combi or not?

Dan-Dan

Currently have a non pressurised system , oil fired boiler and hot water tank and awful electric shower

4 bed house

Seems to be a difference of opinion with plumbers over a combi , get ride of the tank or get a oil fired efficient boiler and new tank (pressurised as we want a mains fed shower in the future)

I know combis have a lot more parts in to go wrong?

Any advice?

Thanks

phoenix_w

Dan-Dan wrote: »

Any advice?

Take opinions on this with a pinch of salt - most reactions to this question would make you think that combi boilers are the work of satan himself.

I think combi boilers are great for most people. If you're in a two shower house and you're expecting to have both running at the same time and also have water running for washing the dishes, then they aren't going to float your boat. If you can restrain yourself to one hot water outlet running at a time they'll fit in nicely and save you a fair whack on energy costs.

Dan-Dan

thanks
so a combi vs alternative set up is more efficient and costs less?

phoenix_w

Positives:
No need for a hot water cylinder (useful if you need the space)
Only heat the water you actually use
You can alter the temperature of the water by restricting flow on the tap (nothing more glorious than restricting flow to ridiculously hot when you're topping up the bath)

Negatives:
No hot water if the power goes out
Have to wait a while for the water to heat up if the boiler isn't active (you may need to put a few litres of cold water down the drain)
Heating circuit will stop for a while whilst demanding hot water from the tap
Boiler is supposedly more complicated than a system boiler

Note that all of this is academic if you don't have decent water pressure

Tyler119

We have had a Worcester Combi boiler in a 4 bedroom house for 2 years now. We only have one shower in it, but other water outlets in the house can be turned on at the same time, washing machine, taps etc, with no loss of pressure or heat.

No problems so far, 7 year warranty (if serviced every year) and it is a really efficient make of boiler.

Waterlily24

We too have a Worcester combi boiler (oil), we have 3 bathrooms one with a shower as well and have no problems at all, but the bathrooms are rarely used at the same time. The hot water is used at the same time though.


I love having instant (more or less) hot water.

cyclonebri1

Take a view on this.

With a combi, anything that goes wrong is within the boiler itself,

The blind man on the galloping racehorse, the idiot in a hurry and even the man on the Clapham omnibus could all understand that.

Dan-Dan

what about the dangers of leaks etc of going from a non pressurised system to pressurised?

teddysmum

We had a WB combi fitted just over two years ago and I did ask the fitters this, having read about leaks online.


They said it was possible, but very unlikely as the house wasn't really old,with ancient pipework (It's 1970s).


One plumber, who was asked to quote, said that he was going to fit a combi in his house, when his existing boiler needed replacing, saying he thought they were the best option for just a couple.


There were reports that combs can't cope with two uses at once, but we are fine if one person takes a bath while the other is using the kitchen sink. You can also quickly adjust the water temperature, so it's really hot when you are cleaning, but not too hot for a hair wash ( no wasting of heating on stored water).


Someone I know , moved from a house with a combi to one with a storage tank and can't wait to get a conversion, as her family (5 adults) finds the latter a nuisance, because when one person uses the bathroom, the tank water is cooled by cold replacing the hot used, so the next person has to wait.

jk0

My Combi (14 years old but fed with soft water) can't cope well with my thermostatic shower valve. (Or maybe the shower valve can't cope with the combi. )

I have to turn the shower up half way to get the boiler to come on, and then turn it down to about a quarter before I get in it. During the shower it will gradually cool, so I have to gradually increase it.

cyclonebri1

Dan-Dan wrote: »

what about the dangers of leaks etc of going from a non pressurised system to pressurised?

Don't be brain washed, the pressure in a combi system is about double gravity, ie, not high pressure.

And not much more than a sluggish boiler system, :A:A:A