Thinking about a boiler replacement?
What do you rely upon more than anything else in your home? Probably your boiler.
Although we don’t often think of them until trouble strikes, boilers are the unsung heroes of our warmth and comfort at home.
They provide us with heat and hot water all year round, and they’re often so good at their job, we take them for granted.
But unfortunately, boilers don’t last forever.
If you’ve noticed your boiler is struggling to do what it used to do; or is breaking down regularly; or is not working at all, you might be wondering whether you should try to repair what you have, or whether the time has come for a boiler replacement.
If so, you might like our related blog: 6 signs that you need a new boiler.
The Heating People are here to help you find what’s right for you, and your home. Call us today to discuss your options with a boiler replacement.
Signs that you might need a boiler replacement
Here are some of the signs that it might be time to replace your old boiler with a new one:
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your boiler is in its ‘golden years’
When you’re thinking about replacing your boiler, it’s a good idea to start by considering it’s age.
A new boiler is unlikely to need to be replaced, but what’s considered an ‘old’ boiler?
There isn’t an easy answer to this question, because just like with us, age really is just a number!
There’s a common misconception that when a boiler reaches a certain age, it needs to be replaced. But this isn’t true.
With regular servicing, some reliable old boilers will keep ticking over, without ever giving much of a grumble.
However, others will start to deteriorate, and may start breaking down, and needing more frequent repairs.
So if your boiler is old, and you notice any of the other warning signs listed below, call The Heating People today.
We’ll advise you on whether it’s time to say goodbye to the old, and hello to the new.
Sign it’s time it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your energy bills have crept up without explanation
You might have heard about the energy efficiency ratings of boilers, or of the Boiler Plus regulations ; but you might not understand what it can mean for your household energy bills.
In its simplest terms, a less efficient boiler costs more to run because they use more energy to heat your home.
An A rated boiler has an energy efficiency of 90% or more.
The Boiler Plus regulations mean that new combi boilers are at least 92% efficient.
To put this in perspective, an older G rated boiler has an efficiency of 70% or less which means for every £1 you spend on your heating bill you are wasting 30p on lost energy.
As well as older boilers tending to be less efficient to start with, their efficiency can also deteriorate further with age.
So if you have an old boiler, and ever increasing energy bills, it might be worth discussing whether a new boiler could save you money.
You might also like to read our related blogs: 22 tips to reduce your gas bill and 10 tips for saving money on your energy bills.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Replacement parts are hard to find because of the age of your boiler
If your boiler is very old, it might be pricey to repair if it breaks down, because manufacturers often discontinue spares and accessories on older models.
If it’s difficult for your engineer to find the parts, or expensive to replace them, you’ll need to consider how often you’ll have to do this.
A one-off repair might be ok, but if you’re finding that your engineer is regularly having to scour the internet for obsolete parts, it might be more economical to get a new boiler.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your heating system isn’t working like it used to
Over time, you might have noticed that your heating system isn’t working like it used to.
If your radiators are taking ages to get hot, or you’re always cold in certain rooms, or you can’t seem to get enough hot water, it’s time to call an engineer to investigate whether it’s time to replace your boiler.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your boiler is regularly breaking down
If you’re having to call out an engineer more than once a year to repair your boiler, it’s worth considering whether the sum of repairs and call-outs is greater than the cost of a new boiler.
If you have your boiler serviced regularly, it should be running smoothly all year, so it might be time for a replacement if yours is still struggling.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your boiler or radiators are noisy
All heating systems will make some noise, but if you start noticing new or unusual sounds coming from your heating system, you should get it checked.
If you have tapping sounds, your system might benefit from a Powerflush to clear out sludge which builds up over time.
Other sounds, such as humming or banging might indicate a bigger fault. Your engineer will be able to talk to you about whether repairs or replacements are needed in your situation.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: The flame in your boiler has changed from a blue to a yellow colour
The flame in your boiler should be bright blue. If it changes colour, you should contact a Gas Safe engineer immediately.
The Heating People will be able to advise you as to whether a repair is possible, or whether you need to replace.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your boiler smells odd when it is on
If you ever smell sulphur or an eggy odour when you use your boiler, there could be a gas leak.
Immediately turn off the boiler and call the emergency gas line on 0800 111 999.
Then get in touch with a Gas Safe engineer. You should do this if you ever notice an unusual smell coming from your boiler.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your boiler is leaking waterYour boiler should never leak! If it does, you need to switch it off and have it checked by a professional.
It could be a broken valve or seal, which might be repairable, or it could be indicative of a bigger problem, where a replacement might be your better option.
Sign it’s time for a boiler replacement: Your boiler is not working at all
If your boiler stops working completely, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you need a brand new one, but it’s definitely worth talking to your engineer about whether repair or replacement is the best option for you.
What will I stand to gain from a boiler replacement?
If you recognise any of the warning signs that your boiler might be on its last legs, you might be wondering what you stand to gain from a replacement.
Here are just some of the advantages to investing in a new boiler:
Benefit of replacing your boiler: A warmer, more comfortable home
If you’ve been feeling chilly lately because your old boiler has been struggling to heat your home, you’ll love the benefits that a modern boiler will bring.
No more waiting for a heating system that takes ages to kick-in, or wearing two jumpers in your lounge!
Benefit of replacing your boiler: More reliable hot water
If baths and showers have been a battle ground lately, because there never seems to be enough hot water, a new boiler might solve this for you.
If your current problem is that you’re having to wait ages for water to heat up, a combi boiler might fix this for you.
Or, if your issue is that your combi isn’t coping with the increased demands of a growing family, switching to a heat-only or system boiler might be your answer.
Whatever the situation, our team at The Heating People can make sure that your upgrade is going to meet your hot water needs.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Quieter boiler operation
Fed up of your banging or whistling boiler?
If your old boiler was really noisy, you might well notice how much you don’t notice your new one!
Due to improved design, new boilers can be significantly quieter than older ones.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Space saving
If you currently have a heat-only boiler, and switch to a system boiler, you’ll save space because system boilers only have a hot water cylinder, they don’t need a cold water tank in the loft.
And if you switch to a combi boiler, you’ll save even more space because combis are compact all-in-one units that don’t need any external tanks or cylinders. They often fit in a kitchen cupboard.
So replacing your boiler could mean that you can get your airing cupboard back, which can be particularly beneficial in smaller homes.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Reduced energy bills
A major advantage of a boiler replacement, is that it could save you a lot of money on your energy bills.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that boilers are responsible for 55% of your household energy bills, so upgrading from a G rated to an A rated boiler could save you up to £200 per year!
To find out why the price of gas is on the rise, check out our related blog here.
So it’s definitely worth having an efficient boiler in your home!
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Better for the environment
There’s no doubt that by installing a new, more efficient boiler, you are also helping the environment.
It’s estimated that around 20% of all UK carbon emissions come from home heating.
Modern A-rated boilers are superior to their older, lower rated counterparts because they recycle heat that would be wasted. This means that they can generate more heat from the same amount of fuel.
It’s estimated that by moving to an A-rated boiler, you could save the environment 1,500kg of carbon dioxide per year.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: More control
When you replace your boiler, it’s the perfect time to upgrade your heating controls too.
Effective heating controls are a vital part of an efficient central-heating system.
If you’re replacing an old boiler with a much newer one, chances are, your new model will allow you to have much more control over the heat in your home, than in the past.
Clever use of controls can help you minimise energy consumption by ensuring each room is at the right temperature for comfort.
Smart controls allow you to remotely control your heating system, wherever you are in the world.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Peace of mind
If your old boiler has been keeping you up at night with worry, all of that will end with a new reliable boiler.
You’ll end all the stress about strange noises and constant breakdowns.
No more inconvenience in having to arrange last-minute call-outs and repairs.
A new boiler should work better for longer, and all new boilers with The Heating People come with guarantees of up to 14 years, for your peace of mind.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Manufacturer’s guarantee
All of the boilers supplied by The Heating people come with a guarantee of up to 14 years.
This means that should your boiler breakdown, all labour and materials required to get the boiler back to working order are covered.
Now how’s that for peace of mind?
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Reduced repair costs
The guarantee on your new model will mean that should anything go wrong, repairs will be paid for. Anything outside of guarantee is likely to cost less than repairs on a very old boiler, where manufacturers have discontinued parts.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: More convenient location
Renovating your home? If so, the location of your current boiler might not be convenient, and a replacement boiler might be in order to get your boiler where you need it to be.
Benefit of replacing your boiler: Make your home more attractive to buyers
Thinking of moving home soon? A new A-rated boiler can make your property more attractive to prospective buyers.
How much will a boiler replacement cost?
The cost of a new boiler depends on the type of boiler you wish to install and the system that you already have. However, the cost is generally around £1800 with The Heating People.
How long will a boiler replacement take?
The time taken to complete a boiler replacement will vary depending upon what system is already in place (and it’s condition) and what it is being replaced with. Installations typically take between 1-3 days.
Which boiler brands do The Heating People work with?
The Heating People can work with any boiler manufacturer on the market, because we’re not tied to one manufacturer. This means that we can give you the best advice for you.
However we are proud to be Accredited Installers of:
- Vaillant
- Worcester Bosch
- ATAG
- Viessmann
You might like our related blog: 6 top tips for buying a new boiler.
Contact one of our friendly team at The Heating People to arrange to talk to an expert about whether a replacement is a good plan for you, and what your options are.
We all know that gas can be dangerous. So its vital that you choose a Gas Safe engineer to ensure your gas work is carried out legally and safely.
If you have any gas appliances in your home; so it’s essential to have them
The Gas Safe Register
The Health and Safety Authority for each region operates the Gas Safe Register.
Choosing a Gas Safe engineer to work on your gas appliances is a legal requirement. It’s vital for your safety in avoiding risk of fire, explosion and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Not all engineers are qualified to do all types of gas work. So you should check whether they’re Gas Safe registered, before you employ them.
You can check if a business is currently Gas Safe registered by entering their business registration number; or their trading name at: 
Only Gas Safe engineers can carry out gas safety checks. A Gas Safe engineer will test your gas appliances to make sure they’re safe.
When an engineer undertakes gas work at your property; it’s helpful to know what documentation you can expect to receive from them.
The law requires all gas engineers to be on the Gas Safe Register. But they don’t have to provide a Gas Safety Record after they visit you, unless you’re a landlord.
Remember that only Gas Safe registered engineers can legally fit, fix, and service gas appliances.
The six warning signs of CO poisoning are:
There’s nothing like a bit of snow and frost to get people falling into the trap of cranking up their 
We understand that when it’s freezing outside, it’s tempting to turn up your thermostat.
Another common heating myth is that when choosing a boiler, bigger is always better.
Instead of choosing a boiler based on a maximum capacity (that it will rarely run at anyway) you need to get a boiler that’s 
As consumers, we’re often led to believe that the more expensive something is, the better it is. But this isn’t necessarily the case.
There are lots of outdated myths about combination or 
To understand why this used to be the case, it’s helpful to think about how combi boilers work, compared to 
Thanks to the 
Another common misconception about combi boilers is that they are not suitable for heating larger homes.
The number of bathrooms is a better indicator than the overall size of the house.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that painting radiators black will make them more effective at transmitting heat. But please don’t do this!
Heat-only boilers are a good choice for larger households with multiple bathrooms because they can meet a high demand for hot water.
When you’re considering 
Heat-only boilers
Heat-only boilers are sometimes confused with system boilers because both boilers store large quantities of hot water in a cylinder.
The main advantage of heat-only boilers is that they can meet a high demand for hot water.
Another bonus of having a heat-only boiler over a combi; is that it can have an electric immersion heater fitted to its hot water cylinder.
Out of the three types of boilers that are available, heat-only boilers take up the most space in your home.
Unfortunately, heat-only boilers are generally the least 
Heat-only boilers are best suited to larger homes with multiple bathrooms; where several people all want to wash and shower at the same time.
Why choose a Worcester Bosch boiler…
Before we get into why so many people like Worcester Bosch, we want to address this question. Should you pick a Worcester Bosch boiler because everyone else seems to like them?
Worcester was founded in 1962 and became part of the Worldwide Bosch Group in 1996. They are the current market leader for domestic boilers.
You don’t need to worry about whether Worcester Bosch will have a boiler to meet your needs, because whatever your requirements, they’ve been catered for!
Ok, so this is a bit of a shallow one, but if you’re after a stylish looking boiler that you don’t want to hide in a cupboard, Worcester Bosch is a good choice.
Worcester Bosch boilers are well known for their outstanding efficiency.
Worcester Bosch boilers are also renowned for their reliability. Nonetheless, they come with substantial guarantees for your peace of mind.
Worcester Bosch has built up a solid reputation with consumers over the last 50 years.
Worcester Bosch boilers integrate with smart technology for your convenience.
The cost of a Worcester Bosch boiler
When you choose Worcester Bosch, you’ll have an excellent choice of boilers and controls to meet any heating requirements, from a highly reputable company.
FGHRS or ‘Flue Gas Heat Recovery Systems’ are energy saving devices. They allow your boiler to reuse or ‘recycle’ heat that would otherwise be wasted as gases out of the flue.
In some cases, you don’t even need to consider whether to add FGHRS as an add-on to your boiler; because the boiler itself comes with the technology built-in.
Where FGHRS is fitted on a modern boiler, it will need to 
As well as saving you money on your energy bills; using FGHRS will also reduce your carbon footprint, which is good news f
External or ‘bolt-on’ devices can cost from £500 – £800, depending on the type of boiler you already have.
A brief history of central heating…
Although we tend to think of underfloor heating as a modern invention, the very first form of underfloor heating dates back thousands of years to North Korea.
The Ancient Greeks invented the first fixed central hearths for keeping homes warm. 
It’s nigh on impossible to talk about the inventions of the Romans without thinking of the infamous line in Monty Python’s Life of Brian:
The first chimneys were constructed in castles. The earliest extant example of an English chimney is at the keep of Conisbrough Castle in Yorkshire, which dates from 1185 AD.
Benjamin Franklin wanted to improve the efficiency of the fireplace.
Boulton and Watt used a central boiler and a system of pipes to develop the first working steam-based heating system for their homes.
William Strutt created a furnace with a wrought iron air chamber, surrounded by stone to create both cool and warmed air.
Prussian inventor Franz San Galli invented a radiator which he patented as the “hot box”.
Bundy invented the first popular cast iron radiator that had loops screwed into a cast iron base.
William. R. Sweatt designed the first home thermostats that were stamped with “Electric Heat Regulator Co” and were in a semicircle shape. This was later developed into the Honeywell Round thermostat, known simply as The Round.
The Victorians who could afford opulent homes saw radiators as being statement pieces for the home, as well as being functional for heating. Cast iron radiators featured intricate scrolled detail.
Vaillant invented the first 
So, what’s clear from this timeline, is that today’s home heating systems have evolved from ideas spanning back decades, and from all around the world.
What are heating controls?
Heating controls are important for two main reasons.
If you were to just turn your heating up to full blast in the winter, hoping for the best; this would trigger a huge (and unnecessary) 
We have come dependent on our boilers to keep us warm and comfortable all year round; and to keep up with our demands for hot water.
Heating controls make your heating work for you and your schedule. They allow you to schedule your heating and hot water to go on and off when needed.
Broadly speaking, heating controls achieve energy savings in one of two ways:
You can upgrade or install heating controls without replacing your boiler, and it’s a particularly good idea to think about this if your controls are more than 14 years old. Room thermostats, for example, are much more accurate now than they used to be.
Time switches are the simplest type of control because they simply turn your boiler on and off at preset times.
Room thermostats turn the heating on until the room reaches the temperature you have manually set and then off until the temperature drops below your desired temperature.
The word ‘SMART’ stands for “Self-Monitoring Analysis & Reporting Technology”, and covers a large group of controls.
Programmable TRVs are useful in houses where only a small number of rooms are being used at a time.
Nobody wants to waste money heating empty rooms or unoccupied areas of the home, and zone controls allow you to heat different rooms at different times of the day.
An optimiser works out how long it takes your house to heat up and turns the heating on at the right time, so your house will be up to temperature just in time for when you need it.
An automated heating control system works out whether and when to turn the heating on based on whether there is anyone in the building, or whether you are approaching the building.
The weather influences the heat demand of your home. This is because the heat generated gets lost through the fabric of the building, and the speed this happens changes depending on the temperature outside.
These controls work in the same way as weather compensation, but whilst weather compensation uses the outside temperature to determine the heat demand, load compensation uses internal room temperature.
Wondering how to bleed your radiators?
Air bubbles are a natural by-product of your central heating system heating and cooling water.
Since the production of air is an unavoidable consequence of using central heating, you will need to bleed your radiators regularly.
It’s usually easy to determine whether your radiators need bleeding. You just need to use your hand to check the temperature of your radiators, from the top to the bottom of each.
You don’t need much equipment to bleed your radiators. You just need:
Once your central heating is on, and your radiators should have reached full heat, check the temperature of each radiator in your home.
Before you begin your search, it’s a good idea to identify why you’re in the market for a new boiler in the first place.
Approximately 4.3m households are not connected to the UK’s gas network. If this is the case for you, an oil-powered central heating system could be a great alternative to gas for heating your home.
The three different types of boiler (more on these later) all require different amounts of space.
A key factor (but certainly not the only one) in 
The first thing to consider is whether you want to replace like for like, or whether you want to take the opportunity to change to a completely different type of boiler system.
There’s a common misconception that a ‘condensing boiler’ is a type of boiler, when in fact, it isn’t.
Advantages of a heat-only boiler
‘Combi’ is short for ‘combination’ boiler
System boilers
