Understanding your boiler

What type of shower works best with a combi boiler?

13 May 2020 • 3 minutes

Shower in bathroom - best shower for combi boiler

Combi boilers are very popular in the UK. From their compact dimensions to their energy-efficiency, there are plenty of benefits of getting a combi boiler installed into your home. However, many homeowners have concerns about whether a new combi boiler will be compatible with their shower. This guide seeks to give you information about the different types of showers and will help you determine which is best suited to your combi heating system.

What is a combi boiler?
Types of showers
Choosing a suitable shower head
Getting a brand new combi boiler

What is a combi boiler?

A combi boiler is a compact heating system that provides both heating and hot water all through one single unit. No additional tanks or cylinders are required, so these systems are typically viewed as a great space saving option.

Combi boilers deliver the highest level of water pressure (dependent on your incoming cold water mains pressure), a feature that when paired with a suitable shower type, can deliver a great quality shower.

Types of showers

There are 3 main types of showers. Namely:

Electric showers
Mixer (Thermostatic & Manual) showers
Power showers

Shower type	Description	Pros	Cons	Compatible with combi boilers?
Electric	These showers use their own electric heating element to heat cold water directly from the mains.	On-demand hot water Water is only heated as needed, this could help save energy and money* Hot water won’t run out	Can be expensive to install and run	Yes
Mixer – Manual & Thermostatic	Mixer showers connect to both hot and cold water supplies and mix the water accordingly.</ br>Thermostatic mixer showers – Due to there being a risk of water getting too hot or too cold with mixer showers, thermostatic mixer showers are designed to keep water at a constant temperature. They are built with a thermostatic valve to help provide this safety measure. These showers need to be compatible with mains pressure limits	Easy to fit Typically simple to use	Temperatures can be difficult to control Risk of scalding or excessive cold water delivery Temperatures can be impacted by other water use – such as a toilet being flushed.	Yes
Power shower	Similar to mixer showers, power showers feed off of both cold and hot-water supplies. They work with a built-in pump to boost water pressure and can thus make showers more satisfying. These showers are typically well-suited to homes in low water pressure areas. They are normally fed from a system with a feed tank.	Integral pump helps to boost water pressure	Can be expensive to install and run	No – the additional pump can cause excessive pressure when paired with a combi boiler . The pump can’t accommodate the increase in pressure from the mains, which could cause water leaks. They also pull water through the boiler too quickly for it to heat up correctly.

Shower type

Description

Pros

Cons

Compatible with combi boilers?

Electric

These showers use their own electric heating element to heat cold water directly from the mains.

On-demand hot water

Water is only heated as needed, this could help save energy and money*

Hot water won’t run out

Can be expensive to install and run

Yes

Mixer – Manual & Thermostatic

Mixer showers connect to both hot and cold water supplies and mix the water accordingly.</ br>Thermostatic mixer showers – Due to there being a risk of water getting too hot or too cold with mixer showers, thermostatic mixer showers are designed to keep water at a constant temperature. They are built with a thermostatic valve to help provide this safety measure. These showers need to be compatible with mains pressure limits

Easy to fit

Typically simple to use

Temperatures can be difficult to control

Risk of scalding or excessive cold water delivery

Temperatures can be impacted by other water use – such as a toilet being flushed.

Yes

Power shower

Similar to mixer showers, power showers feed off of both cold and hot-water supplies. They work with a built-in pump to boost water pressure and can thus make showers more satisfying. These showers are typically well-suited to homes in low water pressure areas.

They are normally fed from a system with a feed tank.

Integral pump helps to boost water pressure

Can be expensive to install and run

No – the additional pump can cause excessive pressure when paired with a combi boiler . The pump can’t accommodate the increase in pressure from the mains, which could cause water leaks. They also pull water through the boiler too quickly for it to heat up correctly.

Choosing a suitable shower head

Selecting a suitable shower head is also important in get your shower system working effectively.

There are a number of different types of shower heads. These include:

Hand-held shower heads
RV shower heads
LED shower heads
Dual shower heads
Filtered shower heads
Shower panels
Low-pressure shower heads
High-pressure shower heads
Rain shower heads

You should consult your installer to find out which shower head will be best suited to your combi boiler.

Getting a brand new combi boiler

If you’re current heating system isn’t meeting your needs, it may be time to consider getting a new boiler installed. We’re working with BOXT, who install a range of combi boilers, as well as system and heat-only boilers, so you can count on them to provide you with the help and advice you need.

Get a new boiler

About the author

Interested in all things fashion, travel, culture and a sprinkle of lifestyle, Tyeish is a Content Writer with a lot to say. Whether it’s helping you choose between bohemian or industrial for your home, or helping you keep up with the latest fashion trends, you can count on Tyeish to provide you with a fun and upbeat read!