Heat-only boilers may have found themselves overtaken by their combi counterparts in the popularity stakes, but the solution remains a strong one for installers in a variety of situations. Here, Andy Speake, portfolio manager at Baxi, details four sets of circumstances that lend themselves to a heat-only boiler installation.
1. Keeping the hot water cylinder for the long term
Heat-only boilers are versatile in nature. They are suitable for both sealed and open vent systems and are ideal for customers not yet ready to replace their feed and expansion tanks. The expansion vessel and pump are separately located in the property, meaning the boiler can be cost-effectively replaced without having to change other expensive pieces of equipment.
The systems allow homeowners to keep their hot water cylinders, making it easier for them to embark on future home upgrades, including the addition of an air source heat pump (ASHP) as space is effectively reserved for the ASHP cylinder. This is also a win for installers, who can benefit from quicker jobs without the need to carry out a complete refit on a heating system. This faster turnaround can make installers available for more business opportunities while creating less disruption for homeowners.
2. The straightforward swap
The benefit of being able to directly swap one boiler for another with greater performance potential can be a significant one for heating-savvy homeowners dealing with rising energy bills.
Working with heat-only boilers is also much more straightforward for installers. Because expansion vessels and pumps are typically located in the airing cupboard, these jobs involve simpler wiring thanks to no pump overrun or permanent live being required. This also eliminates the need to run wires from the boiler to the pump.
Market-leading heat-only boilers such as Baxi’s have been designed with installers in mind. They are lightweight, compact (for airing or kitchen cupboard spaces), use flexible flueing (top or in-case rear flue) and incorporate positive fix hanging brackets for an easy and reassuring fit.
3. The need for quiet
Heat-only boilers operate quietly, meaning less disturbance – particularly in living spaces such as open-plan kitchens. This enhances comfort, especially for households with remote workers or young children. Quiet operation can be a key selling point during consultations as many customers will have previously relied on an outdated, louder boiler.
4. Uncompromised outputs
The best products are those developed with both installers and end users in mind. When these solutions are shaped by user needs and wants, they perform better and make a real difference to heating systems.
The Baxi 430, for example, is designed to meet installer demand for more complete heat-only solutions giving a high output and coming with an option for a 5-year warranty. Additionally, the Baxi 819 Heat completes the output coverage of the Baxi 800 heat range between 16kW, through to 30kW, comes with an industry leading Adey Micro2 magnetic system filter and is backed by a 10-year parts and labour warranty.
