When buying a new boiler, you want to get it right. After all, your new boiler should be heating your home for many years to come.
To find the right boiler for your home, follow our top tips for buying a new boiler.
Why Buy A New Boiler?
Boilers typically have a lifespan of 10-15 years but they can begin to lose their efficiency after 8 years. As efficiency drops, your heating bills will begin to increase.
Not only that but as a boiler ages it becomes prone to issues. And if you're calling out a heating engineer to fix your boiler on a regular basis then those repairs bills will begin to add up. At this point, the most cost-effective decision you can make is to install a new boiler.
The following are all signs that it's time for a boiler replacement:
Your boiler is breaking down on a regular basis
The cost of a repair would be more than a new boiler
You've noticed that your heating bills are on the rise
Your heating and hot water demands are no longer being met
You're planning to sell or rent out your property - a new modern boiler will help to lift the efficiency rating of your home and make it more appealing to potential buyers
Our guide to New Boiler Prices & Replacement Costs goes into more detail around when it's time for a new boiler.
Now let's get into our top tips for buying a new boiler.
Tip #1 - Decide On The Right Boiler
The size of your property, number of people living in it and the demand for heating and hot water will determine which boiler type is right for your home.
Combi
The most advanced and widely used type of boiler in the UK is the combi boiler. A combi is a single, efficient heating system that may be built without the need for extra tanks or cylinders. Good news if space is at a premium on your property. Without the use of any tanks or cylinders, they provide rapid heating and hot water on demand as and when required. They are therefore ideal for households with 1-2 bathrooms (depending on the output rating).
While combi boilers have a number of benefits, there are some considerations that need to be made too. As combi boilers take water directly from the mains, you will need a high water pressure at your property. Otherwise, the hot water that comes out of the tap will always be weak. Also, they're unable to deliver a strong supply of hot water to more than a single tap at a time (in most cases) which is why they're best suited to smaller properties.
System
A system boiler is a great option for homes with 2 or more bathrooms and a high demand for hot water. This is because, rather than heating water on demand, the hot water is heated indirectly and stored in a hot water cylinder. If your property has a high demand for hot water then it's well worth the additional space.
While storing hot water in a cylinder does allow a system boiler to meet higher demands for hot water, there will be times when you need to wait for it to fill back up. This may, on occasion, postpone your bath for a little while – a problem you won't face with combi boilers.
Regular
The regular boiler goes under many names. There's open-vent, heat-only and conventional to name a few. They're the oldest boiler type available and are commonly found in older properties built in the 1960s and 70s.
Like a system boiler, regular boilers heat water for storage in a cylinder. However, in addition to needing a hot water cylinder, a feed and expansion tank is also necessary. This tank is fitted in the loft and delivers cold water down to the boiler as they don't take water directly from the mains.
As they're large heating systems in need of an extensive pipe network, they're only recommended for properties where this boiler type is already installed.
Not sure which boiler type is best suited to your home? Then you should seek the expert advice of a fully-qualified heating engineer. Get A Free Boiler Quote Today In 30 Seconds.
Tip #2 - Pick Your Boiler Brand
Once you've decided on the right type of boiler for your home then you'll need to select a model from one of the many UK boiler manufacturers.
The best boiler manufacturers in terms of homeowner reviews and installer feedback are widely considered to be:
Worcester Bosch
Ideal
Baxi
Vaillant
Each of these brands manufacture all 3 boiler types, mainly gas-fuelled but with a couple offering oil boilers too.
At Versatile Heating Services we usually recommend Worcester Bosch due to their high quality, reliable boilers and extensive guarantee periods.
Tip #3 - Choosing The Right Size Of Boiler
Once you have chosen the type of boiler you want, the next step is to select the correct size according to the heating requirements of your home. Alongside boiler type, the factors that affect boiler size include:
Number of radiators
Number of bedrooms
Number of bathrooms
What Size Combi Boiler Do I Need?
Combi boilers typically have a larger power output than system and heat-only boilers because they have to heat water on demand. The most suitable boiler size can be worked out according to the following categories, and once you have taken a look you can browse our range of combi boilers to find a suitable solution.
Number of bedrooms | Number of radiators | Number of bathrooms | Recommended size |
1-2 | 0-10 | 1 | 24-28kW |
3-4 | 10+ | 2-3 | 28-35kW |
More than 4 | 20+ | More than 3 | 35-43kW |
What Size Of System Boiler And Regular Boiler Do I Need?
System and regular boilers store hot water ahead of time, meaning they are built with a smaller power output than combi boilers. The table below showcases the best boiler sizes depending on the heating requirements of a home. If you're interested in having one of these types of boilers installed in your home, you can browse our range of system and heat only boilers to find the perfect solution for your heating and hot water demands.
Number of bedrooms | Number of radiators | Number of bathrooms | Recommended size |
1-2 | 0-10 | 1 | 9-18kW |
3-4 | 10+ | 2-3 | 18-26kW |
More than 4 | 20+ | More than 3 | 27-40kW |
Please be aware that these are just general guidelines into what size boiler would fit within certain properties. We always recommend consulting with a professional heating engineer before making your decision.
Why not get in touch with a Versatile Heating Services Installer? They will be able to give you a free no-obligation quote after expertly surveying your home.
Tip #4 - Choose Your Boiler Location
Modern boiler installations can be incredibly flexible. Giving you the freedom to choose where you'd like your boiler to be installed. Having it installed in a kitchen or utility room is by no means a requirement.
One necessity of gas and oil boiler installations is that they must be installed onto an external wall. This is so that waste gases can be easily emitted out and away from the property through the flue pipe.
Note that moving a boiler from one location to another will add to the costs of a boiler replacement.
Tip #5 - Consider A Long Guarantee
A boiler guarantee will give you the peace of mind that you're covered in the unlikely event of an issue. All UK boiler manufacturers offer guarantees on their boilers. However, the terms and length of the warranty will both vary depending on the manufacturer and model.
Boiler guarantees typically vary from 1-10 years with some now going beyond 10 years. Another reason that we typically recommend Worcester Bosch boilers is due to their long 12-year guarantee.
The guarantee of some boilers can be extended when installed by a heating engineer certified by the manufacturer. So it's worth asking the heating engineers who quote on your job about the warranties they can offer.
Tip #6 - Choose A Reputable Installer
The heating engineer you hire to install your new boiler must be fully-qualified. This means hiring a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas boiler installations. Oil boilers must be installed by an OFTEC technician.
To make sure the installer is suitably qualified, you can check online. This means visiting the Gas Safe register and looking up the company that you're considering. In addition to this, always ask to see their ID card as soon as they arrive at your property.
If you use a Gas Safe qualified engineer, you will be covered by your insurance if anything does happen to go wrong. If you choose to use someone without those credentials, your insurance could be invalidated. Whether you are a landlord or a homeowner, ensuring that you use a Gas Safe qualified fitter and an industry-approved appliance is critical.
At Versatile Heating Services all of our engineers are fully Gas Safe qualified to fit and service your boiler.
Ready For Your New Boiler?
Versatile Heating Services provide free online boiler quotes for Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian and Midlothian residents in under 30 seconds, just head to our Online Boiler Quote Tool. If you want to explore your options further following your quote, one of our friendly gas engineers will visit your property to confirm your quote price and discuss any other potential options with you.
When’s the best time to get a new boiler installed?
When you need a new boiler, you need a new boiler. There’s not always a right time. But if you’re planning on replacing yours before it completely packs up, then we’d recommend doing it during the summer months. That way you’ll be less reliant on heating and hot water so the process should be relatively pain free. Imagine a boiler fitting in the cold winter months…