What Is a Combi Boiler?

Modern homes are all about efficiency – and for many of us, that includes space efficiency. Smart solutions that save us money, energy, or floor space can really make a difference in our quality of life; in the case of a combi boiler, you get all three benefits.

A combi boiler provides space heat and hot water at the same time, which creates several important advantages for you as a North Carolina homeowner. To understand why, let’s take a step back for a moment to understand how water heaters and boilers work.

A conventional water heater is usually equipped with a water tank and a burner; the burner heats the water, which is then stored in the tank until it’s ready to be used in your taps and appliances. A boiler works similarly, but instead of the hot water traveling to your taps, it gets pumped through the baseboards or radiators.

A combi boiler, on the other hand, combines these two appliances into a single high-efficiency unit that provides both the heat and hot water for your home.

Two key advantages of a combi boiler

By combining the functions of space heating and tankless water heating into a single unit, a combi boiler provides two important advantages compared to conventional water/home heating systems:

• Energy efficiency – Tankless water heating systems are inherently more efficient than conventional ones, since they heat only the water you need and operate without a pilot light (with a tankless water heater, there is no stand-by heat loss, since no water is actually stored). By combining the functions of two appliances into a single unit, a combi boiler further ups the efficiency ante (15 percent improvements are common). Moreover, it’s cheaper to purchase, install, and maintain a single unit than it is to do the same with separate space- and water-heating units.
• Size / Placement flexibility – A combi boiler is a compact (about the size of a suitcase) – a benefit it can chalk up to not needing a tank to store water: rather than heating water in advance, it uses powerful a heat exchanger to heat water instantly on demand. By replacing two appliances with a single, space efficient unit, you will save plenty of floor space – especially when you consider that a combi boiler can be wall mounted. That’s a big advantage in a smaller home, or a home without a basement.

Is a combi boiler right for me?

With their compact size, combi boilers also have a smaller capacity than conventional water heaters; this makes them ideal for small families or couples in smaller homes with limited space and a single bathroom. If you want to run multiple hot taps simultaneously, or have to accommodate the needs of a larger family, a storage tank can be added to your system.

Want a smart, eco-friendly, and cost effective way to heat your home and your water? A combi boiler could be just right for you. To learn more or get a FREE, no obligation estimate on combi boiler installation, contact us today – or come to see a combi boiler in action at our new demonstration showroom, coming soon to our NC service area!

Cherry Energy – Serving our Eastern North Carolina neighbors since 1928.