With gas boilers, there are options available for the size of your property and your family’s hot water requirements. Normally, the larger the house the greater the demand for heating and hot water. There are great boilers available for a 5 bedroom house that has lots of radiators and a big family.
Here, we look at the different types of combi boilers that suit a large home and pick the best boilers.
Best combi boilers for a 5 bedroom house
Here are the best boilers for a large 5 bedroom house:
- Viessmann Vitodens 111-W
- Worcester Bosch Greenstar Highflow 550CDi
- Glow-worm Energy 35kW Storage Combi
- Worcester Bosch Greenstar 8000 Life 50kW Combi
- Ideal Vogue C40 Combi boiler
When it comes to large houses with five bedrooms, combi boilers may not be the most suitable choice. Instead, regular or system boilers, coupled with a hot water storage cylinder, tend to be a better fit. However, if you still prefer a combi boiler, there are a few models that stand out for their higher output and water flow rates.
The Viessmann Vitodens 111-W and Worcester Bosch Greenstar Highflow 550CDi are among the top contenders in this category, offering reliable performance and efficiency for larger households.
A combi boiler takes water from the mains water supply and heats it on demand. In a large house, if more than one hot tap is opened at the same time, the combi boiler isn’t able to adequately supply all of them, especially with multiple bathrooms on different floors.
Key Boiler Considerations for a 5 Bedroom House
When selecting a combi boiler for your 5 bedroom house, there are several factors to take into account. These considerations will help you determine the most suitable boiler to meet your specific heating and hot water needs:
1. Heating Capacity
One of the primary considerations when choosing a combi boiler is its heating capacity. In a 5 bedroom house, it’s essential to ensure that the boiler has sufficient output to heat multiple rooms effectively. Calculating the required heating capacity involves assessing the overall size of your house, insulation levels, and the number of radiators or underfloor heating systems you plan to install. It’s crucial to choose a combi boiler that can deliver the required heat output to keep your entire home comfortably warm, even during colder months.
2. Hot Water Demand
In a household with 5 bedrooms, there is likely to be a high demand for hot water. To meet this demand adequately, it’s important to choose a combi boiler with a high flow rate. The flow rate determines how much hot water the boiler can supply per minute. Look for a combi boiler that offers a flow rate suitable for your household’s needs, considering the number of bathrooms, showers, and other hot water outlets in your home.
3. Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is a critical factor to consider not only for the environment but also for your energy bills. Opting for a highly efficient combi boiler will help reduce your carbon footprint and save you money in the long run. When assessing the energy efficiency of a combi boiler, look for models with high Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings. These ratings indicate the percentage of fuel converted into usable heat, with higher percentages reflecting greater efficiency.
4. Size and Installation
The size and installation requirements of the combi boiler should align with the available space in your 5 bedroom house. Ensure that the boiler can be easily accommodated in a suitable location, such as a utility room or airing cupboard. Additionally, consider the compatibility of the boiler with your existing heating system, as some models may require specific connections or modifications for installation.
Best type of boiler for a large house
There are high power combi boilers that can heat your home effectively if you have 1-2 bathrooms alongside your 5 bedrooms.
An example of the storage combi boiler is the wall-mounted Glow-worm Energy 35kW Storage Combi (currently around £1400) which gives a good 19.7 l/min water flow rate. It has a 42 litre storage capacity so the hot water is stored in its integrated tanks ready for use on demand. It also comes with a 7-year guarantee included free and if installed by a Glow-worm approved installer you could get up to 15 years of guarantee.
The other highly rated model is the wall-mounted Viessmann Vitodens 111-W which is also a 35kW output (currently £1600) and has a 46 litre storage capacity. Its water flow rate is more than 18 l/min. This boiler comes with a 5 year warranty as standard and can go up to 10 years if a Viessmann trained installer puts it in.
Check the cost of a Viessmann Vitodens boiler from Warmzilla here
The downside of these types of boilers is that they are a bigger size than a normal combi so will look bigger on the wall, and their storage capacity isn’t as much as cylinders that come with other boiler systems. But because you don’t need a cylinder, the installation time and cost is much lower.
If you need something even bigger because you have more bathrooms or family members, the floor standing Worcester Bosch Greenstar Highflow 550CDi Combi Gas Boiler may be the one for you. It has a 40kW output with a massive 25 l/min water flow rate.
It is specially designed for larger houses with a large number of radiators and 2 or more bathrooms but doesn’t have integrated storage capacity as the other two. You can get up to 7 years warranty for this boiler. This is also the most expensive of the three mentioned.
Large houses need a high water flow rate
The other thing to look at is the water flow rate of the boiler. This is the number of litres of water that can pass through the boiler to supply hot water to the taps and showers every minute (shown as l/min). Normal combis give 10 l/min which isn’t good enough for a big house really.
If you have limited space and only a combi boiler will do, you will need a large 35-40kW combi boiler to manage the large number of radiators and hot water demands.
Top Combi Boilers for a 5 bedroom house: A Comparison
| Boiler Model | Price Range | Flow Rate | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Bosch Greenstar Highflow 550 CDi | £2,475 – £2,957.08 | 25 l/min | 30 kW |
| Viessmann Vitodens 111-W | £1,500 – £1,800 | 18 l/min | 26 – 35 kW |
| Glow Worm Energy 35 kW | £1,020 – £1,200 | 14.4 l/min | 35 kW |
| Worcester Bosch Greenstar 8000 Life 50kW Combi | £2,000 – £2,500 | 20 l/min | 50 kW |
| Ideal Vogue C40 Combi boiler | £1,300 – £1,600 | 16.4 l/min | 40 kW |
Check the cost of all these boilers from Warmzilla here
Impact of Water Pressure on Combi Boiler Performance
Another factor in choosing a combi for a large house is the mains water pressure. Does it deliver enough cold water to the boiler for it to meet the household demand? If it can’t, the boiler won’t be able to supply hot water to multiple open taps and showers at the same time.
Check what the water usage is like in the household in times of peak use. You will always get some fluctuations and so you need to be aware of them no matter what boiler you have installed. There are ways to overcome this issue but make sure to get this checked by the engineer before installation.
Conclusion
Selecting the best combi boiler for your 5 bedroom house is a crucial decision that can significantly impact your home’s heating efficiency and performance. By considering factors such as heating capacity, hot water demand, energy efficiency, and installation requirements, you can make an informed choice that meets your specific requirements.
With our top recommendations of combi boilers tailored for 5 bedroom houses, you can confidently invest in a heating system that will provide optimal comfort and convenience for you and your family.