The new Gas Appliance Regulation (GAR) has forced a number of manufacturers to remove their water heating products from the UK market at short notice. GAR is a safety regulation that applies to any product burning gaseous fuels and to components used in gas appliances.
Gas Appliance Regulation
It replaced the Gas Appliances Directive (GAD) in April 2018 and includes a number of significant updates, not included in the old directive, in a bid to improve safety standards across the EU.
The combination of this new regulation with the low NOx emissions standards about to be imposed by the Energy Related Products (ErP) directive in September 2018 has forced several manufacturers to stop selling some of their atmospheric water heaters.
Energy Related Products directive
Any appliance planned for production after 21 April 2018 must have a GAR certificate
Any appliance planned for production after 21 April 2018 must have a GAR certificate and all gas fittings must now be CE marked, including controls and other safety components. Many of the most widely sold ranges of water heaters no longer comply.
Under the new rules, importers and distributors must also prove that the products they handle comply with the Regulation. Under the GAD, responsibility for ensuring compliance rested solely with the manufacturer.
A number of suppliers are struggling to adapt to the new requirements, however, Lochinvar has ensured that they still can provide products forward to meet the customers’ demands.
Atmospheric water heaters
“The new rules are quickly and significantly changing the marketplace for water heaters,” said David Pepper, Managing Director of Lochinvar, adding “There is a danger that some end users will be caught out by this – particularly if they need an emergency replacement unit.”
David said, “However, at Lochinvar, we had been preparing for these changes for some time and so all of our atmospheric water heaters are already GAR-certified. We anticipated that there could be a sudden shortage in the market that could leave some customers exposed, therefore we took this step and invested in getting our products certified.”
Convert to condensing-only systems
The market would convert to condensing-only systems to meet the energy efficiency and low emissions targets
Mr. Pepper added that, in the longer term, the market would convert to condensing-only systems to meet the energy efficiency and low emissions targets imposed by the ErP.
However, it is not always practical or cost-effective for many end users to do this now because of the system alterations, including new flues, that may be required when moving from traditional atmospheric technology to condensing.
Water heater replacements
“Most water heater replacements are distress purchases, which means that the primary, and sometimes only, concern for many end users is to get the building’s hot water supply up and running again as quickly as possible,” said David Pepper.
He adds, “The market is, generally, ready for the changes that the ErP will bring later this year, but the new safety rules imposed by the GAR has forced a number of manufacturers to remove products from the market earlier than anticipated.”
David concludes, “To owners of restaurants, hotels, leisure centers, care homes etc. having no hot water available is an alarming prospect, which is why the quickest fix is often the preferred solution. Fortunately, Lochinvar can supply compatible replacement products directly from stock. Often within 24 hours.”
