Two boilers?

[cariad367]

Hi all, am new to the site and also have what may be a silly question (apologies!)

Currently living in a three storey townhouse with two boilers - one main combi on the top floor and a smaller one on the bottom floor in the kitchen. When I moved in, it was roughly explained to me that it was due to water pressure and the fact that the water needed to be stored on the highest floor (where the main boiler is), but that a separate boiler needed to be used to heat the taps on the lower floor.

My gas and electricity is unusually high all year (around £130 for dual), even though the heating is rarely on, and I live there alone. The upstairs boiler is off all summer (from March to October time), and then it's on a timer to coincide when I get home for a few hours only. The boiler in the kitchen is always on, as without it the washing machine and dishwasher don't get access to any hot water.

Having never lived in a townhouse before, I'm wondering if this set up is normal, and these high utility bills are something I just have to put up with? Or am I doing something completely wrong - maybe the downstairs boiler doesn't need to be on as much? Does it take more energy for it to be on constantly or to be switched on and off whenever needed?

Any advice you can give would be appreciated,

Thanks

 

[muggles]

What make and model are the boilers?

 

[tryitandsee]

The boiler in the kitchen is always on, as without it the washing machine and dishwasher don't get access to any hot water.

Not sure if this is ideal.
I know my appliances are 'cold feed' only. Water heated by machines, no draw on gas boiler.

I appreciate that my electric bill will be higher as a result!

I'm just wondering whether your appliances are drawing hot water from the combi's when they are rinsing! Worth making sure, that for some strange reason, this may be happening.

Also boilers can only be a certain % efficient, having two increases that slightly. But I would argue having the boiler near the point of draw off for hot water saves money via the less amount of heat loss in the supplying pipes. Sorry that was quite a mouth full, I think it makes sense!

 

[cariad367]

What make and model are the boilers?

The downstairs kitchen one is a Potterton Suprima 50, and the large upstairs one is a Boilermate 2000.

Thanks

 

[muggles]

OK that helps. The upstairs one isn't a boiler, it's a thermal store, so you only actually have one boiler. The downstairs one isn't a combi either, it's a regular boiler, your hot water comes from the thermal store.

Here's how a thermal store works: http://www.plumbingpages.com/featurepages/HWdpsThermstore.cfm

 

[cariad367]

OK that helps. The upstairs one isn't a boiler, it's a thermal store, so you only actually have one boiler. The downstairs one isn't a combi either, it's a regular boiler, your hot water comes from the thermal store.

Here's how a thermal store works: http://www.plumbingpages.com/featurepages/HWdpsThermstore.cfm[/QUOTE]

Ok, thank you for the link (must admit, didn't really understand a lot of it!!). So am I doing it correctly with the timers - the bottom one is always on, and the top on is currently always off. The link states that it only uses energy when the hot water outlet is open, so would I be better off turning them both off, and just time the top one whenever I want a shower/bath?

Thanks again, you've been a great help

 

[D_Hailsham]

So am I doing it correctly with the timers - the bottom one is always on, and the top on is currently always off. The link states that it only uses energy when the hot water outlet is open, so would I be better off turning them both off, and just time the top one whenever I want a shower/bath?

I somehow think that you have not completely understood how it works.

The thing upstairs is a hot water tank. The water in the tank is heated by the boiler downstairs. However the water only gets heated when you turn the tap on. It's bit like a combi boiler, but with a very large reserve tank.

You said that the upstairs boiler is off all the summer. Is this done by a switch on the wall and is there a cable going from the switch into the side of the boiler? If so, this is an electric immersion heater. It's really there as a standby, in case the boiler downstairs breaks down.

If you can get hot water when it is switched off in the summer, you will be able to get hot water in the winter as well.

Immersion heaters use a lot of electricity, so that could explain your high bills which, I assume are £130 per month, not a year.

If you can, please post a pic of the upstairs boiler and the surrounding pipework and controls.