What Is A Conventional Boiler? Our Guide

There are many different types of boilers on the market, so it can feel like a daunting task to find the right one for your home, especially if you don’t know much about boilers.

The conventional boiler runs your home’s heating and provides your property with hot water, so it’s essential that you choose the right solution.

Comparing Conventional Boilers For your Home

That means checking out all of the options on the market. One popular solution for many homes is the conventional boiler.

Conventional boilers, also known as regular boilers, open vent boilers or heat-only boilers, can be an ideal solution for some properties.

Some people also call them a traditional boilers; they have many names, but whatever you call these heating systems, they’re still a great solution for larger homes that need a lot of hot water.

If you’re not sure what conventional boilers are, how they work, or how they could benefit your home, then Compare Boiler Quotes is here to help.

We’ll answer the most pressing questions: what is a conventional boiler? How does a conventional boiler work? Should you consider a conventional boiler? In this guide to regular boilers, we will also advise of the best boiler brands to buy your replacement boiler from.

 

How do conventional boilers work?

A conventional boiler is a water heating system that involves not only the boiler itself, but also a hot water storage tank, a cold water tank, and a hot water cylinder.

All of these parts work together to form the regular boiler system, which ensures that you always have enough hot water and that your heating runs perfectly.

Usually, homeowners put at least one tank in the loft, if not both, to allow gravity to help the water to travel down from the tank to the boiler.

The boiler itself is often kept in an airing cupboard or utility room lower in the property, where it is out of the way.

The cold water tank supplies the water for taps, and the water is heated using the hot water cylinder and stored there.

If the cylinder runs out of hot water, then more can be heated, but this might take time. This is where a combi boiler comes out on top.

The second tank is the hot water storage tank, also known as the feed and expansion tank. This tank contains cold water which is bought down to the boiler to feed the property’s heating system.

Throughout the day your central heating system works to keep your radiators warm, and the hot water tank in the loft of your home can help this system to run smoothly.

The system will send the cold water from the tank to the hot water storage cylinder, where it is heated and stored until your heating needs to be turned on to warm your home.

As such, both halves of your home’s hot water use are separate in a conventional boiler system, but they work together to ensure that your home is always warm, snug and supplied with hot water.

 

How To Tell If A Conventional Boiler Is Right For Your Home?

Thanks to their complicated machinery and large tanks, regular boilers are perfect for bigger properties with large heating and hot water needs.

If your home has a large demand for hot water, then a conventional boiler could be the best choice to meet them.

Smaller homes with lower heating and hot water requirements might benefit from a smaller type of boiler, such as a best combi boiler.

Square footage isn’t the main consideration when choosing a boiler for your home; instead, you need to think about how many radiators and bathrooms your home has, as well as how many people live there.

With this information, you can work out how much work your boiler system will need to do to keep your home warm and meet its occupants’ demands for hot water.

Once you know the size of boiler you need and how much hot water you require, you can work out if a regular boiler is right for your property, or if a combi boiler will be better able to cope with your needs.

Every type of boiler has its advantages and disadvantages, which we’ve listed below.

The advantages of a conventional boiler are:

• Conventional boilers can handle high demands for hot water and heating, so if you have multiple bathrooms or a large central heating system then they can be ideal
• A lot of respected boiler brands offer conventional boiler solutions so you can find one that will suit your needs and budget
• Many regular boilers are solar compatible, so you can make them more energy-efficient than a traditional heating system
• It is possible to fit an electric immersion heater to your hot water tank so that if your boiler breaks down you can rest assured that you’ve still got access to hot water
• If your home already has a regular boiler, then replacing your heating system will be easier

The disadvantages of a conventional boiler are:

• Conventional boilers take up a lot of space in your home
• Conventional boilers can be more expensive to buy than a combi boilers
• If you use up all of your hot water, then you will have to wait for more, as this kind of boiler can’t provide hot water on demand
• There are a lot of pipework and parts in a traditional heating and water system that could go wrong
• The hot water tanks can lose heat, which can make them less energy-efficient and potentially wasting your hard-earned money
• Regular boilers can be expensive to install and maintain, as they have a lot of parts

Now that you know the pros and cons of a conventional boiler, you can make an informed decision on whether you should install one in your home.

What Should You Consider When Choosing A Conventional Boiler?

If you’ve decided that you like conventional boilers and that you would like one for your home, then you need to choose a make and model.

Many respected boiler manufacturers offer regular boilers, so you can easily find the heat-only boiler to suit you if you choose to buy one. There are hundreds of options on the market, so now you need to find the right conventional boiler.

Each make and model of conventional boiler has its advantages and disadvantages, so you need to find the right one and do your research before you commit.

Make sure that you can meet your hot water demand

Some of the factors to consider when buying a new conventional boiler is:

• Your budget, and the average cost of each model
• Its capacity, so that you know how large your boiler needs to be to meet your needs
• The size of the unit, so you know how much space it will take up in your home
• The type of fuel it takes; most conventional boilers are gas boilers, but you can also get electric conventional boilers
• The boiler’s venting requirements, as you might need to install a flue or chimney for some boilers
• The warranty that the manufacturer offers and whether it is possible to extend the guarantee
• How much it will cost to repair your new conventional boiler
• The ErP rating, so that you can find an energy-efficient conventional boiler
• Whether the boiler has any cutting-edge features, such as heating temperature control

 

Which regular boiler should you buy?

When choosing a regular boiler for your home, you should check out the reviews of your chosen brands and models, so that you can get an impartial overview of how they work. We offer boiler reviews, so you can find the ideal boiler make and model to suit you.

A boiler is an expensive investment, that can last for up to 15 years if it is cared for correctly. As such, you need to take the time to explore the best model for your property.

Once you choose a model of conventional boiler that suits your home and lifestyle, you need to find the perfect supplier.

It can be hard to find conventional boilers at the right price, but thankfully, you can get a competitive quote in less than 20 seconds with our boiler price calculator.

As well as the brand and make of boiler that you choose, you also need to find a Gas Safe engineer to install it.

At Compare Boiler Quotes, we can combine the cost of a professional boiler installation with the cost of your new boiler, so you know exactly how much your new boiler will cost.

 

What are the alternatives to a conventional boiler?

If you don’t think that a regular boiler is right for your home, then there are plenty of other boiler options to choose from, so you can find the perfect solution.

Aside from conventional boilers, the most popular type of boilers on the market are system or combi boilers. A system boiler is similar to a regular boiler in that it has a hot water storage cylinder.

Unlike conventional boilers, system boilers do not need an additional water storage tank, as they heat the water and store it in the cylinder.

Combi boilers are even more compact and efficient, as they don’t need a water tank at all. Combi boilers heat water on demand, so they save space in your home.

These compact solutions can fit the entire boiler system into a small airing cupboard, loft space or kitchen cupboard, so they’re great for small properties.

 

Is a combi boiler right for my home?

A combi boiler is ideal for small homes or flats with few boilers and a small central heating system. A system boiler might work well for larger homes with multiple bathrooms that don’t need a regular boiler but could benefit from larger hot water and heating capacity.

In some cases, getting a new combi boiler quote or system boiler could be better than a conventional boiler for your home. For example, if your property has high water pressure, then a combi boiler would possibly be better than a conventional boiler.

Each of these types of boiler can work well for a modern home, so it can be tough to choose the perfect solution. If you’re unsure of which boiler you should install to heat your home and provide you with hot water, then talk to a boiler expert. We really like the combi boiler, they just work so well.

They can advise you on the different types of boiler and which one will work best for your property and your lifestyle.

 

Conclusion:

Conventional boilers can be an ideal solution for homeowners who want to replace an existing conventional boiler system or expand their home to accommodate more bathrooms.

As this article explains, conventional boilers have a lot of apparatus; a hot water tank, a cold water tank, a hot water cylinder, as well as the boiler itself.

If this type of boiler doesn’t meet your requirements, then a combi boiler or a system boiler could work well for your home.

Whatever option you choose, you need to find a supplier that can give you the advice and support that you require.

Finding the right boiler at the perfect price can take a lot of hard work and effort, especially if you have to compare the prices from lots of different vendors.

However, with the help of a team of experts like Compare Boiler Quotes, you can find your dream solution at a price that’s right for you.

 

Do you want a conventional boiler quote?

With our easy-to-use online service, you can get an instant boiler quote that’s tailored to your exact requirements.

Whether you need a boiler on finance or you want to pay upfront for your boiler replacement quote, we can help.

We offer the best boiler prices possible, as well as installation from our Gas Safe registered boiler engineers.

Our range of boilers spans the most popular and respected boiler manufacturers on the market, including Ideal, Boxt, Viessmann, Worcester Bosch and many more.

Our team is also committed to providing you with the advice and support you need to choose the perfect boiler for your home. That’s why we offer a boiler advice blog, where you can find everything from boiler reviews to expert insight.

If you’re still unsure about whether a conventional boiler is right for your home, then you’re welcome to contact us. We can help you to find your perfect new boiler at the best price, so what are you waiting for?!