'Combi boilers are just for flats'? Update: Rate my quote!

Cardew

NeverEnough wrote: »

????? Sounds like you need a different gas fitter.......perhaps they bought up stocks of ancient technology boilers and think you're an idiot........

We have a large Victorian semi and had a new combi fitted 7 years ago......no problems and it runs 11 radiators plus the hot water.

Your wannabee supplier is having you on......I would ditch them immediately and go elsewhere, that's the most ridiculous "advice" I've ever heard......

Given the age of your system, though, you may need new radiators to cope with the higher pressures in the modern systems, but I would definitely get a decent fitter to quote, this crowd sound like they're having you on.

I don't agree with your 'strong' views!

As stated above, there are lots of reasons to prefer a Hot water tank and a conventional boiler.

Firstly a decent flow of really hot water(particularly in winter) for filling a bath and/or using a power shower.

No problems if a hot tap is turned on whilst having a shower from a combi.

Lastly, and a must for my wife! an airing cupboard.

LittleMissAspie

But you get a bigger airing cupboard when there is no water tank taking up all the room in it...

Personally I prefer combis as you get hot water all day instead of just when the tank has been heated up. If you have an electric shower then you are wasting tons of money heating a tank just to do the washing up and washing your hands/face.

The hot water is unlimited too - when I had a water tank it would only fill the bath halfway and I had to wait 45 minutes for a new tank to heat up to fill the rest of the bath. Rubbish.

PeteW

Thanks for all the feedback.

I wasn't in when the guy was round, so I don't know if he asked about our hot water usage. We have an electric shower, but run a bath in the evenings for the baby. We only have the heating on very rarely. I would quite like to get rid of the cylinder and tank to free up some room, but it's not a major priority.

I did wonder if he would advise against a combi, but for a different reason - our water pressure is abysmal (the garden sprinkler sprays about one inch!) and I understand combi boilers require a decent pressure to operate. He didn't mention that though.

One of the drawbacks people mention of a combi is that you can only use hot water in one place at a time, but we have the problem with our current system. If you turn a tap on while someone is in the shower they will freeze/burn. Is this just because of our crap boiler, or crap water pressure? Seems odd that we're not getting one of the supposed benefits of a conventional boiler!

espresso wrote: »

There really is no excuse for starting up another thread on the same topic!

Sorry, I saw them as two quite separate questions.

HappyMJ

PeteW wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback.

I wasn't in when the guy was round, so I don't know if he asked about our hot water usage. We have an electric shower, but run a bath in the evenings for the baby. We only have the heating on very rarely. I would quite like to get rid of the cylinder and tank to free up some room, but it's not a major priority.

I did wonder if he would advise against a combi, but for a different reason - our water pressure is abysmal (the garden sprinkler sprays about one inch!) and I understand combi boilers require a decent pressure to operate. He didn't mention that though.

One of the drawbacks people mention of a combi is that you can only use hot water in one place at a time, but we have the problem with our current system. If you turn a tap on while someone is in the shower they will freeze/burn. Is this just because of our crap boiler, or crap water pressure? Seems odd that we're not getting one of the supposed benefits of a conventional boiler!



Sorry, I saw them as two quite separate questions.

That is because of the crap water pressure. Same thing happens in my house I have an electric shower and if someone opens a cold tap all the way then the cold water pressure isn't enough for the shower so it stops heating and I freeze. You could install a thermostatic shower on the cold and hot water feed and that problem will be minimized and the shower will cost less as you will be using gas to heat the water.

He probably didn't specifically mention it but he may have opened the tap in the kitchen to do a quick flow test but seeing as though you have 2 bathrooms that could have been a deciding factor too.

Cardew

LittleMissAspie wrote: »

But you get a bigger airing cupboard when there is no water tank taking up all the room in it...

Personally I prefer combis as you get hot water all day instead of just when the tank has been heated up. If you have an electric shower then you are wasting tons of money heating a tank just to do the washing up and washing your hands/face.

The hot water is unlimited too - when I had a water tank it would only fill the bath halfway and I had to wait 45 minutes for a new tank to heat up to fill the rest of the bath. Rubbish.

'Tons of money'?

People really have the wrong idea about heat lost from Hot water tanks. Modern well insulated HW tanks lose very little heat. They are tested to a British Standard and even if hot water is left on 24/7 with water at 65C in tank they will lose heat using about 2kWh every 24 hours to replace. Used on timed when water will not be at 65C all day a typical loss might be about 1kWh a day - 3p to 4p.

Even then that heat is not really lost as it warms the fabric of the house.

There is no 'one size fits all solution'. Combis suit some people, others prefer system boilers.

A correct sized Hot water tank should easily fill a bath - especially if heated to the correct temperature.

Pincher

What you need is a vision of how you want the whole house to be like. Where is the kitchen, bathrooms, even whether you want underfloor heating etc.

If you don't want to change a thing, why change the boiler configuration? There's nothing wrong with open vented. I do recommend a 3 bar pump for shower(s) on the first floor, though.

gas4you

OP. What a load of bull you have been informed at the start!

PeteW

gas4you wrote: »

OP. What a load of bull you have been informed at the start!

Which bit exactly?

I've just had a second chap round who saw our water pressure (and laughed!) and said there was no chance of a combi, so that's the decision made anyway!

gas4you

The 'combis are only suitable for flats' bit

snowcat53

Cardew is absolutely right about the heat retaining abilities of modern HW tanks. Ours only cools a degree or so overnight.

The other advantage of system boilers over combis is they don't have to constantly on/off cycle which is likely to increase wear and tear and reduce life.