Looking for options as which way to go. Need a new boiler to supply both DHW and CH. Current system is a 20yr+ semi-pump/gavity fed system with cold water tank in loft, old hot water cylinder (no imm heater) in airing cupboard and power shower. That is in a 4-bedroom semi, one bathroom with 3-4 people. The options suggested by one fitter was either:
1 keep the cylinder but convert to fully pumped, add thermostat to it and get a standard condensing boiler.
2 remove/disconnect cylinder, convert to fully pumped and get a condesning combi for hot water on demand and replace power shower with an electric one.
I think the concern the other half has with combis, was we'd lose the flexibility to do more than one thing at a time. Like having a shower while putting the washing machine on or someone washing up. Not sure how much of a problem that is with a combi in practice. However, Agile mentioned in another thread there are more options and possible to keep cylinder for the bathroom and use the combi for on-demand hot water for the kitchen.
Also confused as to which is more efficient. Combi as it only heats what it used but at full ouput so no condensing and lose CH so have to reheat the house again if cold weather. Or cylinder that can use a longer low heat (allows boiler to condense?), but can lose heat while not used and via pipes. Or does a well insulated cylinder not lose a lot of heat?
The fitter seems to think the old cylinder was OK at least from the outside. Not sure how efficient it is and might be oversized for the house as it looks big? Newark Copper Cylinder 1200/450, 162L, 0.62m2 heating area, BSS1566/1 1984 grade 3. No jacket or thermostat, but has a hard mustardy colour shell? Read if we were replacing the cylinder, it's a good idea to go for a fast recovery one, that is actually better than the BS ones?
1 keep the cylinder but convert to fully pumped, add thermostat to it and get a standard condensing boiler.
2 remove/disconnect cylinder, convert to fully pumped and get a condesning combi for hot water on demand and replace power shower with an electric one.
I think the concern the other half has with combis, was we'd lose the flexibility to do more than one thing at a time. Like having a shower while putting the washing machine on or someone washing up. Not sure how much of a problem that is with a combi in practice. However, Agile mentioned in another thread there are more options and possible to keep cylinder for the bathroom and use the combi for on-demand hot water for the kitchen.
Also confused as to which is more efficient. Combi as it only heats what it used but at full ouput so no condensing and lose CH so have to reheat the house again if cold weather. Or cylinder that can use a longer low heat (allows boiler to condense?), but can lose heat while not used and via pipes. Or does a well insulated cylinder not lose a lot of heat?
The fitter seems to think the old cylinder was OK at least from the outside. Not sure how efficient it is and might be oversized for the house as it looks big? Newark Copper Cylinder 1200/450, 162L, 0.62m2 heating area, BSS1566/1 1984 grade 3. No jacket or thermostat, but has a hard mustardy colour shell? Read if we were replacing the cylinder, it's a good idea to go for a fast recovery one, that is actually better than the BS ones?
