Will a combi boiler suit me?

Martyn Bridges reveals how to determine whether these appliances will complement your home, lifestyle and hot water usage

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Worcester’s Greenstar Highflow CDi series combi blends well with the kitchen cabinetry

A combination or ‘combi’ unit is a high-efficiency water heater and central heating boiler in a single compact appliance. The major difference between this and other types of boiler is that it provides domestic hot water (DHW) directly from the mains when you turn on a tap or shower. As you’d expect, it also offers a constant, controllable temperature for central heating when you need it.

The benefits

With DHW supplied instantly and on demand, one noticeable advantage of a combi boiler is the fact that it frees up the space normally needed to accommodate a cylinder and/or cold water storage tank in the attic. As a result, this kind of appliance is ideal if you want to make the most of an area previously used as an airing cupboard or if you’re tackling a loft conversion where you want to maximise every inch of available space.

Discrete wall-hung models, such as Worcester, Bosch Group’s Greenstar Si and CDi compact gas-fired combi boilers feature an ultra-compact heat exchanger, resulting in a very small appliance that doesn’t compromise on output or efficiency. These models are popular for smaller properties with just one bathroom and take up little more room than a kitchen cabinet. There are also larger, more powerful models, such as Worcester Bosch’s HighFlow floor-standing series and larger wall-hung combis, meaning they can power homes with two bathrooms or more.