Marble Plumbing

What is a boiler?

A boiler in its simplest form was a metal box surrounded by a fire, used to heat the water inside it. Nowadays, boilers are automatic devices used in homes all over the world to heat the households water. The temperature at which a boiler heats to is set by a thermostat, and when the water reaches that temperature, the boiler turns itself off. Fuels that can be used to heat a boiler are electricity, gas, oil and solid fuels, including coal, wood and straw. Around 92% of boiler installations are gas, and the rest use oil. Only a small number of electric and solid fuel boilers are now installed.

Modern boilers can now be operating at over 90% efficiency, compared to older boilers which may only be operating at 50-60% efficiency. Because the older boilers waste so much fuel, current UK regulations no longer permit them to be installed, and a boiler of 86% efficiency or more must now be installed.

Which type of boiler do I need?

There are two types of boiler you could choose from, and both have advantages and disadvantage. Carry on reading to find out the differences and help you decide which one is best for your home. If you are still unsure, get in contact with Marble Plumbing who will be able to advise you further.

Combination Boilers

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these systems. Combination boilers, also known as combi boilers account for more than 60% of UK sales, but they are not right for everyone.

The advantages of a combi boiler are that is it easier and cheaper to install, it only heats the water as and when it is required, it doesn’t take up a lot of space as it doesn’t need a storage cylinder or cistern in the roof space, and finally it provides water for the central heating.

Some disadvantages of a combi boiler are that you could have a poor flow rate from the taps where the pipe size to the house is inadequate, there isn’t a backup supply of hot water if the power or water supply is turned off, and finally that when the boiler is being used to heat the water for domestic hot water there is no operation for central heating purposes.

Where there are only a few occupants in the house who are prepared to wait a minute or two longer to run a bath, and space is an issue a combination boiler might be a better option.

Regular Boilers

Advantages of having a regular boiler and hot water supply are generally the opposite of the problems of a combination boiler. They are that the water flow out from the taps will be good, and the central heating is separate from the hot water so both can be used at the same time, and finally there will be a limited backup supply of hot water if the power supply or mains is turned off.

There are also disadvantages of the storage system, and these are that there is more pipework required for installation therefore it is more expensive, and more room is required for the storage cylinder and the cold water cistern and finally, when the cold storage cistern is not located high enough, poor pressures will be experienced from outlet points.

Where lots of occupants inhabit the house, and there is a greater demand for hot water it could be a better option to go for the regular boiler and hot water storage cylinder, which will ensure good flow and pressure without disrupting the central heating demand.

Boiler Controls

Using the right boiler controls can make life easier for you and could help to make your boiler even more efficient.

For new and replacement boiler installations you must have either: a timer or programmer with a room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves or a programmable room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves.

Basic Timers

The basic timer is simple to operate and offer only the minimum features you would need. Basic mechanical timers control the times for your heating only. The ‘teeth’ on the mechanical dial are used to control 15 minute periods and the heating pattern you set will be the same every day.

Digital Timers and Programmers

Digital timers and programmers offer greater flexibility ad more options when it comes to controlling your heating and hot water. As a general rule, you can program different patterns for different days of the week which can be particularly useful for weekends. Most digital timers and programmers automatically adjust to British Summer Time/GMT and may also offer a holiday function which you can suspend your usual heating pattern for the duration of your holiday.

New Generation Intelligent Controls

With this type of heating control you can achieve the greatest efficiency from your boiler. The latest range of boiler controls from Worcester not only responds to your settings but also assess and adjusts the boiler’s output to make it more energy efficient. They have easy to use digital displays, and like the digital group of controls, also adjust to British Summer Time/GMT and offer a holiday function where you can suspend your usual heating pattern for the duration of your holiday.

Additional Features

Finally, there are a few more options you might also want to consider to make your boiler controls more efficient:

• Wireless controls – many of our boiler controls are radio frequency (RF) which means there would be no disruption to walls, flooring or furnishings to have them installed.
• Optimisers – some of our boiler controls have optimiser functions that tell the boiler when to fire. This means that your home can be brought up to temperature at precisely the time you require.

Use boiler controls to maximise energy efficiency

Even though condensing boilers are already over 90% efficient, the performance of your heating system can be further improved using boiler controls.

How can heating controls help with fuel bills?

Using the right boiler controls with a condensing boiler offers annual savings of up to £235 (source: EST*) and can help to ease your home’s impact on the environment.

Heating controls give you the freedom to decide how your home is heated, making it warm when you need to, but switching off when you don’t. Making small adjustments to your boiler controls can help to save money. By turning your room thermostat down by just 1 degree, you could save £55* annually. Improving the energy efficiency of your home could also help, for example by installing cavity wall insulation.

Which heating controls do I need?

All new or replacement boilers require a minimum level of controls installed alongside them, either:

• A timer or programmer with a room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), or,
• A programmable room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves

If your heating system includes a hot water cylinder, that will require a thermostat too.

What is a timer?

A boiler timer is a basic device that allows you to set times for your central heating.

What is a programmer?

A boiler programmer allows you to set different times for heating and/or hot water controls.

What is the different between timers and programmers?

A timer operates your heating system at the same times every day whereas a programmer allows different heating times for different days of the week to suit your lifestyle.

What is a room thermostat?

A room thermostat enables you to set the target temperature for a room. Room thermostats are usually best positioned in the hall or landing. They should be situated away from direct sunlight and clear of curtains and furniture.

What is a programmable oom thermostat?

A programmable room thermostat enables you to set different room temperatures for different times of the day and night.

When set up correctly, a programmable room thermostat prevents the system from having to heat the house from a ‘cold start’. The control always maintains a temperature within the property and this ensures that the boiler is only ever ‘topping up’ the temperature in the home. As a guideline, target temperatures should be set at 21 C for comfort temperature and 15 C for economy temperature.

what is a thermostatic radiator valve (TRV)?

TRVs allow you to control the temperature of each room individually, thus helping to improve comfort in your home as well as saving money and energy. Most radiators will be fitted with these. Ideally, TRVs should be well exposed and not obstructed by curtains or blocked by furniture.