Combi Boiler: The Hot Water Miracle

If you are going to rent or purchase a new house, one of the things to take into consideration is the heating system.  If you live in a cold climate, it is vital to make sure that your house will be kept nice and warm through the winter.  You should research and become informed about the best energy saving possibilities and decide whether you will be using electricity, petrol, natural gas, propane, solar energy or another alternative energy, according to your financial situation.

Traditional heating systems

In the XX and XXI centuries, many houses and buildings installed gas central heating systems. This   consisted of boilers –or gas burners–, that heated the water and stored it in a tank or copper cylinder, to be later channeled through the pipes in order to heat up the different rooms.

In small houses that don´t have a central heating system, most people use their own portable electric or gas heaters, of which exist is an ample variety in the market place.

If you happen to live in the countryside or have access to free or inexpensive wood or logs, a fireplace could be the ideal heating system for you. It is romantic –for couples– to spend time together sipping wine sitting on a comfy sofa, watching the flames dance.  It is comforting to walk in the house from a cold outdoors and warm up in front of your fireplace. It inspires many children and teenagers to have a slumber party, roast some marsh mellow and sleep on the carpet with their sleeping bags, under the oversight of a close by adult.

In the olden days, the traditional kitchen iron stove, would be used for the double purpose of cooking and warming up the kitchen.   Logs were conveniently stored during the summer to be ready to use during the cold months.   Women, old and young would sit by the stove chatting as they did their household tasks or took care of small children, using a small fan to keep the fires burning.

The combi boiler revolution

Nowadays 70% of households in Europe have at least one combi boiler installed.

A combi boiler is a water heater that does not need a big bulky water storage tank. It feeds from the mains water supply and instantly heats it.   Not having a big water tank in the loft, basement or kitchen, saves a lot of space.  The combi boiler comes in different models and sizes and can nicely blend with the cabinets in your kitchen.  Combination boilers are very efficient and economical and save both money and energy, and are a good choice to consider, as they heat your house and provide instant hot water on demand

Many people choose to install a Combi boiler in their home rather than a conventional water heater. This may be because of space requirements or it may just be due to a need to create a more energy efficient water heater. A combi boiler is short for combination boiler and it is, at its simplest explanation, a way to heat the water in your home as needed, rather than the conventional way that a traditional water heater does it. Combi boilers are also perfect for small dwellings such as apartments or condominiums where the presence of a water heater may require remodeling in order to make the space for the appliance.

A conventional water heater works by storing hot water in the tank, where it is stored at a certain temperature, set by the homeowner, where it can be piped into the various fixtures throughout the home. Then, the hot water is mixed with cold water to create the temperature that is desired, since most require a different temperature for bathing, showers and washing dishes, and some appliances, especially dishwashers require water at high temperatures to do their job. A combi boiler works differently.

Combi boilers work by heating the water as needed, usually powered by gas or oil. The combi boiler has an additional heating unit and therefore does not need a cylinder for storing the hot water. The water mains may be connected directly to the combi boiler and as long as the unit is active then unlimited hot water can be taken from the unit. Certain types of combi boilers are classified as condensing combi boilers, which recycle the heat from the exhaust gases whereas normally the heat in the exhaust gases in vented into the atmosphere.

One popular brand of combi boiler, and especially condensing combi boilers is the Baxi combi boiler. However, other brands are available such as Potterton, Ideal, Ariston, Keston and many others. Normally, a regular combi boiler will range from around $1000 to upwards of $3000, while a condensing combi boiler will be generally the same price, if only a few hundred dollars more for a comparable model. If you are thinking about a more energy efficient way to heat your hot water, or if you never seem to have enough hot water, a combi boiler may be exactly what you need.

Combi boilers are very popular in the UK, with it’s cold climate. Combi, short for Combination boilers means you do not need water tanks or cylinders because the boiler heats on demand. The unit heats the water itself meaning no need for a separate water tank. With a Combi boiler, a water heater and central heating unit is combined into one, which is one of the best benefits it carries.

Hot water is heated whenever the boiler is fired up. Hot water is not stored. The cold water is heated through a heating circuit so hot water is available as long as the boiler is operating.

With old boilers, heat and energy are wasted every time they are used. A Combi boiler doesn’t waste nearly as much heat or energy as old boilers. Users of a Combi boiler can save up to 40% off their energy bills every year.

The condensing combi boiler has become very popular in the UK with many people installing them. The most popular type of condensing boiler in the UK is the Combi. It is easier to install and saves space over a conventional heating unit. Now, regulations in areas of the UK require that a condensing boiler is installed. This will reduce pollution going into the environment as well as use less energy. There are different manufactures of boilers, one popular brand being the baxi Combi boiler.

In this economy people are looking for ways to save money and to save energy. People who live in colder climates must have capable units to keep their homes warm during winter and they have to use more energy to heat their homes because it gets so cold. Everyone who has an older unit ends up throwing away money every time their Combi boiler is fired up because it’s not efficient. A lot of energy and heat are being unnecessarily wasted.

The less energy used, the more money you save. If you have an older boiler, replacing it with a new condensing boiler with save energy and money. The investment you place in a new combi boiler will be recouped with the money you end up saving in heating costs.

Being much more efficient than old boilers, saving space, and saving money are reasons for any homeowner to look into buying a new combi boiler for hot water and staying warm.

If you choose to have a new combi boiler installed, make sure it’s installed by a Corgi engineer to make sure it is installed safely and properly.