Advantages of a combi gas boiler

Mobile32

Hey all,

I am just looking for some advice and hopefully it won't be too long of a read for you all. Our current gas boiler is nearly 20 years old and will likely need to be replaced soon. I have been looking into types of gas boilers and I need some advice. The house is semi detached and approx 140sqm with 12 radiators, one bath , 4 sinks and an electric shower currently.

We currently have either a system boiler or regular boiler as we have a hot water cylinder in the upstairs hotpress and a cold water tank in the attic. We have also an immersion for the hot water cylinder to use for heating the hot water for taps. There currently is no zoning in the house and looking to be able to create 3 zones. Hot water for taps, downstairs radiators and upstairs radiators.

From reading about types of boliers online a combi gas boiler looks like a good idea. From my understanding it would heat the hot water needed for the taps instantly so we would not need the immersion and could take out the hot water cyclinder from the hotpress and also get rid of the cold water storage tank in the attic. Getting rid of the cold water storage tank would be advantageous because it would decrease the likelyhood of flooding due to frozen pipes.

I think we live in a low water pressure area which may not be the best for a combi boiler. (Is there a way to check the water pressure?)

Are there any other problems from switching to a combi boiler from our current sytem? Does the combi boiler do everything that it says it does?

All advice and recommendations greatly appreciated.

rightjob!

the mains pressure coming in will have to be fed into a break tank and then a pump fitted after,you cannot feed directly off the mains with a pump attached.

some pipework will have to be altered to fit the combi,if there is no zones now on the ehating it will have to be zoned obviously,or else just fit trvs.

advantages,instant hot water,good pressure from the pump in the shower taps ect

Lando Griffin

Downside, only 1/4 fill of a bath, if your partial to the odd dip.

Mobile32

Lando Griffin wrote: »

Downside, only 1/4 fill of a bath, if your partial to the odd dip.

What causes the combi boiler to only be able to 1/4 fill a bath. If I got a higher KW boiler would that help with the bath problem such as a 30KW?

Thanks for all the advice so far.

rightjob!

Lando Griffin wrote: »

Downside, only 1/4 fill of a bath, if your partial to the odd dip.

if its sized correctly it will be fine.

Mobile32

rightjob! wrote: »

if its sized correctly it will be fine.

Is it the flow rate rather than the KW that I should be looking at then to ensure I don't have the bath problem. Is there any such thing as having to high of a KW or flow rate. The boliers I have been looking into are the worcester-bosch combi boliers. In general with a 140sqm house with 12 radiators and one bath, what size would you recommend. I think the water pressure is low in our area.

http://www.worcester-bosch.ie/homeowner/boilers/gas-boilers

Thanks again for all your advice so far.

JohnnieK

Lando Griffin wrote: »

Downside, only 1/4 fill of a bath, if your partial to the odd dip.

Depends on the boiler

JohnnieK

I have a Viessmann Vitodens 35kW combi boiler in my attic. It's fed from a 3bar booster being supplied by the tank.

I have alredy noticed the reductions in my gas consumption by my bills.

It fills my bath in a jiffy and with two small kids the bath is used a lot.

Your mind set has to change in relation to using it. If your having a shower and some one runs the hot in the kitchen you will notice a fall in pressure momenterially. It doesn't bother us.

I prefer using a booster because your still left with a store of water just in case.

Lime any plumbers house it's still a work in progress, I still have to attache the weather compensator to the boiler.