Types of Boilers
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The conventional traditional system
A traditional system has two water tanks and a hot water storage cylinder in a cupboard.
The cold water tank (usually in the loft to give it pressure) draws water from the mains supply and feeds the storage cylinder which, when heated by the boiler, can release hot water to taps all over the house on demand.
The second tank, commonly known as F&E (feed and expansion) tank (also found in the loft), is usually the smaller one and maintains the correct level of water in the heating system. It also allows for expansion of the water in either tank when it gets hot.
The real benefit of this system is that showers, taps and running baths can be drawn in any room at the same time; not all systems can do this.
But, when the cylinder runs out of hot water it takes time to reheat.
The only difference between a traditional system and a typical Open Vented Sealed System is that only one tank is required in the loft and you need a storage tank for the hot water.
The difference between a Sealed System with Unvented Hot Water is that there is no tank in the loft. You still need a storage tank for the hot water.
Combination Boiler
Combination boilers provide both hot water to the radiators and a separate supply of instant hot water directly to taps and showers. The advantages are ease of installation {there are no tanks or pipes in the loft}, space- saving {there's no hot-water storage cylinder} and economy {you heat only the water you use}.
The main drawback is a fairly slow flow rate -so it takes longer to fill a bath, and it's not usually possible to use two hot taps at the same time. Combination boilers are therefore best suited to small households or flats. However, to overcome these problems, the newer generation of combination boilers incorporate a small built-in hot-water storage tank.
Condensing Boiler
A condensing boiler system has the tanks and the storage cylinder but is far more efficient than the Combi because it uses a heat recovery system, thereby saving you money. Although initially more expensive it pays for itself in the long term.
Condensing boilers can have an increased efficiency over the more traditional boiler. The efficiency of a typical non-condensing boiler is around 75%, whereas with condensing boilers it can be over 87%. This increased efficiency is due to the extraction of heat from the otherwise wasted flue gases.
There are two basic types of condensing boilers using either wet or dry heat-transfer principles. The wet type requires a purpose-made system which at present is only produced for commercial boiler plant and is still being developed. Dry condensing boilers are more suitable for domestic work.
Combination/Condensing Boiler
A Comination Condensing boiler is the most efficient boiler type for a gas central heating system you can buy. They have been proven to be reliable and tough and will save you money on your heating costs by limiting heat loss. They also produce an endless stream of hot water on demand. But, the flow can be limited if there is a demand from simultaneously locations such as a bath, washing machine and downstairs taps.
These boilers recover heat that is normally lost and feed it back into the system. Which means that the boiler can operate at up to 96% efficiency. It’s also extremely environmentally friendly.
It is initially more expensive but will save money in the longer term.
And remember, there is no storage cylinder or tanks in the loft with this system so space is saved.
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