Glow Worm Energy 18kW - combi, system or regular boiler?

If you are considering installing a system boiler in your house or flat, then the Glow Worm Energy 18kW boiler is certainly worth investigating.

If you choose a system boiler, you'll have to find somewhere to install a hot water cylinder too - they're normally located in an airing or landing cupboard. However, unlike regular boilers, they do not require a cold water tank to be fitted in the attic, making them suitable for homes with limited or no roof space or if you're planning a loft conversion in the future.

System boilers distribute the hot water to your taps and radiators using (often built-in) circulation pumps and are easier to install from scratch since they have one less component (the water tank) to consider.

System boilers also require programming to produce heat and hot water, so they cannot produce this instantly. Nonetheless, the cylinder keeps water hot for use later, so you don't have to wait as long as you set your timer and keep it on long enough to heat enough water.

Is a Glow Worm Energy 18kW system the right boiler for my house or flat?

It's best to choose a boiler whose size or "output" is right for your property. With a boiler, however, size does not mean how big the boiler is, it means how much power it has.

The amount of hot water you get from showers, bathrooms, and sinks and heat from your radiators depends on your boiler's output (measured in kilowatts). The higher the level of output, the better your home will be heated and you can be more certain that the water from your taps will be as hot as you want.

However, you must be careful. You might not get the hot water you want if your boiler output is too low. If it's too high, you'll be paying more than you need to for gas.

With the Glow Worm Energy 18kW system's output at 18 kW, which types of property would this Glow worm Energy 18kW System boiler be most appropriate for?

A PlumbProud Gas Safe engineer would recommend that the most suitable type of property for a Glow Worm Energy 18kW system would be smaller homes and apartments containing up to 10 radiators and providing hot water for one bathroom.

Where will the Glow Worm Energy 18kW fit in my house?

The Glow Worm Energy 18kW is 700 mm high by 390 mm wide by 280 mm deep.

Is the Glow Worm Energy 18kW non-condensing or condensing?

The Glow Worm Energy 18kW is a condensing boiler – we recommend to all clients that they choose the very latest condensing boilers because their efficiency continues to improve year after year.

Condensing boilers recycle heat from both water vapour condensation and flue exhaust gases via a secondary heat exchanger. With this heat, it performs other tasks like warming up colder water returning from your radiator without having to use more gas.

You will save money on your gas bills every year by choosing a condensing boiler as well as benefitting the environment.

Is the Glow Worm Energy 18kW system an energy-efficient boiler?

With so many of us worried about the environmental impact of our personal choices, the relationship between how we heat our homes and climate change has become an important issue for many homeowners.

In the UK, central heating is responsible for 14% of greenhouse gas production. Domestic gas boilers emit large quantities of nitrogen dioxide in British cities.

Will choosing a Glow Worm Energy 18kW system boiler for your home be positive for the environment? Let's examine the figures.

All boilers manufactured and installed in the UK are required by law to have an energy efficiency rating of at least 92%, equivalent to a good “A” rating on the SEDBUK scale. Before this, the minimum was 88% (ratings of 88% and 89% are equivalent to a high “B” SEDBUK rating and anything 90% or higher is an "A" rating).

A boiler's energy efficiency rating is designed to let you know how much energy is used and wasted during normal functioning.

The Glow Worm Energy 18kW was given an efficiency rating of 89.3% and a band rating of "B".

The Energy Related Products Directive (ERP) was introduced in 2015 and applies to all products that consume energy throughout their lifetime, including during the manufacturing process and at the point of final disposal.

The purpose of the ERP is to ensure that companies create products that are kinder to the environment by reducing both the energy they use and the harmful emissions they produce.

The Glow Worm Energy 18kW has an ERP rating of "A".

What is the length of the warranty on the Glow Worm Energy 18kW?

The manufacturer offers a parts and labour warranty of 2 years on the Glow Worm Energy 18kW boiler to new customers.