Research from Uponor shows 90% of heating and plumbing installers are enthusiastic about the year ahead.
In the survey of Uponor’s supplier network, 45% of respondents thought that the biggest factor affecting their business would be customers wanting more efficient systems to help them to save money, while 52% said it would be the recovering economy.
Chris Greaves, head of offerings and markets at Uponor UK said:
“It is no surprise that as the house building and construction markets begin to improve, installers’ order books also expand as more and more homeowners have the extra cash to invest in new heating systems or extensions”
Installers also said that there is a shift in demand for different technologies with 73% of installers highlighting UFH as a key solution in the year ahead. This was closely followed by heat pumps and solar thermal with 59% and 39% respectively. However, CHP and cooling technologies were with 1% of votes.
When installers were asked why underfloor heating had received such a low uptake compared to Europe, over two thirds said it was because consumers had very little understanding of the technology.
Just under a quarter (24%) said they and other installers had limited knowledge of the technology and how to install it while 31% said they didn’t think it was suitable for UK homes.
Mr Greaves concluded:
“The research provides a great snapshot of the plumbing industry and the rising optimism within the market. What’s great to see is the rising importance of technologies such as UFH but also the need for education within the marketplace.”