Central heating has become a must in our homes and buildings, but that does not make it easy for us to choose one option out of various types of system.
All the components of your heating system, no matter how small or large they are, determine how well the system could perform in your home.
Having some knowledge of various central heating systems can be a game-changer in situations when you are thinking about doing some modification or upgrading to the existing system. It all boils down to this; what are your requirement and the reason for the upgrade. This comes in handy when you are weighing different systems for your entire living space.
Here, we have explained different types of heating systems so that you can make your own choice.
Types of Heating System:
All the heating systems can be divided into three different categories. All these categories are different from each other due to their working principle. Their efficiency depends on where they are installed and how they will link with the whole building or home.
Do keep in mind that the heating systems have to be customized for the individual building where they are supposed to be installed, so it’s impossible for you to find one that could work everywhere. Some of the systems will only work best in a specific size of the building. Similarly, some systems might require more work and effort to be installed in a small place.
1. Conventional Central Heating Systems:
These are the most commonly used heating system today in an average home. Conventional heating systems work by the implementation of gravity, which makes it clear that for these systems to work well, they have to be placed somewhere high. In other words, the water storage tank has to be placed at high potential, like somewhere in the attic or the top floor of the house. This water, when heated, goes down quickly without much effort due to gravity. Essentially, gravity is doing most of the work in these systems.
Although they are the commonly used system in most homes, it’s becoming rare for the owners of the newly built homes or buildings to utilize them. This is because there are two significant weaknesses of conventional heating systems. First is that there is some pressure limit in these systems that cannot be increased easily, and the second is the waste of energy in heating up the entire water storage tank. Even though gravity is doing the rest of the work, the waste of power in the heating process is enough to turn off many homeowners.
Again, you will commonly find conventional heating systems in older systems. Still, if you do not like them, you can easily replace them with another system. But you have to make some change around your home if the new system is being placed at a different place, like removing or adding an extra pipe, etc.
2. Sealed Systems (Pressurised):
Instead of heater water in a storage tank, it is heated directly with a water cylinder that does not takes much space and can be placed anywhere in the building. This has the advantage of conserving space because that water cylinder heats water when it passes through in the mains, and that hot water can easily flow from multiple taps at the same time at mains pressure.
The problem with these systems is that they are costly, not just for the installation but also in terms of maintenance. They have to be installed by professional and experienced expert plumbers as the system design and installation are much more complex than any other system. Not only that, they have to be maintained and checked every year, and the plumbers can charge you with high amounts due to the complex design. Another thing to be remembered is that these systems always require high mains pressure, which means you cannot use them in a low pressured area.
But even with all these problems, a pressurized system is still preferred by the businesses and owners of the large buildings due to its high efficiency, space conservation, and hot water flows from multiple taps at the same time in a large building. The water will move at its original level pressure, and you can use more than one appliance at the same time without water pressure dropping at any moment.
3. Combination Boiler:
The combi boiler systems are an evolved form of the old classic boiler systems that are becoming rare in modern homes. They have become more prominent in the present decade due to their efficiency and conservation of energy.
The combi boilers will heat the water directly at its source, which means there will be no storage required for the water. This saves much of the space that otherwise would have been occupied by the water tank. This also saves energy, and the mains pressure will not be disturbed. All of this makes the combi boiler heating system efficient, energy and space conservator, which is why many people prefer it nowadays.
But even with all these advantages, there are still some weaknesses to be found in the system. Just like pressurized systems, combi boilers are also very complicated. They are a direct result of technology advancement, can include electronic parts. When it comes to repairing, even a single malfunctioning component can bring the whole system to a halt, and it’s not as easy to repair it as it may seem. Another thing is that the ability to produce hot water is not as big as other systems, so using this system in a bigger property with multiple people is not a very good idea. The water flow rate will suffer if various taps are run at once.
Now that we understand the different types of heating systems, let’s move forward to the boiler and its types.
What is a Boiler?
A boiler is the main component of a central heating system. This is usually the first part where you have to focus on when installing the whole system. In other words, the boiler is the heart of the central heating system. Using a lousy quality boiler can ruin the entire operation while utilizing a good quality boiler can make all the change, even if used in an average or subpar heating system.
Types of Boiler:
Keep in mind that all the boilers are supposed to do the same thing. This means that you only have to focus on the statistics like efficiency or water heating capacity. Still, there are some differences, which are discussed below.
• System Boilers:
This boiler is quite similar to the combi boilers. The difference is that the system boiler utilizes an extra water storage tank to store and retain the hot water. Although it occupies more space, this is economical and efficient in the sense that you can get hot water from multiple places in the whole house. But in the same sense, it is not the best choice for the smaller properties. It’s best used in bigger homes or buildings.
Suppose there are multiple occupants and bathrooms on your property, and you want hot water consistently. In that case, you should consider getting a system boiler. However, keep in mind that you need more space and have to run maintenance more than what would be required by other types.
· Regular Boilers:
Also known as a heat-only boiler, a regular boiler has a straight forward design. The focus is on two things; a hot water cylinder paired with a cold water tank. The water cold stored in the storage tank is supposed to retain the hot water until it gets heated by the boiler, whereas the cylinder has to keep that hot water remain hot. Sounds simple, right? This made them the standard boiler type before the combi boilers were introduced.
These boilers are pretty powerful and still in use as there is no problem regarding hot water flow. The problem is the amount of heat wasted in the whole process, as the warmth from the hot water cylinder will slowly leak into the surroundings. The tanks have to be installed at a higher point like the top floor as the water can easily flow downwards to the lower floors. Doing the opposite will decrease the efficiency by a massive percentage.
· Combination Boilers:
These boilers are the main component of the combi boiler heating system. They are one of the most commonly used types, as they do not require a dedicated system to integrate them. They are very efficient, save money and space by a considerable amount. This is because these boilers are very small, can be fitted anywhere without dedicating a whole room to it, and do not require a storage tank. The water will be heated instantly, which means that you don’t have to wait for the hot water.
Another advantage is that combi boilers come in multiple types. A generic boiler will use the same kind of power. Different combi boilers will use oil, electricity, or gas, ensuring that you have multiple options. You can buy a new boiler without worrying about the power type to run it. This makes it very easy to replace any other boiler with a combi boiler without spending too much money.
· Back Boiler Unit (BBU):
This option has become outdated as this type of boiler is situated behind a typical fireplace instead of in a room inside a cupboard, which makes it a rare sight nowadays. There is no use in learning much about them, and if you own such a boiler, get it replaced. Back boilers consume too much energy compared with other boilers to be comfortable with.
· Gas Boilers:
Many central heating systems run on gas as they use gas boilers, which makes them a common sight. The gas is linked with a cold water tank through a pipe, and the water gets heated. This heated water, in turn, travels through pipes across the whole property. All the appliances that require water will have that hot water running through them. After circulating, the water returns to the boiler.
The downside with this is that the water will lose its heat gradually while it is in circulation until it returns to the boiler. So the appliances will get very hot water at the start of the circuit, but the water will lose that temperature towards the end of the circulation. Another thing is that the boiler has to work nonstop, which requires a constant gas supply. That would be very expensive. The boiler has to be connected to the mains.
Conclusion:
As we have mentioned before, you have to focus on your need and your requirement. Different types are suitable depending on the property size, location, budget, and the number of occupants, so you have to figure out what is ideal for you. The central heating system should execute its operation in a timely and efficient manner. If your system is not up to providing enough heating and fulfilling your requirements, there is no reason for you to keep it.
