combi or condensing comi boiler

steveowen100

Im due to have my boiler replaced by means of a heating grant, the advisor suggested we have a condensing boiler as we are on a water meter ?, however i want to get rid of the hot water tank, so it would have to be a combi, however ive just been reading about condensing combi, are these better models and could i still get rid of the tank.

any advice folks


kindest regards

Hillfly

I thought all new combi boilers had to be condensing anyway?

I don't see what difference the water tank makes to the equation. We have a Worcester Bosch condensing boiler. It let us get rid of both the hot and cold water tanks and we have unlimted hot water 24/7. The condenser uses the steam from heating the water to - reheat more water (thats a lyamns view anyway).

Have a look here:
http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/index.php?fuseaction=site.articleDetail2&con_id=130817

matto

All new boilers should be condensing unless there are good reasons not to.

Dandirt

OK you're getting your wires crossed here.

A Combi boiler heats water instantaneously when you turn on a tap. It heats your radiators when your time switch or thermostat calls for heat. So it's a water heater and a central heating boiler 'combined' - hence 'combi' boiler.

A condensing boiler uses the heat from the flue gases (which on old type boilers would just be sent outside via the flue to heat up the world) to heat the water in your heating or hot water system thereby increasing efficiency.

A condensing boiler can be either a combi type or a standard type or even an oil fired.

As of april '05 all domestic boilers, by law, have to be condensing type unless special circumstances exist to relax building regs.

cheers

Dan

Cardew

Personally I would not change a conventional(supplying water to a hot water tank) for a Combi.

I have both(the combi in an annex) and the combi struggles to produce a decent supply of hot water in the winter. You have to turn the flow down to get it hot enough.

I spoke to the BG engineer and he said they get loads of calls in the winter from people complaining that the water from the combi just isn't hot enough.
The spec on my large Worcester combi(102,400btu) states that it will heat a flow of 9 litres a min by 35C. Thats fine when the weather is like it is now. However in the winter when the water comes in at 5C it is not warm enough.
There is a winter switch which reduces the flow to 7 litres a min.