This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
High pressure systems These systems supply mains pressure hot water through the taps in your home. Water is drawn in from the cold water mains and is heated by your boiler. It is then stored in a storage tank until required. When you open a tap in the house, cold water from the mains forces the heated water into the central heating system and out through the tap. The pressure at the tap is the same as the pressure of the mains which in most cases is a lot higher than you would normally experience. These particular central heating systems are great if


you have a high mains pressure to start with but if the mains pressure is low then the system is unsuitable. They can be costly to install as well and some authorities re- quire a certifi cate of annual maintenance to be submitted to them.


Oil boilers Far less common than gas boilers, but equally as essential, are oil boilers. These boilers are often found in countryside homes not connected to mains gas, providing one of the best value alternatives. Around 1.5 million homes in the UK use oil for their heating, according to Which?, and this number is growing. Most oil boilers use kerosene as a fuel and are fl oor


standing. Like their gas counterparts, they also come in both combi and heat-only condensing styles.


need to be connected to a separate hot water storage system including a hot water cylinder, cold water cistern and, in some cases, an additional expansion cistern. This can prove problematic in smaller homes, most of


which should almost certainly opt for the combi option. Larger homes, though, will benefi t from the ability to pro- vide oodles of hot water to several sources at once. Worth noting is that, unless the cylinder is very well in-


sulated, it usually loses heat into its surroundings, thereby wasting energy and reducing effi ciency.


USEFUL CONTACTS


Good information can be found at: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32