OFTEC has welcomed the initial success of a new Solid Fuel course and has highlighted the benefits it offers to installers.
The new course for installers commenced at METAC in Ireland on November 9.
The new designations of OFT15-108(D) and OFT15-108(W) are now available, and other centres are registering their interest.
A number of counter hand courses have been held at METAC, and plumbers’ merchants and solid fuel retailers are now ready to promote OFTEC registered solid fuel installers.
The course is designed to give current and potential installers a firm knowledge and understanding of how a solid fuel appliance should be installed correctly, and to demonstrate the requirements for flueing, ventilation and how to meet the current building regulations. The wet course is only available to technicians completing the dry course (and meeting the existing pre-requisites) and will show technicians how to connect a stove to an existing heating system.
David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland Manager, commented, “The course should be of huge benefit to any installer wanting to demonstrate their competence to consumers. A key benefit to installers who register as a solid fuel operative with OFTEC will be their inclusion on a new solid fuel register of technicians. This list will be available online and, more importantly, the merchants in Ireland have indicated that they will be handing lists of competent installers (OFTEC registered) to consumers purchasing stoves in Ireland.
“Merchants clearly recognise the benefit of using a competent person to install a solid fuel appliance and want to make sure their customers get a satisfactory installation that meets current building regulation requirements and is safe. OFTEC is also in discussions with SOLAS, who have expressed an interest in adopting the OFTEC solid fuel course for plumbing apprentices.”
Technicians who already hold a recognised solid fuel qualification can add this scope to their existing registration from as little as €65 (£50).
