Filter attracts maintenance savings

Project: Durham County Council – responsible for the management of more than 6,000 council houses in the former district of Durham City.

Objectives: To adopt a long-term strategy to improve the performance of its central heating systems, reduce maintenance costs, energy bills and carbon emissions.

Issues: During the winter months, the maintenance team were experiencing a high volume of call-outs to repair broken down boilers and clogged central heating systems.

Solution: The council had undertaken a rolling programme to refurbish its ageing boilers in a bid to reduce the need for costly maintenance and repairs year on year. To ensure ongoing maintenance and protection of its new boilers, following extensive testing, the authority chose to install MagnaClean TwinTech magnetic and non-magnetic filters.

Result: The council has put in place a standard policy to fit a MagnaClean TwinTech every time a boiler is replaced. The filters are working to capture magnetic and non-magnetic debris and prevent it from leeching into the system, causing system damage.

Verdict: "We're more than happy with what we've seen so far and by choosing a longer-term solution rather than just a quick fix, we're safeguarding against a costly drop in the efficiency of the new boilers being fitted. With this approach we're certain we'll also continue to benefit from fewer call-outs, less disruption for tenants and a big reduction in maintenance costs."

Steven Brown Repairs and Maintenance Manager, Durham County Council