Commercial heating and water treatment added to Benchmark commissioning and servicing record
The Benchmark commissioning and servicing record has moved from a paper system to digital, and added commercial heating appliances and water treatment to its recording facility.
Heating engineers are being urged to move from the traditional paper record to the new digital Benchmark platform, as the paper-based version for recording that a heating appliance has been installed, commissioned and serviced in line with manufacturers’ instructions, Building Regulations and relevant British Standards is no longer maintained.
The latest version, including all updates, is available online at www.benchmark.org.uk or through the Benchmark app.
It is a requirement that the heating appliance is installed and commissioned to the manufacturers’ instructions and the Benchmark commissioning checklist completed in full, either via the Benchmark App or web portal, noted the two associations HHIC (Heating and Hotwater Industry Council) and ICOM (The Industrial and Commercial Heating Equipment Association).
The heating appliance also needs to be registered for warranty with the manufacturer within one month of the installation. Although this may be done directly by the installer when completing the Benchmark checklist, the warranty belongs to the end user, and the responsibility lies with them to register with the manufacturer, within the allotted time period.
Steve McConnell, Director of ICOM, said:
For commercial heating, where system performance, reliability and ongoing maintenance are critical, keeping accurate commissioning and servicing records is essential. Several leading commercial heating appliance manufacturers are already using Benchmark and we would encourage the other manufacturers to do the same and provide Benchmark with their model numbers. Benchmark provides a record for all stakeholders and demonstrates professionalism and competence.”
The digital Benchmark record can now include water treatment test results, enabling installers to record water quality data directly through the Benchmark platform, including inhibitor checks at commissioning and at each annual service.
Recording this information digitally makes it easier for installers to demonstrate what water treatment processes have been carried out and which products have been used, ICOM and HHIC said. It also provides useful information for engineers returning to service the system, enabling them to identify the inhibitor used, select the correct on-site test kit and top up concentrations where required.
The move is also intended to raise awareness among consumers of the importance of water treatment and the role it plays in maintaining the performance and longevity of their heating system.
During 2024, the British Standards Institution published BS 9593:2024, a new test standard for assessing the performance of chemical inhibitors used in domestic heating systems.
BS 7593 continues to set out best practice for the preparation, commissioning and maintenance of domestic heating and cooling water systems. The 2024 amendments provide additional clarification, including guidance on inline filters, identification of local water hardness and microbiological growth risks in low-temperature systems operating below 60°C.
With paper versions no longer maintained, future changes to standards and additions to the Benchmark checklist will only be incorporated into the digital version, ICOM and HHIC noted.
