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1 How to select the best heating and hot water system. It
sounds so simple, get a hot water cylinder (immersion heater) connected to a
heating boiler and gain free hot water while heating up the house radiators
which , in a way used to be possible (sort of). Only the gas burned to provide
the hot water was not free and now we have other considerations like gas price
rises, pollution, higher installation costs, imposed regulations (for better or
worse its the law) and with average sized houses getting smaller the need for
space is at a premium.
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2 The need to save energy has never been greater
By saving energy we reduce pollution, save money and make the energy last
longer.
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3 Why should I change my boiler now, its worked for 40 years and
never been any trouble?
Saddleworth Plumbing Services hear this phrase surprisingly often and we know
the customer is always right but the reasons for changing inefficient boilers
is sometimes worryingly hard to relay to our valued customers!
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4 Its just scare mongering and anyway you are biased and want to
keep in work!
We wish it was just a fantasy and the planet didn't need our help but
scientists, meteorologists and politicians are not boiler manufacturers and
they do not stay in their jobs for long if they bury their heads in the
sand.
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5 The weather does seem to be getting more extreme, either stormy,
very dry, very wet or very cold.
Domestic boilers do make a contribution to the depletion of the ozone layer
and pollution in general so thinking green is no longer an option but we
think, a necessity.
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6 Changing your boiler to a Condensing boiler is an investment in
your property and saves you money
Is not an instant money saver but it is an instant benefit to your house,
your comfort and your conscience, but before you switch boilers you need to
know more about the types of boilers.
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7 Boiler types
By just switching your boiler to a new one you will save energy but may not
save anywhere near as much as you could. The old heating boiler and hot
water cylinder (immersion heater) system meant that you had to heat up a
full cylinder of hot water- at least 25 gallons (113 liters)-every day just
to wash your face. By fitting a Combi boiler you do not have to heat up any
water, at all if you do not want, as it only starts heating water when a tap
or appliance is used. With no pilot light flame burning gas 24/7 it starts
to make serious financial sense to consider a change for the better.
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8 Comparisons
The combi supplies hot water directly from the main in the road so its the same
pressure as your cold tap pressure. This means that you may need to switch your
shower to a mixer type but this improves the pressure and quality of your shower
greatly and our customers who have benefited from changing showers have all
commented on the invigorating high pressure shower they now enjoy.
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9 So swapping to a Combi saves money
But that's not all. Because all boilers fitted after April 5th 2005 now have to
be condensing boilers by law, then even greater savings are possible because of
the improvements in technology and design. By massively reducing the temperature
of the gases leaving the boiler flue pipe to outside air this means that a lot
more heat is staying inside the boiler to be pumped to the radiators thereby saving more
energy and money.
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10 The figures add up
The 12% figure quoted above is in comparison with a non-condensing combi boiler.
When compared with a 20 to 40 year old cast iron heating boiler then the
difference can be more like 40 to 50 % which is a massive saving in gas
consumption. The boiler is even insulated to save losing heat. If new smaller
sized but similar heat output radiators are fitted too, then the whole system is
reducing in size and water content which means it heats up faster and more
efficiently.
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11 Boilers have visibly changed
Not only are the boiler cases getting smaller but the gas that has been burnt
and given off its heat has become visible in the outside air.
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12 A pluming revolution
All over the land as households update their boiler the visible evidence is not
clear but looks like steam but is in fact only around 70 to 55 degrees C. This
change has to be allowed for when deciding the boilers location and making sure
that the plume does not become a nuisance to neighbors or property.
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13 Removing the condensation
The other consideration to allow for is the condensation that the boiler
produces must be removed to waste and this is shown above in one of the many
methods employed.
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14 Financial Summary
Whether you want to do your bit for the environment and the planets future or
not, the financial benefits from changing your boiler to a condensing boiler,
especially if its an old one, are overwhelming! As the table above shows there
is an ongoing saving from changing your boiler to a condensing one and even if
the property is sold the installation will add to the selling factor of the
property due to its efficiency rating and the certificate provided with the
boiler will be added to the House information Pack (July 2007) to show it has
been fitted to Building Regulations. Saddleworth Plumbing Services take pride in
doing our bit to help save energy , install boilers that are in the top of the
efficiency table and offer our customers any advice they need on energy saving
issues.
Choosing a Boiler Downloads
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