Unlike other boiler types, a combination boiler doesn’t need a cold water tank or separate hot water cylinder to function. Instead, water is heated directly from the mains when you turn on the tap.
Which boiler is right for you?
Boilers
It’s important to pick the right type of boiler system for your central heating system and hot water needs. We’re here to help.
What type of boiler do you need?
Boiler Types
There are three main types of boilers and each one has its benefits – find the one that’s right for your home.
Combi Boilers
Great for smaller homes, combi boilers can fit in a cupboard and don’t take up loft space, meaning you don’t need to trade storage for heating.
Regular Boilers
If you often use hot water in multiple places at the same time, consider a regular boiler, linked to a hot water cylinder and a cold water storage tank.
System Boilers
Designed for homes with more than one bathroom, system boilers give you a constant supply of hot water to multiple taps. There’s no need for the tank in the loft either.
Combi Boilers
Great for smaller homes, combi boilers can fit in a cupboard and don’t take up loft space, meaning you don’t need to trade storage for heating.
Regular Boilers
If you often use hot water in multiple places at the same time, consider a regular boiler, linked to a hot water cylinder and a cold water storage tank.
Combi Boilers
Boilers
A combi boiler is a high efficiency, single stand-alone unit that generates all the heating and hot water for your home.
- It’s very energy-efficient and cost-effective, as the water you need is heated almost instantly, rather than being stored for future use.
- The compact size provides a clean look and a great way for you to save space.
- It’s perfect if you have a smaller property that has little to no loft space for an additional cold water storage tank.
- Less pipework needed in your home typically makes the installation process quicker and cheaper.
- Due to the water being heated directly from the mains and not stored beforehand, the combi boiler can struggle to meet the high water demands of larger homes.
- If you use multiple taps at the same time, the water pressure will reduce and day-to-day tasks like running a bath may take longer.
- If the stand-alone boiler breaks down, you will have no access to hot water or central heating.
Regular Boilers
Boilers
A regular boiler (otherwise known as a heat only, conventional boiler) only provides heating to your home. They connect to a separate hot water cylinder and up to two storage tanks.
Regular boilers provide your home’s heating and hot water with the support of an extra cold water tank and hot water cylinder. The boiler itself provides the heating, while the cold water tank feeds into the hot water cylinder to provide a bulk amount of hot water for your home’s daily use.
- If your regular boiler breaks down, the separate hot water cylinder makes sure you still have access to hot water.
- Due to the hot water being stored in bulk, the regular boiler is perfect for meeting the high water demands of busy homes, meaning you can use multiple bathrooms and hot water taps at the same time.
- For older homes with less energy efficient regular boiler systems, it tends to be faster, more cost-effective and less disruptive to replace with a newer regular boiler that will use the existing pipework and radiators, rather than switch to another type.
- Even if your home has lower mains water pressure, the conventional boiler will provide the same level of water flow, no matter how many taps and showers are being used.
- Since it requires room for a separate cold water tank and hot water cylinder, the regular boiler won’t be suitable if you have a smaller home with limited space.
- Once your hot water cylinder has run out of water, you’ll have to wait for it to fill up again.
- While newer regular boilers have become more efficient over time, they are still not as energy efficient as combi boilers which only heat water on demand.
System Boilers
Boilers
A system boiler combines a boiler and separate hot water cylinder to provide heating and hot water to your home, without the need for a cold water tank. Many of the components, like the pumps and valves that you’ll find separate with a regular (conventional boiler), are in-built with a system boiler.
System boilers can take cold water directly from the mains instead of using a cold water tank – but maintain the same level of output. The water is heated in the hot water cylinder and can be used to heat the radiators and provide hot water at the same time.
- Due to the hot water being stored in bulk, the regular boiler is perfect if you have a busy home with a higher water demand – multiple bathrooms and hot water taps can be used at the same time.
- If you want to go one step further down the path of energy efficiency, the system boiler can be used alongside solar panels. They combine as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to heat your home.
- If you need the high hot water output of a regular boiler, without the space needed for the cold water tank, the system boiler provides a happy medium.
- While system boilers can be combined with solar panels to become extra energy efficient, as a standalone boiler, they aren’t as efficient as combi boilers.
- Once your hot water cylinder has run out of water, you’ll have to wait for it to fill up again.
- Even though there is no need for a cold water tank, you’ll still need to find space for the hot water cylinder, so this boiler type may not be suitable for smaller homes.
