Explanation needed please (in simple terms)

[speedbird]

Hi all, i currently have a combi system where I turn on my tap and i get hot water.
I'm moving to a house that has a 'condensing' boiler with an insulated water tank. The current owners are saying that it is a better system but cannot explain why.
Can someone please try to explain to me if that's true or just speel. And how does this type of system actually work.
Or should i get a combi put in. For what it's worth, all the copper pipe work around the tank is bright coloured, looks like a recent install.
Thank you

 

[Last Plumber]

Most domestic boilers will be condensing whether they are combi's (combination of hot water and heating) or system or regular boilers.
This sounds like they have a hot water cylinder (stored water) and either a system or regular boiler used to heat that and the heating system but without more info, I am guessing.
Since 2005, the vast majority of domestic boilers have been condensing boilers.

 

[speedbird]

Thank you for replying, I remember my combi installer referring to a condensate pipe (meant nothing at the time TBH) so think i get the bit that most are now condensing boilers. You are correct about the water tank being heated up by this boiler thing but i cannot fathom how, let's say i decide the room's cool and want to heat it up, now i just hit the button and within a minute there's hot water in my radiators, but on the new system will i have to wait for the tank to heat first?

 

[Chuck]

Thank you for replying, I remember my combi installer referring to a condensate pipe (meant nothing at the time TBH) so think i get the bit that most are now condensing boilers. You are correct about the water tank being heated up by this boiler thing but i cannot fathom how, let's say i decide the room's cool and want to heat it up, now i just hit the button and within a minute there's hot water in my radiators, but on the new system will i have to wait for the tank to heat first?

The domestic hot water and central heating will have separate controls. These are normally (a) a programmable timer for the hot water cylinder, which you'd normal set to come on during the second half of the night; and (b) a programmable thermostat that controls the radiator system.

There are various possible refinements to the controls (weather compensation, internet connection, integration with solar panels, etc.).

 

[speedbird]

The domestic hot water and central heating will have separate controls. These are normally (a) a programmable timer for the hot water cylinder, which you'd normal set to come on during the second half of the night; and (b) a programmable thermostat that controls the radiator system.

There are various possible refinements to the controls (weather compensation, internet connection, integration with solar panels, etc.).

Thank you for that also, i would be lying if i said i fully understood it but i guess it will come into focus as soon as i start using it. If it turns out that I don;t like it then I'll just get a plumber to install a combi that I know I do like. Thank you