A combi boiler is short for a combination boiler – so called because it combines many of the separate components that are found in older boilers and the more traditional types of boilers. if you purchase a combi boiler you will find that do not need to have a hot water tank or airing cupboard and similarly you can dispense with the typical cold water expansion tank which is often found in the loft or attic.

As a result, many homeowners are attracted to combi boilers as they take less space, therefore being suitable for smaller home is, and having fewer parts it is thought that the could be less prone to breakdown is having a smaller number of components.

These are valid benefits but these particular benefits are only advantageous if they actually apply in your home. Not having a hot water tank does mean the system has dispensed with the large reservoir of hot water which is gradually cooling throughout the day and therefore wasting energy. So why do homes have these hot water tanks you may enquire? The reason is that you can access hot water immediately without problems. If you want to take a hot bath and at the same time someone else in your house decides to take a hot shower there isn’t an issue with these sorts of central heating systems as the hot water tank is able to provide the required amount of hot water whenever demanded.

If you have opted for a combi boiler the instant hot water is provided by the combi boiler itself. It takes cold water directly from the mains and heats it delivering it to the hot water tap. At this point you can immediately see an issue in that a combi boiler has a limited ability to deliver large amounts of hot water on demand.

All boilers are able to provide hot water for central heating. They gradually heat up the water over a time period and you gradually feel the central heating radiators becoming warmer. When the radiators have heated the room to the right level the radiator thermostat or room thermostat then switches off the boiler. Contrast this leisurely state of affairs with the frenetic activity in the boiler when it has a matter of seconds to heat cold water and provide hot water at the tap.

There will be a number of people who have purchased combi boilers and subsequently realised that the on not the right type of boiler for them. Our advice is to ensure that you get good advice before you purchase a boiler or sign a contract with your selected boiler installer. The main boiler installation companies are happy to send a heating adviser to your home to select the right boiler for you and to provide typically a free quotation. Do not treat these visits as an annoying sales call but focus upon what you get out of the visit.

A trained heating adviser or boiler installer will measure your rooms and calculate the heat loss statistics for your house. Taking into account the size of your family, the size of the house and your need for hot water and heating the should be able to identify the right type of boiler for you and the right size of boiler. As your normal the job is probably not one of a boiler installer the reality is that you do not have the skills or knowledge to select the right boiler yourself so make sure that you take advantage of the opportunity that these visits offer.

In addition, at the end of the boiler installers visit you will have a firm quotation for the boiler installation costs. It may be attractive reading online adverts as to how much a boiler can be fitted for but this can only be an estimate and you would be much better with the installation costs more your combi boiler so that you can plan your finances.