My daughter has decided she needs to replace the existing (unreliable and ancient) gas boiler in her big Victorian semi. It's a big house on three (or even four) floors and there are around 20 radiators, two showers (one electric) and two baths plus all the usual other hot water consumers like kitchen, washbasins, etc. She is considering a combi but knows that a few years ago at least it probably wouldn't be recommended for such a large house, are modern combis more up to the job or would it still make more sense to go for a system with a hot water tank? Also, what are currently regarded as 'good makes' of boiler? She's in Ipswich by the way if that's at all relevant.

Personally I would not consider a combi in a big house, having had experience of varying shower, sink, and bath temperature associated with long pipe runs and/or multiple occupants drawing hot or cold water. I've had two unsuccessful combis in this house, but my recent System boiler (Vaillant) is brilliant. Up to a certain size of house (mine is probably similar to yours, although different in construction being two cottages knocked together), a single hot water tank should be fine. I have two Stuart Turner pumps, a double to feed the main shower, and a single for the rest of the DHW which ensures a fast feed rate to the kitchen and the bath. The hot water tank also has an immersion heater which gives you the same hot water as usual if there is a problem with the boiler or the gas supply. A colleague of mine who had a *really* large house found he needed an "industrial" boiler to provide sufficient heat, and he had a couple of the small under-sink electric water heaters...

New gas boiler for big[gish] house

New gas boiler for big[gish] house - recommendations?

Oct 19, 2015 45 Replies

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Capitol 10 years ago

Go and wash your keyboard off with soap!

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sm_jamieson 10 years ago

I like the phrase "all the bathrooms". I guess you have up-sized since your loft conversion days :-)

Simon.

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tabbypurr 10 years ago

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John Rumm 10 years ago

Well its easier than saying, the bathroom (over the cupboard with cylinder), shower room (beside cupboard), and our ensuite (beside bathroom) even if there is only one bath between the lot ;-)

(might add a bath and shower in our "bathroom" soon though...)

The loft conversion was perfect until the goal posts got moved, so yup had to upsize a bit.

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newshound 10 years ago

+1!

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Fredxxx 10 years ago

Whatever happened to him?

I used to like his posts and repartee with Maxi aka Geoff!

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