The Croke Family, Guildford

‘Alexa, please switch the boiler on’

Like countless others with similar properties, Guildford homeowner Tony Croke invested in extensions to his 1930s semi-detached house, adding a fourth bedroom and a second bathroom upstairs plus a new kitchen and more living space downstairs.

The planned improvements triggered a rethink on plumbing and heating arrangements – and the decision to replace a 15-year-old gas boiler with the latest technology.

“The boiler had to be relocated anyway, so it was a sensible choice to install a new one,” says Tony.

“And the old boiler was not the condensing type, so it was noisy and – by modern standards – very inefficient.”

He chose a 35kW gas condensing boiler from Daikin, recognising its potential to reduce operating costs and emissions, while meeting the family’s new heating and hot water requirements much more quietly than the old boiler.

‘Alexa, please switch the boiler on’

It’s not only showering that’s proving more popular. The Croke family’s new boiler has a volt-free Nest controller, which is connected to the internet.

Tony says: “There are other benefits of online control, including a phone app for setting timer, temperature and on/off controls.

“One morning, when my wife alerted me to the fact that the new boiler was not running, from the comfort of my bed I was able to say: ‘Alexa, please switch the heating on’. She did.”

A system boiler heats domestic hot water indirectly, while a combi boiler provides hot water on demand – which can save space by removing the need for a hot water cylinder and avoid the cost of keeping a tankful of water hot.