Is the Grant VortexBlue 36kW boiler a standard, combi or system model?

The Grant VortexBlue 36kW boiler is a combi boiler you may wish to consider when looking for a new boiler for your house or flat.

The UK has some of the smallest homes in the Western world, which is partly why combi boilers were introduced in the 1970s. Traditional boilers require one or more large storage tanks which they use to either heat water and keep it warm or store water intended for heating later. These tanks took up a lot of space in people's homes.

Combi boilers save space because they don't require these tanks to operate. Instead, combis draw water direct from your mains supply then instantly heat and distribute it on demand.

The biggest disadvantage in using combi boilers is that they have a maximum capacity volume for heating water. While this may not be an issue in a small household, it could be for a larger household where there is higher demand for hot water. When more than one person is using the water, it is distributed between the two points, reducing the pressure and temperature at each point.

Is a Grant VortexBlue 36kW combi boiler right for my house or apartment?

You should make sure that the boiler you install in your property is the right "size". And size doesn't mean its physical dimensions, size means how much power it has - the "output".

Your boiler should be able to cope with peak hot water demand in your property and not just your average hot water usage. The output rate of a boiler is measured in kilowatts and tells you how much power a boiler can use to provide hot water to your taps, showers and radiators.

If the output of your boiler is too low, there will often be times when your water isn't as hot as you want. But if your boiler output is too high, it will be more costly to run (often unnecessarily).

The output of the Grant VortexBlue 36kW combi boiler is 36 kW kilowatts. Which types of property would this be appropriate for?

An experienced Gas Safe boiler installer would be likely to recommend that this Grant VortexBlue 36kW Combi 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.

With combi boilers, you need to consider the flow rate as well as the output rate. The flow rate (shown in litres per minute) measures how much water your boiler can draw from the mains which it then instantly heats and distributes to your taps and radiators.

However, a high flow rate is of little to no value if your local water pressure is low. If your local mains water pressure is 10l/m and your flow rate is 12l/m, your boiler will only be able to process 10l/m.

If you live in an area with high water pressure but your household has multiple bathrooms and/or radiators and many members of your household want to use hot water at the same time (like morning or evening baths or showers), it's unlikely that you'll be able to find a combi with a high enough flow rate.

As an indication, a power shower needs about 10 litres of water per minute, whereas the flow rate of this Grant VortexBlue 36kW Combi boiler is 20 L/ml/m.

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.

What dimensions does a Grant VortexBlue 36kW have?

The Grant VortexBlue 36kW is 900 mm tall, 614 mm wide, and 609 mm deep.

There are hundreds of thousands of properties whose central heating systems are powered by floor-standing boilers like the Grant VortexBlue 36kW. If you're considering switching from your current floor-standing to a new wall-mounted model to free up space inside your home for you and your family, we can do this work for you. However, when you change the type of boiler in your home, please bear in mind that we often need to replace the piping at extra cost.

However, given the quarterly savings you'll make on your oil bills as a result of switching, you should be able to recoup your investment in full within a few years.

Please note that you'll need to remove your hot water cylinder and/or expansion tank if you intend to replace your current heat only boiler or system boiler with the Grant VortexBlue 36kW.

Contact PlumbProud, and we'll share our experience and assistance for the best course of action.

Is the Grant VortexBlue 36kW a condensing or non-condensing boiler?

We recommend that you choose a condensing boiler wherever possible like the Grant VortexBlue 36kW - try to go for the latest model, if possible, to take advantage of improving technology.

Condensing boilers capture and recycle the warmth still present in the water vapour condensation and in flue exhaust emissions created by burning oil to make them more efficient and economical to run.

You will save money on your oil bills too, plus condensing boilers are friendlier to the environment.

Is the Grant VortexBlue 36kW combi environmentally friendly?

As more of us become concerned by the effects of climate change, the damage we do to the environment by heating our homes has emerged as an important issue for many homeowners.

Dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide emissions in larger UK cities are caused by gas boilers in domestic properties, and 14% of the UK’s greenhouse gas production is as a result of central heating.

Do the figures suggest that installing the Grant VortexBlue 36kW combi at your property would help in the fight against climate change?

All boilers manufactured and installed in the UK are required to have an energy efficiency rating of 92% or above (or a good “A” SEDBUK rating). Before April 2018, when the law changed, the minimum energy efficiency level permissible was 88% (86-90% is a SEDBUK "B" rating and 90%+ is an "A" rating).

A boiler's energy efficiency rating indicates the amount of energy used and wasted during normal operational performance.

Following its assessment, the Grant VortexBlue 36kW was given an efficiency rating of 94.5% and a SEDBUK grading of "A".

In 2015, the Energy Related Products Directive (ERP) came into force. The legislation applies to all products that consume energy in production, during their active life, and at the point of final disposal.

The ERP was introduced to incentivise manufacturers to create products that emitted fewer harmful gases with the larger aim of protecting the wider environment.

The Grant VortexBlue 36kW has been awarded an ERP rating of "A" for heat and "A" for water.

Am I covered if my Grant VortexBlue 36kW combi boiler breaks down?

The manufacturer offers a parts and labour warranty of 2 years on the Grant VortexBlue 36kW boiler to new customers.