Boilers

Boilers are a crucial part of any home today, providing the central heating and hot water services to homes. There are three different types of boiler - conventional, combination, and condensation. Typically, these run off either gas or oil, though some boilers now work using LPG - Liquefied Petroleum Gas. It is also possible to get solid fuel boilers, though these tend to have specific roles within the house, as they can be difficult and time consuming to fuel and maintain.

Types of Boiler

The three types of boiler - conventional, combination and condensation - each work on similar principles of heating, but use different methods of obtaining water.

Conventional Boilers work from water stored in tanks, which are usually situated in the loft of your home. Water drains from the tanks into a hot water tank, in which the water is heated. The system works based upon gravity, and so requires constant pressure. From the hot water tank, water can then be directed to radiators and taps, ensuring a supply of hot water. However, the conventional tank is not without issues. The tanks are all large, and all require storage space. There are also a number of parts which can easily go wrong, leaks being a common problem. Additionally, even when the hot water is not being used in heating, radiators can still be warm due to convection from the hot water tanks. Clearly, this is inefficient, particularly when it is warm enough in your home without radiators being in use.

Combination Boilers are a more efficient boiler, and is the most commonly found type of boiler in British homes. These work from the principle of heating water as and when it is required, as opposed to having a supply of constantly heated water in a tank. Water is provided directly from the mains supply, allowing for constant pressure and supply. As a result, the heater is much more convenient for small homes and flats, and is much more efficient at heating, providing a supply of hot water on demand. Thanks to this, the radiators connected to the boiler don't suffer the convection heating issues which affect conventional boilers. One issue affecting combination boilers is that they are restricted a little by the water supply - for example, while the shower is in use, radiators or taps may not be supplied with hot water. Similarly, using hot taps can also remove hot water from the shower. This is an issue primarily in larger houses, where the water supply may be in greater demand than in a small house or flat. Combination boilers are typically the cheapest boilers available, though tend to have the shortest life span and are also fairly difficult to maintain, and thus can be expensive in the long term.

Condensing Boilers are the most modern type of boiler, and are also most efficient, as they make use of a second heater which allows the heat from the exhaust vent to be re-used to pre-heat water. Currently, the condensing boiler is more expensive than a traditional boiler, though in the long term, a considerable saving can be made. Most modern boilers can easily be converted to a condensing boiler, though the requirement for drainage must be considered when making the change. In most cases, it is simply a case of adding some ducting to remove the waste water, a simple modification which can be carried out to most boilers regardless of their location within the home. Many condensing boilers now carry the 'A' or 'B' grade for energy efficiency, and can be run off gas, oil or LPG supplies.