Investing in a new boiler can cut as much as 40 per cent off your heating bill according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
High efficiency
All new boilers installed in the UK must now be energy efficient, A-grade condensing boilers. Condensing boilers reuse much of the heat lost through the flue by traditional boilers. By saving energy in this way, some are more than 90 per cent efficient - cutting up to £200 off your yearly heating bill.
Always look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo to ensure that your new boiler is as efficient as possible, and approved by the EST.
Boiler types
Although all boilers are now the condensing types, you’ll still have to decide whether you need a combination boiler - suitable for smaller homes that need less hot water, a system boiler - good for larger homes with a bigger demand for hot water, or an open vent boiler - which uses more space with a water tank in the loft. Because of their small-size and economical running costs, combination boilers are the best-selling boiler type for gas central heating in the UK. This system is good to provide warmth to the whole interior of a building.
The type of system you’re currently using, as well as how much space you have available will affect your choice of boiler.
Costs
It’s not just the cost of the boiler itself that you need to consider; there are work costs to think about too. Make sure that you always choose a qualified installer approved by Corgi, the gas safety watchdog, or Oftec, the oil safety watchdog to ensure a high standard of work.
You should expect to pay between £500 and £800 for a gas boiler, while oil ones will cost even more. However, your old boiler will need to be removed, the new one installed, and your heating system will also be power flushed to make sure it’s clean and in good working order. All this costs money but you’ll be able to get a quote from your installer before hand - which is why it’s good to shop around.
Paying for it
If you’ll struggle to meet the costs, there are loads of grants available from the Government, your local council and energy suppliers themselves. The EST website lists everything that’s available in your area and you should also look at the Warm Front website to see if you qualify for one of their grants or rebates.
Avoid a loan from your energy supplier - they charge somewhere in the region of 30 per cent - instead, look for a low rate loan from your bank.
Boiler cover stands you in good stead for emergency heating repairs, which otherwise can take a toll on your budget.
You can go for a boiler insurance to take good care of your boiler. More reassuring would be to take out a full central heating insurance to maintain it in a good working condition. Apart from the price, consider the extent of coverage you get out of it.
It is advisable to shop around to compare boiler cover rates. Otherwise, you would not come to know of good offers and may miss out on the best.
Cost Of A New Boiler
? All new boilers have to have an efficiency rating of either A or B,. this is from the SEDBUK rating system. Those with an A rating can cost more, but they will save money on your energy bills. Products are listed on the SEDBUK Boiler Efficiency Database. This Government database lists the Seasonal Efficiency of all Domestic Boilers in the UK. For full details visit www.sedbuk.com. In essence the A rated boilers are the best in terms of efficiency and fuel consumption. Boilers of a lower rating will cost more to run and be less environmentally good. To put this into perspective an old D rated boiler could potentially be less than 50% efficient!??Yes that's right you could be throwing away over half of the money you spend on your gas bill.
? Get a boiler that's easy to install in your situation. Choosing a boiler that has to go in a different position or in a different room to your current boiler can cause problems, especially with regards to the flue arrangements. Easy to install boilers are often easy to maintain and service as well which means less problems during its annual service. There are a large range of rules and regulations that govern the positioning of gas boilers. This means extreme caution needs to be taken before attempting to move a boiler to a new position. More often than not it is much more cost effective to replace a boiler, leaving it in the same position (as long as the condensate route is OK, see below).
? The increased efficiency of modern boilers mentioned above is achieved by the boiler being what is called a condensing boiler. With older boilers a lot of heat energy is lost through the flue. Condensing boilers trap this wasted heat energy in the exhaust gases and puts it back into heating your water. This means however, that a condensing boiler has an extra pipe, called the condense or condensate pipe. This pipe needs to be connected to a waste pipe such as the sink waste. The important point here is that the position of your new boiler will need to take this new pipe into consideration. Ideally the pipe needs to be installed with a continuous fall between the boiler and the waste. If this can not be achieved then extra cost will be incurred as a condensate pump will need to be installed.
? You do not want to have to be a qualified boiler installation engineer in order to operate your new boiler. Simple controls and easy to program timers are a available on many new models of boiler, however some still have more complex systems which can tend to go wrong and are complex to use. Generally the older style mechanical time clocks are very easy to set, easy to use and rarely ever go wrong. The other thing to consider is that the digital clocks can cost four times as much. Some boilers come with the clock and room thermostat included and some do not. If these need to be purchased separately, this can mean an extra ?100 to ?200 to factor in.
? People get confused with boiler power and flow rate. The flow rate is critical for the correct volume of water to be available at the outlets. Flow rate equals the volume of water delivered in a given time, usually given in liters per minute. With a combi boiler the output is only as good as the water supply coming in. This means that if you have a low supply coming into your property, you will only ever get a low supply from your boiler. Each model of boiler has its own flow rate, so you must check these. Usually the higher the flow rate of the boiler the more expensive is will be.
? It is important that you choose a boiler with the correct power output for the size of your home. Boilers installed that are too big for your home will cost more and be a waste of money. Choosing a boiler that is too small will cause problems with not enough water supply to the taps. People such as boiler installation London will help you choose the correct size boiler for your needs. The power rating of a boiler is either in kilowatts or BTUs, in essence the higher the number the more powerful the boiler. Many of the best boiler manufacturers, such a Worcester Bosch, will have online boiler choice information to help you choose the right size.
? Most new boiler models have low CO2 and Nox ?emissions from the flue into the atmosphere, which mean they are better for your carbon foot print. Some are lower than others though and you need to taking this into consideration along with the energy efficiency rating of the new boiler to be installed. Remember carbon monoxide detectors are a good idea, cheap to buy and easy to install. A few pounds is a small price to pay for peace of mind.
? Storage space is at a premium in many homes and particularly large cities like London. Changing a heating system from a conventional one to a combi boiler system, can save a lot of space. This is because you will loose the old hot water tank. Combination boilers are recommended by boiler installation London because of their high efficiency and also because they need a lot less space in your home. However for a larger property with high water demands it is vital to install the correct size boiler.
To sum up there are many different factors to consider and research before choosing a new or replacement boiler. It's a great idea to take time to understand the variables, but people like boiler installation London can guide you through every step of the way. A new efficient condensing boiler can save you a lot of money over the long term.
Both Keira Parker & Arthor Pens are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Keira Parker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Information Technology, Advertising Guide and Real Estate. Keira Parker is a freelance journalist affiliated to the UK energy comparison service, Energy Choices (www.energychoices.co.uk). offers, find out. Keira Parker's top article generates over 880 views. to your Favourites.
Arthor Pens has sinced written about articles on various topics from Affiliate Programs, Pets and Pets. About the author: Boiler installation London (info@boilersinstallationlondon.co.uk) is the author of a comprehensive website full of information related to boilers (furnaces). The website is being updated on a regular basis to bring in depth information a. Arthor Pens's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.
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