Your boiler plays a very important role in your home as it may be responsible for both your hot water and heating. Installing a new boiler is not something you can take lightly or postpone for too long. However, it isn’t something you should rush either. You should take the time to do your homework to avoid mistakes that you could end up regretting later on. There are also cases where you could end up saving on the installation or alleviate your financial burden. Here are a few things you should know before having a new boiler installed.
Financing is Available
Before you think about buying your new boiler upfront, you should know that there are plenty of financing options available. However, know that grants for new boilers are much tougher to get right now, and not all of them are advantageous in the long run. There are still tons of opportunities to get a great financing deal on your new boiler.
If you want to learn more about boiler finance, you should check out this piece by Boiler Central. It explains exactly what kind of deals you can expect to find to finance your new boiler. It shows different finance products for boilers on finance and the common terms for most financing deals. They also show some of the benefits of financing your new boiler instead of buying it cash.
The Different Types of Boilers Available
Another thing you’ll need to do your homework on before buying a new boiler is the different types of boilers out there. You may have had your eye set on one particular model, but there might be better options for you.
For instance, if you’re a couple with limited water needs, then you might want to look at something like a combi boiler. These are very different from the system or conventional boilers. That’s because they don’t use a water tank to deliver hot water. Instead, they use heating elements to heat water coming in from the mains instantly.
This has tons of advantages. For one, money doesn’t have to be spent to keep water in the tank hot. The second one is that it’s virtually impossible to run out of hot water if you’re the only person using the unit.
We need to specify this because combi boilers are not the best option if you have large hot water needs or a big family. This is because combi systems can’t provide hot water for too many appliances at once. However, there is always the possibility of installing multiple units, though having a single system or conventional boiler would be much more convenient.
The Importance of Reliability
Another thing that should be central when buying a unit is reliability. A lot of people make the mistake of going by budget only. But whatever you think you might be saving now will have to be repaid down the line. One study found that most boilers from top brands were fault-free after 6 years – 63% to be exact. This number fell to 43% for the least reliable brands. It’s also estimated that the average boiler repair cost is around £210. That’s no small change.
This is why you need to do your research on which models are the best and most durable on the market. The best way to do so is to ask around a few contractors. You will start noticing a few names that will keep popping up. These should be at the top of your list.
Be Careful with Recommendations
The reason why we mentioned that you should ask for an opinion from multiple contractors is that you can’t trust their word at face value, as many of them are incentivised to push a particular type or brand of boilers.
If the installer in question specialises in system and conventional boilers, they might play up the disadvantages of combi boilers, for instance. Or, they may have a surplus they have to get rid of and will try to push a brand to you even if it’s unreliable. This is why you want to get as many opinions as well, but also check what heating engineers have to say about them. Try to find independent reviews from heat engineers, and look at which models you should avoid at all costs.
Look for Efficiency
If you’re moving from an old boiler style to a condensing boiler, the good news is that they leave them in the dust when it comes to energy efficiency. Even if you’re replacing a condensing model, chances are advances in technology will make your next one even more efficient. Not only that, but most boilers from top brands are pretty much neck and neck in terms of reliability. So, you can’t go wrong there unless you go for one of the least reputable brands.
What Size of Boiler Do You Actually Need?
Some other things you should look into include what your needs are exactly, and the logistics. For instance, you might not have the space for a conventional boiler. For most people, however, heating capacity will be the main determinant.
A lot of things will have to be looked at to see how big of a boiler you actually need. In this case, working with a good engineer will be essential. They will be able to look at things like your piping and radiator system, the number of people living in the house, how many bathrooms you have, etc., then come with a solution. Certain types of boilers won’t work depending on your piping.
As far as size goes, you need to pay special attention to the dimensions of the unit, but you also need to look at the footprint. A conventional unit will need both a hot and cold water tank to operate, so you’ll have to check the dimensions for those as well.
Buying a new boiler is not something that should be taken lightly. Remember that you could have to deal with this purchase for up to 15 years, so take your time, and make sure that you make the right decision not just for now, but the future too.
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