The Fernox Express Inhibitor Test and the same manufacturer’s Water Test App combine to accurately analyse, record and share a vital component of the health of a heating system. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones finds out more.
We live in an age of information, where data is more visible than ever, and that makes properly recording it imperative. When it comes to the vital work that installers undertake in servicing boilers, if manufacturers are to honour extended warranties, they will want to see evidence of the necessary checks being carried out, a reality which is now a central pillar of requirements under BS 7593:2019 and the Benchmark Commissioning Checklist. That means it will be beholden on the householder to ensure that the boiler is in specification to the maker’s instructions and, with the expertise of leading water treatment manufacturer, Fernox as your ally, that’s easier than ever before. “Most systems that are installed in the UK will have an inhibitor in them, but it is this on-going testing, in order to maintain the correct level that the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will want to see,” explains Ernie McDonald, Global General Manager at Fernox.
“If you have a system which is maintained with inhibitor then the corrosion issues relating to water are reduced significantly, which makes an annual check of the correct levels essential. Not only will it improve the efficiency of the boiler, but there’s also less chance of a failure. Through our own involvement with the likes of the Domestic Water Treatment Association (DWTA), however, and existing sales of inhibitor testing kits, we know it’s not currently something that’s being conducted regularly enough.”
The Express Inhibitor Test is a fast track towards the correction of that failing on every front. In the first instance, simply take a sample of water, and conduct a test using the dip strip provided. Within ten seconds it will change colour, which can then be compared to the colour chart label on the bottle. A fully protected system will have inhibitor levels of 100ppm or above – and will pass the test.
It is through the Fernox Water Test App that installers can then manage and log each test. Using the in-app camera, users take a picture of the test strip and select its colour to generate the pass or fail result. If the test passes, a digital certificate will be generated that acts as evidence that the test has been completed and the system is fully protected. Together with the test outcome, all the relevant details are documented, including information on the property, the boiler, the date and time.
That represents a typical 20 second journey through the app, which is clearly an improvement in terms of time, accuracy and retention of the results compared to manual form filling, or sending off samples by post. If a test fails, installers can also demonstrate that action has been taken, such as re-dosing with Fernox Protector F1, and the whole process then recorded as part of the Benchmark Service Interval Record, with no need for a repeat visit to site.
Each small, portable kit contains enough test strips to test 50 systems, whilst the Fernox Water Test App is compatible with iOS and Android devices. Inhibitor testing is far from a new process, of course, but what the latest Fernox solution does is bring it into the modern age, harnessing the speed and convenience of digital technologies to provide faster and more accurate results which are then easier to record, retain and share.
To see the Express Inhibitor Test in action, the Fernox visit at https://youtu.be/yJM9fdUnq3M
For further information about Fernox and its range of products visit www.fernox.com
