How often do you hear the following types of comments ringing around the industry? "I'm delighted with these changes to Part L", or "Wow, self certification, I can't wait to get involved". Not very often would be my guess, yet when looked at in the right light these changes have the potential to be very positive.
We all know that our industry is made up of two types of heating engineer. There are those who take pride in their work, keep abreast of changes and do their best to provide a good service for customers. They are in it for the long term and recognise that repeat business and recommendations come from a good reputation.
And then there are the 'fly by nights' - who I like to think are in a minority - who do the job as quickly and cheaply as possible to make a quick buck. Unfortunately, within the definitions laid down by the Building Regulations, some of these may also be defined as a 'competent person' who can self-certify.
So that's the negative view of self-certification but it's only part of the picture. The underlying purpose of self certification is to raise levels of professionalism in the industry and I would argue that the scheme provides the professionals with an opportunity to shine. Most end users aren't daft, if they see an engineer carrying out a thorough job and he or she explains what is being done and why, they will recognise they are dealing with someone who knows what they are doing.
Where the self-certification scheme becomes difficult, though, is in the hands off approach taken by the government. Rather than driving the initiative through legislation, the industry has been given encouragement, with a little bit of funding via the Energy Saving Trust, and then left to its own devices. The trouble is, there are so many conflicting interests amongst the suppliers to the industry that the message that filters down to the sharp end, where you're working, can be very confusing.
As suppliers to the industry we certainly have a role to develop products that will help heating engineers comply with regulations - and of course there are good commercial reasons for doing so. But it is a responsibility that is also open to abuse.
Effective treatment of domestic central heating systems, for example, is something that has always been important and is now recognised as such. Clearly the chemicals that are used for system treatment should be formulated for ease of use, without compromising on effectiveness. Concentrates in cartridges, for instance, are often easier to apply than liquids so there is a demand. But that's not an excuse for suppliers to think: "OK, there's a demand for these concentrates so we'll put a bigger mark up on them and make more money out of it". And that's what has been happening.
As a manufacturer of both we know it costs the same to produce a concentrate as it does a liquid - so there is no need to hike up the prices of the concentrates just because people prepared to pay a bit more for the convenience. That's not supporting the industry, it's exploiting it.
Far more supportive is to develop products that genuinely make life simpler and more productive for the installer and make it easier to comply with Part L. Innovations such as adapters to allow concentrates to be introduced via the filling loop on a combi boiler, or cartridges that contain both system cleaner and corrosion inhibitor - these are the sorts of things that support the installer.
Similarly, testing of the water is now more important when maintaining existing systems because it's important to understand the condition of the system before deciding on the most appropriate course of action. On site tests can tell you a lot but there are times when it's useful to send off a sample for more detailed analysis in a laboratory. It is incumbent on suppliers to the industry to make such added value services affordable, yet until recently laboratory testing was only available at grossly inflated prices. Now a comprehensive test, backed by interpretation and a printed report for the customer, can be obtained for as little as £20.
As manufacturers, we can only encourage our customers to embrace self certification and the extra value it brings to customers - and to develop products that help them do it. Ultimately, however, its success will rely on the professionalism of installers and their desire to do a good job for the customer.
At a glance
- Self-certification provides opportunities to demonstrate professionalism.
- Professionalism builds a good reputation.
- Guidance from suppliers can be self-serving and confusing.
- Suppliers have a responsibility to assist installers.
- Pricing should be fair and not exploitative.
- Supportive products help installers with self certification.
- Installers will benefit from embracing the concepts of self-certification.