What kind of boiler is the Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW - standard, combi or system?

If you are searching for a combi boiler for your house or flat, the Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW is certainly one to consider.

Traditional boilers have one or two tanks - one holds hot water to keep it warm and the other water for later heating. Because UK residential property is among some of the smallest in the world, manufacturers introduced combi boilers and the heat pumps that go in them in the 1970s to reduce the amount of space boilers needed to take up.

The hot water needed for your radiators and taps is available on demand when you have a combi boiler. Combi boilers use technology located within the boiler to heat cold water, which it draws from the mains, and to distribute hot water where it's needed around your home.

A combi boiler, however, has the disadvantage of a maximum capacity for the amount of water it can heat. The result is that if someone uses the shower while another uses a hot water tap simultaneously, the amount of water reaching each point falls, causing water pressure to drop.

Is a Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW combi boiler suitable for my house or apartment?

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

Your boiler’s output is a measurement of the power it has available to heat the volume of water required for your taps and radiators. The higher the output rate, the more water it can heat.

You need to be careful to select a boiler with the optimal level of output for your property though. That's because, if your boiler output is too low, your water and radiators will often not be as hot as you want them to be. If the output is too high, you’ll be paying more for gas than you need to.

The output of the Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW combi is 33 kW, so which types of property would this Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW Combi boiler be appropriate for?

An experienced Gas Safe boiler installer would recommend that, at this level of output, the most suitable type of property for this Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW Combi boiler would be medium-sized homes and larger apartments with 10-15 radiators and two bathrooms.

Homeowners considering fitting a combi boiler to their home need to consider flow rates as well as output rates.

The flow rate is a measurement of the volume of water a combi can instantly heat and send to the taps and radiators around your home. The higher the likely demand for hot water in your home, the higher your combi's flow rate should be. This Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW Combi boiler's flow rate is 14 L/m.

Unlike heat only or system boilers, combi boilers don't store hot water in a tank for later use - instead, they draw it directly from the mains. This means that the volume of water your boiler can actually process is constrained by the flow rate of water in the mains pipe.

So, if you choose a combi boiler with a 15l/m flow rate but the flow rate in your mains pipe is 12l/m, the combi boiler's working flow rate is also 12l/m.

Combi boilers are also not always the correct choice for homes with multiple bathrooms, a high number of radiators, or where more than one family member will want to use hot water at the same time.

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 Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW in millimetres

The Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW is 707 mm tall, 400 mm wide, and 350 mm deep in size.

Is the Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW a non-condensing or condensing boiler?

The Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW is a condensing gas boiler - we’d strongly recommend that you choose the very latest condensing model for your home.

Condensing boilers run on either gas or oil and are manufactured specifically to improve energy efficiency. They do this by capturing and recycling the warmth present in flue exhaust gases and water vapour condensation into more usable heat the system can use, meaning they're far more efficient and cost less to run.

Is the Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW combi an environmentally friendly boiler?

The effects of climate change on the environment are leading many homeowners to question the damage they might be doing by the way they heat their homes.

14% of the total amount of greenhouse gases produced by the UK comes from the central heating systems we use. In some of Britain's biggest cities, gas boilers create dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere.

Would choosing a Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW combi help in the fight against climate change? What do the performance statistics suggest?

The energy efficiency rating of the Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW is 93% with a SEDBUK band rating of "A".

Energy efficiency tests record how much energy is wasted on non-core functions during an operation.

By law, all boilers manufactured and supplied in the UK must have a minimum energy efficiency performance level of 92% (equivalent to a SEDBUK "A" grade). Up to April 2018, the minimum performance level was 88% (88% and 89% are equivalent to a SEDBUK "B" grade and 90%+ an "A" grade).

Energy-efficient boilers help the environment as they require less fuel and emit fewer harmful gases. In 2015, the EU introduced the Energy Related Products Directive (ERP), the aim of which was to ensure that all manufacturers, including boiler manufacturers, developed more efficient products and processes.

The legislation aims to conserve energy at all life cycle stages from initial production to actual use by the customer, through to the point of disposal.

The Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW has been given an ERP rating of "A" for heat and "A" for water.

Does the Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW combi boiler come with a warranty?

The Viessmann Vitodens 050-W 35kW boiler comes with a parts and labour warranty lasting 3 years.