Regular (Heat-Only) Boilers in Older Homes
A regular boiler is the traditional open-vented arrangement: a feed and expansion tank in the loft, a cold water storage tank, and a hot water cylinder below.
A regular boiler is the traditional open-vented arrangement: a feed and expansion tank in the loft, a cold water storage tank, and a hot water cylinder below. Plenty of period homes still run one, and there are honest reasons to keep the layout rather than force a combi in.
Why the tanks exist
The small tank tops the heating circuit up and gives it somewhere to expand. The larger tank feeds the cylinder and the taps by gravity, which is why upstairs pressure is modest.
When keeping it is the right call
Fragile microbore pipework, gravity-fed showers the household likes, or an old radiator circuit that would leak under sealed pressure.
When to convert instead
Loft conversions, persistent tank overflows, and anyone wanting real shower pressure. Converting means sealing the system and pressure-testing every joint.
Things we check on a heat-only system
- Tank condition, lids and insulation in the loft
- Whether the cylinder coil still heats in a reasonable time
- Gravity circulation versus fully pumped conversion
Who does the work
- Gas Safe registered engineers — registration 554328
- Worcester Bosch accredited installer
- John The Plumb Ltd, company registration 10026483
Deciding whether to keep the tanks
We will look at the loft, the cylinder and the pipework and tell you which of the two routes actually fits the building.
Questions we get asked
Are heat-only boilers being phased out?
No. New condensing heat-only models are still made and are the correct choice for some properties.
Why is my hot water slow upstairs?
Gravity-fed hot water relies on the height between the loft tank and the outlet. A top-floor bathroom has very little of that height to work with.
Can a heat-only boiler be moved?
Usually, but the tank heights, flue route and condensate fall all have to work in the new position.