Heating engineers in Hertford

What kind of housing does Hertford have?

Hertford is the county town, and its centre keeps a great deal of its Georgian and earlier architecture, much of it protected within a conservation area. Tall townhouses and Victorian villas sit close to the shops, while Bengeo to the north has long roads of Victorian and Edwardian family houses. Around them are interwar and post-war streets, newer developments, and smaller places such as Hertingfordbury and Hertford Heath on the edges.

Why do tall townhouses raise particular heating questions?

In a house spread over three or four floors, hot water has a long way to travel. A bathroom at the top of the house can be slow to run hot, and a combi boiler on the ground floor may struggle to give a good shower two storeys up, especially if the mains pressure is modest. A cylinder, or a different boiler position, is sometimes the better answer. If your house has several floors, say which floor the boiler is on and where the bathrooms are.

Period houses also tend to have chimney breasts in most rooms. Old gas fires were often fitted into them, and some are still in use. Any open-flued gas appliance depends on a sound chimney and enough air in the room, so mention a gas fire when you enquire, even if the job is about the boiler.

What about conservation areas and listed buildings?

If your home is listed or in the conservation area, think about the outside of the building as well as the inside. A new flue or condensate pipe on a visible wall can need consent, and listed building consent covers works that affect a building's character. Moving a boiler to a rear room or a loft can avoid some of these questions, so it is worth discussing early.

Is the boiler in a converted flat?

Many larger Hertford houses have been divided into flats, each usually with its own boiler. Leaseholders should read their lease before moving a boiler, since altering an outside wall often needs the freeholder's agreement. Landlords of converted flats need a separate safety check and record for each one.

What happens when I enquire from Hertford?

Your enquiry goes, if you agree, to a single local engineer on the Gas Safe Register who covers your part of town. They will contact you, ask about the job and confirm what it will cost before any work begins. This site does no heating work and may receive a fee from the engineer, but asking is free.