What is a Rayburn?
A Rayburn is a cast-iron range cooker, made by parent company -Aga. Rayburn have been around for over 70 years and in that time have made a range of models to suit all applications.
A Rayburn can be heated by solid fuel, gas or oil. They can be a cooker only, or they can do cast iron cooking, heating and hot water for your home. All wrapped up in a beautiful enamelled front and top, making quite a striking impression in the heart of your kitchen.
How does a Rayburn work?
Let’s forget about the cooker only model Rayburn as those do what they say on the tin. A cooker and boiler model Rayburn is basically two appliances in one. There are a range of models that include a range of fuels; including solid fuel, gas and oil.
How does a solid fuel Rayburn work?
A solid fuel Rayburn has a firebox where you light your fire and add wood or coal, the appliance has 2 settings on the front which physically move a damper inside the flue ways of the cooker. There is one setting which directs the heat over the ovens and the other setting forces the heat through the boiler to heat the water.
How does a gas Rayburn work?
A gas Rayburn has two separate burners, two sets of controls and either can work independently of each other. Meaning the boiler side can be on and heating your home without having the whole appliance on or vice versa.
How does an oil-fired Rayburn work?
An oil-fired Rayburn works much the same way as its gas counterpart, the difference being the fuel used to supply the heat and the mechanics of how the boiler works. The Rayburn still has two separate burners that can be used independently of each other.
How does a Rayburn heat my home?
The Rayburn will be installed with a hot water cylinder and a header tank in the loft. The heat generated in the Rayburn heats the water inside the pipes which then travels up to the cylinder. The heated water is then pumped around the system and diverted (with motorised valves) either around your heating system, where it emits heat through your radiators, or around the hot water cylinder, where the heat is transferred and heats your water.
What happens if you want to remove your Rayburn and have a boiler installed?
With a Rayburn, all your eggs are in one basket, so it can often be a bit more complex than just removing the cooker and installing a new one. You will not only need to consider the removal of the boiler element of the Rayburn but also the cooker too. You should be aware that you will need an engineer that is experienced in cast-iron range cookers as they work slightly differently to a conventional oven.
Converting from a Rayburn to combi boiler?
To convert your home heating system from a Rayburn to a combi boiler there are two main things you need to consider. What and where? Removing the Rayburn from your kitchen is half of it, the cooker will need to be replaced so you will need to consider what type of cooker you would like and what space you have available once the Rayburn is removed. You will also need to have space elsewhere in your home for a combi boiler to be installed, this could be in the kitchen, utility, or upstairs in a bedroom.
Converting the heating system from a Rayburn to a combi boiler?
Once you have decided to get rid of the Rayburn, you have chosen another cooking source and have space for a combi boiler, you then need to find a local reputable engineer that is familiar with cast iron range cookers as well as boiler installations. Finding someone who understands Rayburns or Aga range cookers is essential as the cooker itself will need to be removed in one piece.
Where to put your new boiler if you get rid of your Rayburn?
If you are replacing an oil-fired Rayburn then a good solution can be to fit an external boiler. An external oil boiler is a purpose-built machine that is intended to be installed externally to your property. These are usually located close to the house but not in main entrances or exits.
If you are replacing a gas Rayburn and going down the route of a combination boiler then utilising the space in your airing cupboard can be a good option. Once the Rayburn is gone you don’t need the storage tanks in your loft or the hot water cylinder in your airing cupboard. This means you don’t gain any space, but at the same time, you don’t lose any space to a new boiler either.
If you are thinking about replacing your Rayburn and would like some more information or even just some friendly advice then we are always happy to help. You can give us a call or request a call back here.