Looking for the best heating and hot water boiler? Knowing different boiler types is crucial to choosing the best one for your house. You’ll be unhappy for 10–15 years if you don’t get the right boiler. UK households mostly employ traditional (heat-only) systems and combi boilers. Different boiler types have various characteristics with varied sizes and consumption patterns. It would assist in choosing between an oil-and-gas or electric-and-gas boiler.

You must understand how each boiler operates for uninterrupted hot water and heat and lower energy expenses.

It will help you choose the perfect boiler for your needs. In the UK, boilers are expensive, and the average person cannot afford them. But they are also essential when living in a cold climate. So, the government of the UK introduced the Energy Company Obligation ( ECO4) scheme to resolve this problem. The scheme provides free boiler grants to vulnerable families to replace old boilers with new models. It will lower your energy bills and decrease carbon emissions. To check your eligibility, visit https://grantboilers.org.uk/get-free-boiler-grant/.

Moreover, this helpful guide explains the different types of boiler systems and highlights their main pros and cons. This will help you decide whether to install or replace your new gas boiler. 

Different Types of Boilers

Combi, conventional, and system boilers heat homes and provide ample hot water. Each boiler type performs differently and has distinct parts.

Each gas central heating boiler type is condensed. Condensing boilers recover flue gas latent heat, saving energy and improving efficiency. UK Government Regulations from 2005 require condensing boilers for all new installations from April 1, 2005.

Below, we list different kinds of boilers and their functions. Read about boiler types to determine which one you need.

Combi Boilers

Combi boilers are the most prevalent heating system in the UK. These compact, efficient boilers provide instant hot water and efficient heating.

Unlike conventional gas boilers, combi boilers do not need storage tanks or cylinders. They give hot water faster since they use mains water.

How Do Combi Boilers Work?

Combi boilers use an inbuilt heat exchanger to heat mains water. The diverter valve sends heated water to taps and radiators for on-demand heating and hot water.

Pros and Cons of Combi Boilers

Below are the main pros and cons of combi boilers:

Pros

• Combi boilers provide mains-fed hot water to you instantaneously.
• Most combi boilers fit inside normal kitchen cupboards. Combi systems are ideal for smaller houses with limited space because they don’t require tanks or cylinders.
• Combi boilers’ condensing technology reduces energy waste and heating’s environmental effect.
• A combi boiler may save energy expenses by 35% when used effectively.
• A combi boiler may supply heating and hot water for 15 years if properly maintained and serviced.
• Combination boilers are popular and come in numerous styles. This boiler comes in several sizes and models from many brands.

Cons

• Unsuitable for some households since combi boilers cannot produce hot water and heating simultaneously, you won’t be able to use your heating while showering or bathing. This may make them inappropriate for bigger households with greater heating and hot water needs.
• Combi systems use mains pressure. Therefore, you’ll need good water pressure. Low water pressure might reduce combi boiler performance.
• Combi boilers lack a water cylinder, so they cannot use power showers. Power shower pumps are also incompatible with combi boilers.

Conventional Boilers

Conventional boilers are the most formal type of boilers in the UK. These boilers store hot water and central heating in a cold water tank and hot water cylinder. Large households benefit from regular boilers since they may supply water to several taps.

How Do Conventional Boilers Work?

Water is fed into the cold water tank from the mains before it goes into the system’s hot water cylinder. The cold water tank typically stays in your loft.

The standard boiler warms the hot water tank in your airing room, which heats the water. This water is then given to your sinks and radiators as required.

Pros and Cons of Conventional Boilers

The main pros and cons of conventional boilers are below:

Pros

• Several taps provide hot water. Due to its cylinders, heat-only boilers may provide hot water to many faucets simultaneously, enabling you to run a tap while someone showers. They fit large homes with high hot water demands.
• Conventional boilers are simple to install in homes with standard heating systems.
• They are compatible with immersion heaters. An immersion heater may be installed with your hot water cylinder to provide hot water if your boiler fails.
• Free from mains pressure, unlike combi boilers, conventional boiler systems do not need mains water pressure. High-quality hot water is possible regardless of water pressure.

Cons

• Conventional boilers take up room with their cold-water tank and hot water cylinder, so the loft must accommodate these parts.
• Hot water isn’t needed. Conventional boilers heat the water slowly, unlike combi boilers. After utilising the system cylinder hot water, let it heat up again.
• Combination boilers are more efficient than traditional boilers. Energy is needed to heat stored water. Jacketing your hot water cylinder increases efficiency.

System Boilers

System boilers heat and provide hot water using an extra hot water cylinder. Since most of the heating components are incorporated into the system, system boilers do not need a cold water tank. They benefit homes with high heating and hot water needs.

How Do System Boilers Work?

The heat exchanger heats water in an enclosed hot water system in a system boiler unit. Hot water is then sent straight to your radiators to heat your home. Hot water goes to the cylinder for storage and to your taps as needed.

Pros and Cons of System Boilers

Below are the significant pros and cons of system boilers to help you select the right type of boiler for your home.

Pros

• Hot water may be supplied via many taps. System boilers fulfil high hot water needs. Hot water is stored in a cylinder and distributed to several taps.
• They’re smaller than conventional boilers. No cold-water tank is needed with this boiler, conserving space.
• It may have a backup immersion heater. System boilers might have a backup immersion heater installed in their hot water cylinder in case of a malfunction.
• Solar panels may heat system boiler storage cylinders, enhancing heating efficiency.

Cons

• Combi boilers save more space than system boilers, which need a hot water storage cylinder.
• System boilers use non-main water; thus, hot water is not immediate. This delays the hot water supply, so you may have to wait.

Conclusion

It’s essential to know about the different types of boiler grants and their efficiency before you decide how to heat your home or business. Buy an energy-efficient boiler today to get steady heat, save money, and help the environment. The best type of boiler for a home in the UK relies on things like the house size, the number of bedrooms, and how much heat the home needs. A combination boiler is often the best choice for small to medium-sized homes with one or two bedrooms. A system or regular boiler might be better for bigger homes with more than one bathroom.