- November 1, 2024
A boiler heating system heats water that flows through a series of pipes in a home or business. These pipes either run in a radiator in each room, a central air handler, baseboards or radiators. New condensing boiler systems are over 96% efficient. They also replace two appliances by providing the warm water for heat and your domestic hot water supply. Combination boilers take full advantage of tankless technology. They provide high-efficiency comfort in a small package. Most are only slightly larger than a carry-on suitcase.
How It Works
Condensing tankless water heaters and boilers feature two heat exchangers, a primary and a secondary. The job of the secondary heat exchanger is to take the heat that would typically exhaust through the vent and use it to preheat the water that is coming into the unit.
This process increases the efficiency of the unit by 12 to 16%. It also creates small amounts of condensation that must pump to the exterior of your structure or pipe into a drain. By using the secondary heat exchanger, the flue temperature stays below 120 degrees. The relatively cool flue temperature means that these units can typically vent with inexpensive PVC pipe.
After the water is preheated in the secondary heat exchanger, it passes through the primary heat exchanger and is heated to the set temperature. It flows from the combi boiler to your faucets, baseboard pipes, air handler or floor heating system.
A homeowner controls the unit by a series of controls and valves. It only sends hot water to the area of your home that needs warming. Combi Boilers provide both comfort and energy efficiency!
Typical Uses
These units can be used for hydronic/radiant floor heating with tubing that runs under your floor. Another option is to have tubing that is embedded in concrete. The hot water that a Combi Boiler provides can be piped to a hydronic air handler or “water furnace” and use the forced air fan and ductwork to warm the home. Many customers also use these units in hot water baseboard heating systems.
Combi Boilers are the perfect option when it comes time to replace an old, inefficient oil burning boiler. Not only will the increased efficiency of the boiler save you money, but you can also dump your electric water heater and enjoy an endless supply of hot water! Our customers have seen a significant drop in power bills (at least $50 per month) when utilizing tankless technology. G&B Energy proudly sells and installs Rinnai and Navien ultra efficient Combi Boilers.
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We recommend the installation of a Carbon Monoxide detector in the homes of ALL of our customers!