I have lived in my current bungalow for 18 years
Shortly after moving in, had the old gravity fed coal fired boiler removed for a gas boiler to be fitted
I guess my heating system was a typical system except it was a single pipe one
There was a galvanised cold water tank in the attic which I had to change due to a leak - prior to that, the ball valve was changed to stop a contant drip from the overflow
Then a hot water tank in the kitchen cupboard which again was changed when it sprung a leak
In the cupboard was also the timer and the pump - the pump was changed twice in 18 years
There was one room thermostat to control ?? the heating for the whole bungalow
Then the new boiler
With my limited knowledge, a basic affair, just a gas valve, a burner, a thermocouple attached to a simple temperature controller, and a big block of metal to do the heat exchange
Apart from an occasional clean out ( service ) all I had changed was the gas valve as it stopped shutting properly and there was always some gas escaping causing a larger than normal pilot light !!
So in seventeen years quite a few problems with a simple system
It has now been ripped out and a new combi boiler is in place
The advantages
Extra storage space in the attic as no cold water tank, in the kitchen as no hot water tank, in the utility room as this boiler is much smaller than the original. On demand hot water for bathing / showering. A well balanced heating system with individual TRV's on each radiator
In my opinion, all the separate elements dotted around the house have been brought together into a little box stored an the wall in my utility room - the shiny new combi boiler
What are the disadvantages?
As you can see, I have had a few breakdowns of individual elements of my old system
If this frequency of breakdowns continues with my new system, what is the difference ?
Just because they are all concentrated in one box, is it fair then to give combi boilers such a slating ?
They are a much more complicated bit of kit and so the chances of breakdown of any of the individual parts means it must be more prone to problems than an old style boiler
I just want to understand why there is such an anti combi feeling on this forum
Shortly after moving in, had the old gravity fed coal fired boiler removed for a gas boiler to be fitted
I guess my heating system was a typical system except it was a single pipe one
There was a galvanised cold water tank in the attic which I had to change due to a leak - prior to that, the ball valve was changed to stop a contant drip from the overflow
Then a hot water tank in the kitchen cupboard which again was changed when it sprung a leak
In the cupboard was also the timer and the pump - the pump was changed twice in 18 years
There was one room thermostat to control ?? the heating for the whole bungalow
Then the new boiler
With my limited knowledge, a basic affair, just a gas valve, a burner, a thermocouple attached to a simple temperature controller, and a big block of metal to do the heat exchange
Apart from an occasional clean out ( service ) all I had changed was the gas valve as it stopped shutting properly and there was always some gas escaping causing a larger than normal pilot light !!
So in seventeen years quite a few problems with a simple system
It has now been ripped out and a new combi boiler is in place
The advantages
Extra storage space in the attic as no cold water tank, in the kitchen as no hot water tank, in the utility room as this boiler is much smaller than the original. On demand hot water for bathing / showering. A well balanced heating system with individual TRV's on each radiator
In my opinion, all the separate elements dotted around the house have been brought together into a little box stored an the wall in my utility room - the shiny new combi boiler
What are the disadvantages?
As you can see, I have had a few breakdowns of individual elements of my old system
If this frequency of breakdowns continues with my new system, what is the difference ?
Just because they are all concentrated in one box, is it fair then to give combi boilers such a slating ?
They are a much more complicated bit of kit and so the chances of breakdown of any of the individual parts means it must be more prone to problems than an old style boiler
I just want to understand why there is such an anti combi feeling on this forum