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Central heating systems and water heaters should be simple to install and operate. They usually comprise a boiler, with or without integrated hot water generation, a water heater that is either independent or integrated into the boiler, and a control system. The following notes should help you to consider how best to choose a system, but we advise you to contact your installer with more specific questions about the system that is right for your needs. If you would like us to recommend some installers to you, please do not hesitate to contact us. What are my requirements? TYPE OF APPLICATIONThe output required for a heating system is a function of: - local seasonal changes in temperature and the design of the home
- the space to be heated and the degree of insulation of the home
Although the boiler remains the heart of the installation in which heat is generated by a gas-fired or fuel oil-fired burner or by electric heating elements, the control system plays an increasingly important role: in modern installations, the temperature of the heating circuit varies as a function of the outside temperature and the control system contributes not only to a higher level of comfort for the user but also to improved fuel economy and eco-friendlier operation. It is increasingly the case that customers purchase a single system for heating and generating hot water instead of buying separate products. However, recent trends to install renewable energy systems favour the investment in a flexible hot water storage unit at the centre of your system, such as ACV’s SLME tank: installing both a boiler and a separate SLME tank gives you flexibility to make an investment in other sources of energy, such as solar or a heat pump, when you are ready to do so. TYPE OF ENERGYNatural gas
Natural gas offers a highly competitive operating cost and does not require storage. Fuel oil
Fuel oil has been in many countries one of the least expensive forms of energy for heating, but this situation is fast evolving as fuel prices rise. Premises that are not on the gas main may have no other choice than to install a fuel powered heating system. Thanks to modern "transparent flame" type burners fuel oil can be relatively clean (low NOx) and energy savings are still possible by selecting a high-efficiency boiler. Electricity
There are many advantages to electricity: low initial investment, ease of installation and maintenance. The cost per kWh is generally higher than that of fuel oil or gas except in certain countries that promote the use of electricity. It is an attractive option for applications involving the renovation of historic buildings (that have no chimney), for isolated homes (that are have no municipal fuel oil or gas service) or for intermittent use (secondary residences) and also for office buildings (simple installation and metering). The sun, clean and free
The sun is a source of extremely low-cost energy and using it for home heating also serves to protect the environment. The initial investment can be considerable, however, and it always requires a "traditional" heat source, such as a gas boiler or a heat pump to make up for the energy deficit during periods of cold and weak sunlight. AREA TO BE HEATEDACV has heating solutions that are suitable for apartments right up to large commercial properties. We also have control and mixing accessories that allow our boilers to be used in either high temperature circuits (radiators) or low temperature (under-floor heating). Hot water HOT WATER COMFORTDomestic Hot Water (DHW) demand depends on - the number of people in the household
- the level of hot water comfort they demand and the hot water-consuming equipment that has been or will be installed in the home
Whilst heating energy requirements have decreased over the course of the past several decades, the demands of modern life have significantly increased the need for stable hot water supply that neither sacrifices economy nor ignores environmental protection concerns. A modern family living in a typical northern European country with a high standard of hot water comfort will typically consume around 35% of its total annual fuel budget in the form of energy to heat water. This proportion is even higher for homes situated in warmer climates and ones that are better insulated or demand greater hot water comfort. Thus the level of hot water comfort emerges more and more often as the determining factor in the selection of heating and hot water generation systems.
Sustainable long-lasting products
Investment in research and development not only yields ecologically sound products but also allows us to create systems with a long service life. ACV ensures a minimum of waste and environmental impact in production and during the operational use and end of life of our products. Stainless steel is not only a good choice for durability it is also a highly recyclable metal. By choosing a highly energy efficient and space saving ACV boiler or hot water tank, you are also making a choice in favour of the environment.
Renewable energies
At the heart of your solar, heat pump or solid fuel burning system, ACV multi-energy tanks provide you with a flexible solution to store and use hot water, allowing you to make investments in renewable heating technologies as and when you can afford them.
Safety in performance
ACV builds safety in, by design. Whether it is the high relative water content of our heat exchangers, which reduce the possibility of overheating to a minimum, or the fail-safe operation of our controls, we think about what could happen and plan that it never does.
At the centre of any renewable heating solution is the need to store energy. ACV’s solution is to install our uniquely advantageous multi-energy tank as the central unit and configure it to a range of renewable energy options, including thermal solar, heat pumps or pellet burners as inputs.
With an ACV multi-energy tank at the heart of your hot water and heating system, you can decide to switch to alternative energies at a later date, without having to change your storage tank or drastically reconfigure your installation.
ACV is your partner in thermal solar hot water and heating solutions. At the heart of your solar system, ACV controls and hot water tanks enable you to flexibly store energy for when you need it.
The SolarMaster system is a fine example of excellence in innovation at ACV. Using the best new technologies, engineers at ACV have combined a condensing boiler, multienergy Tank-in-Tank technology and comprehensive temperature and solar controls in one unit. The SolarMaster answers the call from environmentally aware residential customers to provide a simple to install system incorporating alternative energy sources, while providing a plentiful supply of domestic hot water, come rain or shine.
ACV subsidiaries are experienced and active in providing technical training to installers, technicians, heating engineers and prescribers.
Around the world, ACV subsidiaries propose a series of training courses designed to ensure that the latest technical standards are understood and mastered. The courses also help you to get the best out of ACV heating systems, and ensure that installations conform to the latest and highest standards. In many cases these training courses form part of local professional qualifications.
Please contact us for the agenda and programme of our technical training.
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