Installers Should Seriously Consider Opportunities In LPG Says Calor

With 73,000 people moving from towns and cities to the English countryside each year* and around 1.7 million UK homes being situated in non-mains-gas areas, the LPG market is worth serious consideration. According to Rachel Hodge, market development manager of the UK’s leading LPG supplier, Calor, heating and plumbing installers – especially those based near rural areas – should get clued up on this alternative fuel and the wide range of LPG appliances and training available.

Offering a real and controllable flame for cookers and fires, underground storage, automatic fuel top-ups, convenience and hassle free tank maintenance, Calor LPG is becoming the ideal choice for many people living in non-mains-gas areas.

Though in recent years oil has been regarded as the main fuel source in non-mains-gas areas, the benefits of LPG are becoming more widely understood and the market is certainly gathering pace. As the majority of people purchasing homes in the countryside are actually moving from towns and cities, and are therefore used to the benefits of gas, installers are finding that many rural homeowners want the closest alternative – which is without a doubt LPG.

Not only is LPG versatile – the fuel can be used for space heating, hot water and cooking – but it is also the only non-mains-gas fuel which provides a real and controllable flame – just like mains gas does. This is a huge plus point for the homeowner, and is a key selling point for installers when recommending LPG central heating systems, and can help them cross sell LPG appliances which benefit from having a gas flame, such as cookers and fires.

Another important benefit Calor can offer is a constant supply of fuel. The Think Tank^® storage system, available for above or underground storage options, ensures homeowners are automatically topped-up with Calor LPG when required without any action on their part – so they should always have gas.

A contents gauge, fitted to the tank, regularly monitors a customer’s gas level. A wireless transmitter sends a signal to a dialler unit connected to the household’s phone, which automatically dials up Calor’s central computer – completely free of charge – keeping it informed of the current gas level. When a top-up is required the local Calor depot is alerted and a tanker will deliver a supply of LPG in good time.

With The Think Tank^® installed there really is no difference between Calor LPG and mains gas. Even the sight of the storage tank can be eliminated by opting for an unobtrusive underground tank. All that is visible with this type of installation is a compact round green cover, which gives access to the valve assembly.

We also take care of tank installation and insurance. Once LPG has been chosen as the preferred fuel, a Calor representative visits the customer, evaluates the proposed site and recommends a suitable location for the tank. A Calor approved contractor delivers and installs the tank, connects the gas pipeline to the property and fills the tank with Calor LPG. The storage tank remains the property and responsibility of Calor, so the homeowner does not have to worry about tank insurance or maintenance. Every time LPG is delivered each Calor tank is checked and maintained by qualified engineers.

So, what qualifications are required to work in LPG? The good news for heating engineers is that becoming an LPG installer is not as complex as you may think. For the natural gas installer already holding a Domestic Core Natural Gas Safety certificate, obtaining the additional CONGLP1 – LPG qualification is relatively simple. It takes just one day to train and one day for assessment, and the qualification remains valid for five years.

Calor is committed to communicating LPG’s benefits and stimulating demand and growth in the market. We are instigating many marketing initiatives, and we fully support proactive installers. We offer installers the opportunity to become ‘Calor recommended’ – where we refer enquiries for LPG domestic central heating installations to local Calor recommended installers. Installers also receive £100 for every lead that converts into a new Calor gas supply customer. A further end-of-year bonus is also available, based on the cumulative number of successful leads gained throughout the year. For example, installers generating 20 new bulk tank customers for Calor during 2005 will be rewarded with a £2,000 bonus.

Where products are concerned, rest assured that there is a wide range of LPG boilers available – including high efficiency models which meet Energy White Paper recommendations – from market leading manufacturers. Most boiler manufacturers also supply LPG conversion kits, so changing a natural gas boiler to a LPG one is a simple exercise. There’s also a wide selection of LPG cookers and fires on the market.

With the benefits of LPG clearly being recognised by homeowners, it is fast becoming the preferred fuel for rural areas and proactive installers can really capitalise on the increased market potential. For further information telephone Calor on 0800 121 4461 quoting ‘install’ or visit www.calor.co.uk. Training courses can be found by contacting SGAS on 01253 697078 or the EU Sector Skills Council on 0845 077 9922. Alternatively visit www.gwinto.co.uk.

* The State of the Countryside, The Countryside Agency (rural England) 2004.

Issued on behalf of Calor by The Bright Consultancy, 1 Henley Court, High Street, Henley-in-Arden, West Midlands B95 5BA. For further information please contact Ruth Barrows/Cara Hastings/ Ian Bates at Bright on Tel: +44 (0) 1564 795535 Fax: +44 (0) 1564 795560 or Email: ruth@bright-consultancy.co.uk.

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Ref: CALG0037AV
Released: January 2005