When you are installing central heating, it’s important to connect your control panel and thermostat correctly. This way you can ensure that your system will work as well as it can. You can also set the heating and hot water to come on at a certain time, so you won’t be caught out by forgetting to turn your system on in the morning or at night.
A wet central heating system uses a boiler to heat up the water which then circulates through pipes to radiators throughout the house. Each radiator has valves which allow the water to flow in and out. The water then loses its heat through the radiators before being piped back to the boiler to be reheated.
Depending on the type of system, either water or air will be heated to keep the internal temperature of your home at a comfortable level. Several different types of central heating system are available and it’s best to choose one that will suit your needs.
The four main types of central heating systems are: vented (regular) boilers, combination boilers, solid fuel systems and sealed system boilers. All of these systems use a gas boiler and have a pump, but they differ in their design.
Vented Boilers
The majority of water-based central heating installations are vented boilers. These systems operate from a hot water cylinder in the basement, which is pumped around a series of pipes to radiators and towel rails throughout the building.
Combination Boilers
Increasing numbers of homes are being fitted with combi boilers that have both heating and hot water in one unit. These units can be a good choice for many people, as they are very easy to install and have a number of benefits.
Semi-Gravity Boilers
A semi-gravity central heating system is similar to a traditional gravity central heating system except that it uses a pump instead of a gravity feed to the cylinder. This is because the cylinder needs to be higher than the boiler in order to take advantage of gravity and this makes it more difficult to fit a pump to it.
Sealed Boilers
A sealed central heating system is a relatively new concept and it’s still not widely used in the UK. They have a number of advantages over vented boilers, including not requiring a vent or a feed and expansion tank, but they do need to have some safety features built in, such as a stop cock to ensure that the pressure is always maintained.
They are usually more expensive than their vented counterparts but they are more reliable and less likely to fail due to a leak. They are also more compact and less costly to maintain.
You can install a sealed system by simply connecting the boiler to your piping, although this may not be possible if you have a larger property or have a large number of radiators. If you are considering this option, it is best to talk to your plumbing contractor.