Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a combi? 2. Do I need a cold water tank in the loft? 3. Can I have a shower?   4. Will radiators still sludge up and rust?   5. Drinking water?   6. What about scale?   7. Will it fill a bath?   8. Is the hot water flow rate poor?   9. Do I loose my airing cupboard? 10. Can we still have one if we do not have a natural gas supply?   11. Can I get spares for these foreign makes?   12. Can I fit a cylinder for more hot water?   13. Are they expensive to repair? What is a combi? A combination or combi is a boiler which has a pump, hot water exchanger, diverter valve, expansion vessel and controls inside the one unit. Back to Top Do I need a cold water tank in the loft? A combi has a red cylinder called an expansion vessel, so no need for pipes or tanks in the loft. Back to Top Can I have a shower? Yes! The best shower is from a combi, no need for a pump or expensive rewiring, just connect the hot and cold pipes and experience a fresh powerful shower any time of day. Back to Top Will radiators still sludge up and rust? Because a combi has an expansion vessel the system is 'sealed' some times known as 'closed' the lack of air in the system stops rust forming. Back to Top Drinking water? Yes, every tap supplies fresh water for washing and drinking, much healthier. Back to Top What about scale? All boilers are prone to scale up, only a very small number are affected and can usually be chemically treated. Back to Top Will it fill a bath? Of course, with a combi you can have bath after bath any time of day, because it only heats the water when a tap is on, no waste and no need to wait! Back to Top Is the hot water flow rate poor? It shouldn't be, like a car there is one to suit each home. For most 2/3 bedroom family houses a 24 kW (80.000 Btu) wall hung combi is good enough, if more hot water is needed go for 28 kW (100,000 Btu). Back to Top Do I loose my airing cupboard? No, in most cases you can easily fit a combi or a very small radiator there without any problems. Back to Top Can we still have one if we do not have a natural gas supply? No problem, there are combies the use LPG or oil. Back to Top Can I get spares for these foreign makes? Yes of course, most combies come from Europe where a vast network of spares stockist exists and the UK is just the same. 90% of parts are ex stock over night or 7/14 days. Back to Top Can I fit a cylinder for more hot water? Most manufactures will provide details how to connect a cylinder with controls known as Honeywell 'Y' or 'S' plan. Back to Top Are they expensive to repair? Combies are no more expensive than a normal boiler but are very reliable and rarely go wrong if regularly serviced. Back to Top