subject: Combination Boilers Explained In Brief [print this page] Combination Boilers Explained In Brief Combination Boilers Explained In Brief
Combination boilers are some of the most popular boilers installed in homes today. They are actually small enough so that they can be hung from a kitchen wall yet they can provide enough heat and hot water in a small home to be all that is needed. They save on installation and operating cost, all the while being very efficient.
They differ from the conventional systems because they do not store hot water. They heat the water directly from the cold main as you use it. They do not have a hot water cylinder, or loft tank for storage. They have a second heating circuit so that you have hot water instantly whenever you need it. The cold water comes in and is directed immediately to a heat exchanger so you can have unlimited hot water as long as the boiler is firing. They increase efficiency by extracting a greater quantity of gasses from the flue system.
The fact that all of the parts of these boiler systems are contained within one system makes them very easy to install. Eliminating such items as the hot water cylinder located in an airing cupboard and the cold water tank. These systems also do not require you to have a small header cistern.
These boilers are the perfect choice in places where the space is limited. They generally take forty seconds to heat water. If you have two or more bathrooms to provide with hot water you just might want to use the storage type systems. The single biggest drawback to these systems is the fact that when cold water is turned on while you are using the hot water your hot water will be reduced.
These systems will save you money. These systems only run when you need hot water so they use less energy to operate. If you have a thermostat for controlling your shower you will be protected from the sudden fluctuations of the water temperature when the water is delivered at the mains pressure.
It is recommended to combine domestic hot water along with central heating all in one package. You may employ the use of more than one of these systems in order to supply separate heating zones within the home. One unit could supply one bathroom with a separate unit supplying the second bath.
If you connect the two units with pipes that have control valves, you can keep the control valves closed unless one of the combination boilers needs repair, thus providing you with a backup system.
