The Office for Product Safety and Standards published a product safety report on 9 July 2024 for the Joule Hot Water Systems ModulAir heat pump, identifying a risk of fire1. The alert carries a risk level of low and a measure type of modification programme, and was notified by Local Authority Trading Standards under PSD number 2405-01071.
The report describes the product as a domestic heating heat pump system, brand Joule, with country of origin the Netherlands1. Six models are listed as affected1:
| Item number | Description |
|---|---|
| HMMC-PP-009 | MODULAIR ALL-E 150L |
| HMMC-PP-010 | MODULAIR ALL-E 180 |
| HMMC-PP-012 | MODULAIR ALL-E 210L |
| HMMC-PP-013 | MODULAIR ALL-E & GREENCOMFORT 150L |
| HMMC-PP-014 | MODULAIR ALL-E & GREENCOMFORT 180L |
| HMMC-PP-016 | MODULAIR ALL-E & GREENCOMFORT 210L |
The hazard is set out in the report as follows1:
"The product has been identified as presenting a risk of fire as there are certain circumstances in which the internal electrical connection in the ModulAir All E Heat Pump can overheat, melt and breakdown."
The report adds that despite the presence of a Residual Current Breaker with Over-Current (RCBO), the electrical connectors may continue to overheat, producing smoke and fumes, and that there may be a risk of burns or fire if contact is made with flammable materials inside or close to the unit1. It states that the product does not meet the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 20161.
On corrective action, the report says Joule Hot Water Systems UK Ltd has contacted owners to arrange an upgrade to the ModulAir All E heat pump1. The company can be reached on 020 3744 4200 or at modulairuk@jouleuk.co.uk1. The report does not state how many units are affected, how the upgrade is carried out, or whether any incidents have been recorded in connection with the product; none of this has been reported1.
Why it matters for households
A heat pump sits alongside the cylinder and controls that make up a home's hot water and heating system, so a fault inside the unit is a fault inside the home. The report's concern is an internal electrical connection that can overheat, melt and break down, with the possibility of smoke and fumes even where an RCBO is fitted1. For a household, that bears on the physical safety of the plant room or cupboard where the unit is installed, and on whether the equipment can be relied on to run without intervention.
The report places the affected units in domestic settings and identifies them by model and cylinder size, which means an owner can check the item number on their own installation against the list above1. The corrective route is a modification programme rather than a full recall, and the report says owners have been contacted directly to arrange an upgrade1. Households that bought a property with a ModulAir system already installed, or that have changed contact details since installation, may not appear on the company's records; the report does not address this.
What happens next
The report gives no deadline for the modification programme and no completion date1. It lists a phone number and email address for Joule Hot Water Systems UK Ltd for further information1. No further updates to the page have been reported beyond the 9 July 2024 publication date1.