Guide to purchasing a new boiler in 2019
Your new boiler is an investment and depending on the boiler you choose, should last you at least 15 years. This is why it is important that you are careful and don’t cut corners in order to save money. It’s also important that you have your boiler installed by a gas safe registered engineer, this will ensure the work is done to a respectable standard.
Boiler Types
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There are 3 main boiler types – Combi, System and Regular (Heat only). These systems are shown in the image above.
Combi
Combi boilers are by far the most popular choice for UK residents due to their high energy efficiency. They are compact in size and provide instant hot water when required, with no tanks needed.
System
System boilers require a hot water cylinder but do not require a water tank. This makes it an ideal system for larger families who require a lot of hot water and have one or more bathrooms.
Regular
Also known as conventional or heat only boilers, these are better suited to homes with a more traditional heating system. This system requires a seperate hot water cylinder and water tank in the loft. A regular boiler is a good option when replacing an existing boiler in a house with a more dated radiator system, as older heating systems may not cope with the high water pressure from a system or combi boiler.
Why is efficiency important when choosing a boiler?
It is estimated that if you are using a gas boiler in your home, your boiler will account for 60% of your CO2 emissions. Most modern condensing boilers have a rating of around 90% efficiency (meaning for every £1 spent, only 10p is wasted) which makes them the most popular choice if you are looking to reduce heating costs and your carbon footprint.
Buying an efficient and reliable boiler
When buying a new boiler, it’s important to look at the reliability and durability as well as the price and efficiency. A reliable boiler should last you at least 15 years and need minimal maintenance apart from an annual service to keep your warranty valid. With the average cost of a single repair on a boiler being £200, you will want to make sure you do your research before buying one. In the graph below you can see the results of a survey by Which?. Which? asked 10,000 boiler owners what brand their boiler was, the age of the boiler and if it had experienced any faults. As you can see, customers who went with less reliable brands, experienced more faults in their boilers over the years.
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So what are the best boilers and brands to buy?
Our top 3 customer boiler choices
Our most popular range of boilers are manufactured by the Vaillant group. As we are Vaillant Advance installers we can offer you expert advice, provide free-no obligation quotes and also exclusive extended warranties on your boiler.
Vaillant ecoTEC exclusive Green iQ 835
This IQ model is classed as A rated with an energy efficiency of 94% and a warranty of up to 10 years. The IQ is an eco-friendly system which is also 85% recylable.
Vaillant ecoTec Pro 28
Benefits of this model include it’s compact size, rapid delivery of hot water, quiet mark accreditation, 10 year manufacturers warranty and all spare parts are available for 15 years. This combi system is ideal for small to medium homes.
Vaillant ecoTEC plus 832
This combi boiler is designed for larger homes. The benefits for this model include quiet mark accreditation, high energy efficiency of above 90%, spare parts available for 15 years and manufacturers warranty of up to 10 years.
Vaillant ecoTEC plus 630
This is a system boiler, which works in conjuction with a hot water cylinder. Benefits of this boiler include quiet mark accreditaion, 10 year manufacturers warranty and spare parts available for 15 years. A range of outputs available to suit most homes.