Replacing a gas fired boiler

Picking Out a new or substitute gas fired boiler can be a difficult task. In addition to the expense involved, you will require to evaluate when and how much hot water you will use at any moment, how much gas the gas boiler will burn and how much space you have to install it.

The primary heating boiler types are:-

Chimney domestic back boilers

Back boilers are still seen in some homes, if you look cautiously in the chimney you might see the back boiler fitted out of view, when the coal fire at the front concealing the back boiler. Low water pressure is a problem with these domestic back boilers and you will not be installing one of these unless it is a replacement, they take up space to install and in this type of boiler it needs to be obscured somewhere. However if you already have a back boiler then a straightforward substitute could be your best choice.

Traditionally, gas back boilers are not very efficient, but big advances have been produced over the past 5-10 years, so by exchanging your old back boiler, you could make savings in your energy usage and cut your heating bills.

Modern Combination heating boilers

The most popular type is now the combi heating boiler. As a combi boiler is small and it will fit into a cupboard and uses gas very economicaly. Heating water direct from the cold mains removes any wait time for hot water – as a result you have unlimited hot water.

A combi is also more economical than other forms of boiler. There is no hot water storage cylinder reducing heat losses in the central heating. However, for this same reason – the lack of a hot water storage cylinder – your hot shower will be interrupted if anybody else starts running the hot water in your home concurrently.

Unvented central heating gas boilers

Your central heating gas fired boiler will use a hot water cylinder to store previously created hot water. This means that you will want an airing closet or supplementary space for the hot water storage tank. The other system components to be incorporated into the heating boiler simplifying the installation.

You can now draw several hot water taps concurrently as they are provided from the hot water tank. You can get a good water pressure from a central heating system gas boiler by putting in the hot water cylinder high in the house.

Open vent central heating boilers

Most probably your household will have an existing open vent boiler fitted. two water storage tanks will be fitted in the attic with a vented heating boiler, additional space is also needed for the hot water storage cylinder fitted in the airing cupboard.

The hot water storage cylinder is supplied by one of the storage tanks in the loft.

The other tank in the loft facilitates expansion of the water in the system when it heats up. The only limitation on hot water supply now is the capacity of the hot water tank which will take a while to heat up completely.