A warm welcome home to Baxi Bermuda

When it was launched in 1966, the Baxi Bermuda back boiler revolutionised the home heating market. The idea was simple: a boiler to provide heating and hot water in the home, which fitted into the existing fire place, rather than taking valuable floor or wall space elsewhere in the home.

The product was so practical and reliable that the name Baxi Bermuda was synonymous with back boiler expertise. It is estimated that over 80 per cent of back boilers were Baxi installations. Today, millions of homes across the country still rely on a Baxi Bermuda for heating and hot water.

When Part L of the Building Regulations changed in 2005, requiring replacements and new installations to use condensing boilers, replacing back boiler units (BBU) became a complicated and expensive business. Space needs to be found to re-site the boiler, pipes rerouted and fireplaces and the surrounding wall redecorated.

Until now
Baxi has developed a brand new high efficiency BBU. It is the only condensing BBU on the market to be a direct replacement, and is the most cost effective alternative for an existing unit. It carries a SEDBUK Band A rating and meets all legislative and building regulations.

The package includes a state-of-the-art Valor Dimension electric fire, featuring the very latest patented hologram technology to create an exceptionally lifelike coal effect fire.

21st century technology
The Baxi Bermuda BBU HE is a fully room sealed 15kW heat only boiler. It is over 90 per cent efficient so householders will benefit from a substantial saving on energy bills. And it has a Class 5 NOx rating (the best), so it helps to protect the environment.

The integral condensate pump allows the condensate to be discharged into the drain via a 10mm pipe which fits neatly along the skirting. Alternatively it can routed vertically into the soil stack. It has a lightweight cast aluminium/silicone alloy heat exchanger and uses high quality tried and tested components that heating engineers will be familiar with.

It takes combustion air from outside and vents waste gas up the fully sealed, one piece flexible concentric flue liner. A special reusable ‘flue nose’ helps to guide the new flue system down the chimney.

The boiler is factory set to save time during installation and is fully modulating, matching heat output to heat demand.

One of the main advantages of the new BBU is that existing pipe work can be used. This means that the entire system, including the fire, can be replaced in a single day, causing minimal disruption to residents and eliminating the need for costly redecoration.

The Valor Dimension electric fire is simply plugged in to a convenient socket to complete the installation. It will produce a 2kW heat output if required. It costs less than two pence per day to run the realistic 3D holographic fuel bed and flames effect only.

For the social housing market there is a choice of two fire fronts. Lyrica has traditional styling, while Nano features a contemporary brushed metal finish. Fully assembled suites, including hearth and back panel, are also available.

Installation is simple
As with all boiler replacements, the system needs to be drained. After removing the existing fire front and the fire surround, the flue liner is disconnected and the flue terminal and liner removed. The old BBU is removed and the gas supply position altered, if necessary.

The new flue system is prepared and inserted down the chimney using the special flue ‘nose’. The new BBU HE is inserted into the hearth and the condensate pipe connected. The new flue is attached using a secure push-fit connection. The flue terminal is prepared and made weather-tight.

The electrics and pipe work are all connected, the system flushed and the Baxi Bermuda BBU HE tested and commissioned. The fire surround can then be refitted and the Dimension fire connected. The whole process takes about one day.

Baxi and Valor are both part of Baxi Group, so the whole package is available conveniently from one supplier. Both the BBU HE and the Dimension fire come with a two-year warranty. As with all Baxi Group products they are backed by heateam, the service division of Baxi Group. heateam provides responsive and knowledgeable customer service, technical backup, and has a national network of over 270 highly skilled engineers.