Do I need a combination boiler?

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Allserve Heating & Plumbing

This completely depends on your needs. Just like buying a car, it is a personal choice that greatly depends on your usage, the size of your property, and your individual needs.

Below is a list of requirements that might help you make a more informed choice. If you still can’t make up your mind, one of our gas safe registered installers is on hand to help you. Simply call us on 01923 254173 or email us.

Requirements	Type of boiler
Do you need to heat a loft conversion or small space?	Combination Boiler
Do you live in a property that has little or no loft space?	Combination Boiler
Do you have poor mains pressure?	Regular boiler or system boiler
Does your house have more than 2 bathrooms?	Regular boiler or system boiler
Do you want instantaneous hot water without waiting times?	Combination Boiler
Do you live in a very large property with 3+ floors?	Regular boiler or system boiler
Do you simply want to upgrade your current system?	Regular, system or combination boiler

If you would like more information on Combination boilers and/or information on how to choose the right boiler for you. Please contact us and we will be happy to explore the different options with you.

What is a combination boiler?

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Allserve Heating & Plumbing

A combination boiler differs from a standard boiler in that it heats the water (directly from the main supply) that goes to your hot water outlets only when they are turned on, thus saving energy and money.

A standard hot water system uses several elements that a mains fed system does not, such as a cold water storage cistern and a hot water cylinder. In a traditional system, the boiler heats a coil within the cylinder, which then in turn, heats the water around it inside the cylinder. This water is then stored for use and reheated when it drops below a certain temperature.

A combination boiler does not need any of these things. The water is heated as it passes through the boiler and goes directly to your hot water outlets. This can be excellent for smaller properties where a large supply of constant hot water is not required. There is also the benefit of mains pressure water, which you would not get from a traditional system unless you used a shower pump. There can however also be disadvantages to this type of system depending on the size of the property and the amount of people using the hot water.

If you would like to know more about which boiler would be best for your property, contact Allserve Heating & Plumbing.

What is a condensing boiler?

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Allserve Heating & Plumbing

A condensing boiler is a boiler that re-uses its waste heat that is produced when burning fuel (latent heat) to heat the cold water before it enters the boiler. Using this type of energy recycling, condensing boilers are far more efficient than their predecessors, the non-condensing boilers.

The reason for the name “condensing” is that as the water leaves the boiler through the flue is starts off as water vapour. The vapour then travels upwards along the flue until it cools and drips back down the flue into a condense trap. This waste water then leaves the boiler into a drain via a condense pipe.

Whereas older non-condensing boilers have a flue that projects at a downward angle, condensing boilers project slightly upwards so the water re-enters the boiler.

All new boilers are condensing to keep inline with SEDBUK (Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK) which states that a boiler should operate at 90% efficiency or above. Previously, non-condensing boilers were operating at around 70-80% efficiency.

If you would like to speak to Allserve Heating & Plumbing about upgrading to a condensing boiler or have a question, please call us on 01923 254173 or email us.