Boilers that heat hot water as you need it??

[davido140]

Not sure what they are called, combi ??

Are they any good? I've a 9-10 year old boiler, no major issues with it, but I've been a bit of a tard and never had it serviced.

My CH needs a full overhaul/flush/service/rads balancing/etc, and my mid position valve is broken (stays open to CH and HW until I kill the power and it closes back to HW only.

The hot water tank fills the entire under-stairs cupboard, as my house is tiny I need all the storage space I can get. Would be great to loose it.

We dont have baths very often but would need to be able to fill one. Shower is electric so no issues there, HW is only really for washing up, shaving and the very odd bath. HW pressure upstairs is pretty poo as well at the moment.

So, a multitude of problems, combi boiler worth a punt?

Cheers

[Shaw Tarse]

Yep combi boiler it is, have you considered a condensing boiler?

[davido140]

Shaw Tarse said:

Yep combi boiler it is, have you considered a condensing boiler?

Erm... what's one of them....?

off to have a google...

[davido140]

ok, had a quick read! can a condensing boiler do hot water "on demand" and I get rid of the HW tank?

[Ferg]

Shaw Tarse said:

Yep combi boiler it is, have you considered a condensing boiler?

Odd question. A new boiler can't be anything else.

[Shaw Tarse]

Ferg said:

Shaw Tarse said:

Yep combi boiler it is, have you considered a condensing boiler?

Odd question. A new boiler can't be anything else.

I didn't know that

[Simpo Two]

Ferg, what's the reason you can't have a hot water tank in the loft?

[Ferg]

Simpo Two said:

Ferg, what's the reason you can't have a hot water tank cylinder in the loft?

You can, but the header must be above it, so it tends to be pretty difficult. You can get horizontal cylinders, which are sometimes roof-space mounted. We do sometimes put unvented cylinders up there.

[Gingerbread Man]

davido140 said:

ok, had a quick read! can a condensing boiler do hot water "on demand" and I get rid of the HW tank?

Every new boiler (except some very very small exceptions) has to be condensing.

You're talking about a Combi boiler. This means that you'll have no tanks in the loft, and no hot water cylinder. Both hot and cold water is mains fed.

[B17NNS]

Sounds like a combi would be ideal for your needs.

Many wrongly think they are the perfect solution whatever your house type. However from what you have described it would suit your needs well.

[davido140]

B17NNS said:

Sounds like a combi would be ideal for your needs.

Many wrongly think they are the perfect solution whatever your house type. However from what you have described it would suit your needs well.

Cool beans! Are they any less efficient than a standard condensing boiler? I'm geussing they might be if you need vast quantities of hot water, e.g severl baths in a row etc??

[Ferg]

davido140 said:

B17NNS said:

Sounds like a combi would be ideal for your needs.

Many wrongly think they are the perfect solution whatever your house type. However from what you have described it would suit your needs well.

Cool beans! Are they any less efficient than a standard condensing boiler? I'm geussing they might be if you need vast quantities of hot water, e.g severl baths in a row etc??

They are efficient, but less reliable and when they go wrong you have no backup for hot water obviously.

[davido140]

Ferg said:

davido140 said:

B17NNS said:

Sounds like a combi would be ideal for your needs.

Many wrongly think they are the perfect solution whatever your house type. However from what you have described it would suit your needs well.

Cool beans! Are they any less efficient than a standard condensing boiler? I'm geussing they might be if you need vast quantities of hot water, e.g severl baths in a row etc??

They are efficient, but less reliable and when they go wrong you have no backup for hot water obviously.

Worth getting a boiler cover scheme thingie when the warranty expires then?

No backup isnt a major prob, kettle for washing up and we've an electric shower.

Cheers for your help Ferg.

ETA I'm guessing that a) you do this for a living and b) Basingstoke is a bit too far off your patch for a quote??

Cheers

Edited by davido140 on Sunday 8th August 20:11

[cjs]

davido140 said:

Ferg said:

davido140 said:

B17NNS said:

Sounds like a combi would be ideal for your needs.

Many wrongly think they are the perfect solution whatever your house type. However from what you have described it would suit your needs well.

Cool beans! Are they any less efficient than a standard condensing boiler? I'm geussing they might be if you need vast quantities of hot water, e.g severl baths in a row etc??

They are efficient, but less reliable and when they go wrong you have no backup for hot water obviously.

Worth getting a boiler cover scheme thingie when the warranty expires then?

No backup isnt a major prob, kettle for washing up and we've an electric shower.

Cheers for your help Ferg.

ETA I'm guessing that a) you do this for a living and b) Basingstoke is a bit too far off your patch for a quote??

Cheers

Edited by davido140 on Sunday 8th August 20:11

You will get a good shower when using a Combi, this is one of the benefits, you would be better off ditching the electric shower.