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Do you need a new boiler?
You don’t realise quite how important your boiler is until it breaks down and you’re left with cold showers, no heating and a big bill for emergency repairs. Rather than having your old boiler fixed to keep it trudging on, it might be time to invest in a new one.
Getting a new boiler can be expensive but if your current one is older than 10 years, you should start thinking about having it replaced. While the cost might be daunting, a new, high-efficiency boiler could cut your heating bills by up to 40 per cent straight away - so you’ll make savings and help the environment over time (Energy Savings Trust, 2007).
The best high efficiency condensing boilers convert more than 90 per cent of fuel into heat, compared to just 55 per cent for some old boilers (Boilers.org.uk).
The low-down on boilers
It’s better not to wait until your boiler breaks down before looking for a new one as you’ll probably end up paying more for it that way. If your boiler is old and you know that it will be packing up soon, start shopping around so that you don’t make a panic buy that will cost you even more.
British Gas (www.BritishGas.co.uk) is the UK’s biggest boiler installation and maintenance company, but while they’re a trusted and known name, British Gas is a name that you could well have to pay extra for. As well as independent installers, other major energy suppliers such as E.ON (www.eonenergy.com) and Southern Electric also fit and repair boilers, so do shop around and check to see if your own energy supplier will offer you a discount.
Make sure that you opt for an A-grade high-efficiency boiler carrying the Energy Saving Recommended logo. A-grade boilers convert at least 90 per cent of their fuel into heat and only these boilers carry the logo. Many will also be future-proof which will allow you to connect innovative, new, energy-saving technologies as they become available and more affordable.
Shopping around is always a good idea, but you’ll most likely have to get an engineer out to do a quote as there will be work costs on top of the boiler price that will have to be taken into consideration.
You’ll also need to find a Corgi approved engineer to do the work. Corgi, the gas safety watchdog, estimates that there are as many as 20,000 people in the UK working illegally on gas, so make sure that you ask to see their badge before letting anyone start work. If you’re still worried, Corgi even offers an ID checking service on its website (see useful links).
What types of boilers are available?
Because boilers account for around 60 per cent of domestic CO2 emissions, by law all new boilers fitted in the UK now have to be energy-efficient condensing boilers. This can push the cost of a new boiler up in some cases, but also means that your new boiler will be more environmentally friendly and more economic. According to the Energy Saving Trust (see useful links) a high efficiency condensing boiler could save you as much as £200 a year - and installing the right heating controls at the same time can save you even more.
You can visit the Boiler Efficiency Database to check the credentials of your chosen boiler at www.Boilers.org.uk and even get an estimated heating cost for your home.
The type of boiler you go for will depend on the fuel type you use - oil or gas - the size of your home and how you expect to use it.
What’s the right type for me?
Although all new boilers are now condensing boilers that reuse much of the heat that would normally be released from the flue, you’ll still have to make a choice about which is the best type for you and your home.
Combination boiler This is the most popular type of boiler now in around 70 per cent of homes now have them (Glow-WormHeating.co.uk) and because they provide both central heating and hot water without the need for a separate tank to store water, they can be tucked away into small spaces such as kitchen cabinets - perfect for smaller homes with only one bathroom. They provide instant, unlimited hot water and are compact, but are unable to run more than one shower or bath at the same time and the hot water flow rate will be lower than with other types of boiler.
System boiler A system boiler (also known as a “sealed system boiler”) provides central heating and hot water through a storage cylinder housed in an airing cupboard so there’s no need for a water tank in the loft, as with an open vent boiler. System boilers are ideally suited to larger homes with more than one bathroom or ensuites housing families who’ll want a lot of hot water and the ability to run more than one shower or bath at a time. However, hot water won’t be instant and once the storage cylinder has run out you’ll need to wait for the water to reheat.
Open vent/heating only An open vent boiler (also known as a heating only boiler) provides central heating and hot water through a boiler, a storage cylinder and water tanks in your loft. This is quite a dated system and most people doing a full central heating overhaul will opt to switch to a sealed system. Open vent boilers are good for larger homes with an existing open vent boiler. They have the same advantages as system boilers such as a high flow rate and being able to run more than one shower or bath at a time. But they take up more space than a system boiler and also have the same disadvantages such as having to wait for the water to reheat once it has run out. For this reason, many people choose to have them replaced.
As well as being energy efficient and allowing you to do your part for the planet, a new boiler will save you loads of money on your heating bills too. According to Boilers.org.uk the annual heating cost for a detached house using an old, heavy weight boiler with 55 per cent efficiency would be around £550. Switching to a new high-efficiency condensing boiler running at 88 per cent efficiency would cut this cost to only £355 a year - a saving of £195 - and A-grade boilers run at over 90 per cent efficiency.
A new boiler will also allow you to take advantage of new technologies such as solar panels which are already available from British Gas, Npower (www.Npower.com), EDF Energy (www.EDFenergy.com) and other leading suppliers.
How much will it cost?
Installation costs can vary widely. You should expect to pay around £700 for a good, gas boiler and more for an oil one, but it’s the work itself that will also cost money. If you’re having a full heating system overhaul, including radiators and heating controls, the cost will go up considerably.
What if I can’t afford it?
First up, you should check to see if you’re eligible for any grants or special offers. The Energy Saving Trust supplies a list of all available offers by post code (see useful links).
If you live in England you might also qualify for a Warm Front grant (see useful links) of £2,700 towards the cost of a new heating system (or £4,000 if oil central heating is involved). If you don’t qualify for the grant because you’re not on the relevant benefits but are over 60 you might qualify for their Heating Rebate Scheme instead which offers a £300 rebate on repairing or replacing an inoperable heating system.
If you can’t get a grant or discount through one of these schemes, most major installers offer a “buy now, pay later” scheme - some of these offer zero per cent interest for a set time, while others will tailor your repayments to suit your circumstances, but be wary of taking this type of finance - the interest is usually around 30 per cent and you could get a much better rate on a loan from your bank.
Aftercare
Many independent suppliers offer a guarantee on work done, as do the major suppliers; British Gas offers a year’s free Homecare 200, worth £204 on any new boilers installed with discounts worth up to £604. Southern Electric cover all parts and labour with a two year guarantee and free Shield Cover for the first year, worth £186.
Check with the company that does the work for you if you’ll be covered afterwards to ensure that you don’t buy additional boiler care when you’re already covered and make sure you take this into account when choosing your new boiler provider.
When choosing your new boiler you’ll need to think about the space you have and the way that you’ll be using it. However, as you’ll have to have a technician visit to give you a quote they will also be able to look at your property and advise you on the best option for your home.
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