Has your engineer recommended a Worcester Bosch heat-only boiler, and want to know what it means?
If you have an existing heat-only – or in other words, ‘regular’, open-vent or traditional – boiler in your home, and don’t want a lot of upheaval to your home, a Worcester Bosch heat-only boiler can be a great, reliable choice.
For instance, if you were looking to change to a combi boiler, you’d no longer need your water tanks (which means extra space!). However, it can also mean potentially replacing your pipework, and even relocating your boiler.
As an experienced engineer, I’m going to talk you through all you need to know about Worcester Bosch regular boilers, including the pros and cons.
What is a Worcester Bosch heat-only boiler?
A regular boiler is the more traditional boiler on the market today. It feeds heat directly to your radiators, and they also heat the water that’s then stored within a separate hot water tank.
The hot water tank is fed from with cold water from another tank (usually stored in your attic) above the boiler. This then feeds water to the hot water cylinder by what’s known as a ‘gravity feed’. There’s also a separate feed and expansion tank which feeds water to the boiler and radiators.
Of course, it’s had a few updates over the years, and Worcester Bosch are now producing relatively energy efficient heat-only boilers. They’re also ideal if you already have a regular boiler in your home, with an expansion tank in your attic.
Chances are, if you’re been using a low-pressure hot water system for years, a direct replacement can be an appealing option. There’s less upheaval, especially if your floors are sealed or don’t want to change your pipework.
There’s always the chance that changing to a pressurised system could lead to leaks. So, unless your chosen engineer is able to test the pipes under your floor, we’d recommend opting for a direct replacement for your regular, heat-only gas boiler.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of a regular Worcester Bosch boiler.
What are the pros and cons of a heat-only boiler?
Now, let’s look at some of the pros and cons you can expect with a regular boiler.
Pros of a regular boiler:
- A large hot water tank allows you to easily draw water from several taps at once
- It’s suitable for larger homes with a high hot water demand
- It works via an old-fashioned heating system – replacing it is relatively straightforward and doesn’t require changing too many pipes
- If you already have a regular boiler, a straightforward swap usually works out cheaper
Cons of a regular boiler:
- It will take up quite a bit more space than other systems
- It’s not as efficient as the likes of a combi or system boiler
- The pump is located outside of the boiler, along with a feed and expansion tank
- It can lose heat, and waste more energy – leading to more expensive fuel bills
- Hot water use is limited by the size of your cylinder (and the bigger the cylinder, the more space it takes up!)
Advice from an experienced engineer
Thinking a Worcester Bosch regular boiler could be a good fit for your home? If so, I’d recommend getting 2 – 3 fixed price quotes from reputable engineers. Of course, the cost will vary depending on your scenario, which is why you’ll also need a home visit.
TIP: It may not always be clear cut, but here’s a rough guide to Worcester Bosch heat-only boiler prices.
And there are other factors to take into consideration, such as the size of your home and the outputs you’re going to need. This is also something your engineer should be able to help advise on. But, if you know the technical specifications of your existing regular boiler, there’s a good chance a direct like-for-like swap will do the job.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve found this blog helpful when considering a Worcester Bosch regular boiler. It’s a good choice if you already have an existing heat-only boiler, and want a straightforward swap with minimal upheaval.
Worcester Bosch is also a reputable brand, and their boilers can truly last the distance, with up to an 8-year guarantee when fitted with a Worcester Bosch magnetic central heating filter and controls.
Do you have any other questions about heat-only regular boilers from Worcester Bosch? Let me know below in a comment. I’d love to hear from you!
