What kind of boiler should I get?

We currently have a combi boiler, and like very much having hot water on tap any time of the day. However, we're getting an extension and it won't really be up to the task of serving the whole house (4 bed, 2 bath), and it's a bit (actually, a lot) unreliable anyway (Ferroli).

We're due to meet the plumber to talk about options but I just want to be better informed beforehand. Basically the only need - apart from reliability - is this: to be able to run 2 showers at the same time. Currently, if anyone's in the shower we can't so much as look at a hot tap without them being frozen to death. As for running a bath - forget it!

Is thit a failing of all combi boilers or are there models with beter "flow rates" that'll be up to the task? And is there anything else we should consider? They all just appear to be white boxes to me!

Reply to
keiron99
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This is a very commonly asked question.

To avoid going over the same ground again, please could you look at the archives in Google Groups first.

The short version is that you can get larger combi boilers, but the truly instant ones will struggle with two decent showers or a shower and bath simultaneously.

Don't forget also that the water supply needs to be up to supplying it all.

One option are to get a storage combi which basically has a small (typically around 50 litre) of very hot water that is then used to heat the water to be used through a heat exchanger. This helps with both delivery and capacity but is limited by the size.

Another is to use a combi to supply taps such as the kitchen but to use the heating side of the boiler to heat a conventional cylinder.

Reply to
Andy Hall

You could replace with another combi to give you instantaneous hot water at selected taps or one shower, and run a stored hot water system off the combi 'radiator' side.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

If cost is a concern, have you considered having one of the showers (perhaps the lesser-used one?) as an electric shower ? That way you can just keep the "main" shower supplied by the combi, and the second shower will always be able to provide hot water reliably.

Reply to
Geronimo W. Christ Esq

On 10 Apr 2006 10:47:27 -0700 someone who may be snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote this:-

Depending on the existing building, the layout of your extension and the use it will get there are all sorts of other things to consider. Local electric heaters, multi-point heaters, thermal store, conventional cylinder being some. All discussed here many times and available for you to peruse.

Reply to
David Hansen

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