Everything you need to know about the combi boiler

A combination boiler, or combi boiler as they’re commonly known as, were designed to offer a more compact and lightweight boiler type for small to medium properties.

Even though it is small in design, the combi boiler still provides hot water and heating without the need of a water tank, unlike other, more traditional, boiler types.

Here, we will tell you everything you need to know about the popular combi boiler.

How it works

Like all other boilers on the market, the combi boiler is a condensing boiler that offers full efficiency. Condensing technology refers to the recycling of flue gases, making it more energy efficient as unwanted gases are reused rather than emitted.

Similar to other boiler systems, the combi boiler has a heat exchanger that heats up the water, which is then transferred to either the radiators or water outlets.

The lifespan of the combi boiler

Combi boilers can last a long time if they’re well looked after. If you service your combi boiler regularly, you can expect it to last for many years.

However, if you don’t maintain your boiler, its lifespan can decrease dramatically.

This is one of the reasons why it’s so important to keep on top of your annual boiler service. Have a read about our tips for boiler maintenance here. 

The advantages of a combi boiler

There are many reasons why the combi boiler is one of the most popular boiler systems on the market. Here are few:

• Energy efficiency – With the huge rise of energy costs, having a combi boiler saves on both energy and money. Thanks to its condensing technology, all combi boilers have a starting ErP rating of 90%. This means that you’ll have more heat for less money
• Light and compact design – As previously mentioned, one of the reasons why the combi boiler is so popular is because of its light and compact design. This makes it suitable for smaller properties and is easier to install
• Instant hot water around the clock – Unlike systems with a water tank, the combi boiler can produce hot water whenever. This means that you’ll never run out of water. When the boiler is turned on, it will heat hot water, ready for use when you need it.
• No need for any water tanks – As mentioned above, the combi boiler doesn’t need any water storage tanks, unlike system and heat-only boilers. This saves a huge amount of space, making the combi system simple to navigate

The disadvantages of a combi boiler

As always, there are disadvantages to everything. Combi boilers aren’t suitable for every household. Here’s why:

• The struggle to meet a high heat and hot water demand – If you’re a large family using a lot of heating and hot water, the combi boiler may not be for you. As it heats just small amounts of hot water each time, it struggles to meet a large demand for heating and hot water. This is because it doesn’t rely on a water tank. If a combi boiler was used in a large house, the pressure would also drop as it struggles to produce a high amount of heating and hot water
• No heating or hot water is there’s a breakdown – If you suffer from a boiler breakdown, this means that you would not have any heating or hot water. This is in contrast to other boiler types, such as the system, as there is no hot water tank to fall back on
• The bath may take a long time to fill up – As water is directly supplied from the mains, this means that it may take longer to do jobs that require a large amount of water. So, if you’re a frequent lover of a full bath and you have a combi boiler, be prepared to wait a while for it to fill up

Overall, if you have a small to medium property, a combi boiler is a fantastic boiler to opt for. Many ranges come in a variety of sizes, meaning that they can meet heating and hot water demands for a variety of smaller properties.

However, if you live in a large home with multiple bathrooms and a lot of people who like the heating on, the combi boiler may not be best suited to your needs.

If you’re looking to purchase a new boiler, feel free to fill out a quick online quote today. Once this is completed, one of our expert Gas Safe registered engineers will come to the property to recommend the best boiler type for your property and needs.

Contact Swale Heating online today, or call us on 0800 731 3344. Rely on us to keep you warm.