Choosing a New Boiler

We are in the 10^th year of living in our home which was a new-build property. That also means our boiler is coming up to 10 years old now, and 10-15 years by general rule of thumb is the average life expectancy of a traditional gas boiler.

So we are on boiler watch and have started saving and researching already! The type of boiler you get will depend on your home. Since 1^st April 2005, all gas-fired boilers have to be condensing boilers. However, there are different types of condensing boilers, including combi-boilers, heat-only and system boilers. A range of these different types from Worcester can be found https://hasslefreeboilers.com/.

The combi-boiler is the most popular type. These include the hot water unit and cold water tank in the same unit, which means all your hot water and heating come from the same boiler. This means they are easier to install, cost effective and energy efficient. We used to have a combi-boiler in our old flat as they are ideal for smaller properties since they don’t need loft space nor a separate hot water cylinder.

System boilers require a cylinder for storing hot water but the boiler itself is separate and can be installed in another part of the house. We currently have a system boiler and our hot water cylinder is upstairs in a cupboard while the boiler is downstairs in a kitchen unit of the utility room. System boilers are ideal for homes with more than one bathroom as it can provide a constant supply of water to any number of taps at the same time. They are also compatible with solar water heating systems so you plan to install these at any point, best to avoid a combi-boiler.

Heat-only boilers are also known as conventional or traditional boilers and are ideally suited to homes that already have a traditional heating and hot water system linked to a hot water cylinder. These boilers also need cold water storage in the loft to feed the hot water cylinder and a tank to maintain the water level of the central heating system. These systems are the least efficient but they are compatible with solar water heating systems and are also a good option if water pressure is low. For more information about boiler replacement, do check out Energy Saving Trust.

When our boiler eventually goes, we will consider the Worcester System 35CDi which is the system boiler most suited for our home. However, we’re hoping our existing boiler will last a little longer yet especially as the cold weather is drawing in!

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