combi boiler

jacor48

is it possible to run domestic shower from a grant vortex combi oil boiler . is their issues with water pressure etc.

scudo2

jacor48 wrote: »

is it possible to run domestic shower from a grant vortex combi oil boiler . is their issues with water pressure etc.

Brilliant boiler, no problem there.

99% of houses have more than adequate water pressure for showers.
Bath can be a bit slow if low pressure, everything is fixable, get a good installer to inspect and advice you.
Boiler has to be commissioned for warranty.

mfrutos

scudo2 wrote: »

99% of houses have more than adequate water pressure for showers.

I know this is a very old post, but I am interested in the affirmation. I would like to replace my system boiler with a combi boiler, to gain some space.

Tullogher

mfrutos wrote: »

I know this is a very old post, but I am interested in the affirmation. I would like to replace my system boiler with a combi boiler, to gain some space.

Of course you can.

mfrutos

Tullogher wrote: »

Of course you can.

Everything is possible... But is it true that 99% of the houses have adequate pressure?

Tullogher

mfrutos wrote: »

Everything is possible... But is it true that 99% of the houses have adequate pressure?

When you say syatem boiler what do you mean. Type, location, connected to hot water cyclinder.

Do you know combi bioler does not need cyclinder and is usually placed inside.

The depends on a few things
Is it a single story house
two story
is the shower on the ground or first floor
is it a power shower (pump in the shower) fed from hot and cold water
Is it an electric shower fed by cold water only
is it a gravity shower thermostatic mixer shower

Sleeper12

mfrutos wrote:

Everything is possible... But is it true that 99% of the houses have adequate pressure?

Definitely not. It's against the building regs to install a combi boiler connected to the mains supply. The correct way to install a combi boiler in Ireland is to take the feed for the combi boiler and for the cold supply for the bathroom from the attic tank. Installing a pump & pumping the water to the boiler and the cold. You need equal pressure on the hot & cold going into the standard thermostatic shower.

Tullogher

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Definitely not. It's against the building regs to install a combi boiler connected to the mains supply.

Which building reg?

Sleeper12

Tullogher wrote:

Which building reg?

The building regs that state that only the cold water in the kitchen is to be mains fed. Everything else must be from the attic tank. These aren't new regs. They've been around since before I was born. You are also supposed to have enough water stored to last you at least 24 hours.

Combi boilers in the UK are mains fed but not in Ireland.

Tullogher

Sleeper12 wrote: »

The building regs that state that only the cold water in the kitchen is to be mains fed. Everything else must be from the attic tank. These aren't new regs. They've been around since before I was born. You are also supposed to have enough water stored to last you at least 24 hours.

Combi boilers in the UK are mains fed but not in Ireland.

They didn't say they were disconnecting mains from the sink.

Dtp1979

Irish mains water is not capable of feeding a combi. Only a cowboy would install one that way over here. Mains in England is fantastic.

Sleeper12

Tullogher wrote:

They didn't say they were disconnecting mains from the sink.

That's not what I said. Building regs state that all of water for a house must be supplied by the attic tank with the exception of the kitchen sink.

It has nothing to do with disconnecting from the kitchen sink.

Tom44

Don't believe a word yer man Scudo2 says, he always was a shifty fecker.

This or similar is what's now required to run a combination boiler if in poor pressure areas.

https://www.epswater.ie/products/multiboost-slimline

Sleeper12

Sleeper12

Tullogher wrote:

When you say syatem boiler what do you mean. Type, location, connected to hot water cyclinder.

A system boiler is mains fed but it heats water for your hot water cylinder. Being mains fed it's still against the building regs. These would be good for Large homes. Because you keep the hot water cylinder you can run several showers at the same time.

mfrutos

Thanks everyone. I understand this is also applicable to apartments. My apartment is a 6th floor, is the mains also gravity fed?

K.Flyer

mfrutos wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I understand this is also applicable to apartments. My apartment is a 6th floor, is the mains also gravity fed?

Mains water, which supplies water to the kitchen cold tap and storage tank if fitted, is not gravity fed.
It comes from the main supply from the street, usually via a central pumped system in the basement of the block.
Some apartment buildings do have Combi-Boilers, but these are always fed from a large central storage tank / pumping station and are not direct mains fed.

John.G

Sleeper12 wrote: »

A system boiler is mains fed but it heats water for your hot water cylinder. Being mains fed it's still against the building regs. These would be good for Large homes. Because you keep the hot water cylinder you can run several showers at the same time.

Are you saying mains supplied make up to a un vented system boiler is against building regs even with suitable check (double) valves?.

Sleeper12

John.G wrote: »

Are you saying mains supplied make up to a un vented system boiler is against building regs even with suitable check (double) valves?.

I don't do boilers at all but the regs say all water apart from the cold kitchen tap must be fed from the attic tank. Technically your typical T80 shower should be pumped from the attic tank & not connected to the mains

EDIT: I you say I have it wrong I'm happy to be corrected

K.Flyer

John.G wrote: »

Are you saying mains supplied make up to a un vented system boiler is against building regs even with suitable check (double) valves?.

Its accepted, as long as the filling loop is disconnected from the mains and capped off after use.
This prevents the possibility of any backflow from the heating system back into the potable water.

DGOBS

Just to satisfy my head, where are you finding it in the building regs?

Tullogher

DGOBS wrote: »

Just to satisfy my head, where are you finding it in the building regs?

Hygiene Part covers water provision

DGOBS

Why would there even be an issue fitting mains to a combi boiler?
After all, there is no water storage, so no risk of back flow contamination.

I have been quoted 'water by-laws' prohibit it many times, but have not found any evidence of it in any water by-laws, other that the fitting of double (sometimes triple) check valve.

You would imagine in the days of energy conservation a combo-boiler should be the first choice, and only if unsuitable for the household (too much demand) should hot/or cold water storage be considered.

In the UK to vast majority of boilers fitted are combi, and there are no widespread reports of bacterial back siphonage in their water supplies.

I find it all akin to 'the boogey-man' with all this talk of not being able to connect a combo-boiler to mains feed, the real issue was always that our water supply pressure is poor, and may not be suitable for the appliance.

As John rightly pointed out, what about all the unvented cylinders being fitted?
I don't see them supplied with a break tank and filler pump!
And these would have the capacity to over pressurise with failed expansion vessels and heat, then syphon back into the mains, and a double check valve is deemed sufficient!

Or am I just going mad Ted? (rant over)

DGOBS

Hygiene Part covers water provision

Yup, it sure doesn't, and I can't find anything in there to prohibit a combi boiler connection.

Any reference to the mains water connections is a SHOULD (not a shall) so other methods of connection are permitted, and does not prohibit the connection of a combi-boiler

K.Flyer

DGOBS wrote: »

Yup, it sure doesn't, and I can't find anything in there to prohibit a combi boiler connection.

Any reference to the mains water connections is a SHOULD (not a shall) so other methods of connection are permitted, and does not prohibit the connection of a combi-boiler

I'm sure I have the relevant section, but it would be on the computer and I won't see that until tomorrow.
But I have this from the I.W. site where it says that all appliances shall be indirectly plumbed.

Sleeper12

I've seen Irish water walk away from mains fed showers not working due to pressure or flow stating that they are against the building regs. This is in the last 12 months or so.

It seems if we aren't willing to pay for a decent water provider then we won't get one

Sesame

I had a combi boiler fitted about 4 years ago in our semi-d. Works off mains. It was fitted by a proper plumber. Part of the grant for improving home insulation and energy usage so plumber was registered for that. I also got the work audited by the SEAI afterwards and it was all perfectly fine. So I would guess if anything was against building regs it would have been picked up then.

The water tank in attic is no longer used. All hot water taps and the shower work off mains. We have very good mains pressure and thermostatic shower is strong, love it.
Super efficient too. Our combi boiler is oil fired and we spend probably 500 euros a year on oil which is all our heating and hot water. You are only heating the water as you use it so no wasteful immersion tank. And an empty airing cupboard is another benefit.

Not sure why more new builds don't do this. I can't see any downsides. They used to say if you had a few showers going, the pressure wouldn't be good enough to support them running at the same time but there are higher capacity boilers to manage that.

Sleeper12

Sesame wrote:

I had a combi boiler fitted about 4 years ago in our semi-d. Works off mains. It was fitted by a proper plumber. Part of the grant for improving home insulation and energy usage so plumber was registered for that. I also got the work audited by the SEAI afterwards and it was all perfectly fine. So I would guess if anything was against building regs it would have been picked up then.

Nope. SEAI are only concerned about the green aspect of the job (energy rating) & RGI are only concerned about the gas safety part of the job. Building regs don't fall under eithers remit. Every gas appliance passed RGI inspection in Priority Hall. That obviously doesn't mean that everything passed building regs.

A homeowner who removes cold water tank /hot water cylinder etc might have to redo said work to allow their house sale go through sometime in the future. Not saying that it will definitely happen but its there.

DGOBS

I'm sure I have the relevant section, but it would be on the computer and I won't see that until tomorrow.
But I have this from the I.W. site where it says that all appliances shall be indirectly plumbed.

So by this, IW are preventing the use of unvented cylinders aswell? (country is going backwards so!)

Flyer, can you provide a link to this (code of practice?) from IW, very interested to have a read

A homeowner who removes cold water tank /hot water cylinder etc might have to redo said work to allow their house sale go through sometime in the future. Not saying that it will definitely happen but its there.

Couldn't see it happening, look at all the (99.9%) of oil tank installations, look at all the 'semi-sealed' heating systems, the list is endless of all this crap thats gone on, and we are here arguing about a nonsense that combi boilers somehow put our mains water 'at risk'

What about all these instant hot water taps that are popping up everywhere, all mains fed too!

Sleeper12

DGOBS wrote: »

So by this, IW are preventing the use of unvented cylinders aswell? (country is going backwards so!)

Flyer, can you provide a link to this (code of practice?) from IW, very interested to have a read



Couldn't see it happening, look at all the (99.9%) of oil tank installations, look at all the 'semi-sealed' heating systems, the list is endless of all this crap thats gone on, and we are here arguing about a nonsense that combi boilers somehow put our mains water 'at risk'

What about all these instant hot water taps that are popping up everywhere, all mains fed too!

If you are selling a house with a modern extension you will require a certificate of compliance with the building regs for the sale to go through. I don't see how anyone could issue one if the builder has removed the attic tank & cylinder & left a combi boiler.


I'm not saying you are wrong, I'm just saying it's possible that it could cause headaches at the time of selling

K.Flyer

DGOBS wrote: »

Flyer, can you provide a link to this (code of practice?) from IW, very interested to have a read

https://www.water.ie/our-customer-commitment/Code-of-Practice-for-Water-Supply.pdf

John.G

K.Flyer wrote: »

https://www.water.ie/our-customer-commitment/Code-of-Practice-for-Water-Supply.pdf

This extract from above says it all..... every house in the country must be in contravention of this??

2.6.13 Where electric showers and dishwasher, washing machine, heating
systems, etc. are provided in buildings, they shall not be connected
directly to Irish Water’s water supply system. They must be fed from the
storage tank located within the building. Direct feeds from Irish Water’s
water supply system shall only be to a potable water supply tap and the
water storage tank.

K.Flyer

Yep, and this is not a New thing that Irish Water have come up with, its been around for many years.
Older local authority documents will say the same thing, it's just now that all water is under I.W.'s remit that it's been updated onto the one document.
And yes, there are hundreds, if not thousands of installations, be they anything from washing machines, to showers, to boilers etc, connected directly onto the main supply.

Sleeper12

I'm just over 50 now and it's been like that since before that. My own dad was originally a plumber in the 50s and 60s.

I actually believed that each individual county council made their own rules on this decades ago but I may missremember that

Edit I wonder do they bring a cold supply from the attic to the kitchen for dishwasher on new builds now?

John.G

I'm well over 70 now and I'm glad I didn't throw this out with the dish water.

Dtp1979

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Edit I wonder do they bring a cold supply from the attic to the kitchen for dishwasher on new builds now?

I don’t anyway. A lot of washing machines and dishwashers won’t work on gravity fed water. Simply not enough pressure. Saying that though, most new builds these days are all pressurised systems

Sleeper12

John.G wrote:

I'm well over 70 now and I'm glad I didn't throw this out with the dish water.

Nearly choked on my coffee laughing at that John

K.Flyer

Not so sure about houses, but most of the apartment developments I work in all the appliances are from the apartment storage tank via a pump.
Some developments have All the supplied water pumped, but taken from a break tank.
Most U.V. cylinders are done the same way, as would be combi boilers, so no regulation issues there.
For example, in one all electric development there is a direct mains feed to kitchen cold tap only. Everything else, including the u.v. cylinders, come from huge remote water storage tanks via variable speed pump stations. The same again where combi boilers are fitted and no cylinder, all from remote tanks via pumps. This is in keeping with the regulations as the break / storage tanks are in place.

blackbox

I understood that dishwashers have to be connected to mains water for hygiene reasons. Don't want to wash dishes in water from a tank with a dead mouse in it.

K.Flyer

blackbox wrote: »

I understood that dishwashers have to be connected to mains water for hygiene reasons. Don't want to wash dishes in water from a tank with a dead mouse in it.

But its still ok to wash and brush your teeth from it.
As you have probably already read in some of the above posts, nothing except cold kitchen tap and water storage tank allowed.

2.6.13 Where electric showers and dishwasher, washing machine, heating systems, etc. are provided in buildings, they shall not be connected directly to Irish Water’s water supply system. They must be fed from the storage tank located within the building.

DGOBS

It's archaic in nature, and is only there as IW (and previously local authorities) cannot guarantee supply the pressure required for appliances.

It's ridiculous

AmatureRuth

DGOBS wrote: »

It's archaic in nature, and is only there as IW (and previously local authorities) cannot guarantee supply the pressure required for appliances.

It's ridiculous

I'm renovating a (very small) house at the moment and absolutely share your views and frustration on this. The Building Regs say simply that there has to be suitable water supply to the taps, WCs, etc. The technical GUIDANCE (note guidance only, not a law or regulation, and therefore able to be flexed) suggests that only the kitchen tap and CWST can be mains fed. The IW Code of Practice is only mandatory for new developments with new connections. Therefore, it is NOT mandatory for renovations where there is an existing mains connection.

Having said all that, given the wide-spread reluctance to actually understand what is mandatory and what is not (even the reluctance to understand the purpose of the guidance, which is even prefaced by a statement that alternative methods may achieve the purpose better, eg connecting directly to the mains with an appropriate back siphonage prevention valve so as to avoid any possible contamination of the mains water), it seems we are stuck in the dark ages of plumbing and having to spend a small fortune on pumps etc. Unfortunately, there's little point being right when everyone around you refuses to question their outdated assumptions.

I'm just resigned to sucking it up (literally) and installing a CWST as a break tank and then immediately pumping it again around the house and to my combi. Massive pain in the hole and waste of valuable storage space (and money).

Sleeper12

AmatureRuth wrote: »

I'm renovating a (very small) house at the moment and absolutely share your views and frustration on this. The Building Regs say simply that there has to be suitable water supply to the taps, WCs, etc. The technical GUIDANCE (note guidance only, not a law or regulation, and therefore able to be flexed) suggests that only the kitchen tap and CWST can be mains fed. The IW Code of Practice is only mandatory for new developments with new connections. Therefore, it is NOT mandatory for renovations where there is an existing mains connection.

Having said all that, given the wide-spread reluctance to actually understand what is mandatory and what is not (even the reluctance to understand the purpose of the guidance, which is even prefaced by a statement that alternative methods may achieve the purpose better, eg connecting directly to the mains with an appropriate back prevention valve so as to avoid any possible contamination of the mains water), it seems we are stuck in the dark ages of plumbing and having to spend a small fortune on pumps etc. Unfortunately, there's little point being right when everyone around you refuses to question their outdated assumptions.

I'm just resigned to sucking it up (literally) and installing a CWST as a break tank and then immediately pumping it again around the house and to my combi. Massive pain in the hole and waste of valuable storage space (and money).

Just to point out that this isn't a new regulation. I'm in my 50s & this reg has been in place long before I was born. So unless the original incorrect connections to the mains were made over 70 years ago then it goes against the regs. I can't speak for the rest of the country but in Dublin DCC state that you should have 24 hours supply of stored water.


I believe the reason for the regs nothing to dowith back siphonage ( every country has this risk) but basically because our water system can't cope with everything on mains. The likes of the UK where cold water tanks aren't required have massive water pressure. 10 bar would be common. In Dublin you are lucky to get 1 bar in places. In these places pressure can drop so much at peak times that the cold water tank is no longer being filled but no one notices. It will fill again in a few hours when demand drops off. Many parts of Dublin doesn't have enough constant water pressure to run a basic mains pressure electric shower. I've heard of plenty of combi boilers not working at peak times as the pressure drops too much. The only way to be certain in Ireland is to supply the combi off a cold water tank with a pump


Until we pay for water & there is proper investment nothing will change. Irish water can increase the pressure but that would mean even more treated water would leak under the city.

AmatureRuth

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Just to point out that this isn't a new regulation. I'm in my 50s & this reg has been in place long before I was born. So unless the original incorrect connections to the mains were made over 70 years ago then it goes against the regs. I can't speak for the rest of the country but in Dublin DCC state that you should have 24 hours supply of stored water.


I believe the reason for the regs nothing to dowith back siphonage ( every country has this risk) but basically because our water system can't cope with everything on mains. The likes of the UK where cold water tanks aren't required have massive water pressure. 10 bar would be common. In Dublin you are lucky to get 1 bar in places. In these places pressure can drop so much at peak times that the cold water tank is no longer being filled but no one notices. It will fill again in a few hours when demand drops off. Many parts of Dublin doesn't have enough constant water pressure to run a basic mains pressure electric shower. I've heard of plenty of combi boilers not working at peak times as the pressure drops too much. The only way to be certain in Ireland is to supply the combi off a cold water tank with a pump


Until we pay for water & there is proper investment nothing will change. Irish water can increase the pressure but that would mean even more treated water would leak under the city.

The "regulations" are not for local county councils - since 2014 they were all transferred to Irish Water. IW gives guidance but these are not regulations nor laws.

Part G of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997 - 2008, provides as follows:

"Bathrooms and kitchens. G1 A dwelling shall be provided with -
(a) a bathroom containing either a fixed bath or a shower bath, and a washbasin, and
(b) a kitchen containing a sink of adequate size and a draining board, and
(c) a suitable installation for the provision of hot and cold water to the bath or shower bath, washbasin and sink.
Sanitary conveniences and G2 (1) Adequate sanitary conveniences shall be provided in a building washing facilities. in rooms provided for that purpose, or in bathrooms, and
every room or bathroom which contains a sanitary convenience shall be adequately separated from any place where food is prepared or cooked.
(2) Adequate washbasins shall be provided in -
(a) rooms containing sanitary conveniences; or
(b) rooms or spaces adjacent to rooms containing sanitary conveniences.
(3) There shall be a suitable installation for the provision of hot and cold water to washbasins provided in accordance with subparagraph (2).
(4) Sanitary conveniences shall be of such design as to facilitate efficient use of water for flushing.
(5) Sanitary conveniences and washbasins shall be of such design and be so installed as to allow for effective cleaning.
Definition for this Part. G3 In this Part, “sanitary convenience" means a water closet or a urinal."

Technical Guidance Part G "Hygiene" gives *guidance* on how to satisfy these regulations. This is guidance only, not mandatory. The intro on page 2 even says specifically "the adoption of an approach other than that outlined in the guidance is not precluded provided that the relevant requirements of the Regulations are complied with".

As you can see from the Regs, this is about hygiene, not demand on the water supply.

IW connection terms and conditions specifically state that the internal reserves of water are for the home owner. They recommend (again not mandate) 24 hours worth of storage. But this is a risk that should be for the home owner to determine. The Technical Guidance suggests 200+ litres would be appropriate.

There may be perfectly valid reasons to keep a cold water tank etc and I completely agree with you on that - it may be sensible to provide for the fact that IW supply can be a bit rubbish. However it is incorrect to state that these are regulations. They are mere guidance.

References in case anyone wants to check what I'm saying (I would post links but Boards won't let me):

- Technical Guidance Part G - building regs and (non-mandatory) guidance
- Irish Water Code of Practice - Note this is mandatory for new connections, NOT mandatory for existing connections
- Number 6 of 2013. WATER SERVICES ACT 2013 - established IW and transferred powers from local authorities to IW
- Irish Water new connection General Terms and Conditions
- Irish Water website connections FAQs

I don't think I've missed anything in the above but please let me know if I have!

Sleeper12

So you are saying that we can all ignore Irish Waters code of practice or are the code of practice part of the regs?

It's my opinion that both must be considered

https://www.water.ie/our-customer-co...ter-Supply.pdf

AmatureRuth

Absolutely - both should definitely be considered, I completely agree with you on that. My point is though that they are not mandatory in all cases and in some cases deviation from the CoP and technical guidance is totally fine. Better, even, from an environmental impact point of view.

The Code of Practice is mandatory for new connections, not existing ones. So if you are a developer building a new house/block of apartments, then you need to comply with the Code of Practice or IW won't allow your new connection. If you are renovating, yes you should have regard to it but it doesn't mean you are stuck only doing exactly what it says.

The CoP is not part of the Regs - the only *legal* requirement is the Building Regs, which the technical guidance explicitly says may be complied with in ways other than set out in the technical guidance. The technical guidance, as you pointed out earlier I think, has been around for decades and it hasn't been updated to account for developments in engineering/components. It would be crazy, in my view, to limit progress based on new technology just because the guidance states one way to comply with the regs is to do XYZ.

There is absolutely nothing that says Irish Water can make law - that's for the Minister to do.

That link doesn't work for me and I can't work out what the reference is - what IW document is it linking to?

John.G

As I posted recently on another thread, IW recently reduced my mains pressure from a static pressure at their stopcock of 2.6/3 bar to 1.8 bar, I was told that their "policy" was to supply sufficient pressure to supply a attic located storage tank in a two storey house. Luckily for me this is still sufficient to keep my mains supplied electric shower happy.

Of course its also a Irish solution for water leakage as the leakage at 1.8 bar is ~ 83% of the leakage at 2.6 bar.

Sleeper12

In the UK its more common place to use pressure reducing valves than pumps. Says a lot about our water system but hey they want free water

AmatureRuth

Just FYI in case anyone is interested, I wrote to Irish Water asking the following:

"As far as I can see, there is no law or regulation requiring me to keep the cold water tank (and I have checked). The Irish Water T&Cs specifically state that storage is my responsibility (but not obligation). The Code of Practice for water infrastructure does say new developments need tanks and is mandatory for new developments and new connections. My renovation is neither of these things, so it is not mandatory. Can you clarify please? This is holding up my renovation work and is incredibly frustrating as not clear on the Irish Water website."

I just got an email back from the senior design engineer saying the following:

"This is a private side issue and whatever you install should comply with the building regulations and building control authority.
Irish Water are responsible for your water supply from the public network up to your connection point (boundary box) at the property boundary."

So as suspected it's just the Building Regs that matter. There is no law against removing a cold water tank, regardless of whether there might be guidance or best practice that suggests otherwise.

John.G

Assuming it is OK to run your system directly off the mains then if, at any time IW decide to reduce the pressure as per my post #47 above, how are you going to run your power shower(s) as 1.8 bar will not IMO be sufficient.
I had a mains pressure of 2.6/3 bar for 47 years until it was reduced.

Sleeper12

AmatureRuth wrote: »

Just FYI in case anyone is interested, I wrote to Irish Water asking the following:

"As far as I can see, there is no law or regulation requiring me to keep the cold water tank (and I have checked). The Irish Water T&Cs specifically state that storage is my responsibility (but not obligation). The Code of Practice for water infrastructure does say new developments need tanks and is mandatory for new developments and new connections. My renovation is neither of these things, so it is not mandatory. Can you clarify please? This is holding up my renovation work and is incredibly frustrating as not clear on the Irish Water website."

I just got an email back from the senior design engineer saying the following:

"This is a private side issue and whatever you install should comply with the building regulations and building control authority.
Irish Water are responsible for your water supply from the public network up to your connection point (boundary box) at the property boundary."

So as suspected it's just the Building Regs that matter. There is no law against removing a cold water tank, regardless of whether there might be guidance or best practice that suggests otherwise.

You don't seem to understand what the building regs are all about. I understand to the homeowner or someone building their own home it can seen as an obstacle to get over & all you want is the piece of paper saying that you have met the regs. That isn't what the regs are. They are the minimum building standard. They are something tradesmen work to day in & day out. These aren't just for new builds or large extensions. Even the tiniest of jobs should meet or exceed the building regs if possible. The regs have legal meaning outside of new builds. To win a case against a tradesman all the homeowner needs to prove in court is that the job doesn't meet the current building regs.



From a plumbers point of view they should always meet Irish Waters minimum requirements & meet the current building regs. The logic of getting a cold water tank to meet regs & ripping it out once you have the compliance cert is like driving safely on your test & like a lunatic once you pass the test. It makes no sense. Tradesmen are bound by the building regs all of the time & not just on new builds.



A good plumber will always work to best practice. A good plumber will insist on a break water tank & a pump. This is the correct way to install a combi in Ireland. A plumber could ignore regs & test your water pressure & flow rate. He might be happy to install a combi on the mains despite the building regs. It might work perfectly & live a long & happy life BUT six months after installation Irish Water might reduces the flow & pressure & the combi mightn't work. A good plumber wont take this risk.

So as suspected it's just the Building Regs that matter. There is no law against removing a cold water tank, regardless of whether there might be guidance or best practice that suggests otherwise

Respectfully, the above statement is an over simplified statement

You will find in the installation instructions & the warranty card that come with the combi boiler state that the installation should meet local building & water regs/requirements.