Project Overview
| Site | Children’s nursery, Calne, Wiltshire — attended for a facilities management client |
|---|---|
| Call-out | Emergency — no heating, control panel dead, no radiators or underfloor heating |
| System | Two Strata Streamline 16 boilers, radiators, underfloor heating manifold, unvented cylinder and Honeywell 2-port zone valves |
| Fault found | Blown control fuse and a faulty motorised head on a Honeywell zone valve; boiler one already condemned by a previous company |
| Work completed | EPH C1P head fitted to the existing valve body, control fuse replaced, boiler two reprogrammed and the system tested |
The Challenge
A facilities management company called us to a children’s nursery with no heating. The heating control panel was not lighting up, and neither the radiators nor the underfloor heating were working — not something a nursery can leave until next week.
The plant room had another complication. One of the site’s two boilers had already been isolated, with a condemned notice issued by a previous company, because it needs replacing. Whatever we found, the building would be relying on a single boiler until a proper replacement is installed.
The Solution: A Head-Only Zone Valve Repair
Two engineers attended and spent about two hours on site. The control fuse had blown, and testing found a faulty motorised head on the Honeywell 2-port zone valve.
We replaced the failed Honeywell head with an EPH C1P motorised head — a better-quality actuator designed to fit the existing Honeywell valve body. Because only the head was changed, there was no drain-down and no pipework alteration, which kept the repair quick and the disruption to the nursery low. The control fuse was replaced and the system tested.
We then reprogrammed boiler two, a Strata Streamline 16, to the manufacturer’s instructions and ran a further test. It is now running and keeping the building warm.
Why This Approach Suits Commercial Sites
On a commercial heating system, the best repair is the one that restores heat quickly, safely and without creating a bigger job. For this nursery that meant:
- Head-only valve repair: The EPH C1P fits the existing Honeywell valve body, so the system did not need draining, refilling and venting — saving time on site and cost for the client.
- A better actuator: Swapping like-for-like would have put back the same design that failed. The EPH head is a better-quality replacement for the long term.
- Two engineers: Fault-finding, the repair and the boiler reprogramming were done in one two-hour visit.
- Honest capacity advice: One 16 kW boiler will keep the building going for now, but it will struggle on its own — the client knows a proper replacement is needed rather than being left to find out on the coldest day.
The Repair Process
- Arrival: The heating control panel was dead and the control fuse had blown.
- Testing: The motorised head on the Honeywell 2-port zone valve was found to be faulty.
- Zone valve head: The Honeywell head was replaced with an EPH C1P head on the existing valve body — no drain-down or pipework changes.
- Fuse and test: The control fuse was replaced and the system tested.
- Boiler two: The Strata Streamline 16 was reprogrammed to the manufacturer’s instructions and tested again. It is now running.
The Results
Heating was restored to the nursery on the same visit, with the radiators and underfloor heating controlled again. Boiler two is carrying the building in the short term, and the facilities manager has a clear plan for the boiler replacement and system maintenance.
Recommended Follow-Up
- Replace the condemned boiler: Boiler one is isolated and condemned. Ideally it should be replaced with a new two-boiler system with enough output for the building. See our boiler installation service.
- System maintenance: Planned maintenance on the underfloor heating and the rest of the heating system.
Commercial Heating Questions
Can a zone valve head be replaced without draining the system?
Often, yes. If the valve body is sound, a compatible actuator head such as the EPH C1P can be fitted to an existing Honeywell body without draining down or altering pipework — exactly what we did at this nursery.
Is one boiler enough for a nursery or small commercial building?
It depends on the building’s heat demand. Here, one 16 kW boiler keeps the nursery going but will struggle alone, so we recommended a two-boiler system with enough combined output and a backup if one fails.
Do you work with facilities management companies?
Yes. We provide commercial heating and gas servicing, reactive call-outs and planned maintenance across London and the Home Counties, and attend sites further afield for facilities management clients, as here. See also our commercial plant room repair in Westminster and our EPH zone valve repair in Virginia Water.