Nick Irlam of Irlam UK in Lancaster has been crowned winner and awarded the coveted title of National Heating Installer 2024. Having been recognised as a regional winner for the North West two years in a row, Nick has scooped the top spot this year after impressing the judges with his professionalism, problem-solving, and commitment to customer satisfaction.
Commenting on his win, Nick said: “After being recognised as a regional winner for a second time, I was delighted to have received such positive feedback from the judges this year. I was extremely proud of the project I submitted, and know how dedicated I am to my work, so to get some recognition felt amazing. But to win the national award is absolutely incredible – I am speechless. Winning the national title will help to grow my business, connect with manufacturers, and do more work with others operating in the heating industry.”
Damon Blakemore of Blakemore Plumbing & Heating in Sheffield was awarded Silver Winner, while Daniel Davies of Daniel Davies Plumbing & Heating Services in Lampeter received the Bronze Winner award. Both entrants impressed industry experts with their technical expertise and customer-centric approach.
This year’s Most Sustainable Installer award, which recognises those doing everything they can to minimise the impact of their work on the environment, was presented to Damon Blakemore. The industry experts commended Damon’s knowledge and expertise in delivering energy-efficient solutions for customers, focusing on helping them minimise utility bills and their carbon footprint.
On the win, Damon said: “Sustainability has been at the centre of everything we do at Blakemore Plumbing & Heating so to win this award is a huge achievement and I feel honoured to have my work recognised by other professionals in the industry. Winning this award has inspired me to work even harder on making our industry more sustainable and I can’t wait to work with both young people and manufacturers to make an even bigger difference.”
Luke Neale claimed the highly esteemed Rising Star award, which recognises the apprentices in the UK installer community who are training and working hard to demonstrate real commitment and high standards. Luke wowed the judges with his dedication to problem-solving and the successful outcome delivered for the customer.
Luke said: “I am delighted to be taking home the Rising Star trophy. I have seen what winning the Heating Installer Awards has done for other people in the industry and I will be using the recognition to continue inspiring other young people to enter an industry that I enjoy being part of. A big thank you to everyone who helped me to get to this point!”
Last but by no means least, the HVAC Installer of the Year award – which was introduced for this year – celebrates installers who have delivered a system to customers that not only heats but also cools their homes, improving air quality and ventilation. The inaugural winner was Nick Irlam.
Nick said: “Winning the HVAC Installer of the Year award is an incredible honour, and to be recognised on top of winning the national title is truly humbling. This recognition highlights the dedication and hard work I put into delivering comprehensive heating and cooling solutions for our customers.”
Now in its ninth year, the Heating Installer Awards recognise the often-unsung superstars across the UK heating and plumbing industry who deliver an exceptional quality of work and demonstrate commitment to customer satisfaction.
As winners of the awards Nick, Damon and Luke will receive industry-wide recognition and a variety of prizes courtesy of the awards partners, Polypipe Building Products, Samsung Climate Solutions, Stelrad, The IPG and CIPHE.
For further information about the Heating Installer Awards and to register interest for next year’s awards, please visit www.heatinginstallerawards.co.uk.