Central Heating Systems in Northampton 

Listed below are the various types of central heating systems suitable for every home, from a one bedroom flat to a large family home. Please click one to learn more about our domestic central heating systems...

Central Heating Systems - Frequently Asked Questions

Whether working for a homeowner, a Local Authority, a Housing Association or a builder, we at Plumb-Line realise how important a central heating systems are to each of our clients. At Plumb-Line we only use skilled personnel who are supervised by qualified surveyors and utilise the highest quality products and parts. The domestic central heating systems that we install will be expected to work economically for many trouble-free years.

From the moment a customer contacts Plumb-Line, a caring and competent member of our team deals with the enquiry. We are there to offer guidance through each stage, giving advice and suggestions in order to realise the expectations of each individual domestic central heating installation project.

What is a central heating system upgrade? 

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A central heating system upgrade is updating your old gravity type heating/hot water system to a modern, fully pumped, fully thermostatically controlled central heating system to comply with the current Part L building regulations.

How do I know if my central heating system will need to be upgraded? 

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The simplest way of determining whether or not your central heating system is in need of upgrading is to try switching on your central heating on its own without the hot water coming on also.

If you cannot operate your central heating independently from your hot water then you are almost certainly going to need your system upgraded.

What is involved in upgrading a central heating system to a fully pumped thermostatically controlled system? 

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This involves removal of the existing boiler & replacing with a new high efficiency condensing boiler.

It also includes the following:

  • Poweflushing the entire system as per manufacturers recommendations.
  • Carrying out all works to comply with current building regulations land ensuring you are issued with a certificate of compliance by your local building control. (You will need this certificate when you come to sell your home)
  • Installation of either one or two electronically operated motorized valves (Depending on the size of your boiler/home) to separate the heating & hot water cycles. These valves are almost always positioned in the airing cupboard. A new pump is also fitted in the airing cupboard as part of the upgrade. You will also need to change your time clock to a modern programmer which can operate both systems separately. Both heating & hot water will have to have a thermostat for temperature control. The room thermostat is usually positioned in the hallway, although this position may vary from house to house.

A new foal lagged hot water cylinder is usually installed as part of a system upgrade, this will also need a thermostat fitted to control the hot water temperature.

How long will the central heating installation take? 

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Installation times will vary from home to home & depending on the type of central heating installation you are having. Below is a guideline to expected time for installations.

Please bear in mind that all our engineers are different so these are guidelines only.

  • Traditional/combination boiler replacement, & powerflush. 1-2 days
  • Boiler replacement, system upgrade & powerflush. 3-4 days
  • Upgrade existing traditional system to combination system 3-4 days
  • Install complete new central heating system. 5-6 days (This will depend on the amount of radiators, however we will normally ensure an installation is complete within one week by increasing the amount of labour.)

Looking after your home. 

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All engineers at will carry their own vacuum cleaners, dust sheets & personalized door mats to help ensure your installation is carried out with the least amount of disruption possible.

Any old flue openings are made good with material matching the original as best as is possible/practical. Right down to getting the best possible bricks to match existing.

As part of both our independent quality control policies we have stringent procedures, which ensure the greatest care will be taken with all aspects of your installation.

After sales service. 

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After your installation is complete you will be given a unique reference number to quote in the unlikely event of a problem.

All systems fitted by us carry a comprehensive 2 year warranty on all parts and labour and you will have access to one of our own engineers out of normal working hours.

We offer a comprehensive 3 star contract which includes an annual service check and covers all parts and labour.

Does my system need powerflushing? 

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If you're not sure whether your central heating system needs powerflushing or not we offer a unique thermal imaging survey. This involves using a thermal camera to see the sludge within your system/radiators. As this picture clearly demonstrates we can advise you without any doubt whether or not your system will need a poweflush.

The cost for this survey is £90.00 + VAT, however £50.00 of this will be deducted should we carry out the powerflush on completion of the survey. For more details please contact the office.

What is involved in upgrading my central heating system to a combination system? 

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This involves removal of the existing boiler & replacing with a new high efficiency condensing boiler.

Ensure the plumage from the boiler flue terminal will not cause a nuisance.

It also includes the following:

  • Powerflushing the entire system as per manufacturers recommendations.
  • Carrying out all works to comply with current building regulations land ensuring you are issued with a certificate of compliance by your local building control. (You will need this certificate when you come to sell your home)
  • Replacing your traditional system with a combination system includes the removal of the hot water cylinder.
  • Removal (Where practical) of the cold water tanks from the loft.
  • All radiator valves will be inspected during our survey and if necessary old or worn valves will be replaced to avoid the possibility of leaks because of the increase in pressure from a combination system.
  • Shower valves should be checked to ensure that they are compatible with combination boilers.
  • Ball valves will be altered or adjusted to operate properly under mains water pressure.
  • Carrying out all making good as best as possible to match existing.