Grant VortexBlue 26kW - a regular boiler, combi boiler or system boiler?

The Grant VortexBlue 26kW is worthy of consideration if you're looking for a heat only boiler for your flat or house.

Heat only boilers, also known as regular or conventional boilers, need enough space for a hot water cylinder with an immersion heater (usually found in a landing cupboard) and a cold-water tank (usually found in a loft). The hot water cylinder keeps water warm and the cold water tank stores water that it passes to the hot water cylinder when required or programmed to do so.

You control how your heat only boiler works by programming it to heat water and provide central heating at the times and on the dates you choose. But if you forget to set times and dates and your hot water cylinder is empty, you may have to wait up to an hour before you have hot water again in your home.

Heat only boilers are often the best choice for a larger family or a property with multiple bathrooms as, unlike with combi boilers, there is no drop in water pressure, temperature or volume when more than one person wants hot water.

Is the Grant VortexBlue 26kW heat only boiler from the VortexBlue range a suitable choice for my house or flat?

To determine that, we need to consider the size of the boiler. Size doesn't mean how big it is - it means how big its "output" is.

The output rate of a boiler tells you how much power it has available to it for heating the water that comes out of your taps and warms your radiators. A higher output rate means that your boiler has more power at its disposal.

You need to make sure you select a boiler with the right output rate. That's because, if your output rate is too high, then your boiler will have more power than it needs but it will cost too much to run. If the output rate is too low, your water may often not be hot enough.

The Grant VortexBlue 26kW heat only's output is 26 kW, so which types of property would this Grant VortexBlue 26kW heat only boiler be appropriate for?

An experienced Gas Safe boiler installer would be likely to recommend that this Grant VortexBlue 26kW heat only boiler is capable of providing heating and hot water to 15 or more radiators and two or more bathrooms and would therefore be most suitable for larger properties including detached homes.

Making space for the Grant VortexBlue 26kW

Grant’s VortexBlue 26kW is 908 mm tall, 505 mm wide, and 1,005 mm deep.

External, floor-standing heat only boilers like the Grant VortexBlue 26kW are protected from the elements and from rusting and water ingress thanks to their solid weatherproof housings.

This type of boiler is easier for your heating engineer to access should it develop an issue or need servicing. And as it's installed outdoors, you will save valuable space in your home.

External oil boilers also have a reduced risk of indoor carbon monoxide leakage that is associated with their indoor counterparts. They also limit the potential for damage to your home or the unpleasant and difficult-to-shift odours from leaking oil.

Is the Grant VortexBlue 26kW a condensing or non-condensing boiler?

We recommend that, if possible, you select one of the very latest condensing oil boilers on the market like the Grant VortexBlue 26kW.

Condensing boilers are better for the environment because they capture and recycle the heat still present in flue exhaust gases and water vapour condensation for re-use, meaning lower greenhouse gas emissions.

They're also a lot cheaper to run meaning that, if you're replacing a very old and inefficient boiler, the savings on your oil bill over 5-10 years add up to more than you pay for the boiler itself.

How environmentally friendly is the Grant VortexBlue 26kW heat only?

With growing concern among the public about accelerating climate change, how we heat our homes and the impact this has on the environment has become a major topic of concern for many homeowners.

With central heating being responsible for 14% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, your choice of boiler matters. Gas boilers are also responsible for the significant atmospheric volumes of dangerous nitrogen dioxide emissions in larger British cities.

Would installing a Grant VortexBlue 26kW heat only boiler in your home help combat climate change? What do the figures suggest?

All boilers manufactured and supplied in the UK are assigned two energy efficiency ratings. By law, they must achieve a SEDBUK "A" rating subject to a minimum efficiency level of 92%. Prior to that, the minimum was 88% (88% and 89% are equivalent to a SEDBUK "B" grade and 90% and above an "A" grade).

The ratings awarded to the Grant VortexBlue 26kW are 91.7% with a SEDBUK rating of "A".

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 Grant VortexBlue 26kW has an ERP rating of "A".

How long is the warranty period on the Grant VortexBlue 26kW heat only boiler?

The Grant VortexBlue 26kW boiler has a warranty covering parts and labour costs for up to 2 years after installation.