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Which boiler should I choose?

Our expert says...

Thanks for your email about getting a new energy-efficient boiler installed.

The government is keen to encourage people to replace their old, inefficient boilers for new, A-grade boilers that will not only help to cut the UK’s rising energy bills, but will also give off fewer CO2 emissions. Upgrading your boiler will definitely help you keep your heating costs down.

Before you buy a new boiler though, you should definitely shop around and get a few quotes from different companies and engineers. Although we do not compare actual boiler makes, I can give you some information and some helpful tips on energy efficient heating. Read more below…

Warm Front grants

The Warm Front scheme provides a package of insulation and heating improvements up to the value of £3,500 (or £6,000 if oil central heating is recommended), to low income families and other vulnerable households around England. It is a government-funded initiative, and is available to homeowners and those that rent from a private landlord.

To find out more about eligibility criteria and what you could be entitled to, read our guide on energy efficiency grants.

Energy efficient boilers

Choosing a new boiler can be complicated, as there is a lot to choose from and think about, such as cost, installation and size.

If you’re looking for an energy efficient boiler to help reduce your energy bills and the amount it costs to heat your home, then you should consider a condensing boiler.

There are three main types of condensing boilers: regular, system boilers and combi boilers. All have one thing in common; the ability to extract heat from otherwise wasted flue gasses. While traditional boilers usually have a single combustion chamber and expel hot waste gasses through the flue at the top of the boiler at around 180°C, condensing boilers have a larger or even a second heat exchanger, and gasses are finally released at only around 55°C, wasting far less energy.

Apart from this, there are several advantages to condensing boilers:

• Far more energy efficient - up to 90% in some cases
• Reduced energy bills - save as much as £170 a year by replacing your boiler according to the Energy Saving Trust
• Conforms to new law stating that all new boilers or heating systems must be condensing boilers.

For more information on boiler options and costs, visit our other site www.BoilerChoices.co.uk.

Energy efficiency ratings

In the UK, boilers have an energy efficiency rating displayed as the Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK (SEDBUK) label. This SEDBUK rating provides a basis for fair comparison of different boiler models by grading boilers according to their efficiency.

Look for this label when shopping for your new boiler, as the higher the grade the better the boiler’s efficiency, and therefore the more you’ll save on your energy bills. While A grade boilers will be more expensive then say a C grade boiler, you’ll save more in the long run as it’ll effectively cost less to heat your home.

Read our guide on energy efficiency ratings for more details.

I also recommend you speak to your friends and neighbours, especially if any of them have bought boilers through the Warm Front scheme. It may also be worth insuring your new boiler, in case of breakdowns. Compare boiler cover on www.BoilerChoices.co.uk.

Hope this information is helpful Valerie, and that your new energy efficient boiler helps to cut down your costs.

Ask us a question

If you have an energy query please email ourexpert@energychoices.co.uk