Throughout Europe, boilers are the most popular appliance for providing central heating and hot water in the home.
Depending on what fuel is available in the home, boilers can run on natural gas, liquid gas, oil or electricity.
Boilers can be wall hung or floor standing. Wall hung boilers are more popular because they take up less space than floor standing boilers. However, traditionally, floor standing boilers have a higher output and are especially suitable for larger properties.
Types of boiler:
Open vent boilers - Sometimes known as heat only boilers, provide central heating and hot water using a boiler, a hot water storage cylinder housed in an airing cupboard and water tanks in the loft.
Combination boilers - Combination boilers or combis, provide central heating and instant hot water so they do not need a separate water storage cylinder.
System boilers - System boilers are often referred to as sealed system boilers. They provide central heating and hot water via a storage cylinder housed in an airing cupboard. However, there is no need for water tanks in the loft, as with an open vent boiler.
Some boilers have an integral hot water storage tank. These combination-store, or combi store, boilers are usually floor standing.
Boilers can be either conventional or condensing.
The term condensing, or high efficiency, means the boiler recovers more heat from the amount of oil or gas that is burnt, making it more efficient than conventional boilers. By recovering and using heat that would otherwise be lost up the flue, the best condensing boilers are more than 90% efficient. Although condensing boilers cost more initially, they are very economical to use, and can pay back the initial extra cost in fuel savings. Condensing boilers also have lower emissions of toxic gasses making them much better for the environment. - Description added by: Baxi + Add your own description
Electricity is fundamental to modern societies. It is the backbone to nearly all other technologies and we use it daily in lighting, appliances, communications and healthcare. Currently most electricity is generated in centralised, large-scale power stations fuelled by fossil fuels, uranium (nuclear power) or through renewable or alternative energy sources such as wind or hydro-electric power. It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to secure long-term, cost-effective and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel power stations to cover both current demand, and future growth. There is an urgent need for open debate and consensus on the future of electricity generation as decisions are being made now that will still need to be in place in thirty years time, when the world might look radically different from how it does now. - Description added by: David Lockie + Add your own description
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