Low mains pressure or flow
A combi or unvented cylinder can only be as good as the water coming in. A tank-fed system doesn’t depend on it for every tap.
Regular boilers · Croydon
Regular boiler installation in Croydon
Tanks in the loft and a cylinder in the airing cupboard? You don’t have to rip it all out. A new regular boiler on the system you already have is often the simplest, most sensible replacement, and we’ll tell you honestly when it is.
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Heat-only, conventional, regular
Three names for the same boiler
A regular boiler, also sold as heat-only or conventional, heats your radiators and a hot water cylinder. It doesn’t have a pump or expansion vessel inside, because the system around it does that job, with 2 tanks in the loft.
The bigger tank stores cold water and feeds the cylinder, so your hot water comes from the loft by gravity rather than from the mains. The small one, the feed and expansion tank, keeps the heating topped up and gives the water somewhere to go as it warms and expands.
It’s an older layout, but it isn’t a bad one. If the tanks and cylinder are sound, a new regular boiler slots in where the old one was, often with very little change to the rest of the house.
When to keep it
When a regular boiler is still the right answer
Converting to a combi gets a lot of attention. These are the homes where keeping the tanks makes more sense.
An existing tank-fed system
If your pipework, showers and cylinder are all built around the loft tanks, keeping them avoids a lot of re-piping.
Not the right time to convert
Mid-renovation, selling soon or simply on a budget. A like-for-like swap now doesn’t stop you converting later.
Several bathrooms, weak mains
Stored hot water serves several taps at once. A combi would struggle, and unvented needs mains flow you may not have.
Your options
Keep it, upgrade it, or convert it
Most regular boiler owners can go 3 ways. Like-for-like is usually the quickest. The others give you more space or mains-pressure showers, at the cost of more work.
Regular boiler
Also called heat-only or conventional. A cylinder plus cold water tanks in the loft.
Best for: Older homes with low mains pressure, or where the pipework is built around it.
Read more →System boiler
Heats a hot water cylinder, usually in an airing cupboard. Mains-fed, so no loft tanks.
Best for: Bigger homes with two or more bathrooms in use at the same time.
Read more →Combi boiler
Heats water on demand, straight from the mains. No hot water cylinder, no tanks in the loft.
Best for: Flats and most 1 to 3 bedroom homes with one bathroom, or two with a larger model.
Read more →Like-for-like
What we check when we swap a regular boiler
The boiler is only part of a tank-fed system. These are the parts that decide whether the new one runs well.
Loft tanks
Plastic tanks can crack and older ones can be dirty or uncovered. We look at both and tell you if either needs replacing.
Feed and expansion tank
If it’s overflowing, empty or sludgy, it can point to problems in the system. We check the float valve and the water level.
Pump and valves
On a regular system the pump and zone valves sit outside the boiler. Old ones are a common weak spot, so we test them.
Gravity hot water
Most modern boilers are designed for fully pumped systems. If your hot water still circulates to the cylinder without a pump, we’ll usually upgrade it.
Cylinder thermostat
So the boiler stops heating the cylinder once it’s hot. If yours doesn’t have one, it goes in with the new controls.
Clean system water
Open-vented systems often carry years of sludge. The system is flushed and dosed with inhibitor to BS 7593 before the new boiler runs.
Comparing quotes
What your quote should include
Use this to compare any two quotes. If one is cheaper, check it isn’t simply missing something on this list.
A proper installation includesWhy it mattersAsk on any quote
A survey of flue, gas supply and water flow
Decides the boiler size and whether a combi will give decent showers.
“How did you size the boiler?”
System cleaned to BS 7593, with inhibitor
Sludge from the old system is the main killer of new boilers.
“Is a full system clean included?”
Magnetic system filter
Keeps catching debris for the life of the boiler.
“Which filter, and where will it go?”
Controls that meet Boiler Plus
A legal requirement in England, and it saves gas.
“Which controls are included?”
New flue kit, positioned to the rules
Reusing an old flue or a bad position can fail inspection.
“Is the flue new, and where will it exit?”
Condensate pipe protected from frost
A frozen condensate pipe is the most common winter breakdown.
“Where will the condensate drain?”
Old boiler, tanks and cylinder removed
Disposal costs money. Make sure it’s not an extra on the day.
“Is removal and disposal included?”
Building Control notified, warranty registered
Without them, selling the house and claiming on the warranty get harder.
“Who notifies, and who registers the warranty?”
FAQ
Regular boiler questions
Should I convert to a combi instead?
Only if it suits your home. With good mains flow and 1 bathroom, a combi conversion frees up space. With weak mains or several bathrooms in use at once, keeping a regular boiler is often better. We measure the flow and tell you straight.
Can I keep my cylinder and loft tanks?
Yes, if they’re in good condition. We check both when we look at the job. Old cylinders and cracked or dirty tanks are worth replacing while the system is drained anyway.
How long does a regular boiler swap take?
A like-for-like swap in the same position is usually a 1-day job. Moving the boiler or changing the pipework around the cylinder can add another day.
Are regular boilers less efficient than combis?
A modern regular boiler is a condensing boiler like any other. A cylinder loses a little heat as it stands, so good insulation and a cylinder thermostat matter. For many homes that matters less than choosing the right type.
Do I need new controls?
Every new gas boiler in England needs time and temperature controls under Boiler Plus. On a regular system that usually means a programmer for heating and hot water, a room thermostat and a cylinder thermostat.
Guides
Read before you decide
- Choosing a boilerCombi vs system vs regular boiler: which is right for your home?Combi, system or regular boiler? How each one works, which homes each suits, and when changing type makes sense. A plain guide from Gas Safe engineers.Read the guide
- Choosing a boilerCombi boilers: water pressure and flow rate explainedWhy your mains water flow rate matters for a combi boiler, the difference between pressure and flow, a simple home test, and what to do if it’s low.Read the guide
- Choosing a boilerShould you repair or replace your boiler?Should you repair your boiler or replace it? An honest way to decide, looking at age, parts, repair history, efficiency and warranty, without the sales pitch.Read the guide
Everything we do
New boilers
Conversions
Repairs & servicing
Get a price for a new regular boiler
A photo of the boiler and one of the loft tanks, if you can reach them safely, helps us price it without a visit.