Selecting the right boiler?

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Plumbing and Heating

Combination Boiler

If you don't have a heavy demand for hot water in your home, but like the idea of having an endless supply of hot water available on tap, then a combination boiler could be the answer.

A combination boiler heats the water instantaneously providing heating and hot water from one unit. They produce hot water upon the turn of a tap, so there is no requirement for roof tanks or for hot water cylinders. This helps to save on running costs and reduces the need for space, as you don’t need a cylinder to store hot water until it’s needed.

Consideration needs to be given to many aspects of the installation of new and replacement boilers. A**** the most important are ventilation and flueing. Ventilation requirements depend on many factors, is the boiler open flued or room sealed, in a compartment or in the garage? Different installations require different amounts of ventilation. It is essential that the correct ventilation be provided.

The flue from a boiler and especially its termination are also important considerations. Many restrictions apply as to exactly where a flue can terminate.

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What is a System Boiler?

System boilers work in conjunction with hot water cylinders by heating the water that is to be stored within the cylinder and feeding the central heating system from one energy efficient source.

An expansion tank and pump are built inside the appliance. By building in components, which most other boilers situate outside the unit, system boilers can provide a very neat and attractive installation, and a feed and expansion tank in the roof is no longer needed.

They can be either floor standing or wall mounted with a large range of flueing options. More commonly gas boilers are wall hung with fan-assisted flues.

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Hot Water Cylinder

Boilers with a storage tank (hot water cylinder) are more capable of coping with the demands of multiple use and can deliver water at a high temperature and at a high flow rate too and remove the need for separate cold water storage in the roof. Unvented tanks allow mains pressure water delivery, rather than relying on gravity as traditional open vented systems do, and the possibility of contamination or corrosion is seriously diminished due to system being “sealed” off to the open air.

The advantage with this type of system is that central heating and hot water can be provided simultaneously. Hot water is stored in the cylinder until required, and then drawn off for use around the home. The drawback with this system is that once all the hot water has been used up, it takes time to heat more.
 
 

Additional information

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