Boiler & immersion heater?

Hectors_House

I'm just about to complete on a house purchase and was hoping folks here might be able to give me some advise.

It appears there are two water heating systems in place - a boiler in the kitchen for the central heating, and an immersion heater/tank in a cupboard upstairs for the other hot water needs.

There is no bath and we have an electric shower in a free-standing shower stall.

The rooms downstairs are heated by electric fires which are going to be the first things to go when we decorate to be replaced with gas fires.

To me it seems a bit daft to have to turn on the immersion heater and heat up a huge tank just to get hot water running through the taps - especially as we're installing a dishwasher.

Would it make sense to get a combi boiler fitted that services the hot water and radiators and get rid of the tank?

And am I making sense? LOL!

tanith

Are you sure the boiler doesn't heat the tank too, and the emersion is for backup or use in the summer if you don't want to use the boiler? We have a boiler and emersion but have never had to use the emersion since we moved here 10yrs ago, we just adjust the boiler to only heat water in the summer..If you have central heating why will you need gas fires ?

Magentasue

Possibly if the boiler needs replacing. Otherwise probably cheapest to heat the water with the gas boiler, have a shower that uses this water, rather than an electric shower.

I'm assuming that the boiler will heat the water and the immersion heater is an emergency measure - both using the tank.

Sirbendy

I'll bet you the boiler heats the tank, and the immersion is an emergency measure..it's the same here (1940's 3 bed semi). Simple way is to look in the airing cupboard..how many pipes enter/leave the cylinder? Should be 4 or so..1 cold in, 1 hot out, 2 for the indirect coil from the boiler.

If it's got this and the boiler doesn't heat the water, check it's programmed to..it might be as simple as a duff diverter valve motor - we had that when we moved in too.