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Living in a large house feels great, doesn’t it? Bigger and more functional rooms, plenty of space for hosting guests, dinners or parties with friends, more privacy for every family member… Potentially, the list can be as long as the house is big. However, with large houses come more responsibilities as eco-conscious citizens.
The UK aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 78% by 2035, and we all can contribute to achieving this goal. Installing an energy-efficient boiler can help you better meet your home’s central heating and hot water demands and reduce your carbon footprint. Plus, by installing a new, more efficient boiler, you can save up to 30% on your energy bills.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about boilers for large properties. From the best combi boiler for a large house to what size a boiler has to be for a 5-bed home and the top 10 boiler models available on the market, just keep reading to find out.
According to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), a public body that advises the government on climate change, 40% of UK emissions come from households. The CCC also points out that the average home in the country emits around 2.5 tonnes of CO2 every year just from heating. This means that, as homeowners, we have an essential role in meeting the emissions reduction goal, especially if we own larger homes.
The CCC’s advice is to switch to low-carbon systems such as heat pumps; however, these may cost as much as more than £15,000. Suppose you’re not ready to switch to expensive alternatives, in that case, you can take the first step by reducing your home carbon emissions through low carbon heating solutions.
There are boilers out there that can meet a large house’s central heating and hot water needs. Our experts at GreenMatch will save you time by providing you with up to 3 tailor-made offers suited to your home’s energy requirements from suppliers that operate near you.
We advise you then compare these deals objectively so that you can lock in the best boiler. Did you know that you can save up to £350 per year on your bills by installing an energy-efficient boiler?
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Most likely, the best boiler for a large house with 5 bedrooms and 2 or more bathrooms will be a system or regular boiler. The reason is that they accumulate hot water in a deposit. This is very convenient if your 5-bedroom home has more than 1 bathroom, as most large houses have.
In general, combi boilers work better in homes with 1 bathroom. Since they do not store hot water, the hot water flow may weaken if two persons take baths or showers in separate bathrooms at the same time.
There are, however, models of combi boilers suitable for a large house. They are powerful enough to supply hot water for two bathrooms -and even an ensuite- used simultaneously.
Furthermore, only consider a new regular boiler if you already have one installed. They are complex heating systems with the need for additional water feed tanks in the loft and extra plumbing work, increasing your installation costs.
A system boiler is a modern version of the regular boiler, as they take water from the mains (rather than a tank in the loft). Changing from a regular to a system boiler can help modernise your heating system and free up some loft space.
To help you decide, GreenMatch has created a list of the top 10 best boilers for a 5-bedroom house:
Besides its size (output rating), there are other factors to consider when choosing a boiler for a large house. The infographic below will give you an overview of what to take into account when looking for the best boilers for large houses. It will help you to evaluate the option that best fits your needs.
By simply filling out our short form below, we will connect you with up to 3 installer quotes by licensed professionals in your area, so that you may choose the best offer for you without the pain of researching for suppliers yourself.
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The ideal greener choice for you is changing to a form of low carbon heating such as electric or biomass boilers. They can significantly reduce your home’s carbon footprint as it does not use fossil fuels to run.
However, electric boilers tend to be less potent than gas and oil boilers making them best suited to smaller homes and flats, as they can’t meet larger homes’ high central heating and domestic hot water demands. Similarly, domestic biomass boilers usually are under the 45 kW output and are often used in residential or small commercial properties.
On the other hand, you must also consider that gas boilers in the UK will be phased out, even if it is still unclear when this will happen. You can learn more about it in this 6-min video:
So what to do in such a dilemma? Our recommendation is to switch to low carbon alternatives for heating your 5-bedroom home. If it is not feasible at the moment because of either technical or financing reasons, then consider installing a new, highly-efficient condensing boiler.
These boilers run on gas but have less impact on the environment thanks to an increase in efficiency compared with non-condensing boilers. Unless you’re building a new home, the gas boiler ban will not affect you right away. Yet, there will come a time when you may have to replace your boiler after its lifespan.
When we talk about boiler sizing, we are talking about the boiler’s power. You can find it easily in any boiler’s technical specifications as ‘output rating’, measured in kilowatts (kW).
Combi boilers have two output ratings: one for central heating (CH) and another for domestic hot water (DHW). On the other hand, system boilers and conventional boilers only have one output rating (for CH), as the domestic hot water is taken directly from a hot water cylinder they include.
Roughly speaking, your boiler has to be as powerful as the size of your house requires it. For instance, boilers with a lower output rating are sufficient for smaller apartments with up to 10 radiators. A 5-bedroom house with 15 to 20 radiators and 2 bathrooms or more needs a bigger boiler.
The maximum output of the best combi boilers for a large house generally ranges from 30.9 kW to 35 kW, for central heating, and from 38.7 kW to 48.9 kW, for domestic hot water. These sizes are effective for 5-bedroom houses or, in other words, for properties with around 15 radiators and 2 bathrooms (and sometimes also 1 ensuite).
On the other hand, the maximum output of the best system boilers for a large house ranges from 30.4 kW to 36 kW. This is enough for properties with 15 to 20 radiators (5 to 7 bedrooms). Similarly, the power of our suggested regular boilers ranges from 30.3 kW to 35 kW.
The optimal size of the best boiler for a large house (5-7 bedrooms) will also depend on other factors besides the property’s size and the number of radiators required. The insulation, number and type of windows, such as double glazed windows, and the construction materials used in your home can all make a difference.
Below you will find a table with the approximate boiler power (kW) ranges meeting the central heating requirements of different house sizes.
House Size | Combi Boilers | System Boilers | Regular Boilers |
---|---|---|---|
Houses with up to 10 radiators (usually up to 4 bedrooms) | 24-27 kW | 9-18 kW | 9-18 kW |
Houses with 10-15 radiators (usually 4 to 5 bedrooms) | 28-34 kW | 18-26 kW | 18-26 kW |
Houses with 15-20 radiators (usually 5-7 bedrooms) | 35-42 kW | 26-40 kW | 26-40 kW |
Compared to regular and system boilers, combi boilers need to be more powerful to achieve the same result. This is because they provide central heating and heat the water on demand instead of heating and storing hot water in a separate cylinder, as the other boilers do.
Comparing multiple local quotes guarantees the best deal since local installers will charge less for the supply and delivery, amounting to less overall installation costs. What’s more, with multiple quotes, you can objectively compare to locate the best deal without the necessity of spending countless hours doing the hard work by yourself. Just click the button below to get started.
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There are many combi boilers suitable for large houses available on the market. We came up with the following top 3 best combi boilers for a large house. Keep in mind that the prices below are only estimates, not exact quotes.
The Greenstar 8000 Life 50 kW is the most powerful combi boiler in the range. It’s a condensing gas-fired boiler designed and manufactured by Worcester Bosch. It is compact and highly efficient.
✓ Size (output rating). A 50 kW DHW output rating makes this the ideal boiler for properties with 2 bathrooms and an ensuite. It also has a CH output rating of 35 kW, perfect for a property with around 15 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. The Greenstar 8000 has a seasonal efficiency rating of 94%, awarding it with an ErP A-rating for heat and hot water. It can definitely help you save money on your energy bills.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. Its 5-year standard warranty can be extended to 12 years when installed by a Worcester Bosch Accredited Installer. The Greenstar 8000 Life 50 is a boiler you can rely on.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £2,900 to £3,400.
The Vogue Max C40 is a condensing combi gas boiler designed for wall-mounted installation, manufactured by Ideal.
✓ Size (output rating). Its CH output of 32 kW and its DHW output of 40 kW mean that the C40 is best suited to homes with 2 bathrooms and around 15 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. The Vogue Max C40 is a highly-efficient boiler, as its 93% efficiency and ErP A-rating for heat and hot water show. You can save money on your energy bills all year round by installing this boiler.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. Vogue Max combi boilers come with a standard 10 years warranty. You can extend it to 12 years when installed by an Ideal Max Accredited installer.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £2,123 to £2,623.
The Vaillant ecoTEC Plus 938 is a powerful and highly-efficient condensing combi gas boiler. It includes an innovative integrated hot water storage device that can deliver up to 20 litres of hot water per minute and supply hot water in only 5 seconds!
✓ Size (output rating). The Vaillant ecoTEC Plus 938 has a CH output of 30.9 kW and DHW output of 38.7 kW. It is suitable for homes with up to 15 radiators and 2 bathrooms.
✓ Efficiency. The ecoTEC Plus 938 is a highly-efficient boiler with an efficiency of 94% and ErP A-rating for both heating and hot water. It can help you save money on your energy bills.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. Its 5-year standard warranty can be extended to 7 or even 10 years when installed by a Vaillant Advance installer.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £2,503 to £3,003.
A system boiler is probably the best choice for a house with 5 bedrooms and 2 or more bathrooms. These are our picks for the list of the best system boilers for a large house. Notice that the prices expressed below are just estimates.
The E-Tech W 36 Tri is a wall-mounted electric sealed system boiler designed and manufactured by ACV. It is a good option for large homes looking for an alternative to gas.
✓ Size (output rating). This boiler has a CH output rating of 36 kW. It is suitable for larger properties, including detached homes with 15 or more radiators and two or more bathrooms.
✓ Efficiency. The E-Tech W 36 Tri has a 37% efficiency rating and ErP D-rating. Due to electricity being carbon-intensive and, as a result, expensive, the efficiency ratings appear lower than gas and oil.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. This boiler is available with a standard warranty period of 1 year
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £2,610 to £3,110.
The ecoTEC plus 630 system boiler is a highly-efficient condensing gas boiler designed and manufactured by Vaillant.
✓ Size (output rating). It is a powerful boiler with a CH output rating of 30.4 kW. It is well suited to larger homes with up to 20 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. The ecoTEC plus 630 is a highly-efficient boiler thanks to its heating efficiency of 94% and ErP A-rating. It can help lower your energy bills.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. Its 5-year standard warranty can be extended to 7 or even 10 years when installed by a Vaillant Advance installer.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £2,163 to £2,663.
The Vogue Max S32 is a condensing system gas boiler manufactured by Ideal. It is the most powerful boiler in the Vogue Max range.
✓ Size (output rating). The Vogue Max S32 has a CH output rating of 32 kW. It is best suited to homes with 15-20 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. This highly-efficient boiler has an efficiency of 93.2% and an ErP A-rating. It can help lower your energy bills.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. A ten years warranty covers Vogue Max system boilers. You can extend it to 12 years when installed by a Max Accredited installer.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £2,058 to £2,558.
The Platinum Plus 32 is a condensing system gas boiler designed for wall-mounted installation and manufactured by Baxi.
✓ Size (output rating). Its CH output rating of 32 kW makes this boiler work very well in properties with up to 20 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. The Baxi Platinum Plus is a highly-efficient system boiler with an efficiency of 93% and an ErP A-rating.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. This system boiler comes with a 10 years warranty as standard.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £1,832 to £2,332.
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Regular boilers are also a good choice for a house with 5 bedrooms and 2 or more bathrooms. However, our advice is to install a new regular boiler only if you already have one installed. Changing from an old combi or system boiler to a new regular boiler may be more expensive, as they need extra pipes and additional water feed tanks in the loft.
Here is our list of the top 3 best regular boilers for a large house. The prices shown are estimates.
The Logic Max Heat H30 Regular Gas Boiler is a reliable condensing unit. It has a large digital display for complete control, full compatibility with Ideal controls and easy access for heating engineers, which can help you save money on future services.
✓ Size (output rating). This boiler has a CH output rating of 30 kW. It is perfect for larger properties with around 20 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. The Logic Max Heat H30 has an efficiency of 93% and an ErP A-rating. It has the potential to help lower your energy bills.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. This boiler comes with a standard 10 years warranty. You can extend it to 12 years when installed by a Max Accredited installer.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £1,917 to £2,417.
The Greenstar 8000 Life 35 kW is a condensing regular boiler that can run on natural gas or LPG. It is designed and manufactured by Worcester Bosch.
✓ Size (output rating). Its 35 kW CH output rating makes this the perfect boiler for homes with up to 20 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. High efficiency was what engineers and designers had in mind when creating this boiler. The Greenstar 8000 Life 35 will help you save money on your energy bills thanks to its efficiency of 94% and ErP A-rating.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. Its 5-year standard warranty can be extended to 12 years when installed by a Worcester Bosch Accredited Installer. With the Greenstar 8000 Life, you can be confident that you’ve installed a reliable boiler.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £2,346 to £2,846.
The ecoTEC Plus 430 is a highly-efficient condensing regular boiler fuelled by natural gas. It is designed and manufactured by Vaillant.
✓ Size (output rating). The ecoTEC Plus 430 is a powerful boiler with a CH output rating of 30.5 kW. It is well suited to properties with as many as 20 radiators.
✓ Efficiency. It is a highly-efficient regular boiler with an efficiency of 94% and an ErP A-rating. These figures mean that for every £1 spent on heating the home, only 6p is lost to heat carried out by the waste gases.
✓ Warranty/Guarantee. Its 5-year standard warranty can be extended to 7 or even 10 years when installed by a Vaillant Advance installer.
✓ Price. Its typical total price (including VAT, sundries, and installation cost) ranges from £1,967 to £2,467.
To make your buying decision easier, GreenMatch will match you with reliable suppliers of boilers in your area. We will provide you with up to 3 different quotes that fit your needs and budget. You can avoid researching by using our service with no binding obligations, completely free of charge. Get started by simply filling out the form below.
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Luis Antonio is a seasoned Content Writer with international journalism experience. His writing style, enriched by a Master’s in Journalism, contributes informative content to GreenMatch on topics including low-carbon heating systems.