Arguing that, ‘in the current difficult economic climate of tight budgets and the need to prioritise expenditure’ more focus should be given to ‘extending the life of existing installations rather than replacement with cheap alternatives’, Horne says its products are specifically designed for an extended lifetime’.
It adds: “All facilitate ease of access for servicing, and straightforward maintenance procedures, and replacement components and spare parts are extremely competitively priced.”
To enhance its customers’ ability to service their own Horne valves, the company has developed its website to include a dedicated area for Maintenance and Technical Support. Split into product specific sections covering the Optitherm thermostatic tap; surface mounted shower panels and point of use mixing valves , this dedicated website area provides narrated videos and animations to demonstrate various installation, commissioning, and performance testing procedures. Also explained are restorative maintenance of the valves, as well as water system maintenance ‘to improve water quality by reducing microbiological contamination’.
Horne says: “If you are not a current user of Horne thermostatic mixing products, they should be considered when funding allows for quality replacements. By improving the specifications to include integral isolating valves and, in the case of the Horne 15 4th Connection , the T off to the cold water tap, an installation can be made smaller and neater with fewer connections, while the cold tap mechanism is also protected by the fine mesh, full bore strainer.”
Access to the isolating servicing valves is said to be ‘particularly easy for surface- mounted shower panels and the Optitherm thermostatic tap’ - with no requirement to remove wall panels for accessing the hot and cold water supplies. All serviceable parts are accessible from floor level and from within the ward or shower room, to help keep planned and reactive maintenance costs to a minimum.
Access to the Maintenance and Support area of the Horne website is free, but does require a user account to be set-up. Horne asks for minimal information only (name, company name, email address) such that any subscribers can be notified when updates or additions are made. To explore the Maintenance and Support area, request a password here.
