Home Heating Guide

A combi boiler heats water directly from the mains, providing instant hot water without a cylinder. It’s ideal for small to medium homes with one bathroom, but may struggle if multiple taps or showers are used at the same time.

System boilers work with a hot water cylinder to supply multiple taps or showers simultaneously, while regular boilers use both a cylinder and a cold water storage tank. System boilers are generally more compact and efficient than traditional setups.

A TRV (Thermostatic Radiator Valve) allows you to control the temperature of each radiator individually. This helps save energy by heating only the rooms you need and improves overall comfort.

Condensing boilers recover heat from flue gases that would otherwise escape, increasing efficiency to over 90%. They save energy, reduce bills, and are required in all modern installations.

Radiators should be bled when you notice cold spots at the top while the bottom is warm. This removes trapped air, allowing hot water to circulate properly and improving efficiency. Many homeowners check this annually before winter.

Flow rate measures how much hot water your boiler delivers per minute. A higher flow rate ensures strong showers and faster hot water delivery. Combi boilers are particularly sensitive to mains water flow.

Knowing key heating terms helps you maintain your system, understand manuals, communicate with engineers, and make informed decisions about upgrades or repairs. Our heating guide for homeowners makes this simple.