subject: Saving Money With Combination Boilers [print this page] With the economy continuing to struggle, reducing household bills and outgoings is of paramount importance in many of our lives. A particular drain on family resources, for example, is the cost of running boilers; even in these warm summer months when the central heating is left off, few families can get far without hot water. However, when you consider the amount of time and energy it takes to boil a small kettle, it soon becomes apparently how much energy it takes to keep a large tank of water hot for most the day.
Depending on the size of your house and the water pressure in your area, a fantastic way to save money on your heating and hot water is to invest in a Combi boiler . Where conventional boilers store and heat water for use, combination boilers avoid this unnecessary waste of energy by heating water as it is drawn from the main supply, meaning water is only heated when it is to be used immediately. Instead of keeping large amounts of water heated for long periods of time, a combination boiler provides plenty of hot water within a minute for a fraction of the cost. Whats more, where conventional boilers waste considerable amounts of energy through loss of flue gases, Combi boiler extract these gases and put them back to use, further increasing their overall efficiency. Due to their small size, combination boilers are also ideal for small houses and apartments, where space is limited. There is no need to take up large amounts of cupboard or floor space for a combination boiler; they are even small enough to be fitted directly into kitchens, bathrooms, or sections of wall directly behind shower units.
Depending how many bathrooms you have in your house and how much hot water is likely to be required at any one time, these combi-boilers are clever way of saving huge amounts of money and energy whilst still getting the same amount of available hot water. Of course, in large houses or areas with low water pressure, combination boilers arent always appropriate, as they will further limit the already low flow rate to the appliances. They are also fairly expensive to buy, though the price can largely depend on whether you invest in an additional secondary tank from which the boiler can draw supplementary hot water should the need arise.
That said, the installation process for a combination boiler is far simpler than for a conventional version, as there is no piping or loft tank to deal with. In fact, unless a secondary storage tank is added, there is no need for a water tank in a combi-boiler whatsoever, which makes them considerably less troublesome to manoeuvre around the house for installation. This may seem like a minor point, but it is well worth bearing in mind if you have a steep or narrow staircase that must be negotiated.
Although not suitable for every house, combination boilers can be an ideal way to reduce heating costs whilst maintaining an ample flow of hot water around the house. Small houses and apartments with decent water pressure will reap the benefits of a combi-boiler, especially when autumn and winter comes around again.
