Combi boiler - suitable choice?

[omama]

We are looking to replace our boiler in the near future. We currently have a traditional gravity fed heating system, boiler is located downstairs in the kitchen inside a larder cupboard (this needs relocating as its completely inaccessible), central heating tank & hot water tank are on the first floor in the bathroom airing cupboard (immediately above boiler) & cold water tank above that in the loft. We are hoping to have a loft conversion (including en suite) done soon & it would also create more space in the bathroom if we could clear & demolish the airing cupboard so we were thinking a combi might be the most suitable option so we can get rid of all the tanks.

However, having read a few threads about poorer water pressure, long delays before delivery of hot water to the taps & it going cold if someone else runs a tap & am now unsure if we are making the best choice.

Can anyone please advise on our options? Would we improve water presdure by situating the boiler upstairs or in the loft rather than on the ground floor?

No you would not improve pressure or flow by moving the boiler.

How many people live in your house, and how many bathrooms, showers, WCs, utility rooms does it have?

Fill a bucket at the kitchen cold tap or garden tap and time it. How many litres per minute do you get?

How old is your house and what colour is the incoming water pipe at the stopcock?

The problems you mention depend on a number of different factors.

The pressure you will achieve at the hot tap depends on the pressure on the water main. Do you have decent pressure from the cold main?

The pressure you will achieve is affected by a lesser extent by your choice of combi. Each model will have a specified maximum delivered flow rate - essentially the maximum amout of hot warred the boiler will deliver while maintaining the adequate temperature rise.

Boilers which deliver more hot water will be more expensive. The extra cost will be pointless if the specified maximum flow rate is greater than you have on the incoming water main. Be sure that this is checked when getting quotes.

The time spent waiting for hot water increases depending on the length of pipe run between the combi and the tap. The same rule applies for hot water cylinders - at the moment I would imagine your hot water is delivered more quickly at the bathroom tap than the kitchen tap? If you swap to delivering the hot water from a combi installed in the kitchen you will wait in the bathroom but not have to wait when doing the washing up!

Vaillant and Worcester are mentioned in the same breath whenever combi boilers are discussed. I would chose vailant over Worcester everytine. In fact I wouldn't fit a Worcester at all (sorry to all those with a Worcester boilers).