Combi boilers are the UK’s most popular form of home heating. Highly efficient and equally effective, there are a number of benefits of getting a combi boiler installed. Find out more below.
How do combi boilers work?
Combi boilers provide a “combination” of instantaneous hot water and effective central heating. These systems have two independent heat exchangers; one that links to your radiators (normally heated directly by the fuel source), and another that connects to your hot water supply (normally a water to water heat exchanger).
Combi boilers work by signalling a sensor once you’ve requested hot water which tells the boiler to burn fuel (whether gas, electric or oil). The heat exchanger then gets hot enough to heat the water when it flows over it.
The control valves within combi boilers work in different directions to one another. Therefore, the system will either transport hot water to your radiators or to your hot water tap – however, this will not be done at the same time and the hot water circuit usually takes priority. You can use heating controls to set your heating to your desired temperatures.
Unlike heat-only and system boilers, combi boilers do not require any additional tanks or cylinders to store hot water.
How are combi boilers fuelled?
Gas is commonly used in the UK to fuel combi boilers, as most domestic properties are connected to mains gas through an underground network. Nevertheless, combi systems can be fuelled by oil or LPG, they can also be electric. LPG is typically supplied in bottles that need to be regularly replaced. Oil, in a similar manner, is usually stored in a tank which needs to be refilled on occasion.
What are the pros and cons of combi boilers?
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of getting a combi boiler installed into your home:
Pros:
- Space saving – no additional tanks or cylinders are required
- On-demand hot water – No need to wait for water to be heated up
- Compact –These systems can usually be fitted into a standard-sized kitchen cupboard
- Economical to run – Their high level of energy efficiency could help you save up to £200 on your annual energy bill [2].
- They are highly efficient – most combi systems have an efficiency rating of over 90%
- Quick and easy installations – no tanks or cylinders to install
- Safe & clean water – Water is delivered straight from the mains, so it can be viewed as fresher and safer than water that is stored.
Cons
- There can be a decline in water pressure if more than one outlet needs hot water at the same time
- Combi boiler systems don’t have backup immersion heaters to heat hot water in the event of a breakdown.
A suitable combi boiler for your home
HomeServe install a range of combi boilers from the industry’s leading brands – this includes Worcester Bosch and Ideal. If you’d like to find out which combi boiler could be a suitable fit for your home, try our free online quote tool today.
Interested in another boiler type?
If you’re considering getting a different type of boiler installed, visit our heat-only and system boiler pages to find out if they’d be better suited to your home.
