Combi Boiler vs Conventional Boiler: Should you convert?

If you currently have a conventional boiler, it’s likely that you have thought about how a more modern, more efficient combi boiler could benefit your household.

A lot of larger homes require a conventional boiler, but the average UK home can easily be powered by a combi boiler, providing cost-effective instant hot water.. Learn more about whether you should convert from a conventional boiler to a combi boiler in our detailed guide.

What is a Combi Boiler?

A combination or ‘combi’ boiler acts as both a water heater and a central heating system in one compact unit. The water you use around your home is heated directly from the mains when a tap is turned on, without the need for a bulky water storage tank.

A combi boiler is a great space saver and fits well into smaller homes or in homes with no additional storage space for a water cylinder. The water is also powered through the mains, so you can have high water pressure in important areas such as the shower.

A combi boiler can be either gas or electric, although the most common combi boiler uses either natural gas or LPG.

What is a Conventional Boiler?

A conventional boiler, also known as a regular boiler, has a separate hot water cylinder and cold water storage tank. The cylinder system will provide hot water for the central heating system and the boiler will be fed cold water from the tank to heat for daily use in taps and showers.

The cold water storage tank is usually placed as high up as possible to help increase the water pressure, so is often found in the attic. The hot water storage cylinder is usually stored in an airing cupboard.

If a lot of hot water is used in a home, often when the home is on the larger side, a conventional boiler usually works best. In this case, you need to consider the time taken to reheat your hot water cylinder.

What is the difference between a Combi Boiler and a Conventional Boiler?

The main difference between a combi boiler and a conventional boiler is that a combi boiler provides both heat and hot water through one unit and a conventional boiler has a separate hot water cylinder and cold water storage tank.

With a combi boiler, you have access to unlimited hot water and heating but with a conventional boiler, you’d need to wait for water to re-heat once you use it all. A regular boiler will be able to deal with high water usage better than a combi boiler would and is usually better for properties with more than two bathrooms or where there is low water pressure.

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Is it a big job to change a Conventional Boiler to a Combi Boiler?

In general, changing a conventional boiler to a combi boiler takes around 2 days as it’s a more complex heating job and requires a lot of expert installation, intricate structural pipework changes and the removal of large equipment.

Despite the fact that this process is a relatively large one when compared to other heating jobs, it’s a process that we are very familiar with and are well equipped to do in a timely, efficient manner. We regularly carry out system conversions.

Should I convert to a Combi Boiler?

There are a few factors that you should consider when thinking about upgrading your heating system. One of the main things to take into consideration is the size of your home. Combi boilers come in a range of sizes and capacities to suit most average homes with 1-2 bathrooms.

Even if you have more bathrooms, use a lot of hot water or have a lot of radiators, there is still likely to be a suitable combi boiler for you. Combi boilers in general are more efficient, cost-saving and space-saving, so it is well worth seriously considering the upgrade.

Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of both the combi boiler and the conventional boiler.

Pros & Cons of a Combi Boiler

For the average small to medium sized home, the combi boiler is a great option.

A combi boiler however:

Pros & Cons of a Conventional Boiler

For the larger home, or home that has a significantly high demand for hot water and heating, a conventional boiler will work more effectively.

A conventional boiler however:

Costs of a Combi Boiler vs a Conventional Boiler

The cost to convert from a conventional to combi would be around £3000 to £4000 – this is when you’re installing a reputable brand of boiler, such as Worcester Bosch.

A good brand of boiler will come with a 10 to 12 year warranty. Although the cost is front-heavy, you will reap the benefits in the long run with a more efficient heating system and boiler which will lower energy bills over time.

Convert a Conventional Boiler to a Combi Boiler with Lacey Plumbing & Heating

If you currently have a conventional boiler and are considering upgrading to a combi boiler, getting in touch with our team of expert heating engineers is a great option. We can chat through your requirements, the size of your home and your hot water usage to figure out whether a combi boiler system would work for you.

We can also help you to decide which combi boiler is best for your home by understanding what your priorities are, such as reducing costs or saving space, and using these to ensure that we get the right combi boiler system installed.

We are experts at conventional to combi boiler conversions (which we sometimes refer to as system upgrades). We especially love larger systems and complex heating problems, so please get in touch even if you have a large or unusual system.

Get in touch with us today to discuss your current boiler setup and how you can upgrade this to save costs and boost efficiency.

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