Gas Boilers
Boilers account for around 55% of what you spend in a year on energy bills, so an efficient boiler makes a big difference. A condensing boiler is more efficient than an old-fashioned non-condensing one because it recovers more heat and sends cooler gases up the flue.
A standard boiler is one that has a separate hot water cylinder (unlike a combi boiler). You might choose a standard boiler if you need to use a lot of hot water. A combi boiler doesn’t need a separate water cylinder.
Work involved
Swapping out your old boiler with a new more efficient boiler is relatively easy without too many pipe-work changes.
Payback
The costs for replacing a boiler will vary, but a straightforward gas boiler replacement will typically cost around £2,300. The amount you could save depends on how old and inefficient your existing boiler is. A typical household (gas-heated 3 bed semi) could save around £300 per year by upgrading from a G rated boiler, to an A-rated condensing boiler with a full set of heating controls.
Practicalities
At Alternate Energy all our gas engineers are Gas Safe registered. We will ensure that your system complies with Building Regulations and will make sure you get all the documentation to prove this. Keep these documents safe – you will need them if you sell the property.
If you need to replace your boiler anyway, it is a very good idea to get the most efficient boiler you can. However, even if your old boiler does not immediately need replacing, this may still be a good option.
The appearance of your home
A standard boiler will take up more space than a combi boiler.
Why not also consider…
Another option to consider alongside a new boiler is to improve your heating controls. The right controls will let you set your heating and hot water to come on and off when you need them, heat just the areas of your home you want, and decide how warm you want each area to be.