Written by Lee Yanez | 18 October 2009

What is a regular boiler?

An example of a central heating and hot water system layout using a regular boiler

If you are replacing an older model of boiler, the chances are that you will have a regular (conventional) boiler. A typical conventional system incorporates a boiler and extended controls, a feed and expansion cistern, and a hot water cylinder (usually in the airing cupboard) which is often fed by a cold water storage cistern located in the loft.

Written by Lee Yanez | 18 October 2009

Heat pumps transfer heat from the ground or air into a building to provide all space heating and, in some cases, to pre-heat domestic hot water. Ground source heat pumps use a ground loop which can either be buried horizontally in a trench, or vertically in a borehole. Air source heat pumps absorb heat from the air outside to heat buildings.
Water source heat pumps are also an option, where a suitable water source is available.

There is financial help available if you're planning to make energy saving improvements to your home. The Government, energy suppliers and local authorities all provide grants to help you implement energy saving measures in your home.

Most of the grants and offers you can benefit from are provided by three main groups.

The Government

The UK Government funds schemes providing up to £3,500 to households on certain benefits (see below for examples of eligibility criteria) to improve their heating and energy efficiency. In England the scheme is known as Warm Front, in Northern Ireland it is Warm Homes, in Scotland it is the Energy Assistance Package and in Wales it is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. The eligibility criteria for the schemes differ between countries - with some schemes you need to be in receipt of certain benefits, whilst others are available to anyone over a certain age. Full details can be found on the websites listed below.

Examples of Warm Front eligibility criteria - If you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord and if:

You are 60 years or older and are in receipt of one or more benefits. Benefits include: income support, council tax benefit, housing benefit, job seekers allowance and pension credit.
or
You have a child under 16 or you are pregnant and have been given maternity MAT B1 and are also in receipt of benefits such as income support, council tax benefit etc.
or
You are in receipt of one or more benefits such as disability living allowance, child tax credit with an income of less than £16,040, housing benefit and disability premium etc.

Then you could be entitled to a warm front grant.

Visit the following websites for more information on the eligibility criteria for a:

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Wales)
Warm Front grant (England)

Please note that grants levels vary.

Energy Suppliers

The Government's Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) has been replaced by the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) this means energy suppliers with a certain number of customers operating in Great Britain are obliged to achieve targets for improving home energy efficiency. The suppliers therefore provide a range of offers which significantly reduce the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. What's more, you can take up offers from any of the energy companies, regardless of who supplies your gas and electricity.

Local authorities

Most Local authorities provide grants and offers for local residents to install certain energy efficiency measures in their home.

Combination Boilers

What is a combi boiler?

An example of a central heating and hot water system layout using a combi boiler.

The high efficiency condensing combi (or combination) boiler is an ingenious space-saving idea, and an increasingly popular choice in UK homes. In fact, combis now account for well over half of all the new domestic boilers installed in Britain every year.

The major difference between a combi and any other type of boiler is that a combi eliminates the need to store hot water - so no hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard. It is both a high-efficiency water heater and central heating boiler, combined (hence the name) within one compact unit which usually sits in the kitchen or utility room, or sometimes in the airing cupboard. The space savings result from the fact there is no hot water storage cylinder, cold water storage cistern or other familiar components of a regular (conventional) heating system.

The further benefits of this are a significant saving on hot water costs, and the fact that hot water is delivered through your taps or shower at mains pressure. So you can enjoy powerful showering* without the need for a pump. Another combi benefit is that it can generally save you money on installation time and costs, since no tank in the roof space means less pipe work and a shorter installation time.

*a thermostatically-controlled shower safeguards against sudden changes in water temperature.

Boilers

At inspect we recommend the Worcester Greenstar CDi boiler series which is part of a market-leading range of energy-saving condensing gas-fired boilers. They can cut heating and hot water bills by between 15-20% - and they’re up to 30% cheaper to run than an older boiler.

Worcester Greenstar condensing boilers deliver this energy-saving performance by recycling exhaust gases to extract and re-use latent heat - a highly efficient use of energy which also significantly reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Which type of condensing boiler will best suit your needs?

There are 3 different types of high-efficiency condensing boiler:

Each type delivers all the benefits of high-efficiency technology, but we'll advise you on the one that's best for your home, this will depend on several factors, including your property and your lifestyle.