Baxi 400 428 - a system boiler, regular boiler or combi boiler?

When looking for a combi boiler for your house or flat, the Baxi 400 428 might be a suitable option for you.

Traditional boilers would require you to install one or more storage tanks in your property. These tanks either kept the water warm or stored it for later heating. Manufacturers initially designed and introduced combi boilers to the market to offer homeowners the highest levels of warmth and unlimited hot water without taking up as much space.

Combi boilers provide hot water on demand for your radiators and taps. They take water directly from the mains, heat it immediately as it's needed, and then distribute the hot water around your home.

Combi boilers, however, are limited in terms of how much water they can heat at any given time. For example, if one person wishes to take a shower while another wants to turn on a hot water tap, the amount of water reaching each point drops. This results in a drop in the water pressure as well as the temperature.

Would the Baxi 400 428 combi boiler be suitable for my house or flat?

Whether this Baxi 400 428 Combi boiler is right for where you live depends on its size or "output" level. Size does not mean its physical dimensions, however - it means how powerful it is.

Measured in kilowatts, a boiler's output level is an indication of the amount of power it has available to it to heat the water coming from your taps and for warming your radiators. The greater the output level, the more water it can heat.

If you choose a boiler whose output level is too low, you'll often find that the water is not as hot as you want it to be. If you choose a boiler whose level is too high, you'll be paying higher gas bills than you need to for years to come.

The output of the Baxi 400 428 combi is 28 kW, so which types of property is this Baxi 400 428 Combi boiler appropriate for?

A PlumbProud heating engineer would likely recommend that this Baxi 400 428 Combi boiler is suitable for medium-sized homes and larger apartments with 10-15 radiators and two bathrooms.

With all combi boilers, the "flow rate" (measured in litres per minute) is as important a consideration as output rate when choosing which model to go for. This Baxi 400 428 Combi boiler's flow rate is 12 L/m.

Like all combi boilers, the Baxi 400 428 draws water from the mains. It instantly heats that water and then distributes it to the parts of your home which need it - taps, radiators, bathrooms, and so on.

However, the water in the mains pipe that feeds your boilers has its own flow rate - normally between 10 and 12l/m. So if you choose a combi with a flow rate of 14l/m but local water pressure is equivalent to 11l/m, your boiler will actually operate at 11l/m - below its capacity.

In addition, if different family members want hot water at the same time (like for regular morning and evening showers) and your boiler has to provide hot water to your radiators at the same time, a combi boiler may not be suitable.

When our engineer comes out to quote you, they may recommend that you choose a heat only boiler or system boiler instead if your family's demand for hot water is higher than normal.

The size of the Baxi 400 428 in millimetres

The dimensions of the Baxi 400 428 are 700 mm tall, 395 mm wide, and 279 mm deep.

Is the Baxi 400 428 a non-condensing or condensing boiler?

We strongly recommend that you choose a condensing boiler like the Baxi 400 428 - the technology is improving every year so the newer the boiler, the better.

A condensing boiler captures and recycles the warmth still present in flue exhaust gases and water vapour condensation into heat, allowing it to perform more efficiently on tasks like heating the colder water returning from your radiators.

They also offer significant annual savings on household gas bills as well as being more environmentally friendly.

Is the Baxi 400 428 combi a good choice for the environment?

Environmentally-friendly heating has become an important issue for homeowners concerned about the accelerating pace of climate change.

Approximately 14% of the UK's greenhouse gas production is caused by our central heating systems. The gas boilers in larger urban areas of Britain are mainly responsible for emissions of toxic nitrogen dioxide.

Will installing a Baxi 400 428 combi in your home be a positive contribution to the environment? The figures below will tell you more.

All boilers manufactured after April 2018 in the UK must be rated as an “A” on the SEDBUK grading system, subject to a minimum energy efficiency rating of 92% or above. Before that, the minimum rate was 88% - boilers with an energy efficiency of 88% or 89% were given a “B” rating. Boilers scoring 90% or more were given an "A" rating.

The energy efficiency rating for a boiler describes the amount of energy it uses and how much goes to waste in operation.

The Baxi 400 428 has an efficiency rating of 93% with a SEDBUK grade of "A".

The Energy Related Products Directive (ERP) came into force in 2015. This legislation was introduced to encourage manufacturers to create more energy-efficient products and it covers all products that consume energy during their lifetimes, including energy used during production and at the point of disposal.

ERP ratings of "A" for heat and "A" for water were assigned when testing the Baxi 400 428.

Will I be covered if the Baxi 400 428 combi breaks down?

The Baxi 400 428 is supplied with a parts and labour warranty of 5 years.