Choosing the right boiler for your home is really important. You need to make sure you have enough heat and hot water, and that your boiler works as efficiently as possible. It’s important to invest a bit of time and effort in researching your new boiler and controls, but, we’re here to simplify this for you!
Below are a few important things to consider when choosing the right boiler for your home:
1. Capacity
Boilers are available with various power outputs. You’ll need to choose a boiler that will work best for the size of your home and the number of people that live with you. Bear in mind, if you’re considering future renovation, like an extension or conversion, it’s worth considering a boiler that can cope with extra radiators.
2. Water Pressure
If you’re thinking about installing a combi boiler, it’s important to have the water flow and pressure checked. If they’re too low, it’ll affect the performance of the boiler.
3. Warranty and Parts
Remember to check the warranty length of any new boilers you’re considering. Also, you should consider how easy it is to get any spare parts that you may need in the future. As Worcester Accredited Installers, we can offer a 10-year guarantee on boilers!
4. Controls
It’s worth considering a heating control system with your new boiler. This could include a timer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves (or TRVs for short). You’ll then have better control over what rooms you heat, what time the heating is on, and what the temperature is. This will all help you save energy and money!
5. Boiler Type
There are a few different types of boiler available, including combi, system and conventional boilers. Below we’ve outlined how each boiler type works, their advantages and disadvantages to help you make an informed decision!
Combi Boiler
How they work: Combi boilers (short for combination) are Britain’s best-selling type of boiler. They work as sealed systems, providing hot water for both the taps and central heating system, heating the water directly from the mains as and when it is needed. This means there is no need for a hot water storage cylinder, so they take up less space, making them ideal for smaller properties.
Advantages: They are compact and quick to install. Water is delivered at mains pressure, so you can enjoy a more powerful shower.
Disadvantages: It’s a priority system, so it only satisfactorily deals with one heating need at a time. Larger households may experience poor flow rates when multiple outlets are used at once. Performance is also dependant on the diameter of the pipe entering the property. If it’s less than 22mm, then a combi is not an ideal choice.
System Boiler
How they work: System boilers are fitted to sealed heating systems, but unlike combis they work on the principle of storing hot water in a cylinder, so they can feed several outlets at once at mains pressure. There’s no need for a cistern in the loft and the expansion vessel is built in.
Advantages: They are ideal for larger homes with higher demands and are ideal for households where multiple outlets are used at once. Flow rates are usually high as water is delivered at mains pressure, and hot water is instantaneous.
Disadvantages: They are likely to run out of hot water if they are overused. They have been considered to be more complex and more prone to problems like pressure loss.
Regular Boiler
How they work: Regular boilers are now largely bought as replacements for homes with an open-vented heating system (i.e. the system is open to air). Like system boilers, they work on the principle of stored water and require a separate hot water cylinder.
Advantages: The water out of the taps will be at a good flow rate and hot water can be supplied instantly. This is the ideal setup for a ‘power’ shower which requires a cold-water feed from the cistern and a separate electric pump.
Disadvantages: Regular boilers are more expensive to install as they need more components and pipework. They also take up more space, so are not ideal for smaller houses. They can suffer from low pressure if the cistern is not located high enough, meaning additional shower boosters may be required.
Please never try to install a boiler yourself, always ask a Gas Safe registered engineer to install it. At Max Shutler Plumbing & Heating Ltd, we are all Gas Safe and Worcester Accredited Installers and are happy to answer any additional questions you might have!
Need help choosing the right boiler?
We would be delighted to help. Drop us a line using our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
