A guide to boiler replacements

Do you remember when you brought your current boiler? It was probably so long ago that you can’t remember a thing about it. Unfortunately, boilers don’t last forever. At some point your water heating will break down or become unusable and it will be time to upgrade.

Here is a guide to boiler replacements, one of the most essential elements of your heating system:

What type is your old boiler?

If you look at the boiler and heating system already in place, it is likely to be one of three types:

  • High pressure system (unvented) with separate hot water cylinder
  • Gravity-fed system with separate hot water cylinder
  • Combination boiler

Not sure? That’s not surprising as central heating can be complicated. It’s also hazardous because various fuels and electricity are contained in a small space for combustion i.e controlled use of fire to heat your home and water. If the boiler heats the hot water to be used immediately and there is no hot water cylinder, then it is most likely a “combi” system. If there is a cylinder for hot water and a tank for overflow that is probably in a loft, then it could be a gravity-fed system. The high-pressure, or unvented system, produces water at mains pressure and is the least common option of the three.

Deciding on boiler replacement

Next step is to think about replacement.

There are some other factors that can influence this:

  • How satisfied are you with your current hot water system?
  • How difficult is it to upgrade to a condensing boiler?
  • How many parts of your current central heating system need replacing?

If you currently have a combi boiler and are happy with it, a new boiler, similar to the old one might be a good plan. For greater hot water output it is possible to get a more powerful boiler.

If your preferred choice is a gravity fed system, then you will need a system boiler or a heat-only boiler. Gravity-fed systems are more complex and rarely recommended for new installations because a loft tank may be required. A heat-only boiler has a n external pump, which could cost more.

A high-pressure system generally requires a new version of the old, but again you could consider a heat-only boiler versus a system boiler.

Boiler installation

Your home assessor/boiler engineer can explain about heating installations. Gas supply pipes or boiler flues may need upgrading.

How long does it take to have a new boiler fitted?

The installation can take anywhere between 8hrs to a full day, to 3-4 days depending on the scale of the project.

 

Considering the complexity and safety issues associated with installing a new boiler and domestic heating, we recommend calling in experts such as Sureway Heating Services to request a free comprehensive boiler replacement quote.

Sureway Heating Services work closely with Intergas and all our engineers are Intergas Platinum Installers. If you have an Intergas boiler installed by us, you will get 7-10 years warranty on your boiler. We also fit other makes of boilers, such as Vaillant, Worcester and Viessmann. For more information give us a call on 01926 310900.

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