Boiler Replacement | Essential Guide To Make Your Purchase
Boilers are very essential and important part of your home heating system but you probably won’t give your much thought unless it breaks down! However, having the perfect boiler can make a huge difference to you in managing your expense and bills.
Boilers need regular maintenance to keep it working safely, to keep your bills as low as much possible. But due to some error caused it needs replacement so make sure to get the right one this time.
Here is a handy guide to help you out to select which model to purchase and not only that is enough it will help to differentiate the prices, how much a new boiler will cost, and other expenses.
WHY REPLACE YOUR BOILERS?
If your boiler is more than 10 years old, it’s probably not that much of worth now to use it anymore and is ready to be replaced. So, if yours is old think about upgrading it to a new one.
The Boiler installation experts say that replacing a very old boiler with a modern comb boiler could save you up to £400 a year on your energy bills.
Read More- How To Deal With A Broken
WHICH BOILER YOU SHOULD CHOOSE?
The main types of boilers available include combi boilers and system boilers, as well as regular boilers which are also known as heat only, conventional or traditional boilers. All boilers installed today are condensing models, meaning they are more energy-efficient than old-style boilers. Let’s take a look at their key differences,
There are mainly three types of Boilers:
- COMBI BOILERS: Combi boilers are also known as combination boilers are the UK’s most common boiler type. They are usually quicker and easy to install. These boilers are considered ideal because of their properties as they do not require any additional components such as hot water cylinders or water tanks in the loft.
Traditionally, these boilers are suitable for small to medium-size houses with two bathrooms or less. However, Viessmann and Worcester Bosch provide storage combi boilers, which have a built-in storage tank to provide hot water to bigger homes.
- SYSTEM BOILERS: These boilers have located hot water cylinder somewhere else in the house. It’s a very suitable boiler for bigger homes and provides hot water to multiple taps at once together, but the hot water is not instant it requires heating up to one hour.
- REGULAR BOILERS: Regular or ‘heat only’ boilers are similar to system boilers in that they also have an external hot water cylinder, but they typically have a third component – a cold water storage tank usually located in the loft. ‘Water from the tank is gravity-fed to the below system below, usually resulting in much lower water pressure. ‘It’s an older way of heating a property and they’re becoming less and less common, either being pressurized and converted to system boilers or swapped entirely to combi boilers.’
As well as selecting the right type of boiler for your situation, you’ll need the right size in kW. This is determined by a heat loss calculation which takes into account the house’s size, how it’s constructed, insulation levels and airtightness, and the hot water requirements. A heating engineer should do this for you.
You don’t have to stick with the same kind of boiler. It’s very common to switch from a standard boiler to a combi or system.
You should always take the help of heating engineers they will help you with the service as Gas Safe Engineers should be the only one to fit your GAS or LPG boilers .,
What is the Ideal Size Boiler for your Property?
The very crucial and important step is to get the right size so that your boiler replacement can cope with your heating and hot water demands. If you’ll get a boiler size too small it won’t heat your home properly nor it will be able to provide you with hot water properly.
That doesn’t rely on the fact that you can purchase a bigger one because too big boilers can hurt your pocket and lead up to more expenses and add up to your energy bills. After all, it consumes more energy than required.
When we talk about boiler sizing, we’re referring to the boiler output in Kilowatts (KW), rather than the physical size of the boiler. According to your demand, your heating engineer will be able to suggest the right size of boiler for your home.
How much does a new Boiler Cost?
The most efficient thing you can do is to stick to your budget. Boilers have a wide variety and cause a lot of expense. The cost of boilers depends on many different factors like type, material, manufacturer, etc. A straightforward gas boiler replacement plus thermostatic radiator valves will typically cost about £2,300, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST). Replacing an oil boiler will cost about £3,100.
Boiler replacement prices vary greatly and typically range from around £400 to £3,500 (excluding installation).
Consider only Reliable Boiler Models
If you are replacing your boiler don’t forget to search on the internet and compare the prices, size, type of all the boilers available in the market. Make sure of taking advice from your heating official that the boiler will suit your home best and will not lead you up to much expense. Don’t try to go for very cheap products as it will waste your money for now and can add more expenses in the future. If you end up with a replacement boiler that constantly breaks down, you’ll spend a fortune on repairs once your manufacturer warranty expires.
Get a Range of Boiler Replacement Quotes
It’s always a good idea to get boiler replacement quotes from at least three different engineers or companies so that you can compare costs. When obtaining quotes, ask for a fixed price on the boiler and installation to protect yourself from any hidden fees. Also, don’t forget to ask about the warranty period, as some engineers will be able to offer extended warranty options and a guarantee on the installation. You should never agree to a quote without knowing precisely what you’re getting for your money, so don’t ever be afraid to ask as many questions as you like when liaising with boiler dealers and installers.
How to take care of your Boiler
For safety, boilers are designed to cut out if something is not quite right. An error code on the display will tell the engineer the cause of any problem.
A common reason for a boiler not operating is because the pressure in the system has dropped below the minimum level needed for it to work. Pressure loss is easy to resolve by topping up your system – check the boiler’s instructions to see how to do this or ask your installer. However, the cause of the pressure loss must be found – often this will simply be a tiny leak in the system or water supply problems in the local area.
A boiler should be serviced annually. This should pre-empt any problems and avoid a breakdown, as well as ensure the boiler is operating efficiently. If your boiler is still under guarantee, an annual service is usually part of the terms and conditions. It is illegal for an unqualified person to attempt to repair or install a boiler.
Tip: You may be insured for emergency boiler repairs under your home policy. However, policies may only be valid if the boiler has been serviced by a qualified person within the last 12 months, so make sure you check the details.
These are the important factors if you are considering Boiler Replacement. Contact your heating engineer for better advice.