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BOILER TYPES EXPLAINED - WHICH ONE IS BETTER FOR YOU

“There are a variety of different kinds of boilers available and the appropriate one for your property will rely heavily on you”

One of the most frequently asked questions is, "What's the best type of boiler for my home? "There are a variety of different kinds of boilers available and the appropriate one for your property will rely heavily on your energy source, the size of your home and the heating and water demands.
Here are the differences between the main types of boilers and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of boiler. This will tell you which boiler is more expensive and energy efficient and eco - friendly, so that you can form an opinion for your home.

Condensing Boiler

A condensing boiler is not simply an individual sort of boiler.  In fact, any type of boiler configured in the United Kingdom must be condensed. The reason for this is that it helps to improve energy savings by lowering your carbon footprint and utility bills at the very same time. Condensing boilers are considered to be the most cost effective and play an important role in developing more environmentally friendly homes.

Condensing Boiler Benefits

Energy efficiency and cost efficiency:
Condensing boilers are catagorized as 90% more efficient than traditional designs previously installed in Homes. Apart from being environmentally friendly, the benefits for your home also indicate that you enjoy a great source of heating. They're generally a little costlier, but the money saved on bills over the years should help balance out in the longer term.

Compact layout:
Condensing boilers are perfect for small homes because there is no need to install a water storage tank. When it comes to the size of the boiler itself, there are a lot of compact designs, which restrict the amount of space they will physically occupy.

Condensing Boiler drawbacks

Frozen tubes:
These kinds of boilers require a condensate pipe to run around the outside of your home, and they can be impacted by the winter conditions. If the condensate pipe freezes over, it can slow down the boiler from working, but pouring hot water over the pipe helps to heat up it and is usually enough just to fix the problem.

High cost of maintenance:
The engineering that goes into a condensing boiler ensures that it is made up of many important components. They can be more expensive to repair. That is why it is absolutely vital for the boiler to be serviced once a year by a registered Gas Safe engineer to avoid complications.

Combi Boiler

Combi boilers are possibly the most famous type of boiler installed in the United Kingdom. This is because they eliminate the need for water tanks or cylinders in your home, while still making sure you have access to hot water and heating whenever you need. Combi boilers can be either gas or electrical, based on current configuration of your home. They are also seen as extremely energy efficient.  That means not only you save space due to no installation of a tank, but utility bills are also lower, and save you money that way.

The advantages of Combi Boiler

Small designs:
Combi boilers are typically smaller in design than most of the other types. They also do not involve storage tanks, so people who live in flats and compact homes will be likely to appreciate a great heating system without sacrificing too much area in return.

Costs and energy efficiency:
Combi boilers make sure that you only heat the water you want to use, which means that much less energy is wasted, while also helping to keep your energy bills down throughout the year.

Strong pressure of water:
It is not good to have an efficient boiler if the water flow coming out of the taps is not good enough. Luckily, combi boilers should really just give you that, as long as the mains pressure is at an appropriate level.

Short installation time:
Probably, you want to install the new boiler as quickly as possible and a combi boiler is easy to install. When it comes to maintenance and repairs, they are easy to fix, keeping prices low and workable.

Hot water instantly:
No need to wait for the water in the tank to heat up, as combi boilers offer instant hot water whenever required.

The disadvantages of Combi Boiler

Compatibility issues of the shower:
If you have a power shower set up, it is not designed to function with a combi boiler due to pressure of the water determined by the mains.

Mains level issues:
You should make sure that you have a great flow rate through the mains supply before installing a combi boiler to get the most out of the system. If this is not the case, an alternate solution may be better.

At the same time, only one source of hot water can be used: water if you use a shower/bath/tap at the same time. Which is not perfect if more than one person has to use warm water.

System Boilers

System boilers are often regarded to as a sealed system and come with a water cylinder (located in the airing cupboard) but no water tank. They appear to be a great option for homes with more than one restroom as it offers a constant supply of warm water. System boilers are also a great choice for homes without a loft, or where you might want to transform part of the home to an existing heating system. They can also be used in accordance with solar water heaters, while at the same time providing a high level of energy productivity in general.

System Boiler Benefits

Easy to set up:
Compared to other kinds, the system boilers already comprise many of the components necessary to make the heating system work properly, making the installation very simple.

Use more than one water source:
If you live in a big property and need to use more than one shower at the same time, there will be no problems due to the presence of a storage tank.

Works with solar thermal panels:
Households with solar thermal systems configured will discover that the system boilers are compatible. This is yet another way to reduce your carbon footprint and money being spent on energy bills.

Disadvantages of system boiler

Not very small in size:
The system boiler needs a proper water storage tank to operate, so it is not ideal for smaller homes who do not have extra space.

Heat loss:
The longer the hot water stays in the storage tank, the lower the temperature gets. It should be insulated to enhance the length of time that the water retains heat, even if it needs to come at an extra cost.

Limited hot water supply:
The size of the water tank that you have placed will determine how much water is available at any one time. Once it's over, you've got to heat up the water from the start before being used again.

Regular boiler

Regular boilers may also be referred to as conventional, regular, heat-only or open-air boilers, depending on who supplies them. They have both a water cylinder and a water storage tank. These are usually found in bigger properties which have more than one bathroom, or for families which need constant hot water supplies. Regular boilers work best in older properties that already have conventional heating systems in place. This makes installation simpler, and any changes needed tend to be small. Energy conservation wise it works quite well with solar heating systems to reduce bills and carbon emissions.

Regular Boiler Benefits

Multi-use:
More than one bath can be run at any time without compromising the temperature or pressure of the water, as it all comes from the water cylinder.

Great system of replacement:
Installing a regular boiler instead of an older system usually means that less pipework has to be done, making it a relatively easy process.

Works with heaters for immersion:
You can install an electrical immersion heater in the water cylinder to ensure that you have a back-up if the boiler breaks down unexpectedly.

Regular Boiler DISADVANTAGES

Plenty of space needed:
Smaller homes generally don't prefer to have a regular boiler, as both a loft and an airing cupboard are needed for storage.

Loss of water temperature:
Hot water temperature will only be kept for a certain period of time before it begins to cool and needs to be reheated.

Heating times:
You've got to wait for a regular boiler to heat the tank before you can consume the warm water. This means restricting your usage.

Issues of installation:
It generally takes longer for companies to install a regular boiler, since there are more pipework and different parts that need to be fitted.

Gas boiler

Since there are more than 2 million gas-dependent properties in the UK, it is no wonder that most homeowners tend to shop for gas boilers in their homes. Gas boilers refer to the fuel used to provide heating, rather than to the type of boiler – which is why regular, combi and system boilers can all be installed using gas.

Gas Boiler Benefits

Cheaper cost:
Gas boilers are regarded to be up to 3-4 times cheaper to operate per kWh compared to electric boilers. This means that you get more for your money because it's more cost-effective.

Environmentally-friendly:
Gas is still damaging to the environment, but it is the cleanest fossil fuel available for home heating. Compared to oil, it generates less than half the amount of CO2 and a third less than coal.

Disadvantages of gas boiler

Connection of gas:
If you are not already attached to the gas grid, you cannot instal a gas boiler. Connecting your home to the gas grid is not easy, so it's going to be an extra cost that you'll have to pay for.

Electrical boilers

Although gas boilers are the most popular in the United Kingdom, millions of households have electrical boilers installed in their homes. They are the logical option for houses that are not attached to the gas grid and that work brilliantly in smaller properties. The heat source in the electrical boiler warms the water that passes through before it is sent to the tap in use. Compared to gas boilers, they are seen to be less wasteful as they decrease the rate of heat loss during the process.

Benefits of electric boiler

Energy-efficient:
Electric boilers do not lose energy as gas boilers do, and provides almost maximum energy at all times. This means that you will maximize the heat in the water for a longer period of time.

Installation is easy:
The technical make-up of the electric boiler is not overcomplicated. This makes them cheaper and more efficient to install and doesn't take up a lot of room. They are also completely safe than gas boilers because the risk of carbon monoxide is not same.

Disadvantages of electrical boiler

Costs of running:
Installing an electric boiler will directly contribute to your energy bills. Gas is cheaper than electricity, so you should consider whether it's worth it to pay for joining the gas grid or staying electric.

Better for smaller households:
Anyone living in a bigger house may not be able to fully enjoy the benefits of an electric boiler. If you have a large family, you're going to get over a lot of water and an electric boiler won't even be able to meet the demands placed on it.

What kind of boiler do I need for my home?

Each house and the people living in it are different. This means that your requirements are different and you need a boiler that can suit your needs. In most cases, a combi boiler should be installed for anyone living in a smaller property with a single bathroom. Whereas, bigger homes with more than one bathroom fit great with system boilers and regular boilers.
Have you considered that? If your central heating system or boiler becomes less productive than it should be, it may be restricted from a blockage or built up. If that is the case, we can help.
Our highly trained engineers also operate boiler installations, so if your previous one has given up, or you have decided to change the boiler, give us a call. We are very familiar with all kinds of boiler brand names, and many more. We're going to install your new boiler with minimal distortion and at a price that's beneficial to your pocket.