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Condensing boilers - destroying the
myths |
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| One fact that all experts agree on and has been repeated
time and time again is that it is always beneficial from an
energy saving point of view to fit a condensing boiler.
Condensing boilers have been widely used on the continent
and in North America since the early eighties, but in the
UK condensing boilers still represent a small percentage of
total boiler sales. Two key issues have been responsible for
the delay, resulting in the British consumer paying more for
there winter fuel than their European and North American counterparts.
- High Boiler Cost
- Lack of awareness and the fear of new technology
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| High boiler cost
Condensing boilers used to be seen as nice to have but expensive,
payback periods and lower running costs were favorable but
the price difference has been just to great. The Government
offered £200 cash back schemes in an attempt to reduce
the cost difference and encourage purchase yet to-date condensing
boilers still represent a small proportion of UK boiler sales.
However as with all things new the cost of technology reduces
over time, The benefits of installing a condensing boiler
are now greater than ever. Compare the costs for yourself,
Plumbworld.co.uk
offer several choices |
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| This cost difference is significantly lower than what was
available in the past and the savings in fuel running cost will
be far more beneficial in longer term. |
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| Lack of awareness and the fear
of new technology |
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| Once again time has reduced this barrier to condensing
boiler sales. Yet there are still a number of myths about
gas condensing boilers, the following attempts to address
these issues:
- Condensing boilers are suitable for replacing most existing
boilers, floor standing and wall-hung units are available
with extended fluing options if required.
- Finding a location and installing a condensing boiler
is no different to a conventional boiler, the only difference
in installation is the requirement for a condensate drain,
and consideration of pluming.
- They are available as regular or combination boilers and
are as easy to install as non- condensing boilers. No changes
to the system design are necessary, they can be installed
in fully pumped heating systems without the need for any
special designs.
- The system does not need to be designed to condense to
achieve the improved efficiency, typically a condensing
boiler would have a seasonal efficiency of between 83% and
92% compared with a new non-condensing boiler at 75% and
an older boiler type at 55-60.
- It is not necessary to install oversized radiators, to
give a worthwhile efficiency gain. No change should be made
to the installation of Condensing boilers when installed
as a replacement to an existing system that has larger radiators
installed.
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| Do I need to install oversized radiators with condensing
boilers? |
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| The main efficiency benefit from a condensing boiler comes
from having a larger heat exchanger. Larger radiators would
allow lower return temperatures, and so push efficiency higher
still, but the extra benefit has not been regarded as cost effective,
bearing in mind that the system is considerably under-loaded
for the majority of the heating season. That probably remains
true, though the smaller heating requirement for new build may
well mean that householders would now tolerate over-sized radiators
more willingly.
These effects were considered during the SEDBUK project,
during which it was debated whether condensing boilers needed
to be treated differently from others. The conclusion was
that they need not, and the test results for both types share
the same SEDBUK equation. As the average of the full-load
and part-load laboratory test results for efficiency of condensing
gas boilers is typically 13 percentage points greater than
for non-condensing, this feeds through into the SEDBUK results.
(The laboratory tests are conducted at different temperatures,
but this has been allowed for.)
 Purchase
boilers online at discount prices
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