Altecnic is reporting an increase in the number of non-compliant products flooding the UK and Irish market.

In particular, the manufacturer has seen a sharp increase in the number of plumbing professionals reporting issues after specifying substandard safety relief valves (SRVs).

Although at first glance the SRVs look like accredited products, on closer inspection these ‘looky likey’ products are made of low grade materials which cause them to fail quickly after installation.

An investigation by Altecnic’s technical department showed these products are manufactured from inferior materials which are likely to fail before the valve discharges at its set temperature. The plastic is also not suitable for hot water conditions and becomes brittle causing damage and the metal is not suitable for wholesome water and can lead to the contamination of the main drinking supply.

It is not only substandard materials causing major issues, inferior manufacturing mean these SRVs are difficult to install with poor calibration causing valves to discharge early or, even worse, too late.

Commenting on the problems caused by poor quality, non-compliant safety relief valves, Altecnic’s technical director Gary Perry said: “There is absolutely no room in the industry for unaccredited SRVs. These valves are a crucial safety device defending a system from overpressure which can potentially make a normal water heater or heating very dangerous. If one of these valves fails the implications for both the user and the installer could be disastrous, especially if the plumber has installed a non-compliant product.”

In response to the increase in non-accredited products available on the UK market, Altecnic has recently launched its Triple A awareness campaign: ‘Accredited.Authentic.Altecnic’.

As a responsible manufacturer, Altecnic is raising awareness among plumbing professionals about the importance of only specifying fully accredited and compliant products which meet WRAS, BuildCert, Kiwi UK and TMV approvals.

Mr Perry added: “The UK law clearly puts the responsibility of compliance in the hands of the installer and pleading ignorance is not a defence in the eyes of the court. By looking for Altecnic products on merchants’ shelves, plumbers can be assured they are choosing equipment that has been rigorously assessed and meets all current UK legislative requirements which legally covers them and represents the safest and best value option for their customers.”