Frequently Asked Questions.
| Sunwarm FAQs |
| Q. What is the expected energy benefit of installing a SUNWARM system in my home? |
| Q. What guarantee is there on the system? |
| Q. Can SUNWARM be connected to any hot water cylinder or thermal store? |
| Q. Can SUNWARM be used in conjunction with a Combination (Combi) Boiler? |
| Q. What could the hot water temperature be with SUNWARM? |
| Q. What is the service charge for SUNWARM and what is the frequency of service? |
| Q. Is there a grant available for SUNWARM from “Clear Skies” Initiative or the “SCHRI”? |
| Q. How much of the hot water need of a household could be supplied by SUNWARM? |
| Q. Will the hot water cylinder boil with SUNWARM? |
| Q. What action do I need to take with my central heating and water controls? |
| Q. Do I still need my immersion heater? |
| Solar Collector FAQs |
| Q. What is the size of the solar collector panels? |
| Q. Are the solar collector panels fixed in size? |
| Q. Do I need a south facing roof? |
| Q. What should the angle (pitch) of the roof be? |
| General FAQs |
| Q. Does the system require Building Control or Planning approval? |
| Q. Will the system ventilate the whole of my home adequately via its single supply air diffuser? |
| Q. What maintenance is required to the system? |
| Q. Is Nuaire a member of the Solar Trade Association? |
| Q. I have extract fans in my kitchen and bathroom – do I need to turn them off? |
| Q. Do I need to open my windows or trickle vents to let out the air brought in by SUNWARM? |
| Q. How much electricity does the system use? |
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| Sunwarm FAQs |
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Q. What is the expected energy benefit of installing a SUNWARM system in my home?
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A. The following is our best estimates based on a number of factors that relate to method of construction, materials used, air tightness of the house, orientation and many other such parameters. It is important they be used as guidelines and not as absolute.
For an electrically heated home:
| Product |
Energy saving potential KWh pa |
Electricity consumed KWh pa |
CO2 saved kg pa |
| Drimaster |
225 - 550 |
40 |
80 - 219 |
| Drimaster 365 |
225 - 550 |
53 |
74 - 214 |
| Sunwarm Roof |
1025 - 1350 |
53 |
418 - 558 |
| Sunwarm Air |
1400 - 1800 |
53 |
579 - 751 |
| Sunwarm |
2500 - 2850 |
135 |
1017 - 1167 |
For a home heated by gas (system efficiency of 86%):
| Product |
Energy saving potential KWh pa |
Electricity consumed KWh pa |
CO2 saved kg pa |
| Drimaster |
262 - 640 |
40 |
33 - 105 |
| Drimaster 365 |
262 - 640 |
53 |
27 - 99 |
| Sunwarm Roof |
1192 - 1570 |
53 |
203 - 275 |
| Sunwarm Air |
1628 - 2093 |
53 |
286 - 375 |
| Sunwarm |
2907 - 3314 |
135 |
494 - 572 |
Electrical Efficiency Factor = 0.43 Kg/KWh
Gas Efficiency Factor = 0.19 Kg/KWh
Fans are assumed to be running at low base speed. No benefit has been attributed to cooling. Note that the gas efficiency has been increased from 78% to 86% to reflect the current market conditions.
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Q. What guarantee is there on the system?
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A. The guarantee on hot water cylinders, thermal stores and associated components varies with the type supplied. All other parts of the system are guaranteed for 5 years (parts and labour).
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Q. Can SUNWARM be connected to any hot water cylinder or thermal store?
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A. SUNWARM can be connected to any hot water cylinder or thermal store fitted with a separate solar coil. For best efficiencies it should be connected to a coil located in the lower part of the cylinder or store.
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Q. Can SUNWARM be used in conjunction with a Combination (Combi) Boiler?
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A. Yes, but the boiler must be configured to operate as a standard boiler with a hot water cylinder, as the solar energy needs to be stored during the day for use as and when available.
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Q. What could the hot water temperature be with SUNWARM?
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A. Depending on the location, season, and heating delivered to the house the temperature can vary, but it could reach up to 65°C.
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Q. What is the service charge for SUNWARM and what is the frequency of service?
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A. The charge for servicing the air handling system would be approximately £60-100 (at 2004 rates) once every 5 years.
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Q. Is there a grant available for SUNWARM from “Clear Skies” Initiative or the “SCHRI”?
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A. SUNWARM is a “Recognised product” and a grant may therefore be available. Please click on “Awards and Grants” for further information and links to relevant grant sites.
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Q. How much of the hot water need of a household could be supplied by SUNWARM?
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A. Up to 60% of the hot water can be supplied by SUNWARM, depending on the season and amount of heating that is also required.
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Q. Will the hot water cylinder boil with SUNWARM?
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A. No, as we do not make hot water more than 65 degrees.
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Q. What action do I need to take with my central heating and water controls?
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A. Essentially you do not need to change any of your existing controls. However, after you have had your SUNWARM for a week or so you might want to adjust your heating control to your comfort level.
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Q. Do I still need my immersion heater?
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A. Yes, we recommend you use your immersion heater for emergencies and use it in the same manner as before.
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| Solar Collector FAQs |
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Q. What is the size of the solar collector panels?
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A. Each panel is approximately 2.5m by 1.25m. In most circumstances there will be two panels.
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Q. Are the solar collector panels fixed in size?
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A. Generally speaking, yes. We manage to keep costs down by offering one standard size. On very large projects however, with large volumes of units, we do consider special purpose made units.
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Q. Do I need a south facing roof?
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A. In the northern Europe the best location for solar collectors is due south; however, anywhere from south east to south west will work well. For any other parts of the world please contact us for advice
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Q. What should the angle (pitch) of the roof be?
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A. In northern Europe ideally, between 30 and 50 degrees; however, the system will work quite effectively from flat to vertical. For any other parts of the world please contact us for advice.
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| General FAQs |
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Q. Does the system require Building Control or Planning approval?
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A. We would always encourage you to check with the appropriate local regulatory bodies before purchasing a system. Local Authorities are charged with the responsibility of trying to reduce energy consumption in homes and are normally very receptive to innovative energy saving products such as SUNWARM. This website should provide you with all the information they should require to advise you.
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Q. Will the system ventilate the whole of my home adequately via its single supply air diffuser?
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A. SUNWARM operates in a similar way and at similar airflows to the British Board of Agrement certified Nuaire DRIMASTER unit and utilises the same single supply air diffuser. Depending on the layout of your home, SUNWARM, like DRIMASTER, may require additional enhancement measures such as extract fans or transfer grilles. The requirements for enhancement measures for SUNWARM are exactly the same as for DRIMASTER. Please refer to BBA Certificate Number 00/3727, in the “Additional Information” section of this website, for further details. Please remember that we can offer free application advice. Send us your drawings and we'll tell you exactly what you need.
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Q. What maintenance is required to the system?
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A. Low maintenance, high specification components are used throughout. There is no maintenance required to the solar collectors unless they get extraordinarily dirty in which case they should be cleaned with fresh water and a soft cloth. The maintenance of the hot water cylinder or thermal store varies depending on the type supplied but would normally be limited to an inspection at the same time as the main heating system inspection. The air handling system requires servicing only once every 5 years during which electrical connections and components would be checked and filters changed. A point worth noting is that the user control panel will indicate when a service is required to the air handling system. Full maintenance details are supplied with each system.
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Q. Is Nuaire a member of the Solar Trade Association?
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A. Yes we are a member of the Solar Trade Association and also Nuaire are active and long standing members of the highly reputable Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA). For more information please visit website www.feta.co.uk.
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Q. I have extract fans in my kitchen and bathroom – do I need to turn them off?
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A. No, you can use them for rapid ventilation when required. You should however notice that you will not need to use them as much as you did without SUNWARM.
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Q. Do I need to open my windows or trickle vents to let out the air brought in by SUNWARM?
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A. You should not need to open your windows too often for adequate ventilation other than periods where rapid ventilation is required. As far as trickle vents are concerned, unless your home is of unusually airtight construction then you should not have to open them. There should be sufficient leakage in the building fabric to allow air to gently exit. One thing you must never do however is close or block of any ventilation openings that have been provided for combustion appliances.
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Q. How much electricity does the system use?
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A. It is difficult to give an exact figure; however, over a year an average system would cost around 4 pence per day in electricity which is about the same as a conventional solar hot water heating system. What should however be remembered is the much greater fuel saving achieved by SUNWARM.
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