what is a conventional boiler

To begin with, a regular boilers is the traditional heating system you can find all across the UK. It is also known as heat only boiler or a conventional boiler. All in all, a regular boiler consists of a big tank of water in the loft and a hot water cylinder in an airing cupboard. If you have these two items in your home, then you have a regular boiler.

Firstly, this article will help you with what you need to know about regular boilers. Moreover, we cover all the important questions that you may have on your mind. So you can fully depend on Let’s Heat to provide you with the necessary information.

So what is a regular boiler?

To begin with, they are one of the oldest types of boilers across the UK. They are also called by other names like: conventional and traditional. The term ‘heat-only’ also applies for this kind of boilers because they produce hot water for central heating. But they do not produce hot water for domestic use like taps, baths or showers.

To clarify, a regular boiler draws water from a tank way up in your house, usually in the attic. Then the hot water is stored in a hot water storage cylinder for your day-to-day use.

how does a conventional boiler work

It is all pretty simple. Basically, a regular boiler will take water from the tank to provide heating. It is important to place your tank as high as possible to have a better water flow in all the system. 

A heat exchanger warms up the cold water once you turn on the hot tap or switch on the heating. After that the hot water moves to the hot water storage cylinder where it is kept and circulated. Then valves will direct hot water to the heating system or the taps and outlets. 

Read more : Different Types Of Reliable Boiler Systems Explained

Is a regular boiler the right choice for you? 

To get what you exactly need, you should take a look at the pros and cons of regular boilers. There are a lot of things to think of when it comes to choosing the most suitable boiler for you. So here are some of the most important things to keep in mind: 

What are the benefits of regular boilers? 

• Replacement is simple and easy 

Replacing your old regular boiler with a newer version is less costly and damaging to your home. So it’s always the safer option to go with if you don’t want to spend a lot or worry about damages. 

• Meets your high demand of heating and hot water 

If you have a home with multiple bathrooms, then a regular boiler is a great choice. It can meet your demand for hot water and heating. With a large capacity to store hot water, it means that you can use several taps and outlets at the same time. 

• More efficiency 

Older boilers with no condensing technology should be replaced with a condensing boiler. Condensing boilers are more efficient and consume less energy. As a result, they will reduce the cost of your heating bills. Nowadays, some regular boilers are 97% efficient. 

• Able to have an immersion hearer as a backup 

A backup immersion heater would make sure that you don’t go out without hot water in case you boiler breaks down. The immersion heater would be fitted in the hot water cylinder. 

• Solar compatibility 

presently, you can use solar thermal panels to produce hot water using solar power. Just make sure that your cylinder and the model you buy are compatible with solar thermal. 

Read more : Everything You Need To Know About Boilers

What are the disadvantages of regular boilers? 

• Hot water isn’t always instant in busier times 

Once you use all the stored hot water in your cylinder, you have to wait for some time to be able to use hot water again. Always buy a cylinder with the capacity to meet your hot water demands and needs. 

• Needs lots of space 

Regular boilers need space for the water tank and the hot water cylinder. That’s why it’s not a good choice for smaller homes that don’t have much space. For smaller homes, a combi boiler is more suitable. 

• Installation can be costly 

Because there are many parts to be installed around the house, a new boiler installation can be pricy. Aside from being expensive it can also take a lot of time. 

• Finding what you need 

In order to find the most suitable boiler for your home and needs you should take the time to compare different models. However, the question remains as to what to look for and what to compare. 

• Output rate  

Firstly, the output rate is the power of the boiler measured in kilowatts (kW). Because regular boilers consist of a central heating output rating, you will know how many radiators the unit is able of heating up.  

• Efficiency  

You can know the efficiency rating of a boiler from how much of the converted fuel is used to the maximum. To sum up, less energy is wasted when the efficiency rating is higher.  

• Possible Cost  

First of all, there are many options to choose from. Options that will suit your budget that is to say. Furthermore, the prices of a regular boiler can range from £500 to £2,000 (not including the cylinder and the installation cost).  

• Warranty  

Boilers always come with a warranty by the manufacturer that will cover any problems that may happen after the installation. However, each boiler has a different warranty that will cover certain things and not others. Moreover, they also differ on the time they offer.  

• Heating controls  

It’s important to have good heating control over your boiler in order to keep your energy use low. Now you can use your smartphone or tablets to control your boiler.  

• Customer reviews  

Without a doubt, you would like your boiler to be reliable and to heat your home for years to come. Therefore, reading reviews left by homeowner is highly helpful. Moreover, these kinds of feedbacks will make you familiar with certain problems and issues of certain boilers before buying your own.  

• Engineer reviews  

Of course, heating engineers are experts in boilers. Their insight, undoubtedly, can help you find what kind of boiler you need. So always make sure to take the time to read what they have to say.  

Read more : Different Types Of Boilers

regular vs system boiler

When it comes to relying on a hot water storage cylinder, then both systems are very similar. Both of them keep a store of hot water ready for your use. However, the main difference is that a system boiler draws water directly from the mains. While, a regular boiler will take its water supply from a tank in the attic. In short, with the system boiler you do not need a cold water tank high up in the attic.

regular boiler vs combi boiler

All in all, a combi boiler is more modern than a regular boiler. It is the most commonly used system in all of the UK. A combi boiler is a single unit which does not require a tank or a hot water cylinder. Combi boilers draw water directly from your mains and provide you with hot water on demand. On the other hand, combi boilers are only suitable for smaller homes without much demand for hot water. As a result, they are inconvenient in larger homes with a high hot water demand. That’s why you should always make sure to choose what’s right for your home and needs.

how does a conventional boiler work

It is all pretty simple. Basically, a regular boiler will take water from the tank to provide heating. It is important to place your tank as high as possible to have a better water flow in all the system.A heat exchanger warms up the cold water once you turn on the hot tap or switch on the heating. After that the hot water moves to the hot water storage cylinder where it is kept and circulated. Then valves will direct hot water to the heating system or the taps and outlets.

best conventional boilers uk

Both gas and oil boilers are available nowadays. To point out, we provide you with a list of some of the most popular brands. What’s more, these brands have excellent reviews for customer satisfaction and are recommended by engineers.

Read also : Types Of Boiler Systems Explained

Ideal Logic Max Heat

• 10 year parts and labour warranty
• A brass system filter with high quality
• Cupboard fit, separate install
• Easy to install and to use
• Available in 12, 15, 18, 24 or 30 kW
• UK made

Baxi 800 Heat

• 10 year parts & labour warranty
• Very quiet
• Can fit inside a kitchen cupboard
• Rear flue option for a better finish
• Compatible with Megaflo Eco cylinder
• Available in 16, 25 or 30 kW

Vaillant ecoTEC plus Regular

• High efficiency, control & performance
• Hand-built in Derbyshire plant
• Enough to fit in a kitchen cupboard
• Multiple heating control options and a smartphone app.
• A 10-year guarantee as standard
• Available in 12, 15, 18, 24, 30 or 35 Kw

Worcester Bosch Greenstar Ri

• A 10 year guarantee
• Small and can be installed in a standard kitchen cupboard
• Equipped with Simple boiler controls
• Provide Frost protection
• Suitable with Greenskies solar panels
• Good for homes that have a hot water storage cylinder in their heating system.

Viessmann Vitodens 100W Open Vent

• 10 year comprehensive warranty as standard with Let’s Heat
• Energy efficiency class: A
• Efficiency up to 97% through stainless steel Inox-Radial heat exchanger
• Available with LPG conversion
• Can fit in standard kitchen cupboards
• Has an option for Weather compensation
• A large user display
• Available in 13, 16, 19, 26 or 35 kW

Finding what you need

In order to find the most suitable boiler for your home and needs you should take the time to compare different models. The question remains as to what to look for and what to compare.

Output rate

The output rate is the power of the boiler measured in kilowatts (kW). Because regular boilers consist of a central heating output rating, you will know how many radiators the unit is able of heating up.

Efficiency

You can know the efficiency rating of a boiler from how much of the converted fuel is used to the maximum. Less energy is wasted when the efficiency rating is higher.

Possible Cost

There are many options to choose from. Options that will suit your budget that is to say. The prices of a regular boiler can range from £500 to £2,000 (not including the cylinder and the installation cost).

Warranty

Boilers always come with a warranty by the manufacturer that will cover any problems that may happen after the installation. Each boiler has a different warranty that will cover certain things and not others. They also differ on the time they offer.

Heating controls

It’s important to have good heating control over your boiler in order to keep your energy use low. Now you can use your smartphone or tablets to control your boiler.

Customer reviews

Without a doubt, you would like your boiler to be reliable and to heat your home for years to come. Reading reviews left by homeowner is highly helpful. These kinds of feedbacks will make you familiar with certain problems and issues of certain boilers before buying your own.

Engineer reviews

Of course, heating engineers are experts in boilers. Their insight can help you find what kind of boiler you need. So always make sure to take the time to read what they have to say.

What is meant by a Condensing Boiler?

The terms condensing and non-condensing can be confusing to people shopping for a new boiler.

Presently, it is stated by law that new boilers must use condensing technology. In short, you don’t have to worry about getting a condensing boiler.

Condensing is not a type of boiler, but rather a technical feature. In a Condensing boiler you get a much bigger heat exchanger. They also produce additional heat from the fuel. The same fuel that would have been wasted in a non- Condensing boiler. As a result, they are more efficient.

non-condensing boilers are less efficient by 50% since a lot of heat was lost in the combustion exhaust gases. On the other hand, new boilers would capture this heat and use it to heat water.

condensing boilers are energy efficient by 90%. They use excess energy to heat your property. Not to mention, they are environmentally friendly and reduce your heating bill.

What is the cost of installation?

A lot of factors can impact the cost of installation. These might be:

Accessibility

Installation Complexity

How much rates the installer would charge

Your place of living (for instance, London can be more expensive).

How long does it take to install a regular boiler?

A regular boiler can take between 1 to 3 days. The complexity of the installation will determine the duration. A like-for-like boiler replacement would be the quickest to do. However, replacing a different kind of boiler would take longer time to finish. For instance, a combi boiler replaced with regular boiler will require installing a hot water cylinder, a tank and re-routing the pipework. Lastly, moving your boiler would also increase the installation time.

Read also : New Boiler Buying Tips That You Should Know

Identifying the problem!

If you are having issues with your current boiler, then you can have it fixed or replaced. We can help you diagnose the problem and determine whether you actually require a new boiler or not.  We have excellent staff here at Let’s Heat. Our engineers can help you with what you need and are available regardless of the time and day.

What size boiler do I need?

When we talk about boiler size, we do not mean its dimensions, but rather its power output. The unit of measurement, used for regular boilers, is the kilowatt (kW).

To clarify, the higher the output of your boiler, the more powerful it will be. Nonetheless, it’s never a great idea to get the boiler with the highest output rating. A too high output rating would increase your energy bills. And a too low output rating will not meet your demand.

Through counting the number of bathrooms and radiators in your home, you can find the most appropriate output rating for you. This information can also help you have an idea of the level of demand for domestic hot water and central heating.

With this purpose in mind, we advise you to get a quote from a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you have a brand in mind, then you should check their website and guidelines. A lot of manufacturers, nowadays, offer advice on their websites.

 Here is a table to guide you through what you need to know:

To point out, small homes with one bathroom and little or no space for a cylinder should consider getting a combi boiler.

What is the right size of hot water cylinder?

Larger homes with multiple bathrooms need a hot water cylinder with a larger capacity. You want to make sure that your cylinder size can meet your home demands. However, if you live in a large home, then you should consider using more than one cylinder.

Here is a table that shows you the capacity in liters according to the number of bathrooms in your home:

What is the right size of hot water cylinder?

Larger homes with multiple bathrooms need a hot water cylinder with a larger capacity. You want to make sure that your cylinder size can meet your home demands. However, if you live in a large home, then you should consider using more than one cylinder.

Here is a table that shows you the capacity in liters according to the number of bathrooms in your home:

So why Let’s Heat?

Let’s Heat Are Quality & Accredited Boiler Installers

Firstly, Let’s Heat professional engineers and emergency plumbers provide a professional and reliable plumbing and heating service. Accordingly, that includes Boiler Installation in Cardiff and the surrounding CF postcode area in South Wales.

Secondly, our boiler installation and repair team is fully qualified and ensured to the highest standards. As can be seen, we take pride in producing exemplary work standards which include completing all boiler installation needs. 

Thirdly, the Let’s Heat team are high-quality professional engineers who have a high 4.9 out of 5 Trustpilot score by our previous happy customers. We are fully accredited by Gas Safe and Corgi registered, as well as FCA approved for all of our financial transactions. 

Lastly, all of our staff at Let’s Heat are experts in their field and have many years of experience. Above all, we have work on a wide selection of emergency plumbing, heating solutions and services throughout Cardiff, the rest of Wales & the UK.

Because we care

Are you still a little confused about where to start or who to use?

Our easy-to-use online questionnaire will help you with what you need to know. In short, we make sure that you have the correct solution for your needs. We will also ensure that you are completely happy with the solution.

Read also : Best Combi Boilers & Brands In 2023

Why else?

We work in Cardiff and the surrounding areas of South Wales.

We are reliable, professional and trustworthy.

High Trustpilot score of 4.9 out of 5.

We can travel anywhere throughout the UK.

Gas Safe Accredited (corgi registered).

Our finance is FCA accredited.

We provide a 12-month snag guarantee.

Our prices are very competitive.

We make sure your house is kept clean and tidy during work.

Our workmen use floor protection.

We dispose of your rubbish correctly.

FAQ’s