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A back boiler is a heating appliance mounted to the rear of a stove or fireplace and intended to work in conjunction with or instead of other home heating systems. Back boilers can take the place of household hot water boilers or central heating systems. Compared to conventional gas boilers, they take up less space. They are also noted for being extremely reliable. With basic design and construction, back boilers can outlive even the most technologically advanced boilers today.
Back boilers are often hidden behind a fireplace or chimney. However, ones linked to a stove are becoming increasingly prevalent. A back boiler typically has a cold water intake at the bottom and a hot water exit at the top. The water is heated by hot gases passing via a flue inside the boiler.
To avoid excessive pressure build-up, a back boiler is used with a gravity feed circuit to the hot water cylinder and a vent or overflow. It may also be connected to a series of radiators to provide central heating, but this requires the installation of an electric pump to circulate the hot water. However, specific systems may use the gravity loop to incorporate radiators.
Back boilers attach to the back of a chimney or stove. They gained popularity in the 1960s and remained prevalent into the 1980s, but are now quite outdated as condensing boilers have replaced them. They were initially intended to be a secondary heat source, not a primary one, and they operate by absorbing extra heat from a fireplace.
Replacing the Back Boiler with a Combi Boiler
Many old back boilers are being replaced with more efficient combi boilers nowadays. A combi boiler warms a home's hot water and central heating, thus the name "combination." Combi boilers are small machines that do not require a hot water cylinder, allowing you to save room.
More energy efficient with a minimum of 86% energy efficiency rating
Ease of installation
Reduced installation costs
Disadvantages of Combi Boiler Installation
Not as dependable as a traditional back boiler.
Combi boilers have a lower service life than the standard back boiler
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What is the Boiler Replacement Cost?
Combi boiler installation costs less than replacing the entire plumbing. Combi boilers are a single device mounted on the wall, making it more straightforward and taking less time for the engineer to install compared to the back boiler. A combi boiler installation will typically cost between £550-£750. Costs vary according to the boiler models and whether you are replacing your radiators.
Depending on the model you buy, combi boiler prices range from £650 to £2000. For instance, Worcester Bosch's Greenstar series is priced from more than £1000 to slightly less than £2000, with power ranging from 25kw to 55kw—all with an efficiency rating of more than 90%.
Vaillant's EcoTec Pro, on the other hand, can be purchased for just £750; the Potterton Promax 24HE Plus is just £650. Note that all these prices are given to show how volatile the range is. Please ask Zara Heating experts for more information.
The disadvantage of replacing your old back boiler with a combination boiler is the lack of dependability. Despite their modern conveniences and advances in heating efficiency, combi boilers do not last as long as a traditional back boiler. The boiler has a shorter lifespan than the conventional back boiler. A combi will take you about ten years.
Back boilers have extra concerns if they have not been used for a long time. Older boilers may not have been thoroughly emptied when their use was ceased. Therefore, if the boilers are reused, there is a potential that the old water could develop pressure when heated and eventually cause the boiler to explode. To guarantee this does not happen, outdated boilers that are not in use should be replaced.
Also, improper ventilation might induce carbon monoxide poisoning. This difficulty is aggravated by using solid versus gas back boilers, and proper ventilation and replacement of solid fuel boilers should eliminate this problem.
Although back boilers have gone out of usage in the 21st century, some companies, notably in the UK, are marketing boiler/stove combinations to replace central heating systems. These kettles are generally constructed of steel or stainless steel and may be lined with glass.
Choosing the combi boiler system rather than a back boiler can be complex and intimidating. But you do not have to decide this alone. Zara Heating has been assisting contractors, end-users, property & facility managers, and engineers for years.
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