There are a number of things that you need to consider when choosing a new boiler.
- The cost of the boiler
- The efficiency of the system
- The installation requirements
- The brands and their unique selling points
Every aspect needs to be carefully considered before you make a decision on which system to buy. This article will detail the factors and options that you face when choosing a boiler and help you to come to a decision.
There are a range of different types of boilers available, each with their own benefits. Different boilers suit different needs; whether it’s for a small house or large office complex, you need to make sure the one you choose is the right one for your situation.
Combination Boilers
Thanks to their compact size and excellent efficiency, ‘combi’ boilers are now used in the majority of new boiler installations in the UK. By choosing a combination boiler you benefit from a more compact system, taking up less space in your home as the system does not require hot and cold water storage units.
Thanks to their compact size and lack of extra cylinders and piping, installation of these systems is often swift and the benefit of getting hot and cold water on demand means that you will see some welcome savings on your monthly bills.
Condensing Boilers
Since 2005, all boilers installed have to be ‘condensing boilers’, to comply with Government regulations, thanks to their higher efficiency levels.
Condensing boilers have a 90% efficiency rate, almost double the 55% of non-condensing boilers, which is achieved in part by utilising the heat from condensation, rather than letting it escape.
Condensing boilers can save up to 35p on every £1 spent on heating your boiler, so the benefits of condensing boilers are obvious. Combination boilers also fall under the ‘condensing boilers’ category, and heat your water instantly without using a water tank, which means that you don’t waste time or money waiting for water to heat up that won’t even get used.
System Boilers
Also known as ‘Gravity’ boilers, system boilers work by heating water stored in a separate cylinder tank. These boilers pump the heated water around the building to the radiators, and as such they require a large volume of water to sufficiently heat the whole building.
System boilers are available as ‘unvented’, which rely on the pressure from the mains water to push water through the pipes, and ‘open vented’, which rely on the weight of the water stored in the tank to push the water through the pipes. These boilers benefit from low maintenance costs, particularly when coupled with electric heating, but the hot water availability does suffer due to the heat recovery period required for the tank.
At VHL, we stock and install system, condensing and combination boilers from the leading brands on the market, including Vaillant, Worcester Bosch, Viessman, Baxi and more.
Our expert engineers are able to deliver and fit any boiler at a time that suits you, with our 24/7 emergency call out service able to provide you with maintenance and repairs at any time.