On Mar 12, 12:48*am, Andy Dingley wrote:
On Mar 11, 3:42*pm, "Triffid" wrote:

Prior to switching I was of the 'don't touch a combi with a barge-pole'
school of thought. I was persuaded by the argument that modern condensing
combis are a dramatic improvement on the earlier efforts.

It's not condensing that made combis work, it was building them of
adequate power. This has been usual practice for the last 15+ years
and competently specified combis, built by competent makers (i.e. no
Ravenheats) have worked well ever since. The old problematic ones were
just too small.

If you want a multi-fuel system with solar or solid input too, then
you do still need some sort of thermal store. If you're designing a
purely gas system, then combis are the way to go.

In only a few years gas will be too expensive for heating. (Libya is
the start) The is no such thing as purely gas,we all need electricity
in the house. This leads to premium payments for the first bit/meter
rental for both gas and electric.
So therefore gas is not the way to go at all. Zero gas and zero gas
meter rentals is the way to go.
Heat pumps and electricity are the way to. Zero maintenance and
little to go wrong. Run off PV panels on the roof if you like.
Don't be a lemming, be ahead of the proles.

The age of gas is finished.