and your Gas Safe registered installer will be able to advise you further.

Ravenheat boilers have a built-in frost thermostat which allows them to be fitted in enclosed outside spaces such as garages, however, appliances should never be fitted outdoors.

CAN MY INSTALLER FIT A BOILER IN MY BATHROOM?

WHAT TYPE OF BOILER DO I NEED?

Visit our product selector to find a suitable boiler for your home.

MY INSTALLER SAYS THE HEATING SYSTEM NEEDS 'FLUSHING' BEFORE HE FITS A NEW BOILER – IS THIS TRUE?

Flushing the heating system is an important part of the installation process as it helps to remove debris from the system and therefore protects components in the boiler (such as the pump) from damage. This extends the working life of the boiler and minimises the chances of the boiler breaking down. We therefore recommend flushing the system every time a new boiler is installed.

I AM THINKING OF REPLACING MY OLD NON-CONDENSING RAVENHEAT BOILER WITH A NEW HIGH EFFICIENCY RAVENHEAT MODEL. I WOULD LIKE THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CHANGES TO PIPPING AND THE FLUE, SO WHICH BOILER SHOULD I CHOOSE?

If you are replacing the old RSF 820/20 or RSF 82 boilers, then the most cost effective replacement would be the current CSI 85, which is SEDBUK Band A rated and offers efficiencies of over 90%.

If the flue needs to stay in the same position, then the boiler will need to be fitted 12cm lower and 6cm to the left. There will be some minimal pipe work alterations to consider as well as requiring an extra pipe for the condensate drain. Please ask your installer to call us if they need further advice.

I WANT THE MOST EFFICIENT CONDENSING GAS BOILER ON THE MARKET, WHICH ONE SHOULD I CHOOSE?

All Ravenheat condensing boilers are energy efficient and are listed on the SEDBUK database, where you can compare boilers from all different manufacturers. You will notice that Ravenheat products occupy many of the places at the top of the database – which shows that our products are more efficient than most of the other gas boilers that you can buy.

Ravenheat OpenTherm boiler package provides more precise control directly from the room thermostat to the boiler’s software which operates the gas valve and modulating central heating pump. This allows the precise gas input requirement to match the varying demand signal i.e. if the house needs to be one degree warmer the control tells the boiler it can start at lower power. By reducing the flow temperature to a minimum of the heat required, the flow temperature is kept below the dew point (50°C), thus allowing the boiler to operate in condensing mode which is more efficient.

WHAT DOES THE SEDBUK RATING MEAN?

SEDBUK stands for Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK and was developed under the Government’s Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme, with the co-operation of boiler manufacturers. It provides a basis for fair comparison of the performance and energy savings offered by different boilers, based on realistic usage patterns.

The SEDBUK rating uses efficiency ‘bands’ with an “A” (high efficiency) to “G” (low efficiency) scale. You might recognise this as being similar to the energy labelling on other products, such as washing machines or fridges.

Government regulations now require that all new boilers are high efficiency Band A appliances.

WHAT DOES BAND A RATED MEAN?

Band A is the most efficient level on an A to G scale for energy efficiency. It denotes products that achieve efficiencies of 90%+ which means that they reduce your energy consumption and gas bills.

Government regulations now require that all new boilers are high efficiency Band A appliances.

ON COLD DAYS THERE IS A WHITE TRAIL OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE SMOKE COMING FROM MY FLUE. IS THIS NORMAL?

It is most likely that the ‘smoke’ is actually water vapour. Because condensing boilers extract more heat from the combustion process, the flue gasses exit the flue at much lower temperatures – so especially on cold days you see these gases condensing as they hit the cold air outside. This is referred to as ‘pluming’ and we offer specialist kits to make sure that the vapour can be directed away from windows or neighbouring properties if it becomes a problem.

If you think that it is smoke and not vapour coming out of the flue, then we recommend that you contact a Gas Safe registered engineer immediately.

WHAT DOES 'CONDENSING' MEAN?

Condensing boilers either use a single high efficiency heat exchanger which maximises heat transfer or use a secondary process to recuperate heat from exhaust gases, normally lost to the atmosphere, to provide additional heat. This means that condensing boilers extract more heat from the same amount of fuel, when compared to a standard efficiency boiler. The result of the process is that flue gases start to condense into water vapour. The most visible sign of this is when you see a plume of water vapour coming out of the flue terminal on a cold day.

ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN HELP YOU WITH?

Cannot find the answer to your question here? Then call Customer Services on 0113 252 7007

Alternatively, email us, or submit your question using the contact form below.