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Heating engineers are being encouraged to move from paper records to the updated digital Benchmark platform, which now includes commercial appliances and water-treatment records.
Heating engineers are being urged to make the move from the traditional paper Benchmark Commissioning Checklist and Service Record to the new digital Benchmark platform, which now also incorporates commercial appliances and a record of water treatment.
For many years, the Benchmark Checklist has been a familiar part of the domestic heating engineer’s routine, providing a record that a heating appliance has been installed, commissioned and serviced in line with manufacturers’ instructions, Building Regulations and relevant British Standards.
Sentinel is pleased to be involved in the launch of Benchmark’s digital platform. The inclusion of water-treatment records is an important step in helping installers capture and evidence the checks carried out on heating-system water, supporting good practice and the long-term performance and protection of heating systems.
The paper-based version of the Benchmark Commissioning Checklist and Service Record is no longer maintained. The latest version, including all updates, is available online at www.benchmark.org.uk or through the Benchmark apps for iOS and Android.
The digital Benchmark Commissioning Record provides installers with a straightforward way to complete and maintain installation, commissioning and servicing records, while giving householders an accessible record of their heating system.
It is a requirement that the heating appliance is installed and commissioned to the manufacturers’ instructions and that the Benchmark commissioning checklist is completed in full, either via the Benchmark App or web portal.
The heating appliance also needs to be registered for warranty with the manufacturer within one month of installation. This may be done directly by the installer when completing the Benchmark checklist. However, the warranty belongs to the end user, and we would urge that they are made aware of this. If the installer has not registered the appliance, the responsibility lies with the end user to do so within the allotted time period.
It is essential that the heating appliance is serviced at least annually in line with the manufacturers’ recommendations. This must be carried out by a suitably qualified competent person. For gas boilers, this means a Gas Safe registered engineer. The service details should be recorded within the servicing section on the Benchmark App or web portal. Failure to comply with the manufacturers’ servicing instructions and requirements could invalidate the appliance’s warranty.
An important development of digital Benchmark is that commercial appliances can now be included. This will demonstrate that the appliance has been installed and commissioned in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and also provides a record for contractors and building owners that it has been serviced and maintained correctly.
Steve McConnel, Director, ICOM, explains: “For commercial heating, where system performance, reliability and ongoing maintenance are critical, keeping accurate commissioning and servicing records is essential.
“Several leading commercial heating appliance manufacturers are already using Benchmark and we would encourage the other manufacturers to do the same and provide Benchmark with their model numbers. Benchmark provides a record for all stakeholders and demonstrates professionalism and competence.”
A significant development within the digital Benchmark Commissioning Record is the inclusion of water-treatment test results.
Installers can now record water-quality data directly through the Benchmark platform, including inhibitor checks at commissioning and at each annual service.
Correct inhibitor concentration has a major impact on system efficiency, reliability and longevity, while poor water quality can adversely affect manufacturer warranties should issues arise.
Recording this information digitally makes it easier for installers to demonstrate what water-treatment processes have been carried out and which products have been used. It also provides useful information for engineers returning to service the system, enabling them to identify the inhibitor used, select the correct on-site test kit and top up concentrations where required.
The move is also intended to raise awareness among consumers of the importance of water treatment and the role it plays in maintaining the performance and longevity of their heating system.
During 2024, the British Standards Institution published BS 9593:2024, a new test standard for assessing the performance of chemical inhibitors used in domestic heating systems. This replaces the former NSF Industry Test Standard within the Chemical Inhibitor Approval Scheme and is now referenced in the updated BS 7593:2019+A1:2024.
BS 7593 continues to set out best practice for the preparation, commissioning and maintenance of domestic heating and cooling water systems. The 2024 amendments provide additional clarification, including guidance on inline filters, identification of local water hardness and microbiological growth risks in low-temperature systems operating below 60°C.
Benchmark Online supports compliance with these requirements by providing a structured, consistent way to record key system data over the entire life of the installation.
The move to digital is designed to give installers and contractors the right tools to make recording installation, commissioning and servicing information easier and less time-consuming.
It also provides them with a clear record they can share with customers, demonstrating that they are doing everything they can to support them properly.
With paper versions no longer maintained, future changes to standards and additions to the Benchmark checklist will only be incorporated into the digital version. Installers and contractors are therefore encouraged to start using Benchmark Online or the Benchmark App and ensure that commissioning and servicing records are completed in full.
More information about Benchmark Online and the apps is available at www.benchmark.org.uk
Sentinel is a company with a clear goal: we offer water treatment products and services that provide the best lifetime protection for heating and hot water systems. Originally launched in the UK by Grace Dearborn in 1988 and subsequently a subsidiary of the leading multinational General Electric, Sentinel has operated independently since 2005, expanding its international reach and range of innovative solutions. As of 2021, Sentinel is owned by Aalberts N.V., and sits in the hydronic flow control cluster.
