Buying a new boiler is not a fun process in the same way that you would shop for a new car. It is a big decision and probably one of the most important financial decisions you are likely to make. You will likely have many questions and find the process confusing. Even though you will at some point call in the professionals, it is important that you take the time to do your research to ensure that you get the right boiler for your home and budget.
What Types of Boiler Are Available?
When it comes to choosing a type of boiler. you will have 3 options, all of them known as gas condensing boilers.
- The first type of boiler is known as a combination boiler or simply a combi boiler. Combi boilers will heat the water as and when it is required. One of the disadvantages of a combi boiler is that they may not be able to provide hot water to multiple outlets simultaneously.
- Next, there is the convention boiler or sometimes referred to as a heat only boiler. With a heat only boiler you will have a hot water tank and therefore you will have hot water as and when you need it. If you have more than one bathroom, you will have a hot water supply to more than one shower along with the taps.
- Finally, there are system boilers which run in much the same way as a heat only boiler except that there are a lot more components which make up the system. The advantage to this is that the installation will usually be more straightforward and they tend to take up less space.
Generally speaking, if you live in a smaller apartment or one-bedroom house with another person a combi boiler will be sufficient for your needs. For larger homes of 2 bedrooms or more, a heat only boiler or system boiler would be the best choice. Remember a plumbing professional, like Flush Heating and Plumbing, will be able to best advise you on your current situation.
What Size Boiler Should You Consider?
The size of a boiler is measured by its output in kilowatts and the more kilowatts the boiler outputs the more powerful the boiler. Normal household boilers will have an output ranging from 24 kilowatts to 42 kilowatts. When choosing a boiler size some of the things you need to take into consideration include how many people are living in the home, the number of radiators required and how many bathrooms in the property.
Recommending a size of boiler is not an easy task as there are so many factors involved in terms of each property and people’s requirements. However, the following will give you some idea of what you may require.
For smaller apartments and houses with 1-2 bedrooms, a combi boiler with a 24 – 27-kilowatt output would be suitable. This size of boiler would provide enough hot water for a single bathroom and up to 10 radiators.
If you own a medium-sized property with 2-3 bedrooms and up to 2 bathrooms a system or combi boiler with an output of 28-34 kilowatts would be more suitable.
For larger properties with 4 or more bedrooms and several bathrooms, a system or heat only boiler would be recommended with a power output of 35-42 kilowatts.
Will I Save Money with an Energy Efficient Boiler?
Deciding whether or not to replace an older boiler is a difficult decision. However, if your boiler is 10-15 years old you are likely to use 30-40% less energy with the most energy efficient new boilers.This is because all new boilers are now manufactured to be more energy efficient and run on less fuel. Although buying a new boiler is an expensive outlay, experts say the money could be recouped within 3-5 years through savings on your energy bills. After this period you will then be financially better off and these savings will then continue for the life of the new boiler.
You could take this a step further and opt for a high efficiency condensing boiler, as these types of boilers have heating controls and offer the biggest savings of up to 40%. Your local heating engineer will be able to advise you further on high-efficiency boilers and the possible savings you can make.
