System Design
What type of system do you want/need?
There are three main types of system design and each has their own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing the best
system for you consideration must be taken regarding the type of dwelling, the number of people living there and any building plans.
Fortunately Transgas Services has expertise in all types of system design and is on hand to help you make the best decision
to suit your needs. Below is a guide to the different systems and their merits, but the best option is to contact Transgas and
arrange a free quote and then we can give you the best advice.
| Consideration | Most suitable boiler |
|---|---|
| Loft space required for room conversion | Combi |
| Live in a flat/bungalow i.e. space is at a premium | Combi |
| Your home has more than 2 bathrooms | Conventional or System |
| Your mains water pressure is low. | Conventional or System; |
| You want to replace an old boiler to improve an existing conventional central heating system | Conventional, System or Combi. |
| Regular demand for hot water on tap but waiting for the tank to constantly heat up would be, or is inconvenient. | Combi |
Conventional (traditional) systems.
The conventional central heating system consists two water tanks in the loft, one a large ‘cold water storage tank’ and the other a small ‘feed and expansion tank’.
Water from the cold water storage tank feeds cold water down to the cylinder and usually to the cold taps in the upstairs bathroom/toilet.
The central heating boiler will heat the water in the cylinder and this provides hot water to taps throughout the house. The feed and expansion tank maintains the correct level of water in
the heating system.
A real benefit of this system is that showers/baths, kitchen taps and white goods (washing machine, dishwasher) can be drawn in any room at the same time; not all systems can do that. This type of system would be ideal for a small house or large flat with one bathroom/toilet plus a kitchen and the usual white goods of a washing machine and a dishwasher. It is an ideal system for families with small children where there is lots of baths and the washing machine is constantly on! If the cylinder does run out of hot water it will have a fast recovery rate of 25 to 30 minutes.
System boilers
System boilers, like a Coventional boilers work on the principal of stored hot water – but a System boiler differs from a regular boiler in two important respects.
because many of the major individual components of the heating and hot water system are built in it means installation is quicker, neater, easier and cheaper.
The hot water is pumped from the boiler to the radiators and hot water cylinder, resulting in faster hot water and more economical running costs.
Combinations boilers
A ‘combi’ boiler does not need a cold water storage tank or a feed and expansion tank in the loft. This makes them
ideal for loft conversions or where space is at a premium. It also does not require a cylinder, pump and control valves, creating more storage space and less likelihood
of burst pipes in the loft.
A Combi is economical to run, and produces an endless supply of hot water. A disadvantage is that only one hot tap can be used and depending on the cold water mains pressure sometimes using a cold tap can cause problems to the open hot water tap. That said it provides almost instantaneous steaming hot water literally on tap, whenever you need it. A Combi also saves a lot of space around the house. So ask yourself if there is such a great demand for simultaneous hot water around the home? If the washing machine, bath and shower aren't competing for water at the same time, the Combi really could be the answer for your home.