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Original poster

Combination Boiler - or other?

20 replies

bunyanvillas · 03/01/2008 20:18

I live in a 3 bed house and at the moment have a traditional boiler. We need to reconfigure some of the pipework and while the trad boiler is old, it seems to be working. However, a plumber has just suggested that we switch to a combination boiler as this would mean we could get rid of a lot of ugly pipework plus the hot and cold water tanks. He seems to think that a combination boiler will be fine for the size of our house. However, I had been under the impression that for a 3 bed house, a combination boiler is not so good. Anyone have any experience of this?

OP posts:

rantinghousewife · 03/01/2008 20:22

We have a combi in a 3 bed semi, we had one when we moved in, we replaced it with another.
It's fine, you don't have to wait for the water tank to heat up before you can have a bath etc, because the hot water is instant.
The flip side of that is that, if your boiler goes, then you will have no hot water until it's fixed. (Ask me how I know)

Waswondering · 03/01/2008 20:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

rantinghousewife · 03/01/2008 20:24

Ohh yes and you can ditch the hot water tank and have an extra cupboard.

purpleturtle · 03/01/2008 20:24

We have always had combi boilers - one 2-bed and 3 3-bed houses. I wouldn't choose anything else.

cece · 03/01/2008 20:28

we have a 3 bedroom house and had our new condensing boiler just over a year ago. Have been very pleased with it so far.

sazzybeehomeforxmas · 03/01/2008 20:28

Oh god yes - if you're going to the expense of getting a new boiler, I'd go for combi every time. Having hot water every time you turn on a tap is brilliant - plus it's much more economical as you're only heating the water you need, not a bloody great tank if you only want one shower. And better for the environment too

TheBlonde · 03/01/2008 20:36

we have a combi in a 4 bed house
I love that the hot water never runs out

Original poster

bunyanvillas · 03/01/2008 20:45

Ahh ... thank you, ladies! I think I was just worried that the size of the house might be too much for a combi boiler. House is not particularly massive, I might add! We had a combi before and I liked it. May I ask if anyone can recommend a particular product? A Worcester has been recommended to us although I had been wondering about Potterton or Vaillant ...

OP posts:

rantinghousewife · 03/01/2008 20:47

We have a Baxi now, it replaced the Potterton that we had here before it conked out but, the gasman reckons that it had a good innings, so my vote would be for either of those two.

Waswondering · 03/01/2008 21:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WestCountryLass · 03/01/2008 21:25

We are having a combi-boiler fitted tomorrow, a Worcester 37CDI Combi Condensing Boiler as DH has one in his officer and its a belter (we have a really old Worcester boiler in situ at the mo).

oneplusone · 03/01/2008 21:30

Sorry this may be the wrong thread but we're thinking of changing our hot water system too but we're thinking of having something called a 'Megaflow'. Apparently it will work with our existing boiler (not a combi) but will also mean we will have never ending hot water and can also get rid of our cold water tank and hot water cylinder and also we won't need a pump for the shower as it runs off the cold water mains which is pressurised.

It also means we can run two showers at the same time and the pressure won't fall (it's the same system that hotels use).

Does anyone else have one?

missnatalie · 03/01/2008 22:20

DP is a plumbing and heating engineer, he said if you do go for the combi have a Worcester 30cdi. Its the best boiler out and perfect for a 3 bed house. Its a bit on the pricey side but well worth it. Basically you get what you pay for.

He also said dont go for a Raven Heat or a Byassi (sp) combi boiler. Alot of engineers fit them because there cheap and the engineer can make more money on labour but there crap. Always breaking down.

HTH x

missnatalie · 03/01/2008 22:28

Also with the Worcester boilers the higher the number i.e. 30cdi the faster it will heat your hot water up. More liters per minute.

DP fits the Worcesters everyday. If we had the money we would have the 40/42cdi at home. DP reckons that it would last forever.

Monkeybird · 03/01/2008 22:34

oooh someone tell me more about megaflow too - I want that one...

lalalonglegs · 04/01/2008 12:34

I think your plumber is over-egging the Megaflo a little. It is a very good system but it costs a lot (basic 210l tank came to about £1000 when we had ours installed a year ago). It does heat up the water very quickly and maintains pressure but it isn't neverending supply - if you had a power shower going and were running the bath and washing up you might find it dried up. Also, it is basically a very posh hot water cylinder so you will need to find room for it.

That said, it has the advantage over the combis that you can have a shower or whatever and not have to worry aobut someone in the kitchen turning on the hot water tap and your water either stopping or becoming freezing cold.

I have a Worcester boiler (modest ) - it has been very good, everyone recommends them and, again, if you can afford it, worth spending on. Much better to get decent water system in place than splash out (ho, ho, ho) on designer bathroom suites. For too long I had suffered living in houses with atrocious water pressure and an unthinking dh who would run washing machine just as I stepped into shower.

WendyWeber · 04/01/2008 12:48

We have a Vaillant which is 24 years old and still works OK (although BGas have warned us that some parts will not be available any more)

When we replace it we will get another

(Our house is about 1400 sq ft and it is def powerful enough)

WendyWeber · 04/01/2008 12:51

Waswondering, it's condensing you have to have now, not combi.

But combis are brilliant.

Only 2 downsides to them for us:

if water is run downstairs while someone is in the shower upstairs it causes shrieks and stamping

if mains water supply is cut unexpectedly you have no water in the house at all (except in the loo )

Oh, and I still miss having an airing cupboard.

oneplusone · 04/01/2008 15:36

Hi, yes i think the megaflow is quite expensive but we are having a loft conversion done so we thought we may as well invest in a system that will last us (hopefully) a long time if not a life time.

We also don't want to change our boiler at the moment and the mega flow means we don't have to (the reason being is that the current boiler is in the kitchen and in a few years we will have an extension done downstairs and the boiler will be moved and probably replaced at that time).

I have been told that with the mega flow we will be able to run both showers at the same time and the kitchen tap without any reduction in pressure or loss of hot water which is why we are going for the mega flow. I think it is used in hotels where it is possible for all the showers to be going at the same time.

Fizzylemonade · 06/01/2008 19:07

we fitted Worcester combi condensor boiler almost 3 years ago, we live in 3 bed detached.

We have always had Worcester boilers mainly because if something goes wrong (which it never has) the boiler tells the plumber what the problem is!!!

We love the instant hot water - great for those times when your child is sick in the middle of the night and gets it in their hair!!! A midnight bath is always good fun

I gained a huge cupboard on the landing and extra room in the loft when they got rid of the tanks.

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