If you have just bought a new home, your existing boiler has broken down or the boiler that you have is over 12 years old, then you should maybe consider a replacement. Combi boilers are fantastic, as they provide space heating as well as water on demand – you can do away with the hot water tank.
If you have a regular heat-only boiler is it worth making the change?
Your existing heating system
First of all, it is important to establish the existing heating system you have and the type of arrangement you are looking for. This will impact on whether or not a combi boiler is appropriate to install in your home.
When talking about ‘conventional systems’, we are normally referring to a heat-only boiler, which has two cold-water tanks in the loft space and a hot water tank, normally found in the airing cupboard.
A system boiler is very much like a heat-only boiler, except you don’t require the feed and expansion cold-water tanks in the loft.
A combi boiler, as discussed previously, works by providing hot water without the need for a hot or cold water tank. Basically, if you turn the hot water taps on, the boiler will fire up and heat the water coming out of the pipes. Since you don’t need to store the hot water before you use it (i.e. there is no hot water tank), these tend to be considered more efficient.
What are the reasons for installing a combi boiler?
One of the main reasons for installing a combi boiler is the fact you can do away with the water tanks and this obviously frees up a lot of space. This is particularly important in flats and small houses where space is at a premium. Imagine suddenly being able to use your existing airing cupboard for additional storage space. You still need a space for the boiler of course, but it is typically similar in size to a standard heat-only boiler and could go in the same space.
Related to the previous point is the fact that the combi boiler doesn’t produce and store hot water. With a regular boiler, hot water tends to be produced twice a day, regardless of if it gets used or not – in the morning and in the evening. Now obviously this requires the boiler to fire up to produce the hot water, and if for whatever reason it doesn’t get used the water simply cools down, which is a waste of energy. Combi boilers only produce the hot water when you need it (i.e. you turn a tap or the shower on), so obviously for many people this produces substantial energy savings.
>>> How much should a new boiler cost? >>>
Combi boilers are great when you have relatively small hot water demand at any one time. If you require hot water feeds in multiple outlets at the same time– say that you want to run 2 showers at the same time in the morning, then a combi boiler won’t be suitable. In this case a regular or system boiler might be more suitable.
The final point is that with a regular boiler or system boiler once you have used all the hot water, that is it; you’ll need to wait until the boiler fires up and produces new hot water as per your programmer settings. With a combi boiler you could in theory produce limitless hot water although the mains water pressure defines the output.
Obviously it is worth mentioning efficiency – a new combi boiler should be around 90% efficient (as would a new system or regular boiler), so if your boiler is particularly old you might want to install a new boiler at this point. You can run some calculations to see if this might be relevant for you – you can learn more about it here or talk to our partners over at Heatable.
When should I install a combi boiler?
You can in theory change your heating system any time, but the best time to do this is probably during a general refurbishment (provided the boiler is working okay!). Carrying out this work when you refurbish will help minimise upheaval since things like running new pipes under floors are complicated if there is a nice carpet in place! Adding any new radiators to the system will obviously make this a bigger job, as will a system conversion when you move from a system or heat-only boiler (with tanks) to a combi.
If you are carrying out refurbishment work, you should also try and install as much insulation as you can at the same time as installing a new heating system – this will lower your gas demand since heat will leave the home more slowly and therefore you should see even bigger energy savings.
>>> How much should a new boiler cost? >>>
We also recommend looking to install a boiler before the winter, since at this time there tends to be a big rush on plumbers, which pushes the price up a little – changing the boiler during the summer months should therefore be a little cheaper.
The final point is related to positioning the new boiler – with regards to where the existing boiler and flue currently sit. If the boiler is being replaced then the flue will have to sit on an outside facing wall, which may require physically relocating it. This will add to your costs. A plume diverter may also need to be installed depending how close the current flue is in proximity to your local neighbours.
Companies like Heatable will often also offer finance options, meaning that your new boiler could cost you from as little at £10.50 a month. You can visit them here for more details.
Condensing combi boilers
Condensing boilers are pretty much standard these days for all domestic applications – any boiler you install now, be it combi, heat only or system will be condensing.
Condensing boilers are highly efficient and most are now manufactured with an efficiency rating of 90% or better. They use heat in the waste flue gas to pre-heat the cold water going into the boiler, hence this high level of efficiency.
A condensing combi boiler (like all condensing boilers) will have an additional condensing pipe that allows the condensed vapours to be drained away as the boiler is working. This shouldn’t be a problem as long as the installer can attach the pipe outlet to a drain, either internal or external. If this isn’t possible then the boiler may have to be relocated, which will add to the overall installation cost.
Combi boilers and flue gas heat recovery systems
A Flue Gas Heat Recovery System (FGHRS) works by using a further heat-exchanging unit to take advantage of the heat within the waste flue gases, which any boiler will produce. This recovered heat is used to preheat the cold water entering the boiler, thereby lowering the amount of energy needed to warm the water up to the required level.
Even the most efficient boilers available on the market today are only 90% efficient, as a result of heat lost in the waste flue gas; however the installation of a FGHRS on even a brand new boiler can help further drive up energy efficiency, helping you save money on your bills.
>>> What is the best brand of boiler to install? <<<
How much do combi boilers cost?
There is a blog discussing the cost of boilers here.
- Straight swap with existing combi – starting £1,600 + VAT (labour & parts)
- Combi conversion (going from heat only or system) – starting at £2,500 + VAT (labour & parts)
Is it worth swapping to a combi boiler?
If you have a small house and you are already tight for space, then combi boilers are a fantastic solution. Also if you are just moving into a property and will be carrying out extensive refurbishment, then having a new heating system installed at this time is ideal.
On the other hand, if you have a large house with extensive hot water demand at any one time, you may want to go for a system/regular boiler.
Also if you are on a tight budget, the system conversion will add to the overall costs.
Installing a new boiler
Are you thinking about getting a new boiler? We have scoured the country for the best tradespeople, so that we can make sure we only recommend those we really trust.
If you would like us to find you a local installer to install a new boiler in your home, just fill in the form below and we will be in touch shortly!
Great article as I am buying a flat in need of new system will heed your advice.robert
Thanks very much for your comment Robert – much appreciated.
Hi James , we have just moved to a old victorian 3 bedroom mid terraced house with a 30+ year old boiler , along with hot water tank in one of the bedrooms and cold water tank in the loft, we want to do a loft conversion at some point so we want the cold water tank gone… so we are debating whether we get a system boiler or a combi boiler….?once we have done our loft conversion we will have a small 4 bedroom / 2 bathroom house set across 3 floors with 9 radiators in total in the house
Having a large victorian semi with my flat and five bedsits the option I have multipoint gas wall heaters and two brittony balanced flue gas wall heaters,I have been surprised that nothing anyone suggests is better. Condensing gas boiler and rads, thermostats,pump etc would cost a lot top install and far more to maintain and need more frequent replacement,set against the somewhat higher running of my old technology I can find nothing better. the multipoint heaters last about 25 years,two of the baxi wall heaters are 40+years old,pass annual inspection without cost. Gas and electricity cost less that £1400 a year. internal dry lining has made a big difference in recent years.Simplest is best?
Hi Tony, absolutely – if it works then why not! I think the key is trying to calculate whether the energy savings you would get from replacing the system would pay for the system over 10 years say and then obviously it points more towards making the change.
Also TheGreenAge do EPCs all over London and we speak a lot to estate agents – they always tell us that potential buyers always prefer seeing a regular boiler / radiator set up I guess because that is what they are more familiar with.
But I 100% take your point – spending big on a new boiler might not always be the right answer!
We recently changed our boiler to a Combi one and I have to say it’s so much better! at least now I know that I always have hot water and I don’t have to wait for ages for the hot water to come on. For me it was better as I recently installed a heating controller and I monitor everything from my phone so I know I’m not wasting energy.
I have a balanced wall hung boiler and conventional system: F&E tank, cylinder for a detached bungalow. Water demand is quiet high and we installed a power show nad pump off the cyl and tank. My friend has offered a combi boiler they were to install in their old house but never used. Should I convert to combi system or leave as existing.
dont replace, a combi cant produce the same flow in the winter needed to match a power shower, unless its got very high btu.
they work much like an electric shower, heating water up incomming temp plus btu rating of boiler in real time.
when incomming water is very cold you have to restrict flow to reach required temp
whereas your system pumps the heat up over a longer time, and will reach whatever temp you set tank stat to.
plus the price of the replacment system, will never be recovered in its life if your current systdm is still good.
Replace boiler
Thanks for the very understandable and informitive information on all the systems, it has helped me to make my mind up on which system is best for me. Dave C
Can swapping to a combi bolier make water bills go up. I have had a combi boiler put in the same place as my last boiler (in the garage) with a wireless wall thermostat that doesnt seem to work, maybe due to outside interference? My water seems to tak a very, very long time to heat up, sometimes upto 10 minutes which wastes a lot of water and i am fearing a high water bill. Could this be down to the boiler? Thanks, John
Hi John, your water bills will only go up if you are on a water meter (if you are you should check out some water saving products). What it sounds like is a potential wiring fault with the boiler control. If you have an ECO button, it may be that this is switched on hence the long wait for hot water – without it a volume of water is kept hot in preparation.
I am buying a house with an old Gas multipoint for the hot water and a boiler on a inside wall in a bedroom. (I assume it’s not a condensing boiler but it got 4 stars on the EPC, it’s more than the fully double glazed windows got).
The EPC and the homebuyer survey are contradicting each other.
From an EPC point of view I should spend over £2,000 to install Cavity wall and Floor insulation to save £125 per year
From Homebuyer Report surveyor point of view I should do Cavity Wall insulation and remove the gas multipoint and boiler and have a Combi condensing boiler installed (no figures given on the saving).
I would tend to agree with the Homebuyer Report surveyor but without the EPC recommending a condensing boiler I can’t be eligible for the new green Deal Home Improvement Fund.
What do you suggest?
Hi Marie,
I recommend going for the cavity wall insulation and new boiler as the two measures provided the cost of getting the cavity wall insulation is less than £1250.
The reason for this is that you can get cavity wall insulation for free from many companies (ourselves included). However since the grant is £1250 via GDHIF, provided the cost of the cavity wall insulation is less than this, you are essentially getting grant money to pay for some of the install costs of the boiler.
If these don’t show up as recommendations on the EPC, you will need to get a Green Deal Report done – these cost between £100 – £150, however provided you go via GDHIF you get a £100 rebate. The green Deal report lets you ‘over ride’ the recommendations on EPC.
Hi,
I am currently buying the property (3 bed house)in which it does have old tank system boiler, and the unit is in one of the bedroom. The boiler is functional and in working condition, although I wanted to know if I replace the system with the combi boiler, what is the approximate cost I should be expecting (its 3 bed house) ? As per the new regulations I have to put the boiler into the kitchen. Does government have any subsidies if we discard old tank system boilers ?.
it will be really good to have some feedback
Hi Chetan,
Unfortunately there are no subsidies to switch to a combi. There are a few grant schemes out there to help pay for a new boiler however, one is based on your income and will depend on what benefits you claim, the other is open to anyone and is called GDHIF – you do need to get another (usually expensive) measure installed along with the boiler to be able to get this grant money however. It usually isn’t worth it unless you are making some wholesale changes to the house.
Kind regards,
Alan
My old potterton boiler playing up after many years of working well in my flat two bed two bath which I’m renting. I’m thinking of changing it but not sure to Chang to a combination or keep the same system boiler. The boiler is in a cupboard in the sitting room and the plumber is saying that he could put the new combi boiler in the cupboard to avoid the pipes being out and Less mess in the kitchen ( which has to be updated at some stage ). I’m worried that the boiler (vanilla the Eco tec) might be noisy if it’s in the sitting room cupboard. Any suggestion will be much appriciated.
Sorry I made a mistake! The old boiler is in the kitchen at the moment and the tank in the sitting room cupboard.
This may sound a stupid question but please bear with me. We have a combi boiler, it works well but there is a long pipe run to the kitchen tap, and hence it takes an age to get hot water once we turn on the tap, also wasting (metered) water. I realise we can instead install an electric multipoint heater under the kitchen tap to give quicker hot water. But I’m not sure if this can be installed on the hot supply. The logic being that the multipoint heats the cold dead water in the hot water pipe, but when the gas heated water comes along it switches off. Or is this me trying to save tiny amounts of energy and thinking of an unworkable setup, is it best just to stick to using a multipoint fed by the cold supply? Any advice much appreciated.
I was thinking like Mike above when I wanted a new washing machine. Why couldn’t I take hot water from my gas heated system rather than heat from cold with electric? There was no sensible answer any more than reasoning that a ‘booster’ heater would be needed for a Combi with a long pipe run. You can waste gallons of cold or warm’ish’ water waiting for a good temperature then it can scald because you wanted the temperature setting higher to carry on filling a bath now ½ full of cold water. A lot of rubbish is talked about under ‘savings’ including the low-energy lighting topic (scam) which suggested you could save £100s by switching as soon as possible. Bear in mind that when energy companies talk about ‘efficiencies’ they are talking about energy IN versus heat (or light) OUT. No allowance is made for the ‘efficiency’ of providing the customer with what they wanted in terms of usability or convenience. So you might for instance save GAS but waste water or other earth resources at some other ‘remote’ expense (e.g. minerals, mining, shipping, unsustainable or unethical production or manufacturing methods etc), IMHO.
Hi Mike, I think you are better off leaving it to be honest! The energy savings are going to be very very small so the investment is just not worth it.
Hi James,
We are buying a 3-bed 2-bath house. It has a working system boiler, but it’s more than 10 years old and the vendor has had issues with it in recent years. Since we are thinking about switching to underfloor heating on the ground floor, would this be a good time to replace the boiler? Would a combi boiler be sufficient? Will we need to hire different people for the different tasks involved (replacing the boiler, removing the radiators, installing underfloor heating)?
Many thanks!
Zoey
On this – if you are switching to underfloor it makes sense to change the boiler now – the key is finding a heating engineer who can do the whole lot as that is definitely going to end up being a better job than getting 3 separate companies to do the different elements!
I forgot one question:
One of the recommendations on the property’s EPC is “Replace boiler with new condensing boiler” — does it mean that we can get funding to replace the boiler?
You could get some funding for a new boiler under the Green Deal – basically this is a bit of an estimate, but if you take the energy saving number on the EPC (e.g. £100), then you multiply it by 12 (the lifespan of the boiler) then you multiply it by 0.6 – you will get the amount of finance you can get towards a new boiler. Multiplying it by 0.6 produces the split between interest on the loan and the actual amount you get you can use.
e.g. £100 x 12 x 0.6 = £720. In this example you would get a total of £1200 finance, but £720 would go towards the cost of the new boiler and the remaining £480 would be interest on the loan.
If that doesn’t make sense, send the estimated saving number through for replacing the boiler and I can give you an estimate for you!
Thanks James but real question is is someone who is over 50 can get a grant from government is there is any scheme thanks
Thanks, James!
Our EPC says that replacing the boiler would have an indicative cost of £2,200-3,000, and that typical savings over 3 years would be £111.
Does it mean we’d get a total of £444 finance, of which only 60% will go towards a new boiler? How much do we repay (the full amount I suppose?) and over how long a period?
Thanks,
Zoey
Hi Zoey, exactly – the savings in your case aren’t very big so I would strongly advise against going the Green Deal route. You pay the full £444 over 12 years.
If you do need a decent quote for a new boiler give us a call and we can send one of our install partners to your house to provide a quote. I wouldn’t replace it though if there is nothing wrong with it!
I wouldn’t rely too much on any EPC.
I’ve had three done on my bungalow and not one of them has been right.
According to the Full structural survey we had done when we bought it, it’s 141sqm. Which is born out by the plans at the Council and a simple tape measure.
We have a detatched garage of 20sqm on top of that 141sqm, which isn’t counted for EPC purposes. So it’s 161sqm total.
However, according to the last 3 EPC’s we’ve had done by various EPC experts.
It’s anything from 99sqm to 121sqm
One EPC said we have 6″ of loft insulation, when we actually have 14″ of loft insulation.
The bungalow was built in 1992 and has insulated floors, which is about 3″ + thick. I’ve seen it when we’ve had new radiators put in.
All the EPC’s ‘assume’ no floor insulation.
This is usually after the EPC ‘expert’ tells me that my floor is and has to have been insulated due to when it was built.
So I’d be sceptical of any EPC, better to go with the homebuyer report.
Has anyone heard of the Navient combi units?
Are they reliable?
They seems to be popular in the US.
Hello James
i bought ( High Efficiency Condensing gas Boiler 32Kw Biasi) for £375 and want to instantall in 2 bed house with total of 8 radiator one toilet with bath and one without. Just wanted to ask is it ok to install system boiler ir i shoud ho for combi
Regards
Juni
It is entirely up to you. A system boiler or combi boiler would both work here!
We are getting conflicting advice as to whether to replace our standard boiler with a combi or a system boiler. It’s a 4 bed house but, having had a dying boiler with a small tank for several years, we’re used to not having more than one of us showering at once, even though we have two showers. Most people have said get a combi. Two have been adamant that we’ll feel dissatisfied with that and should go for a system boiler.
Meanwhile, we’re looking at putting the boiler into our kitchen, which is too small as a kitchen, and converting the garage into a new kitchen, ideally with under floor heating in there. The old kitchen would become a utility room. But the garage conversion may have to wait for up to two years while we save. The boiler can’t wait, therefore, if we go for a system boiler, we’d have to lose a kitchen cupboard or two to fit the tank in, which would be a pain. The existing boiler and tank are in a cupboard in our bedroom and we want the space back plus I am soooo looking forward to moving the noise out of the bedroom! So the tank cannot go where the old tank is.
So I’m wondering if a combi will be good enough or if we’ll feel it’s less flexible for a family of four. We are going round in circles with this, please help!!
Thank you
We are in a very similar situation! We have a very VERY old boiler with header tank and hot water cylinder and we are looking at a replacement system. We’re very much used to only being able to run one tap or shower at once and on top of that having to space out our bathing or showering with time to refill the tank between.
We’re thinking that having a combi boiler and being able to have back to back full baths or showers is far preferable to what we’re doing at the moment. And even with a tank currently there’s no way we can run a tap while someone is in the shower so that probably won’t happen even if we do a like for like replacement anyway.
But the couple of plumbers we have had in both said, “you can have a combi if you want but we would suggest a system or tank option.” And then they cite the many bathrooms (1 main, 1 en suite and 1 downstairs loo) and running hot taps at the same time thing.
At the moment we’re trying to research whether two combi boilers would be a good option, but there’s really not much information to be found on that.
I’d love to be rid of the massive cylinder and header tank!!
Combi boilers do have some really good advantages over a standard boiler. Thanks for writing this article! It’s very good.
We have this week had a combi installed. When the old cylinder etc was removed, some pipes have been left in my airing cupboard, but they seem redundant. Is that normal? The header tank in the loft has been disconnected, but not removed. Even though that was supposed to happen. They made some lame excuse about making a mess or damaging our items in the loft. I need to take these points up with the salesman, just interested in other people’s experiences.
not sure how old this post is, but were they worried about disturbing any asbestos by any chance so left those old pipes ? or just lazy and couldnt be bothered to remove them and the old tank, weird, as i would have thought they sholud remove all old rubbish, so you have a clear space . unless they didnt quote for removal of old pipes and tank .
Hi Tracy, it is quite normal for the tradesman not to remove the tanks in the loft just because it is a pain for them to remove – but one of the biggest selling points of a combi boiler is the space savings they provide (not hot / cold water tanks) therefore definitely worth getting them to take them out.
hi wanted a combi but was told the water pressure in my are would not support this is this true
Hi Carol, did anyone actually test the water pressure? Or was this simply based on being in a particular location?
I was told the same about water pressure ie too low and it was tested. I watched
Just bought a 4 bed house with a through lounge (property extended), 1 shower and 2 toilets (upstairs and downstairs). Currently we have a old boiler (in kitchen) that provides heating. Separate we use immersion in water tank (bathroom) for hot water. Confused as to installing a combi or system ?
Just replaced a std weil mclain boiler with a navien combi,it works fine as long as outside air is higher than 32deg. When we had a polar vorte c,i basicly hsd no heatdid all the standard stuff, still froze my Ss off
Hi Sau,
Normally a boiler produces the hot water for the heating and for the hot water (for showers etc). The boiler heats the water and this is stored in the hot water tank. The immersion is simply a back up to provide you with hot water should the boiler break. You could swap this either with a combi (which would do away with the tank all together) or a pressurised system boiler – although both rely on decent water pressure to work effectively. If the water pressure isn’t very good you will need to stick with the regular heat only boiler you have – although a new boiler will be more efficient and also you should do away with heating the hot water with the immersion because it is expensive if possible
Hi James, My wife and I live in a tiny 2 bed flat (negative head) with a 30 year old standard gas boiler + tanks going to a Stuart & turner 3 bar negative head pump for a nice shower + basin and kitchen tap.
I am replacing the old six radiators with free-standing electric ones as I only use them for two weeks a year.
I am also replacing the old gas boiler with a 210 litre direct electric water cylinder (twin immersion type) just to heat the water and supply the 3 bar pump for the shower + taps.
Do you think the extra running costs will be offset by much less installation + maintenance costs of a new standard boiler,
Also if the element(s) fail I would be able to replace them quickly myself and be up and running in half an hour or so without having to call out a costly and time consuming heating engineer to repair the boiler.
I think this country is being conned into buying combi boilers. I hate them.
The water takes ages to arrive at the sink, you loose you airing cupboard. Yes you loose the storage tanks, but who cares unless you need a loft conversion. If the boiler breaks down you have no hot water, as you lost your Emerson tank. I will stick with my conventional condensing boiler.
Hi Chris, one of the big plus points of the combi boiler is the fact you don’t have to have one of the big hot water tanks in your airing cupboard so it frees up space? Agree with other point about losing the ability to make hot water with the immersion though!
I have a very old glow warm boiler at the moment still working great, I have a power shower, could I have a combination boiler or should i stick with what I have or renew with a conventional boiler? And does a conventional boiler heat the hot water when central heating is not on?
I have a conventional boiler which was fairly new when I moved into my 2 bedroom bungalow 15 years ago . Every boiler service engineer has said to me that it’s bulletproof although not most efficient but advised not to change as savings would be minimal ! I wish to renew my kitchen( where boiler is currently) but would prefer it removed from kitchen to airing cupboard . Is it worth doing this in your opinion or should it be replaced with a new more efficient
conventional boiler ? I don’t fancy a combi
We have a 3 bed terrace house with a conventional boiler (in the kitchen) – we don’t want to move the boiler and are not worried about having the water tank in the bathroom etc. Can we change the boiler and use the existing pipework, therefore not disturbing the rest of the house? The flue is currently straight out through the back wall of the kitchen. However, we now have a conservatory so the flue is just outside the conservatory. We have been told the flue has to be a distance from any opening window and that therefore any new boiler would have to be moved to the loft – is that true or is there a way of extending the flue upwards (from its existing point), i.e. a flue extension, without having to move the boiler?
Hi Paul,
It is true that regulations have become a lot stricter and it may be that there is no longer a suitable place in the boilers current location. It is usually possible to add a plume diverter to your flue however to avoid the issue with the location of the flue.
I recommend getting several quotes before you go ahead – give us a call and we can arrange a quote for you!
Alan
you must be mad to replace the old hot water tank with a new combi. when the combi fails you have NO hot water and NO heating . nothing.! invariably the thing with take several days to fix and all the time you have no heat.!
with the old sytem, you will have hot water if the boiler fails. when you have children some hot water is far better than none.
I have 8 old radiators in my semi detached house, built in 1988, should i go for a combi or concentional boiler? Cos i read somewhere in my research, it said “a regular boiler may be best option for replacing existing boiler if the property has an older radiator system, as it might not be able to cope with the higher water pressure that is dilivered by system or combi boiler” so what do say?
Very recently replaced conventional with combi. Now need full re-plumbing as combi has “found” hitherto unknown leaks in underground pipes. House built in mid-fifties hence underground heating pipes.My advice would be avoid combi when fitting to an old system! A very salutory lesson which is now going to cost a significant amount of both cash and upheaval to correct. Buyer beware!!
Thanks for the comment John – never heard of this one before!!
I have! I’ve heard that water pressure (or lack of it) are a big issue when installing a combi. My current problem is when an engineer replaced my conventional boiler,which sits on a concrete plinth down in the cellar back in 2001, and installed the flue in a slightly different place, he either didn’t fill the void properly or somehow opened up a void in the part of the wall that is below ground on the outside. Over the years rats have eaten away at the substrate and have now entered the cellar just behind the boiler. A pest control man (out of Yellow Pages) came and dealt with the rodents, and filled the holes with expanding foam which (he said) was filled with poisonous content. The trouble is, after a year or so, the poison degrades and the rats chew their way back in! Have now got the local council pest control in, who will deal with the unwanted visitors but recommend that the holes be filled with cement/concrete backed up by wire-wool stuffed behind it. All well and good. but the existing conventional boiler (which still works perfectly well btw) might have to be moved or disconnected in order to do the job properly. A local handyman who recommended my present boiler engineer has said that I should get the engineer to take out the existing boiler and have a Combi fitted – this would kill two birds with one stone, but I’ve heard that Combis don’t always suit big, old houses. Who am I to believe? My house is a five bedroom Edwardian semi (1905) but on only two floors, therefore a very ‘long’ house. The water pressure is not great therefore. I want to minimize the cost of any conversions but at the same time, I need to sort out the rodent problem. Has anyone any ideas please?
I’m having an extension and need a larger boiler to compensate for more rads. I also want a couple of tall rads and a towel rail in the bathroom. We currently have a system boiler (with header tank and hot water tank which is also run with an immersun giving us free hot water all through summer. The question is do I replace the conventional boiler with a conventional boiler keeping free hot water in the summer, or do I replace with a combi for a more efficient (?) boiler and hot water only when needed. Which is cheaper option ??
Hi Carl, there are three main types of gas central heating systems – combi, system and regular (also sometimes known as heat-only).
All new boilers are condensing – that means they recycle the heat in the waste gases – so all three types of boiler will be as efficient.
The combi will give you hot water on demand, but if your boiler breaks you won’t have any backup (so normally the immersion unit on system / regular boiler). Having said that – the fact you aren’t storing hot water is obviously a plus in terms of efficiency.
Install wise, it would be cheaper to stick with a conventional boiler than swap to a system boiler (which is pressurised and needs a special tank) or combi.
Hi, I have had my boiler for 10 years and it has decided to pack in how do I apply for the green scheme?
Hi Lee, there is only one ‘green scheme’ unfortunately and this is known as ECO funding (the Energy Company Obligation) – there are still companies offering this type of funding but two things to bear in mind. Firstly it will only act as a contribution to the cost of the new boiler – so you will still have to put some money forward yourself. The other, probably more crucial thing is you have to be on the correct Government entitlements to be eligible e.g. Pension credit or Child tax credit (for child tax credit you must be on an income of less than £16,010) – you can find out more about the eligibility criteria on the Government website – https://www.gov.uk/energy-company-obligation
I have old fashioned ‘school’radiators and need a new boiler. I’ve heard that combi boilers may not be compatible with old radiators. True or not?
Hi Angie, your old radiators should be absolutely fine with a new combi boiler – this really shouldn’t be an issue.
one pipe system ?
I have had nothing but problems with my four year old ideal combination boiler. Loss of pressure. Three engineers have looked at it and cannot find the problem. I would now not recommended a combination boiler, to complicated and parts are expensive. Richard
Hello,
Our system boiler is in the kitchen in the old chimney breast but there is no flue at all. I am just wondering if the emissions into the chimney breast are safe since my sons’ bedroom is immediately above the kitchen and there is a vent on the chimney breast wall in his room?
Hi Jane – it should be fine, but for piece of mind I recommend getting this checked by a gas safe engineer. Old flues were sometimes routed in this manner and most are safe but always worth erring on the side of caution.
Hi, We have an old back boiler approx 40 yrs old, what is the best system to replace it.
Hi Susan, the cheapest will probably be a regular heat-only boiler. These also use a hot water tank so therefore it will require minimal changes to your existing pipework although obviously the boiler will need to be sited somewhere else.
If the property is relatively small (only 1 bathroom) then you may wish to install a combi boiler – these do away with the hot water tank – so you could save a little space!
I’m very confused about what should be a straightforward choice – combi or standard replacement boiler? A plumber just called to service our conventional old boiler and says Go for a combi if your water pressure is good. But we have three sets of hot taps, a bath and a shower all running off the system – will they cope with a combi? I can see the cost advantages of a combi (apart from the initial installation which would be around £800 dearer) but I can also see the down side. Help!
Hi Stewart, A combi would be okay provided you are not using taps / showers at the same time (as your plumber said – provided the water pressure is okay). If you use two at the same time the water pressure is halved as the combi sends hot water to both taps, meaning you tend to get a bit of a rubbish shower.
To be honest if you have a conventional boiler and it works, then you will be absolutely fine sticking with it – just replacing the boiler unit with a new more efficient version.
Hi,
I am hoping you can help please. We have a combi boiler but also an airing cupboard with a hot water tank. My question is, do you still need this tank? If not, how much would it cost (approx.) to get rid?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
RT
Hi RT, combi boilers don’t tend to have hot water tanks – unless for some reason you are producing hot water (for showers etc) with an immersion and then just using your combi boiler for heating. 99.9% of the time though a combi boiler does both – it does your hot water and heating and therefore you can completely do away with the hot water tank. Often when heating engineers install combi boilers though they will leave existing tanks in place because it is a pain to get them out and also to dispose of them, hence you often have old tanks in the roof if you go from a heat only to a combi boiler. Best thing to do is get a plumber out – they will be able to tell you if the hot water tank is still needed but you should most likely be able to do away with it saving you some space.
The advice in this article is good for small properties, but don’t even think about it for larger ones or one with lower water pressure.
Quote from a reply:
“A combi would be okay provided you are not using taps / showers at the same time (as your plumber said – provided the water pressure is okay).”
In which house would you not ever be using taps and shower at the same time?!?
Is it possible to replace my current 28 year old wall hung gas boiler in my kitchen with a system boiler sited in my loft? Am I right in thinking that the feed and expansion tank would be installed within the system boiler? I have a permanent loft ladder fitted, the loft is boarded, permanently lit and there is a breeze block internal wall up to the eaves.
Also if the radiators (fed by micro bore piping) have TRVs fitted as part of the installation would this likely negate any issues I might encounter by moving to a ‘pressurised heating system?
We are currently trying to decide between replacing our current oil fired combi boiler with the same or a boiler and tank. We also have an expensive to run electric power shower and would ideally like to do away with and run the shower from the hot water system, our plumber thinks the combi would not be suitable hence considering the tank. In your opinion would we end up with a system that is more expensive overall to run by going for the tank option.
Currently we are thinking of replacing a 16 year old ideal heat only boiler, with loft tanks, hot water tank in the airing cupboard and a broken immersion heater that is not working, we have a 4 bedroom house three toilet/showers with pumps and one cloak room. The boiler is fitted in the garage which is heated and carpeted (Ex-show houses office). I have been advised many times by pushy BG engineers to change to a combi boiler and resisted this. What would be the ideal solution here combi, system or conventional., and would a combi be OK to install in the garage
Hi Doc, the gravity fed one (i.e. the conventional set up) will be cheapest to replace – since you really only need to change the boiler and maybe replace the hot water tank – you do need pumps normally though to get a decent shower. The combi and system boilers both run at mains pressure. The difference is that a combi boiler won’t be able to cope if multiple bathrooms are being used at the same time. I have a system boiler (so pressurised system) and it works fantastically well.
Combi boilers are great for smaller properties, but with three bathrooms I would probably stick with what you have if money is tight or move to a system boiler if funds allow.
Hi I have abaxi Bermuda back boiler. I was thinking of replacing it with a Combi Boiler. I have got quotes but now am worried am I doing the right thing. I was informed by British Gas when they serviced my boiler that parts are no longer available and I should replace my boiler as it will also help with my Energy Efficentcy. I am concerned about time it would take to replace my Boiler and am also worried is it dangerousas Gas is very volitile.
hi I have a old style back boiler with a water heating tank. I am planning to change it to a combi boiler. Various engineers have come and surveyed my house. one of them has advised that i need to get rid of the old pump as well in addition to removing the old boiler.he was not sure the exact location of the pump. He reckons it is beneath the floorboards in my bedroom. To get to that would entail removing all my laminate flooring in my bedroom.this is a big undertaking.
I would like to know whether it is necessary to remove the pump when you change to a combi boiler system. My current system is working well
thanks
ragini
hi we have a Main Medway automatic water heater that has broken down, and a Potterton Netaheat that heats our radiators only. Both are pretty old and need to be replaced but have been very reliable up until now. We are getting conflicting advice on the best way to do this. One plumber says a combi another says replace both. Either option seems to have problems. Which solution would be best and least costly, thanks for your help with this.
Hi Susan,
That is a good question! Normally people now use a boiler (either heat only or combi) to provide both their hot water and heating. The difference really is that a combi boiler heats the water on demand (no tank) and the heat only, heats the hot water and stores it in a tank.
If I were you I would look to replace all with a combi – it will involve some pipework changes, but provided you have decent water pressure it will work best and you will free up lots of space. Expect to pay about £2500 for a combi swap.
And no immersion heater in combi system, no hot water if combi fails, Also , mains pressure reduction systems in combi , just something else to break down, along with extra sensor systems to monitor pressure reduction again something to break down, also big Grundfose pump in conventional systems are very reliable (never had one fail) just go on and on for decades. Increased sensor systems in combi s not good for reliability , the more things that can break down the more chance of this happening
Absolutely NOTHING about what happens when a combi boiler breaks down . . NO HOT WATER NO HEATING and a gas engineer / plumber can’t get to fix it for a week . . . Good old ‘Y’ Plan system with a conventional boiler hot water storage cylinder immersion heater – Can’t beat it,
Absolutely right, with immersion heat, you simply turn it on if boiler breaks down and you still have hot water on tap. Also , heavy duty Grundfose pumps last and last,(never had one breakdown), you will not get a big Grundfose in any Combi, they are small not that industrial in construction compared to a larger semi industrial Grundfose. Also, mains pressure coming into a Combi, , pressure reduction systems just something else to break down, which also means more sensor systems to potentially fail. I will stick with conventional boiler always.
Hi, completely agree with that – a combi goes down and you lose heating and hot water. With the regular / heat only boiler you can use the immersion….. but I think people are moving more and more to combi boilers since they take up less space.
I have to say James, that your reply is a bit of a circular argumentl: the issue here is – what happens when (not ‘if’ but ‘when’) the combi breaks down? Increased space isn’t always the most important issue. I feel that we are being pushed into the idea of combis as always being a good thing. I’m trying to replace my knackered old Potterton at the moment, and everyone has said different things. Trying to get a straight answer out of freelance engineers is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack!
We are replacing a 17 year old Baxi Sole Boiler, We live in a 3 bed house , with an electric shower rather than a bath. Just 2 of us live in the property.
We have been quoted £1,600 for a straight replacement or £2,600 to convert to a combi boiler using Worcester Bosch boilers.
Would it be a good investment to siwtch and how long would it take to recover the extra £1,000 assuming average use?
Many thanks
I am thinking of replacing my conventional boiler. I have lived in my 3 bedroom one bathroom home for over 20 years and the current boiler was there when we moved in. It has an annual service and still working. However lat year I noticed four radiators had cold spots and were not hearing properly. Despite them being flushed the problem still persists. I am intending to change the radiators and wondered whether I should change my boiler at the same time. Also whether I should change to combi or simply update my conventional. I do not like the fact that when using more than one outlet the pressure would be affected. I am also considering replacing the shower pump which stopped working a few years ago. Will I need one of I update the boiler. Please advise.
Hi Maxine, if radiators are not getting warm then I suggest first you bleed them – this will remove the air out of the radiators and let the hot water travel through the entirety of the radiator. This should get rid of the cold spots! In terms of replacing your boiler it would be far cheaper replacing your boiler with a like for like conventional boiler. If you do decide to replace with a combi then obviously you should get a decent bit of space saving as you can do away with both the hot water tank and also the cold water tanks (normally located in the loft).
Definitely replace the shower pump if it has gone though as then you will get decent pressure in the shower!
Hello,
Advice needed Our current system has just been condemned Boiler in Kitchen and water tank in airing cupboard with water tanks in loft. I have had to quotes one to replace like for like (New boiler water tank & pumps) or Combi system. Gas fitter is happy to fit either and combi is cheaper option to run but said its rare but as its a house built in 1980s pipes are run under floor in concrete and may be issue with pressure and may need to be re piped at later date.
We never had any issue with pipes or pressure. Any advice to what to go for? as would like combi system as need space in small family bathroom where water tank is located.
Hi Charlie – this is a really hard one!
Combi boiler saves space, but if it were to break you have not hot water. They are also more complicated than heat only, regular boilers so will tend to require more maintenance.
The heat only boiler will be cheaper to install. If the boiler breaks you should still be able to produce hot water via the immersion heater too, but obviously it has hot water tank and cold water tanks in loft which you could do away with if you go for a combi….
Your choice – it is 6 of one and half a dozen of another!
I’ve heard from many sources including highly experienced boiler fitters that modern “high efficiency combis” tend to breakdown and wear our much quicker than conventional boilers. Surely the increased maintainance costs can rapidly erode the relatively minor efficiency savings. Not only have I heard this from fitters but also from householders which have had the newer boilers fitted. It seems that most become uneconomical to repair after about 5 years.
HI I am planning to have a Baxi Platinum Combi put in shortly, but when I have got quotes for a new bathroom from places one of them said that a combi in my area (Clacton on sea) would not be sufficient for the shower? I’m so confused and really need a definite answer as I do not wish to pay for a combi if it will not do the job as our shower is used daily. We have a 2 bed bungalow
Thanks for a useful article. Just to clarify – if I get a combi boiler, do I no longer need the tank in the loft as well?
Hi Mike, A combi boiler allows you to do away with all tanks (both hot in airing cupboard and cold water in loft). They are a great space saver.
Don’t get a combi boiler, I recently moved to house with one fitted and it is the worst heating system I’ve ever seen. When I want hot water it will spit out about half a litre of either luke warm or scalding hot water then it runs out and I have to wait 10 minutes for more. If I want hit water while the heating is on the boiler cuts out and needs to be reset. Take my advice and stick with a conventional system.
Reasonable article, but very little about the downsides of a combi boilers.
– Limited flow rate, so can usually only provide hot water for one shower at a time.
– Cold slugs of water when washing the dishes each time the boiler starts and stops.
– No ability to switch over to electric (like a tank system) if the main boiler breaks down.
– They tend to cost more to purchase and to maintain if they go wrong.
Don’t get me wrong, are great at what they do, free up your tank space, and can never run out of hot water, but it is a mixed bag.
Most modern tank based system have a thermostat in them so will fire up the boiler to re-heat the tank if it starts getting low, And modern tanks loose very little heat from what I understand.
Also, as you mentioned condensing boilers and the condensate drain, its worth noting if these are routed externally they can freeze in cold weather stopping the boiler working, ok if you know about it, but even better if you can route it to avoid that.
I have a very unusual set up. Our combi boiler is a boiler and water cylinder in one. Powermax 185. There is a cold feed tank in the loft but thats it. 3 bedroom 2 bathrooms and a wc . Its 15years old and is dying. Would you recommend a high end combi boiler?
with a combi boiler does the number of radiatiators turned on make a difference to the cost
Could an unvented cylinder cause my combi boiler to malfunction? It has started ignoring all the settings and turning the radiators on and off even when I have set it only for hot water. For the past few days I have had no hot water at all.
How would these compare with a Megaflo system? Seems like Megaflo offers a balance between both different systems… Are you still installing Megaflo. I would like to get a quote.
I personally found that the additional space saved when switching over to a Combi boiler was great, especially if you have a smaller flat. The installation costs were moderate as I had adjusting pipes and fitting to work with a different type of boiler. I was able to get a moderate price range from the following link: :https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2018/08/new-boiler-cost.
I hope this helps 🙂
Highly Recommend combi.
With experience of living 30 years with Combi Boilers I have found the following the best.
Oversize the boiler but turn the power down. New high efficiency boilers have modulated output to vary the power as required. Ours cost £50 more over a 22kw version, a small price to pay.
I’ve specified 35kw to replace the existing 22kw unit then after it was installed turn down it’s maximum heating output via the engineerung settingd to 25kw meaning it will not ‘full burn’ when in heating mode forcing it to run more efficiently than at max power output. Yes, it takes the same amount of time to bring system up to temperature as the old boiler even though it is technically more powerfull.
By being over sized, there are two main benefits. 1) 55 degree water can be delivered full-bore to more than one tap at the same time and 2) when very cold outside the power output can be increased to its full 35kw – never yet been needed however.
Although the boiler can run two taps at full bore, running a bath at just enough flow to activate it allows for extremely efficient heating of hot water. Letting the bath fill slower allows full heat transfer from the gas burni as it is not dumped up the flue and as the fan is running a low speed the condenser has max efficiency..
My recommendation – oversize but restrict the output power and run hot taps as slow as possible when filling the bath.
Our hot water is delivered from the boiler at 55 degrees to encourage condensing but the bathroom sink is via TMV to stop our daughter and others getting scalded while washing.
Many have complained of cold running hot water from combis.. it is not the boiler at fault, it is undersized for water volume delivery required.
We run heating at 65 degrees with water returned at 50 for condensing to occur then double the recommended radiator sizes as the system water is cooler than normal systems. TRV’s are fitted to stop over heating. Only on very cold days (-12) do we turn up the system temp although not always necessary.
Oversizing the rads compensates the lower system water temp and great during Christmas as option to ramp up system temp and boiler output when doors are being regularly opened and closed with visitors coming and going.
Hope this helps others..
I have a 20 year old conventional boiler that works well enough, although it does have a pilot light that goes out every so often, especially when its windy. I would probably benefit from a combi boiler as I have quite low hot water needs, (electric shower), however the cost of converting is off-putting. So my question is, is it possible to have the pilot light in my current boiler replaced with an electronic ignition or is that essentially the same, in terms of work required/ cost, as a like for like replacement?
Have low hot water pressure with a noisy additional pump
1 power shower and normal shower over the bath
Have been advised as present boiler only 4 yrs old to install an unvented cylinder in the garage to remove cold water tanks in the loft and the vented cylinder in the cupboard, which doesn’t have electrical supply, this in theory would apparently improve water pressure and efficiency.
Any thoughts
your picture of a loft mounted water cistern is on a chipboard base that is not how i would install it. have seen what happens if you get a leak.
Hi I have had a issue with when turning the hot water on or heating it trips the RCD out on electric panel, I have had a gas engingeer out who advises that a new boiler is required, I currently have a condensing boiler with a cold water tank in loft and a smaller tank next to which I am guessing is the heating tank? immersion tank in bedroom with water pump,
Am I best of just getting a replacement boiler I am guessing approx. 2k boiler and fitted or am I better of trying to change to a combi, the issue is its a nightmare for hot water as can only get one bath and then cold water for ages. any help would be massively appreciated
we had 33year old gravity fed myson boiler which we have just replaced with a greenstar eco which works well but the only issue that we have is when either of the two toilets are flushed we can hear the water flowing through the radiators. the boiler engineer cannot solve the problem,nor can the manufacturers technical dept.please help.
This is a very useful guide. I have just moved in to a new property and it has the cold water tanks and hot water tanks. I want to get something that takes up less space and had a combo boiler in my last flat and it worked really well. I guess the only question I have is how can I test the water pressure to see if a combi boiler would be appropriate? Is there a way to tell? e.g. The power of the cold water tap in the bathroom or something?
I would like to put in a new combi boiler to replace a conventional boiler that I have in a kitchen in a terraced house. The kitchen is always warm, and the boiler is on the wall. Will it be ok if I move the position of the boiler up to a bathroom directly above the kitchen? My concern is that the bathroom is a cold room. The boiler would be in a corner of the bathroom, on an outside wall, and that corner has outside walls on both sides, so it is more exposed to wind and weather than in the kitchen on a wall. Does this matter? Or should I keep the boiler in the kitchen (where I’d prefer to have a kitchen wall cupboard!) Also does a combi work properly on the first floor of a terraced house, or is it better downstairs on the ground floor? Thanks for any advice!
How can we apply for grant from government for new boiler and who is eligible for this pl advise
I have solar thermal panels installed in 1997 on my new house and a boiler with tanks and immersion cylinder. I am planning a loft conversion and would like to reclaim space although the conversion will leave a large cupboard to put an unvented boiler in I think. Do you have any advice about the boiler system. I can ditch the panels which may break when the loft is done anyway and go for a combi, although that seems a bit ‘ungreen’. I could upgrade them and link to an unvented system.
We need a system boiler for a 4 bed, 2 bathroom semi (3 storey town house). We have received quotes for Worcester Bosch greenstar 27i, a Vaillant ecoTEC plus 630, and a Baxi Megaflo 32 System. We have LPG gas supply.. Would you recommend any of these boilers? Or is there are more suitable boiler that you know of.
Many thanks, Anna
We live in a Victorian mid terrace with 16 radiators. Our boiler is a potterton profile 60
and works fine if not a little noisy !! It’s a sealed system with a hot water tank and an expansion tank. We have a downstairs bathroom and an upstairs shower room. The shower is not a power shower and it runs on the water pressure..
Can anyone advise if we could change to a combi boiler and if so what type /size would be best.
Thanks
I am looking to make the best decision for my house. I just built a new house 3 full bathrooms and about 2000sqf house. I am about to finish Ecowarm radiant heating floors and still debate whether or not get a combi unit or get an instant tankless for domestic water an a boiler for radiant heat. Could you PLEASE advice. Gratefully,
Madalina
Hi there. I have a 1980’s 1-bed flat and my boiler is very old and noisy although I did have it serviced recently. I am considering replacing the entire heating system, radiators, storage tank removal etc, with a combi boiler system but am struggling to find a company to assess my requirements, give me a quote and take on the installation project. How best can I find a company to take this on? Also I hear Combi Boilers are not as reliable as old-style boilers; is this true? Thank you
My combi is a glow worm cx 30 would a replacement combi-condense be physically the same size.
Advice please, we have a large Victorian semi on three floors. For most of the time there are only two of us in it. We currently have a 36 year old Ideal boiler in the cellar, s/st flue up chimney to roof, tank in airing cupboard with fill tank in roof ,serving hot water and radiators. We have good water pressure and there could be an external vent out. Water usage is low, Considering early placement, but would condensing or combination be suitable? Is efficiency similar with all types now?
I would like to review options for a new cast iron boiler and water tank versus a combi tankless boiler and water heater
Hi, we are moving to a 4 bed home with a combi boiler, EPC suggests replace boiler and survey says boiler pressure is low so will probably need replacing soon.
The house has 3 bathrooms, 2 first floor, 1 ground floor, and Is a barn conversion dating from 1960 or 1970. Water Pressure seemed low, so we think combi is unsuitable for call on hot water, & were thinking of getting a system boiler, adding hot tank, and cold tank. Are we right to think the property started out life with system boiler, so there will be existing plumbing that served this, which can be upgraded? We have to figure out where to put cold tank as roof space has been converted to bedrooms, but it will fit in somewhere. Do you have any advice.? The heating system has old rads and micro pipes, we are worried there could be gunk in the system, should we get it power flushed before work starts?
What budget should we be looking at for the work above?
Hi
We have a 4 bedroom detached house was brand new in 2006. We have a conventional boiler, the actual boiler is in the downstairs toilet and the tank is in the airing cupboard in the master bedroom. Now my question is if we were to switch to a combi boiler, what happens to pipework etc going to the tank is this easily taken out and removed, would there have to be new pipework fitted or is it relatively simple and a case of just replace the boiler like for like and existing pipework will be OK for the radiators and hot water etc? What I mean is is there massive upheaval with pipes etc?
I wish to replace my old (17 year) condensing oil boiler and replace it with a combi boiler, replacing an old tank/immersion heater system
My boiler needs replacing and probably moving so am investigating whether to get a replacement system boiler or get a combi boiler
Great article and very informative. However, there is no mention if replacing a condensing boiler with a combi boiler will require replacing existing pipework or not. I am moving into a new house sometime next month and I am keen to remove the water tank and cylinder.
Hi, I have an old terraced house with a hot water cylinder on an immersion heater and no central heating. The cylinder has broke down. I am considering having central heating fitted and can’t decide on gas combi boiler only or replace my hot water cylinder and add a boiler for heating. Water pressure from cylinder has always been better than the cold water taps. Any advice please?
These Combi Boilers are utter garbage. The old back boilers and storage tanks were far more economical. Not all properties are suited for Combi Boilers. Utter scam
hi i have a really old boiler with a water tank it has worked well up until now, so i need a new one now but not sure wether to change to a combi boiler.
Hi James – We’ve just bought a house with an unvented electric system installed – it feeds the hot water to the hot water taps/showers and radiators around the house. We can’t find any info on the running costs and efficiency of this system. In your opinion, is this an expensive way to go for heating? Many thanks, Dave
We have just moved into a seven bedroom home, but there is only two of us living here most of the time. Ideally we want a combi boiler for use during the week and then a system boiler to take over when we have guests at the weekends. Should we perhaps have two boilers – a combi for the weekdays and stick with the existing system for the weekend when demands on hot water are higher?
Just changed from fully working well serviced conventional back boiler to Worcester Bosch combi… we bitterly regret it already ( had it 5days) the waste of water is horrendous. The hot water tap has to run for 10 litres before warm water comes through to bathroom or kitchen. . What a disgraceful waste of water. Wish I had known this before. The boiler companies should be taken to task for mis advertising the so called benefits of combi boilers.. How can these boilers be good for the environment v shame on Worcester Bosch. Additionally we had to remove a new power shower and buy a new electric shower. A sheer waste of £5;000
Hi. I have an invented boiler at the ground floor of my 4 bedroom Georgian townhouse. I have been advised that the house is too large to support a modern combi, due the need for good water pressure at the top floor.
So what is the most cost-effective way to maintain hot water? At the moment we just fire up the tank when we want hot water. But would it be better to set the timer to heat the water in the morning and leave it on throughout the day to keep the water at peak temperature?
Thanks for your advice on this.
This blog was great because it was both educational and simple to understand. It explains why it’s a good idea to upgrade my boilers and offers some simple solutions that will make the transition less of a hassle. This blog was a great resource for me because it taught me how to properly care for my heating system and https://smarthomeboilers.co.uk/ provided advice on when it was time to replace my boilers.
What a bodge job, looking at the brickwork!
Great article! It will help me to take the decision on the boiler type to install. Thanks