Any combination boiler is a modern-day efficient form of condensing boiler. It renders water when needed and is the most popular form of boiler in the UK.
As they have specific set up requirements it is essential that you have an heating audit conducted before you complete on the buy. The gas boiler installation regulations are complicated and need to be studied by a trained heating fitter. It is sometimes more difficult to install a condensing rather than a non-condensing boiler for various reasons.
The output gases from the flue tend to be cooler and hence less buoyant than for an aging boiler type an easily seen plume can often be the result as the cooler gases will condense more rapidly. The output gases can then wet areas near to the outlet, this can impact on neighboring houses, in the worst case scenario the output plume can impact people traveling by.
You could find that your existing flue, whilst suitable for a noncondensing gas fired boiler, is not acceptable for your new boiler. To complete the installation you could find that the flue will need to be changed. The flue cannot be shared and must be for the solitary use of condensing appliances.
An external drain point is required to enable the removal of the condensate which will form within gas fired boiler.
Many of these issues have been faced by other householders and there are simple solution is to overcome them. The benefit of using a trained fitter is that they will know of these. You should remember that these one-off installation costs should be offset against the yearly reduced running costs of the re placement condensing gas fired boiler.
Whilst you are having the new gas fired boiler fitted there are some alternatives for the installation. Due to the different fitting requirements a change of location is often necessary. Specific examples are where a condensing heating boiler is to replace an open flue or back heating boiler. You will see that these older boiler forms are not installed on an outside wall with an existing heating boiler flue.
Providing you do not install the gas fired boiler in the primary living room most other rooms are acceptable. Typical illustrations include the loft, bedrooms and of course the kitchen.
You can install a gas boiler in the loft as long as the system is of the sealed form. In this situation the loft has to have a lower down attic ladder attached to the hatch. The attic would need to have capable lighting and a boarded floor to facilitate access to the gas boiler. These points are required to enable an engineer to maintain and service the heating boiler.
Gas cost-efficiency and reducing energy consumption is important to us all in present-day times. Ever rising energy costs make it important to get the most out of your boiler and central heating system. The typical UK household spends close to fifty percent of it’s gas costs on boiler gas use. Below we have delineated some ways in which you can take simple actions two lower your modern energy bills.
Check where you are using the gas boiler :
If you have a spare sleeping room that is not being used turn off the gas heating system metal radiator in the room. Why heat rooms which are not going to be used, this only increases your gas consumption. Check that you also closed the entrance door to the room to prevent air flow and chilled draughts.
Use the gas boiler to heat your home rather than other appliances :
The fire is not as cost-efficient as the gas central heating and it will not heat the rest of your home. The presence of the chimney means that a lot of the heat generated passes to the outside, a gas boiler is more cost-efficient than an electric fire.
Draft proof where you have drafts
Drafts bring chilly air into your home wasting gas you have already paid for. Doors are often areas where cold air leaks in so use approved door insulation. You can get foam sealers which will rapidly close any air cracks that have developed between your entrance door or windows and the wall. These type of gaps happen often in elderly houses as the foundations settle. drafts can be hunted down by using a candle flame and checking when it flutters as you move around the room taking care not to spill any hot wax.
Ensure you are wearing warm clothing indoors :
If you are cold in the room put on some more clothing before you move to increase the thermostatic temperature. You can save up to 10% on your heating charges just by cutting the thermostat by 1°.
Make good use of your curtains :
When the sun shines in the wintertime make sure that it can heat your home like keeping the curtains open. External temperatures drop at night and your house can lose a lot of heat through the windows. Drapes can be an extra form of insulation and this time and trim heat loss if they are shut, you can save a considerable amount of money over time with this tactic. Ensure you have thick or lined curtains to make them effective at stopping heat loss.
Advice around the home :
Check your gas boiler and whether it has a hot water cylinder as this should be insulated. The hot water cylinder will hold hot water you have paid for and it is lunacy to allow this to cool down unused throughout the day time.
The use of silver foil on the wall by your radiator can be used to reflect warmth back into the room rather than out into the wall and the outside.
Taking the water out of a fully pumped gas heating system makes many maintenance tasks easier. To work on a radiator problem or to extend the system perhaps. This is often executed by the plumber during repair or extension work although some experienced homeowners have been known to empty their own heating systems.
Cleansing the radiators is the most common driver of this action. Before any work is attempted you need to turn off the central heating pump and gas boiler. Prevention of any additional water entering the gas central heating system is also a priority.
The heating system has a header or expansion tank in the attic which will ensure that any water shortfall is topped up. The passage of water in the expansion water tank is controlled by use of a standard ballvalve. As the water level falls, say through Emptying, the ball drops in the tank opening the valve and allowing more water to enter the central heating system. To ensure that the heating system fully empties we need to stop this mechanism. Using a metal or wooden rod to stop the ball leaves are falling in the cystern will stop water entering the system as the water is drained.
When you are confident that you are prevented any further water entering the gas central heating system you should attach a hose pipe to the outlet valve at the bottom of a radiator taking care to ensure the end of the hosepipe is in a empty outside your property. The water from your metal radiator will flow through the hosepipe and out of your metal radiator system. The hosepipe should be attached to one of the lower heating radiators if you intend to clean the whole gas central heating system. Check now that no water is moving into the gas heating system and that the metal radiators are fully emptied before you do any further work.
If you need to end this process promptly you can also vent the bleed valves on the metal radiators on the upper floors. When finished work can now start on the system.
