Heating merchants and distributors are being warned about the rise of cheap, imitation fire safety valves from overseas.

Engineering specialist Teddington has reported an increase in the number of its customers that are being offered fire safety valves imported into the UK.

The Cornwall based company, which manufactures the KBB fire safety valve, is now warning merchants and distributors to be wary of cheap imitations that may not be industry approved.

Kenneth Maxwell, Teddington Sales Manager, said: “Since the beginning of the year a number of our customers have come to us and said they’ve been offered fire safety valves at a lower price.

“In many cases they look identical to our KBB and even have similar labelling – but they are manufactured abroad and may not be subject to the same quality control checks that we have here.

“We decided to take this step and warn others because we want them to continue to buy from reputable manufacturers, ones that are industry approved and is OFTEC approved. For the sake of saving just a few pounds, it’s not worth the risk.”

Builders’ merchants Travis Perkins and heating and plumbing distributor Wolseley have also now signed deals to supply Teddington’s KBB to their customers.

Matthew Horner, Category Manager at Wolseley UK, said: “The KBB is a quality product that has been protecting homes for 60 years. We’re delighted to now have this agreement in place and look forward to working with Teddington for a long time to come.”

Teddington’s KBB provides essential protection for properties using oil fired boilers –stopping the flow of oil and protecting homes against the risk of fire if a set temperature is exceeded.

The device, which is fully OFTEC approved and comes with a three-year warranty, is installed in the oil supply outside the building, with the sensor mounted inside the boiler above the burner. The valve will automatically close if the temperature at the sensor exceeds the set value.

OFTEC regulations state fire safety valves should be inspected annually for any signs of damage or leakage at joints with the oil supply pipe.

The sensory capillary of the valve should also be checked throughout its length for any kinks or damage and to ensure it is adequately supported and protected. The correct operation of the valve should be observed using test equipment such as Teddington’s KBT1000.

Teddington is a UK manufacturer based at St Austell, Cornwall. Among other sectors, it specialises in valves and electronic control devices for heating, plumbing and ventilation.

For more information about Teddington, visit www.teddingtonsystems.co.uk. For more information on the KBB, visit www.kbbfirevalve.co.uk.