combi for hot water only?

[john_dolan3319]

Son moved into new house a year back. No central heating, but hot water from an antiquated boiler/thingy that has been repaired twice since he has lived there, and is now pronounced dead. Financially, installing central heating is not an option for a couple of years, but the boiler/thingy has to be replaced just to have hot water at least. Can a combi boiler be installed, just to provide hot water now, and then be connected to pipes and rads at some point in the future? Seems a financial pity to spend around =A3500 for something to give hot water now, and then have to replace it again in a few years time to handle central heating.

TIA

JD

[John Rumm]

Yup, you will need a loop of pipe to replace the rad circuit, and it will need to be filled and pressurised as if it were a rad circuit.

Indeed.

[Andrew Gabriel]

You could install just one radiator nearby the boiler.

[John Rumm]

or one rad in whichever room is currently hardest to heat - would add less than £100 to the bill if one DIYed the rad with some plastic pipe, ready to be connected.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yes it can be. However an immersion heater is a lot cheaper to install, and by the time you have gotten around to saving the money, combis - and indeed the price of gas /oil versus electricity, may make it a less attractive choice anyway.