What Types of Oil Fired Boilers Are There?

What Types of Oil Fired Boilers Are There?

The range of oil fired boilers available today is very similar to that of the gas fired boilers – the only difference being the fuel that they run on. Oil boilers are therefore available in the following forms:

• Combination oil boilers
• Regular oil boilers
• System oil boilers

On 1st April 2007 new condensing boiler regulations for oil boilers were put into place to reduce CO2 emissions. This now means that all new and replacement oil boilers that are installed into domestic homes have to be condensing boilers unless the dwelling has been classed as exempt.

Combination oil boilers heat the radiators and the hot water on demand when the boiler is turned on. This means that there is instantaneous hot water which is ideal for most families. Their main drawback, however, is that their flow rate can be quite slow because the water is being heated as it flows through the boiler and so combination oil boilers are not really suitable for larger houses or those with more than two bathrooms.

Regular oil boilers are always found with an associated hot water storage tank, normally located in the airing cupboard. When the boiler is turned on the radiators and hot water heat up and then the hot water is stored until it is required. Regular oil boilers are particularly suited to large houses where hot water might be needed on demand by more than one person at the same time. In addition their flow rates are generally quite high which means they can easily provide hot water to multiple appliances without a decrease in performance.

Regular oil boilers can also be fitted externally if the need arises. This means that there is no running noise within the house and that valuable space is not lost in small, compact kitchens. In addition the oil boiler can be maintained and serviced from outside even when there is nobody at home.

System oil boilers are very similar to regular boilers in that they make use of a hot water storage tank. The main difference between the two is that a system boiler contains all of the important components of the heating system actually within the boiler case. This means that the pump, the expansion vessel, the automatic air vent, the safety valve and the controls are all packed into the boiler which makes installation and maintenance much easier and quicker. Unfortunately, however, this also means that system boilers are often a bit larger in size than their regular counterparts.

Contrary to popular belief oil fired boilers are often as quiet, clean and efficient as gas fired boilers. They are also very similar in size which makes them just as suitable for most kitchens. Some oil boilers can also be fitted externally which means less disruption, less mess during installation and more available space left in the kitchen area.