Combi Boiler vs. Central Heat and Tank Setup
The Burden of Keeping Warm
Unless you live in the tropics, the costs—both financial and environmental—of heating your home can be staggering. As energy costs continue to climb, many people are looking for ways to cut down on expenses. Reducing the energy you use in your home is a great way to save yourself money and help the environment.
For this reason, combi (or combination) boilers are becoming a popular choice as an alternative to the traditional setup, which involves two separate appliances for supplying central heat and hot water. To understand how a combi boiler can cut down on your energy usage, lets take a look at how one works.
One Appliance, Two Functions
In addition to providing the central heating that a normal boiler does, a combi boiler eliminates the need for a large hot water tank by heating water only as it is needed. It does this by passing the water through a heat exchanger made of copper piping. The heating process is controlled by regulators that measure and mediate between the water's current temperature and the desired temperature, as set by the operator.
Combi or Tank?
The main advantage to a combi boiler is that it does not waste energy heating water that is only going to sit in a tank cooling until it needs to be heated again or until it is eventually used. Of course, although efficient, this kind of system has its drawbacks. Without a large reservoir of hot water sitting around waiting to be used, the rate at which you can use it is limited.
Combi boilers are typically rated according to how quickly they can produce hot water. Most systems intended for home use are rated between 24 kW and 54 kW, putting out hot water at rates between 9 and 23 litres per minute. While some upper-end or industrial models might allow two hot showers to run simultaneously, many lower-end models will not.
Therefore it is important to consider a few things before dedicating yourself to having a combi boiler installed. First you should consider your needs. Do you live alone or in a house full of people? How much hot water do you anticipate needing at one time? Secondly, though there are probably combi boilers out there that can meet your needs, are they within your price range? Could your needs be met more easily or inexpensively using two small heating systems than using one large one?
On the other hand, if you answer these questions and find out that a combi boiler is right for you, then, in addition to energy savings and reduced environmental impact, you will enjoy cheap installation and extra space in your home, as combi boilers are much smaller than the traditional tank setup.
Unless you live in the tropics, the costs—both financial and environmental—of heating your home can be staggering. As energy costs continue to climb, many people are looking for ways to cut down on expenses. Reducing the energy you use in your home is a great way to save yourself money and help the environment.
For this reason, combi (or combination) boilers are becoming a popular choice as an alternative to the traditional setup, which involves two separate appliances for supplying central heat and hot water. To understand how a combi boiler can cut down on your energy usage, lets take a look at how one works.
One Appliance, Two Functions
In addition to providing the central heating that a normal boiler does, a combi boiler eliminates the need for a large hot water tank by heating water only as it is needed. It does this by passing the water through a heat exchanger made of copper piping. The heating process is controlled by regulators that measure and mediate between the water's current temperature and the desired temperature, as set by the operator.
Combi or Tank?
The main advantage to a combi boiler is that it does not waste energy heating water that is only going to sit in a tank cooling until it needs to be heated again or until it is eventually used. Of course, although efficient, this kind of system has its drawbacks. Without a large reservoir of hot water sitting around waiting to be used, the rate at which you can use it is limited.
Combi boilers are typically rated according to how quickly they can produce hot water. Most systems intended for home use are rated between 24 kW and 54 kW, putting out hot water at rates between 9 and 23 litres per minute. While some upper-end or industrial models might allow two hot showers to run simultaneously, many lower-end models will not.
Therefore it is important to consider a few things before dedicating yourself to having a combi boiler installed. First you should consider your needs. Do you live alone or in a house full of people? How much hot water do you anticipate needing at one time? Secondly, though there are probably combi boilers out there that can meet your needs, are they within your price range? Could your needs be met more easily or inexpensively using two small heating systems than using one large one?
On the other hand, if you answer these questions and find out that a combi boiler is right for you, then, in addition to energy savings and reduced environmental impact, you will enjoy cheap installation and extra space in your home, as combi boilers are much smaller than the traditional tank setup.
