Using a combi boiler for central heating only.

[shaky1105]

As the title suggests, is it possible to use a combi boiler for central heating only ? The boiler working fine for the heating but it's a bit underpowered for hot water. Was toying with the idea of getting a separate hot water boiler like I used to have in my old house.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yes

 

[shaky1105]

Cheers. Is it simply a case of the installer cutting the hot water pipes to the combi and rerouting them to the new boiler or will he have to do any modifications to the old combi ?

 

[PullerGas]

If you add a HW cylinder & say use your Combi for one hot tap, then yes it can be done.
Of course you fit a cylinder(unvented?), a S plan control system & have it wired correctly.

 

[shaky1105]

If you add a HW cylinder & say use your Combi for one hit tap, then yes it can be done.
Of course you fit a cylinder(unvented?), a S plan control system & have it wired correctly.

Cheers PullerGas but I don't want to use the combi for any hot water supply, just the central heating. The combi is at the other end of the house (it's a bungalow) to both the kitchen and the bathroom so I wanted to leave that as it is and get a separate boiler put in at the other end for the hot water supply. I don't really want a separate hot water tank either.

The pipes are in the concrete floor and the hot water isn't really that hot by the time it gets to the shower or the kitchen taps. The boiler has just been serviced by BG and the fitter said it's working perfectly.

I also like the idea of two separate boilers as if one goes faulty, I've still got the other one working until I get it fixed.

I just didn't know if it was possible to use a combi boiler for the central heating only or whether I will have to get the pipework sorted and/or fit a much bigger combi. I would rather have the two separate boilers for the reason above and it's what I was used to in my old house.

TIA.

 

[AGAS]

Cheers PullerGas but I don't want to use the combi for any hot water supply, just the central heating. The combi is at the other end of the house (it's a bungalow) to both the kitchen and the bathroom so I wanted to leave that as it is and get a separate boiler put in at the other end for the hot water supply. I don't really want a separate hot water tank either.

The pipes are in the concrete floor and the hot water isn't really that hot by the time it gets to the shower or the kitchen taps. The boiler has just been serviced by BG and the fitter said it's working perfectly.

I also like the idea of two separate boilers as if one goes faulty, I've still got the other one working until I get it fixed.

I just didn't know if it was possible to use a combi boiler for the central heating only or whether I will have to get the pipework sorted and/or fit a much bigger combi. I would rather have the two separate boilers for the reason above and it's what I was used to in my old house.

what in a bungalow ??

I don't really want a separate hot water tank either.

 

[shaky1105]

Thanks Agas but I don't understand your bungalow comment ? As to the hot water tank, I just prefer to heat water as and when I need it, not when the system decides if you get my meaning.

I had two separate boilers in my old house and preferred it that way.

I just want to know if what I would like to be possible is actually possible seeing as I've had it like that before. Or is that what your bungalow comment referred to ?

Thanks

 

[PullerGas]

Easier & cheaper putting an unvented cylinder at the other end of your Bungalow, for hot water.

 

[shaky1105]

I see where you're coming from now, sorry I didn't understand. Thanks for the suggestion but that would still rely on storage of hot water wouldn't it. I would like to be in the position where I can have as much water as I want, when I want. I hesitate to say money is no object but I do understand that custom set-ups like the one I want to achieve do cost extra and I am prepared to pay what it costs. I have a larger than standard bath and also like to take long showers. Water cylinders I've found can be lacking in this respect.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

 

[ianmcd]

Modern Cylinders have a great recovery rate, and if you have the correct set up you are unlikely to deplete the cylinder with domestic use

 

[Doggit]

Can you dig the pipes out of the concrete, and then insulate them, or even just run new ones. Putting in a new combi boiler just to supply the hot water, is a bit overkill, and as Ianmcd has suggested, a good cylinder will recover quickly enough, but it'll take up space. If you're thinking of a new boiler, then I'd be inclined to suggest removing the old combi, and siting the new one closer to where you want the water, and then link into the old heating pipe work. Unless you need a high water flow rate, then an unvented cylinder won't give you a lot of benefits, and would require a yearly service. How many people use the hot water, and what are your requirements.

 

[motorbiking]

Put a boiling water tap in the kitchen end and leave everything else alone.

 

[AGAS]

shaky1105 how big is your bungalow ?, you hinted towards it being one bedroom before . theres got to be a good reason why your water isn't hot enough with it being a standard size bungalow , with two boilers is overkill when one system would be ample and less hassle

 

[shaky1105]

Modern Cylinders have a great recovery rate, and if you have the correct set up you are unlikely to deplete the cylinder with domestic use

The one at my mates house is only 8 years old and tbh it struggles, hence why I'm considering a separate hot water boiler.

Can you dig the pipes out of the concrete, and then insulate them, or even just run new ones. Putting in a new combi boiler just to supply the hot water, is a bit overkill, and as Ianmcd has suggested, a good cylinder will recover quickly enough, but it'll take up space. If you're thinking of a new boiler, then I'd be inclined to suggest removing the old combi, and siting the new one closer to where you want the water, and then link into the old heating pipe work. Unless you need a high water flow rate, then an unvented cylinder won't give you a lot of benefits, and would require a yearly service. How many people use the hot water, and what are your requirements.

Really don't fancy digging the pipework up and I can't see our lass being too please about it either ! I don't want another combi boiler installed, just a reasonably powerful multipoint. There's one in a mates house called Rinnai and it's brilliant, loads of hot water and they've got two showers, although it does slow down a bit if they're both in use at the same time but still much better than most electric showers. We regularly have the kids staying for weekends with grandbairns etc. so the hot water requirement is pretty high I suppose.

Put a boiling water tap in the kitchen end and leave everything else alone.

I don't need a boiling water tap, I've got a kettle for that and I think they're bit of a gimmick. However, if I got one fitted, that would still leave me with a pathetic feed to the bathroom. If it helps, me and our lass both have a 10-15 min shower in the morning (don't like rushing) and I will normally have a good long soak in the bath before I go to bed. When the kids are staying. it feels like the shower never stops !

Thanks again for all your replies. I will have to see what options I can cobble together and then get some quotes for the work.

 

[shaky1105]

shaky1105 how big is your bungalow ?, you hinted towards it being one bedroom before . theres got to be a good reason why your water isn't hot enough with it being a standard size bungalow , with two boilers is overkill when one system would be ample and less hassle

Sorry AGAS, was just replying to the other posts and didn't see yours.

It's a three bedroom bungalow (dunno when I mentioned it was only a one-bedroom ?) 17M long, 8M wide apart from the kitchen/bathroom bit which is 11½M wide. The boiler is a Worcester Greenstar 30i if that makes any difference. I just tend to prefer the idea of two separate boilers, probably because that's what I was used to in my old house.

I just though that if the fitter could simply disconnect the hot water pipes from the old combi and just use it for the central heating, i could get him to install a new multipoint boiler near the kitchen/bathroom with fresh new piping and that would be a better water supply. As I say, the Heating is fine, no problems there, just the Hot Water

Thanks again.