Yes – combi boilers are more energy efficient than a conventional or system boiler. In fact, combination boilers can be up to 98% efficient. The Energy Saving Trust (EST) therefore recommends the combi boiler as the most efficient and cost-effective option for households with low demands for hot water.
Moreover, a new combination boiler will automatically be more efficient as all new boilers installed in domestic properties need to be condensing boilers, which are up to 98% efficient, while non-condensing boilers are only up to 78% efficient. This is because condensing boilers are able to recover heat that would have once been lost via the flue.
As well as being more efficient, combi boilers are more space effective too; their space saving features and flexible size means that it is suited for anything from small flats to large houses.
What Is a Combi Boiler and How Does It Work?
Combination boilers provide heating and instant hot water on demand, which means you only pay for the water you use. This is possible because a combination boiler can provide instant hot water at mains pressure as it is a self-contained unit without the need for a separate hot water cylinder. In other words, it heats water direct from the cold mains – unlike a conventional or system boiler.
One disadvantage of a combi boiler is that if you have a large household or poor incoming pressure, the boiler does not work as well. For instance, hot water rates will be reduced when providing hot water to two or more outlets – particularly if these are high-demand outlets like showers. For this reason, a combi boiler is more suited to a smaller household.
What Are The Benefits of a Combi Boiler?
An efficient combination boiler has both environmental and personal benefits: it reduces carbon emissions and helps you save on bills, while still keeping your house warm.
As above, combination boilers are more efficient because they are around 90% efficient compared to 70% efficient for non-condensing boilers. This is, in part, because combination boilers include heat exchanges. These retrieve the heat that would otherwise become carbon emissions or nitrous oxide, and returns it into the boiler system instead.
As for the personal benefits: heating accounts for about 55% of what you spend in a year on energy bills, so an efficient boiler can make a big difference to what you spend. The Energy Saving Trust anticipates that, when you replace your existing boiler with a new and efficient condensing boiler, you can save up to £315.
Moreover, the government legislation ‘Boiler Plus’ (April 2018) requires that all new combination boilers be fitted with time and temperature controls and with an advanced heating measure – making them more efficient. This can be a weather compensation stat, load compensation or a smart thermostat with automation or optimisation.
Am I Eligible for a Free Combi Boiler?
With the ECO3 Scheme (Energy Company Obligation Scheme) – a government initiative that aims to deliver efficient energy solutions to homes across the UK – you could be eligible for a free combi boiler. The government has focused the 2018-2022 obligation on fuel poor, low income, and vulnerable to the cold homes – which might be otherwise unable to afford energy-saving measures. Find out if you are one of these households, and if you are therefore eligible for a free boiler, here.
Suppliers across the UK are required to deliver ECO from 2020, but we at Towy Valley Heating are proud to have been involved with the ECO scheme since it began. If you are eligible, you can apply for a grant through Towy Valley Heating here. Alternatively, you can contact us via email at info@towyvalleyheating.co.uk.
–
Written by Holly Charman, for Towy Valley Heating.