Combi boiler/megaflow/whole house pump - WTF?!

[motleymop]

I am getting my knickers properly in a twist about my bathroom!

I currently have an old conventional boiler, with hot and cold tanks in a cupboard on the landing.

I was thinking about switching it to be a combi boiler – partly because the existing boiler is old, and partly because I’d quite like the cupboard space (expensive cupboard I know).

I only have 1 bathroom – but I would quite like to have a bath with a fixed head shower and a hand shower, with a thermostatic mixer and no actual taps. I am told that this configuration is not easy to achieve as thermostatic mixers for 3 outlets really need a lot of water pressure, and it won't work well with a combi boiler. I am also told that filling a bath from a combi boiler takes a long time, particularly with a thermostatic mixer. (Although one bathroom shop has a mixer for 3 outlets with ¾ inch connections and no diverter which they tell me would work OK?)

The mains pressure is good, judging by the cold water tap in the kitchen. The guys who are fitting the bathroom think the pressure will be good, but how many bars I can get I do not know.

What is the best thing to have boiler-wise? A combi, a mega flow, or a whole house pump? The more I ask, the more confused I get! But I am sure MNetters can explain much better than the blokes in bathroom shops.....

[Mrsladybirdface]

we have one of those showers with a combi and it works fine. The over head shower is more of a rainfall type one, but the handheld one is certainly powerful. it hurts one you have it on full blast.

we never actually use the overhead shower as it gets in my eyes too much but it does look lovely.

we only have one bathroom so a combi works great for us, I'd never go back.

[motleymop]

Thanks so much mrslady. do you have one mixer controlling all 3 outlets, ie bath and two showers?

[thesaurusgirl]

I would like to know this too. Later this year I'm extending my flat and want a rainwater shower so powerful it hurts, whilst never having to wait for hot water (or worse, having it run out).

[Mrsladybirdface]

Ooh I don't read posts properly, no we don't.

still wouldn't be without my combi though

[PigletJohn]

fill a bucket at the kitchen cold tap; time it; calculate how many litres per minute it delivers.

[MotherOfDragon]

Where are you OP? If you are Essex a good friend of mine is happy to come explain

[motleymop]

Thanks mother - that's really kind but I'm in SW London

[motleymop]

will do piglet - thanks for you help

[MrsFlorrick]

I've had a combi boiler in several
Flats with one bathroom which was used for an overhead shower and also for the bath.

All without pumps.

Shower pressure wasn't amazing but ok and bath quite slow to fill but I don't take many baths. I'm more of a shower person.

I've also now had two houses with combi boilers, mega flow tank and hot water pump. Both houses had several bathrooms and all the showers were thermostatic.

It's the mutts nuts bth. Fab pressure on shower, baths fill quickly and because of the megaflow, DH and I have shower simultaneously in different bathrooms.

Also thermostatic showers are the best.

However if I was kitting out for 1 bathroom, I would probably go for a very good quality combi instead and live without the mega flo pump and thermostatic shower.

It's hard to advise as the full pack of cards, as it be, really is great. But your quality of life certainly wouldn't suffer if you didn't have it.