Combi Boiler Installation
There are different factors to consider when it comes to choosing right type of boiler for your home. The size of the home in addition to the number of rooms that the combi needs to circulate throughout. And also, external factor such as the water pressure in the area where your home located. Given these, there are different types of boilers which come with advantages and disadvantages for homes in UK. Their ecological impacts vary as well.
You should first decide whether having new combi is needed. Sometimes small repairs can solve issues since combi boilers are modular machines with replaceable parts. Failing boiler usually gives small signs that you can easily detect such as low efficiency and high bills. CW Services can detect available problems and fix them. Before being too late, call the professionals to detect to prevent complete breakdown.
There are conditions however that your boiler cannot be repaired. The new combi must be installed in such cases. This may bring some questions and concerns because new installation may sound like huge trouble. We understand these concerns and take professional approach as much as possible. Our skilled personnel do measures and offer the most optimized solution for your home. This is to give you the right product that you can use for years without any issue.
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Different Types of Boilers
“Since 1st April 2007, it has been a legal requirement that all gas boilers installed in England and Wales must be condensing boilers.” Condensing boilers heat water by gas or oil. They can work with higher efficiency (usually surpass 90% in comparison with 70%-80% with conventional designs based on the higher heating value of fuels). Viessmann claim their all gas condensing boilers meet requirements for efficient condensing technology that provides up to 98% of the energy used is converted to heat. That much efficiency is possible as a result of recovering its latent heat of vaporisation that comes from condensed water vapour in the exhaust gases. One disadvantage is condensed vapor (known as condensate) has acidity (3-5 pH). Therefore, pipe’s material (condensate pipe) used to drain condensate is important. Aluminium alloys and stainless steel are the most common materials at high temperatures. In low temperature areas, uPVC and polypropylene like plastics are the most cost-effective. This condensed vapour leaves the system in liquid form, via a drain. Condensing boilers might be more expensive, but the extra cost of installing should be recovered in few years due to efficiency and low fuel use.
What Is a Combi Boiler?
“Combination or combi boilers combine the central heating with domestic hot water (DHW) in one device.” Combi boilers are multi-purpose that they can provide central heating and hot water at the same time. Combi boilers have become very popular due to their compact size, convenience, and energy efficiency. It doesn’t require hot water cylinders and attic tanks. Installation is relatively easier. DHW flow rate is important to rate combi boilers. The kW ratings for domestic units are typically 24 kW to 54 kW, giving approximate flow rates of 9 to 23 litres per minute.
Viessmann, Vaillant, Worcester Bosch, and Baxi, for instance, are the most known combi boiler brands.
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Choosing the Right Size Combi Boiler for Your Home
When choosing right combi boiler, output in kilowatts (kW) carry significance. This defines the size of the boiler, not the physical dimensions in a literal meaning. Because of ever increasing efficiency in modern boilers, you don’t need to choose oversized boiler to compensate heat loss. It may lead you to pay higher gas bill. Higher heat and hot water requirements also require higher output levels. Water pressure, number of radiators and heat loss play important roll as well. If water pressure is low and radiator count is high, then you will need bigger combi boiler to compensate them.
How to Install a Combi Boiler
It may look easy job to those who are used to take care small problems in home, but you must seek professional help to be safe and secure. To follow necessary safety regulations when new combi boiler is installed is important part. All Gas Safe registered gas engineers can install condensing gas boiler. CW Services offer Gas Safe registered engineers and we do this fast. Our engineers will give you advise after assessing your home. We utmost value customer relations and feedback as two important elements that help us to improve our service to the better. We fully intend to solve your problems and answer any question you have to the best of our ability.
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How Do Combi Boilers Work?
The system is pretty basic but effective, where the heated water is provided through a cold water mains passing through the boiler. It is essential to note that the water is heated on demand, and by this, we mean the boiler begins the heating process immediately you open a tap. By the time water gets to your tap, its already hot for your washing or bathing needs, it’s that simple and effective. Once you are done, just turn the tap off and the system will instantly send a signal back to the boiler via a flow switch where heating stops automatically.
The central heating process is pretty much more or less the same. You simply, “request for heat” via a wired room programmer or stat, prior to water getting pumped into the central heating circuit. The boiler will automatically switch off once the desired/set temperature is attained. Nowadays, all combi boilers feature condensing properties which work at cooling down the flue gases for internal energy production. This is a paramount feature indeed, as it lowers the running costs significantly, besides providing efficiency.
However, note that you will have to locate your boiler near a drain for this process to work seamlessly. The process usually results in a condensation build-up that is acidic in nature, which is then piped to flush the boiler waste through a plastic tube and into a drain or waste pipe.
Also, all modern combi boilers have been fitted with fan flued features, meaning they are equipped with a fan, designed to suck the fumes in to the air outside through the flue. This application is meant to enhance longevity by boosting the safety of your appliance. Unless the fan is running, you don’t have to worry about the boiler “firing up.”
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Advantages of a Combi Boiler vs. System Boiler
A system boiler is basically a central heating boiler, where water is pumped around the central unit then stored in a hot water tank until the user needs it. Obviously, this takes a toll on your energy bills and is outright expensive. Unlike the combi system which supplies hot water on demand, the system boiler requires you to heat up the whole storage tank regardless of whether you are using hot water or not. The edge here therefore goes to the combi boiler, in this regard as it is cheaper to run.
Secondly, a lot of space is saved by installing a combi boiler as compared to its counterpart. The combi is quite compact, and has everything the system needs entailed within the sole box unlike the system boiler which has a tank, three-way valve, header tanks, tank pipe and other components pinned to the entire system. Therefore, you can free up significant space by just ditching your old system boiler for the more modern and compact combi boiler. Note that you will more often than not, find an increase in pressure with your combi boiler in comparison to your fully pumped or gravity system. The edge here, once again goes to the combi system.
Potential Disadvantages of a Combi Boiler
Honestly speaking and without having a bias to any other system, I can only think of a single setback with the combi boiler and that is its hot water flow rate. Depending on the boiler size, the combi can only produce between ten to sixteen litres of water per minute, meaning if you usually have multiple showers operating at the same time at some point, then this could definitely pose as a challenge for the combi system.
All in all though, I would still recommend the combi boiler for those that have a single bathroom or those with two but willing to give up simultaneous showers. The system boiler obviously produces enough hot water for multiple baths owed to the large capacity of the hot water storage tank.
NB: You can choose to procure the advanced combi boilers which come with a storage tank (even though small), to counter this issue to some extent.
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Combi Boiler FAQ:
Let’s have a look at answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about combi boiling systems.
Do I Still Need a Separate Hot Water Tank?
No you won’t. It is paramount to note that combi boilers heat water on demand, besides facilitating heat for central heating applications. This means that hot water storage tanks in your loft are of no use whatsoever.
How Can I Prevent Hot Water Fluctuations with a Combi Boiler?
Combi boilers heat water instantly passing through the boiler, meaning turning on more than one tap will of course reduce the flow of hot water. To counter this, simply tap down to reduce the flow rate and increase the temperature in return.
Do Combi Boilers Provide Good Water Pressure?
The water is fed directly from the mains meaning the pressure is good enough, generally. Depending on the heat output however, the hot water flow can be limited if there are taps running simultaneously. In this case, a system boiler has an edge.
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Are All Showers Compatible with a Combi Boiler?
Besides the modern multi-jet showers where demand may exceed what is provided, your standard shower fitting should be compatible with the combi system. Pump assisted power fixtures are better suited with tank fed systems.
Who Can Install a New Combi Boiler?
Every gas-related installation carried out in your home should be done by registered Gas Safe engineers only for safety purposes. The Gas Safe register is basically, the official list of engineers authorized to carry out cooker, boiler and other gas related installations.
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What Is the Cost of a Combi Boiler?
Combi system installations vary greatly. We can give you advice on selecting right combi boiler for your budget. Call us for no obligation free quote.
Can Combi Boilers Be Made More Efficient?
Yes you can. Connecting your new combi boiling system to a Multi-fit Gas Saver should significantly increase your energy savings. The linking of the two, works at recovering lost heat emanating from the flue gases which would otherwise have been wasted. The gas used to heat your hot water can be reduced by up to a massive 37% annually.
Can Combi Boilers Be Made More Efficient?
Modern Baxi combi boilers, for example, range anywhere from 24 kw to 40 kw making them ideal for quite a plethora of hot water requirements and for varying property sizes. However, your qualified installer should be able to tell you the exact amount of output required by your property, by simply conducting a site survey.