On Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:49:09 -0700, sf > wrote:



>> >
>> > I think yours is like mine - central heating and hot water - a combi
>> > boiler?
>>
>> Yes it is. Is that not usual in US?
>>
>I've heard of a central furnace combined with an air-conditioner, but
>never one that serves as a water heater too.

Right.
Furnaces heat air, boilers heat water. The terms are often used
incorrectly.

I've never seen a furnace with domestic hot water, but boilers that
both heat the house and heat the domestic water are very common.
Probably 90% of oil boiler are made that way, at leas until a dozen
years ago when better systems were introduced.