| Most boilers installed in British homes are | | | | disappointing, especially in cold weather because |
| condensing combination boilers, known as combis. | | | | the boiler is heating up directly as water enters |
| Domestic Heating & Hot Water | | | | the house from the cold water mains. |
| A combi is a water heat and a central heating | | | | Secondly, the boiler is not suitable for multiple |
| boiler combined. It does not produced stored hot | | | | users drawing on water. There is one lot of mains |
| water, it produces continuous, unlimited hot water | | | | water so if two hot taps or two showers are |
| on demand, it fires up every time a hot tap is | | | | turned on the supply of water to each will drop. |
| turned on. It is, therefore, different to traditional | | | | There are a large number of single person |
| boilers, wall hung or floor standing, which is a | | | | households, in addition many couples and even |
| central heating boiler with a secondary role to | | | | families who will not be troubled by these |
| heat up water which is stored in a separate | | | | disadvantages. homes in which there is only one |
| cylinder. | | | | bathroom and for whom this would not be a |
| This type of system is generally cheaper than | | | | problem. Again, a high rate of litres per minute will |
| traditional or regular central heating systems | | | | help to militate against this problem. |
| because there are less parts to the system, it is | | | | Combination Boilers & Domestic Hot Water |
| simpler. Cheaper, however, does not mean | | | | Supply |
| inferior. There are many advantages to having a | | | | Manufacturers have risen to the challenge to over |
| combi but they are not perfect for every | | | | come perceived combi problems. There are |
| domestic situation. | | | | different boiler specifications and for this you need |
| Condensing Combi Boilers | | | | to compare the output of litres per minute given |
| Almost all new U.K. boilers are condensing | | | | a particular rise in water temperature. |
| regardless of whether they are combis or | | | | 16 litres per minutes is very good some models |
| traditional, regular boilers, which are sometimes | | | | claim to produce 20 or 25 litres. Some models of |
| called "heat only boilers". This is to comply with | | | | combi also store hot water and use the stored |
| the U.K. Building Regulations' requirements for High | | | | water to increase the litres per minute flow rate |
| Efficiency boilers in order to reduce carbon | | | | and support several bathrooms. |
| emissions. These regulations apply to new build | | | | Examples of these boilers include: |
| houses and old, existing buildings. | | | | * Worcester-Bosch Greenstar Highflow A range |
| Benefits of a Combi Gas Heating Installation | | | | of floor standing combis which can deliver up to |
| * Generally cheaper than regular system to install; | | | | 20 or 25 litres per minute given a mains water |
| * Constant hot water; | | | | pressure of 1.7 bar. They claim it is suitable for |
| * Hot water at mains pressure provides a | | | | large houses with up to 3 bathrooms. |
| powerful shower without a pump; | | | | * Vaillant ecoTEC plus 937 power store A combi |
| * Not heating and storing hot water which may | | | | boiler which stores hot water for properties with |
| not be used. | | | | high water demands. |
| Disadvantages of Combi Central Heating | | | | How to Choose a Combi Boiler |
| There have been two main complaints about | | | | A new boiler must be installed by a registered, |
| these boilers: | | | | competent gas heating engineer. |
| Firstly, the flow of hot water may be | | | | |