If you have a central heating boiler that’s more than 10 years old, chances are that it’s less efficient than more modern types, and it may prove harder to fix when it goes wrong. But if you’re considering getting a new boiler, it can be confusing as there are so many options available.
Condensing boilers
Since 2005, any new boilers installed in the UK have to be condensing boilders. Many people confuse these with combi boilers but they’re not the same thing (as we’ll see later). A condensing boiler re-uses some of the heat that would otherwise be lost via the flue, making it more efficient than older non-condensing types and thus saving on fuel.
Boilers are awarded an energy-efficiency rating and, since 2010, all new boilers have to be at least A rated, meaning that they are around 88 percent efficient.
Know your boilers
There are three main types of boiler that companies like hprservicesltd.com, which offers boiler installation in Gloucester, supply. Most common is the ‘combi’ or combination boiler, so called because it provides both space heating and hot water without the need for a hot-water cylinder or a header tank in the loft. The advantage of a combi is that they save space; however they are less suitable for large families or bigger houses where you may need hot water from more than one tap at once.
System boilers do have a hot-water cylinder, which means they’re better suited to homes where there’s higher demand for hot water. The system is sealed, so there’s no need for a header tank in the loft, but the main disadvantage is that it’s possible to run out of hot water, meaning you have to wait for the cylinder to heat up again.
Conventional boilers, otherwise known as open vented, have a cylinder and a header tank in the loft. These have similar advantages to system boilers in terms of providing hot water from multiple outlets, and are also easy to install as a direct replacement for an older boiler. Once again, the drawback is that you can run out of hot water.
As well as changing your boiler, it’s worth considering other upgrades such as thermostatic radiator valves and more modern controls to create a cost- and energy-efficient system.
