Can a combi boiler cope with my family needs

mark55man

Opinions please

Just doing final planning for a new boiler (needed as we are doing an extension). I am not sure whether to rely on the builders advice or to set an expectation of what I want

The choice is between having a combi or (as currently) use the existing tank with a new (non combi) boiler. If I have a combi, I can use the space for the tank to embiggen my DD's bedroom

However there is me, my OH, 2DD & 2DS + a dishwasher and washing machine that can be on for days at a time :eek:

So my question is does this sound like a workload a combi could cope with, or will my DD have to make do.

if it helps we normally shower (one at a time) in the morning, and do the chores in the evening

(If you could also help with what I should expect to pay for a sufficiently powerful boiler I would be even more grateful)

Mark

gettingbetter

hi mark

i have a combi boiler
and there is 7 in my house
and a dish washer and washing machine

kas xx

rachbc

as long as the combi is big enough then yep- we had a combi in 4 flour, 5 bed, 2 bathroom house with no probs and no one ever complains there's no hot water left!

ncooper1974

With a combi, I wouldn't imagine enough hot water being the problem, but the flow rate of the boiler, and also the pressure of the mains water to feed more than 1 tap at a time

david29dpo

The dishwasher and washing machine are not relevant, not connected to the hot water (or shouldn't be)

ncooper1974

david29dpo wrote: »

The dishwasher and washing machine are not relevant, not connected to the hot water (or shouldn't be)

Really? but they are connected to mains pressure, and so wont this affect the pressure of say a someone having a shower at the time the washing machine kicks in? or even if someone flushes the toilet?
As all the water (hot and cold) now passes thru the combi, the more outlets it needs to feed at once, the drop in pressure

david29dpo

Very true but the OP implied the appliances use hot water.

Canucklehead

Good morning: A RGI, after conducting a site survey and discussing your heating and DHW requirements, would be best placed to advise. Check out the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council for more info.

HTH

Canucklehead

silvercar

How old is your existing boiler?

We bought our house extended. The previous people kept the original boiler in place and had a second smaller combi boiler installed to fit the extension part of the house. We haven't had any problems with the set up.

mark55man

hi thanks for responses - you are right the washing machine is connected to cold. the dish washer is connected to hot - is that a problem??

the boiler is 20 years old, and has to be moved - and so we were advised it had to be replaced. this replacement gives us the option to change

when you say the boiler size will govern how many people/how big the house - is there a figure I should be looking for - for example 2kw fire is hotter than 1kw - what am I looking for kw or flow or ???

The mains pressure is pretty fierce. ie tap turned full on is a torrent.

macman

mark88man wrote: »

hi thanks for responses - you are right the washing machine is connected to cold. the dish washer is connected to hot - is that a problem??

the boiler is 20 years old, and has to be moved - and so we were advised it had to be replaced. this replacement gives us the option to change

when you say the boiler size will govern how many people/how big the house - is there a figure I should be looking for - for example 2kw fire is hotter than 1kw - what am I looking for kw or flow or ???

The mains pressure is pretty fierce. ie tap turned full on is a torrent.

Washing machines are either cold feed, or cold and hot feed. But dishwasher should be cold feed only. If it's connected to the hot, how can it run cold rinse etc? Are you sure it's hot?