Hat-trick heating heroes on show at CRE

The Stoke on Trent-based church heating specialists featured on the front cover of our latest issue were also exhibiting at CRE Midlands.

Mellor and Mottram don't believe in doing things in ones - or even twos. They seem to make a habit of installing trios of systems in churches in close proximity, often as a result of previous collaborations.

Such was the case when the company was approached by Rochdale architect Graham Holland to carry out a survey of the system at Holy Trinity in Littleborough - a Pennine village to the north of the town.

Holy Trinity is the Grade One-listed parish church of the village, acting as a landmark in the village centre and providing a focal point for the Anglican community there.

The heating was provided by an ancient Robin Hood boiler, originally coal fired but converted to gas many years ago. The boiler, in the basement of the church, was working at around 55% efficiency.

The solution provided by Mellor and Mottram was the installation of two new gas-fired condensing boilers, which can be configured to operate at around 95% efficiency. The old flue was replaced by a fully-welded stainless steel flue header within each boiler.

The stunning rate of efficiency was provided by the control systems installed with the system. The controls allowed for the 'sequencing' of the boilers to maximise efficiency, together with weather control. A system of optimisation allows the controls to 'learn' the best way to sequence the boilers, adding to fuel savings.

The installation at Holy Trinity led to Mellor and Mottram being invited to carry out a survey of the heating system at St Andrew's Church just a couple of miles down the road in Dearnley, a suburb of Rochdale itself.

Two wall-mounted gas-fired heaters had been installed in meeting rooms, which had proven to be unacceptable to the PCC. They were noisy when in operation and upon examination were shown to have been incorrectly installed and not compliant with current gas regulations.

A new system was required for the main church and the meeting rooms. The solution was a 'wet' system comprising two gas-fired boilers, offering a total of 130KW of heat, and low-surface temperature radiators. The boilers, which were installed in the basement, are sequenced to provide optimum start and serve three heating zones on a seven-day timer. The pipework for the entire system was also replaced.

A further two miles away, on the other side of picturesque Hollingworth Lake, lies Milnrow, another of the area's Pennine mill villages. Milnrow's Parish Church is dedicated to St James the Apostle and is Grade Two listed. However, problems with damp in the north and south aisles were caused by inadequate heating and a new system was needed.

The heating was provided by high-level gas-fired radiant tubes which were not adequate for the job. Mellor and Mottram were appointed to install a new 'wet' system.

Two wall-mounted gas-fired boilers in the vestry, fitted with balanced flues, provided heat via cast-iron radiators and mild steel pipework. Four ducts in the floor of the church were utilised to provide further heating via four 'gilled' tube trench heaters.

Circulation was provided by a Grundfos Magna circulation pump, aided by a high-efficiency pressurisation unit.

The contract was carried out over a two-year period and finished in the spring of this year.

For further information visit www.mellorandmottram.com