What to ask when getting boiler quotes…
Getting a new boiler is a big investment, and you want to be sure you’re getting it right.
Here at The Heating People, we know our stuff, and we welcome questions so that you know that you’ve made the right choice for your home.
In this guide, we help you to ask the right questions, so you can get a feel for how professional and knowledgeable your heating engineer is, before installing your boiler.
You might like our related blog: 6 Top tips for buying a new boiler.
What to ask: Do I need to replace my old boiler?
Have you noticed your boiler is struggling to do what it used to do; is breaking down regularly; or is not working at all?
If so, you might be wondering whether you should try to repair what you have; or whether the time has come for a replacement.
You should read: 6 signs you need a new boiler.
But here are just a few warning signs to look out for:
- Your boiler is in its ‘golden years’;
- You’ve noticed that your energy bills have crept up without explanation;
- Replacement parts are hard to find;
- Your heating system isn’t working like it used to or keeps breaking down;
- You’ve noticed strange noises from your boiler or radiators;
- Your boiler is leaking;
- You have no heating or hot water.
The Heating People are happy to talk to you about how your current system is working for you, and whether it’s time for an upgrade, contact us today.
What to ask: Is my current boiler still under guarantee?
Before investing money in a new boiler, it’s worth checking whether the guarantee on your old boiler is still active.
Even if your current boiler is old, it might still be under a guarantee. If you still have one, this means that your boiler manufacturer has a legal obligation to repair or replace the boiler within a reasonable period of time without quibble.
All new boilers from The Heating People come with a guarantee of up to 14 years.
What to ask: Are you Gas Safe?
Only Gas Safe engineers can legally work on gas. You can read more about why this is so important, in our related blog here.
Ask your heating engineer to confirm that they’re Gas Safe registered by giving you their registration details.
All of our team at The Heating People are highly trained and accredited engineers, who will ensure all work is carried out safely, and in accordance with the law.
What to ask: Are you Heat Geek Accredited?
Find out if your engineer is Heat Geek Certified.
Heat Geek Certified engineers have undergone the best heating design training the industry has to offer.
This certification ensures knowledge of heating systems and system design to maximise the efficiency of your heating system.
The Heating people are proud to be Heat Geek Elite installers and Heat Geek Assured heat pump installers.
What to ask: What type of boiler is best for my home?
It’s important that you choose the type of boiler that’s best for your needs and lifestyle.
All modern boilers are condensing boilers but there are three different types of boiler system available. These are: heat-only or conventional boilers; combi boilers; and system boilers.
Contact The Heating People to get tailored advice on what type of boiler is right for your home.
What to ask: Do you complete a heat loss calculation before specifying a boiler?
Whole house heat loss calculations are the industry standard for sizing boilers under Part L of the Energy Efficiency Regulations.
These regulations provide guidance on the conservation of fuel and power under The Building Regulations Act 2010.
This Energy Efficiency Best Practice means that a new boiler should not be installed without having first completed a heat loss calculation. So any installer who isn’t doing one, shouldn’t be installing a boiler!
Rest assured that The Heating People always complete a heat loss calculation as part our quotation process.
This is because an undersized boiler will not heat your home properly, and an oversized boiler will work inefficiently, and is likely to fail prematurely.
By completing a heat loss calculation, we can find the most energy efficient boiler for your home and lifestyle.
What to ask: Which boiler manufacturer do you usually install and why?
The Heating People can work with all boiler manufacturers. But we have our favourites!
The Heating People’s favourite heat-only boilers are Worcester and ATAG.
For combi systems, we recommend the Vaillant ecoTEC Exclusive 835 with Green iQ and the ATAG iC Economiser Plus because they have built-in flue gas heat recovery making them more efficient than standard boilers.
In terms of system boilers, we rate ATAG due to the advanced control options available; high build quality; and relatively low cost.
We are experts in our field, so feel free to ask us about the pros and cons of the manufacturers that you’re looking at.
You might also like to read: The best combi boilers 2022.
What to ask: How efficient is my new boiler?
Make sure that you ask what the efficiency rating of the new boiler will be. A more efficient boiler will save you money on your energy bills.
The Boiler Plus legislation requires that all boilers must now have a minimum ErP (Energy related Products) rating of 92%.
And all gas and oil boilers must have appropriate time and temperature controls fitted. In addition, when installed, combi boilers must have one of four add-on efficiency measures.
What to ask: Do I need new heating controls?
If your heating controls are very old, there are lots of benefits to replacing them.
Heating controls and smart controls can create a more consistently comfortable environment for you; and are more convenient.
Modern heating controls also offer efficiency benefits which allow you to save money on your energy bills, as well as reducing your carbon footprint.
The Heating People ensure that all the systems and products that we recommend, offer you the best in terms of cost effectiveness and energy efficiency.
What to ask: Is there a guarantee with my new boiler?
Ask about the guarantee that will come with your new boiler.
A new boiler will come with a guarantee, so that in the event that your boiler develops a fault or breaks down, the manufacturer will send an engineer to fix or replace your boiler at no extra cost.
New boilers with The Heating People come with a guarantee of up to 14 years.
What to ask: Does my boiler automatically register for its guarantee?
Once The Heating People have installed your new boiler, we will register it with the manufacturers to activate its guarantee.
We will also notify your local building control of the installation on the Gas Safe register.
Remember that you will need to have your boiler serviced annually to maintain its guarantee.
What to ask: Will my heating system be flushed as part of the installation process?
Depending on how clean your existing system is, and on your budget, The Heating People can offer various types of flush with every installation.
This ensures that your new boiler runs as efficiently as possible, and is not hampered or damaged by a dirty or clogged system.
What to ask: Where will my new boiler installation be?
This depends on your current boiler’s location and whether you’re looking to change your whole heating system, or just replace like-for-like.
Generally, the easiest and cheapest place for boiler replacements is in the same location as the old one. This is because the pipes are already there.
But, if you’re converting from a system boiler to a combi system, there’s a good chance that the cold and hot water pipes will have to be run to the new boiler.
Generally, a boiler can be installed anywhere, providing that we can route a flue to a suitable external termination point.
What to ask: How long will my boiler installation take?
How long a boiler replacement will take, will vary depending on what work is needed, if your boiler is moving location or if you are swapping like-for-like.
As a guide, a boiler replacement typically takes between one and three days.
What to ask: How much will a new boiler cost?
The price of replacing a boiler costs less than you might think.
It obviously depends on what you are changing from, and what you are changing to. But as a rough guide, at The Heating People:
- Replacing an existing combi boiler with a new combi boiler will cost between £1800-3000.
- Changing from a heat-only boiler to a combi boiler will cost between £2200-£3500.
- Swapping a heat-only boiler to a new heat-only boiler will cost between £1800-3000.
- Replacing a heat-only to a system boiler will cost between £1800-3000.
- Swapping a system with a new system will cost between £1800-3000.
What to ask: Do you balance the heating system as part of the installation process?
Most heating engineers will balance a heating system to make sure that all radiators feel hot. At The Heating People, we will complete a full hydronic system balance to ensure that your boiler is working as efficiently as it can.
What to ask: What is your after-care service like?
At The Heating People, we take great pride in our after service. We can offer service and maintenance packages to ensure that your boiler stays in perfect working order.
If you would like more detailed answers to these, or any other questions, please feel free to contact one of our friendly team at The Heating People.
Final thoughts…
We hope you’ve found this guide helpful. A boiler is a big investment, so make sure you ask the right questions!
