DIYnot virgin needs some advise!!!

[Hammy23]

Hi all. I am a first time user of these forums but I am really hoping you can help me??? My hubbie and I are buying a 4 bed detached (built around 1910) that will eventually have a granny annex built at the back for my parents (I have a very understanding husband! ). We enjoy doing DIY but don't have a great knowledge around heating and water systems!! The property currently has a central heating system fed off a back boiler in the lounge.

We would like your advice on what is the best solution for us - we will have 2 showers in the main house and 1 in the annex plus needing to heat the house and annex. The annex will be attached to the house. I would like the most powerful shower we can get and the most efficient system but what is the best solution? should we replace the back boiler? Have 2 separate systems or one system? Can we pressurize the system? Could really do with some guidance as I am not sure where to start

 

[gas4you]

I would suggest removing the BBU and fitting a system boiler and un-vented cylinder, to suppy heat and hot water for your house and eventually the annexe, assuming this will be attached to the house?

You would then have the annexe as a seperate heating zone, with its own programmer/room stat for independence.

To get the best out of the above, you will need to have your incoming cold mains pressure and flow rate checked.

Ideally you will need about 3.5-4 Bar pressure and a minimum of 20 l/min flow rate.

 

[swbjackson]

Before you make any decisions on what systems to go for you need to check on site conditions. Your choice will be governed by the flow and pressure of the cold main into the property.

Providing the cold main is sufficient I would go for a 24Kw combi in the annexe as you will be able to site the boiler close to the point of use.

In the main house you can either go for a high output combi if the shower rooms are reasonably close together and close to the boiler position of an system boiler with an unvented cylinder, possibly with secondary circulation if the showers are a distance from the boiler.

If water pressures and flow rates are low and can't be upgraded you are looking at a conventional storage system or using a home booster set to provide the required flow rates.

 

[swbjackson]

Once again beaten to it because of my verbose reply. a curse on your quick fingers gas4you.

 

[gas4you]