ECOBuilder_Specifiers Journal 2018_2019

An exclusive
Interview with
3Thermo, are suppliers of the worlds’ first concealed
Hybrid heating system. We asked them a few questions
about this revolutionary product and how it could
benefit you and your customers.
A lot of existing properties might already have
subfloor heating, and if a client was considering
replacing the radiators but was unsure about
having heating elements within the walls, what
would your reply be?
3Thermo radiators are a fully hybrid radiator, you
will have no water or electricity running inside of
your walls. Also every home have many elements
inside the walls already like water pipes and electrical
wiring so having low temperature heating inside the
wall adds no concern.
With ‘fuel poverty’ being in the news over
recent years especially in the case of the elderly,
how does your product perform to reduce costs
compared to established heating systems?
“53% of energy bills are from heating; every degree
Celsius you home is cooler saves 10%”. Our system
has been in operation for over 8 years now and the
users of 3Thermo have seen dramatic savings in their
heating bill. Your boiler will heat only between 10-
20% of water a normal heating system requires at
a lower temperature giving users up to 40% savings
in comparison to conventional radiators. Normal
radiators requires 70 degree Celsius we recommend
55 (3Thermo can be operated from temperatures as
low as 35 degree Celsius) our system will heat your
home producing 30 degree Celsius not 50 degree
Celsius, there is no over production of heat. An
added health and safety/design benefit is not having
hot radiators sticking out the walls. No reason why
everyone cannot afford to heat their homes during
winter!
Some older council and indeed private
houses have issues with damp and mould and
this is quite prevalent in tower blocks too.
Would installing your product help prevent a
reoccurrence of this?
3Thermo are the only heating system with a hygiene
certificate, for not creating allergens other heating
systems do. Our hygiene certificate also covers the
no damp no mould attributes of 3Thermo concealed
hybrid heating. Having heating inside the walls has
the same effect of the sun warming your walls up
during a summers’ day. This keeps the walls dry
and reduces if not eliminates the form of mould or
damp in your home. This is a massive advantage
for properties with these issues. Saving lots of cost in
fixing a reoccurring issue as well as keeping tenants
healthy. Recent studies have proven mould related
health issues can be fatal.
Obviously, when it comes to the up-keep of
hundreds or indeed thousands of tenancies a
council or housing association would tend to
go for the cheaper option, why would they
choose to install your product over a tried and
tested system?
Initially the costs will be slightly more than buying a
cheap radiator, but our system is cheaper to install and
an eco-friendly product. The government are putting
in numerous laws/suggestions and taking action to be
more green; tax on diesel cars, low emission zones,
having smart meters, putting electric busses on the
road, renewable energy sources etc. there is now a
way to be eco-friendly with heating. 100,000’s of
properties owned and rented by local councils will
have an impact on the overall energy consumption
and help move towards being greener.
3Thermo have won eco-friendly awards across
Europe and have proven to use less water, energy
and not over produce heat. Plus we have many other
benefits which directly affect landlords and tenants
like the no mould no damp example we discussed
previously. This is a long term solution rather than
a short term fix. Councils tend to lead by example
and take responsibility and encourage developers to
consider implementing the most beneficial solution.
We have Hybrid cars which are recognised as having
a positive impact on our environment, why not hybrid
radiators?
In regard to installation, would the product
appear within all the walls of the property, a
select few or simply be a form of hidden vertical
radiator and how easily does it tie in with the
existing infrastructure of the heating system?
Typically one of our radiators produces 186 watts
(634.26 BTUs), meaning we install a few radiators
around the room. We would work with the building
team to develop a concept of where the radiators
would be best placed in a room for maximum affect
and prevent heat losses. We have a technical team
who have worked with many different constructions
like, hospitals, zoos, schools, new build flats and
refurbishment projects to provide the optimum
solution. Our users have described our heating
sensation as ‘surround sound and conventional
heaters as mono sound’.
This may seem like a silly question. But from
a safety aspect, due to the product been inside
the wall/ behind plasterboard, what would the
implications be of someone accidentally drilling
through it whilst perhaps trying to hang a shelf?
Plasterboards that heat your home!
The heating system has gone through intense testing
and R&D we have got European wide certificate of
safety for the product and are continuously sending
our heaters to labs for more testing’s. We have an
A1 pass for fire testing (further details have be found
on our website). In regards to hanging pictures or
shelves; when you are drilling/hammering holes in
your walls you have to always be cautious as you
will have water pipes etc. which can cause allot of
damage to a property. Using the right method and
equipment’s you are still able to hang pictures up
without causing damage. Having no water or electric
in the walls means an accident wouldn’t be a huge
issue if you were to puncture one of the 3 cores. There
hasn’t been an issue so far with any of our clients.
Finally do you have any new products or
product ranges in the pipeline?
3Thermo have been working on a new product range
with Knauf to produce a plasterboard which can heat
your home! This is the third product line 3Thermo
have which has made installation even easier. Our
hybrid heating system is pre-set inside Knauf plaster
boards meaning you can install a plasterboard and
heating at the same time. This product is available
to order from now and a full range will be launched
from 2019. This new range is perfect for new builds’
and commercial projects.
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