ABSTRACT
The design of any hot water supply system needs to provide, so far as is practicable, hot water at the locations, in the quantities and at the temperatures required by the user at the least overall cost taking into account installation, maintenance and fuel costs. There are many different systems, some deriving hot water from the space heating installation and others which are independent. As with the other components of the services, the surveyor’s responsibility is to visually inspect and describe what is present, making relevant observations, but not to carry out any tests. If undertaking a Survey Level Three or Building Survey then, where appropriate, the surveyor will ask the owner or occupier to switch on the heating appliances or system – but only to check the basic operation and not to test efficiency or safety.
