When the colder months set in you may find yourself increasingly turning on the boiler in order to keep you and your property warm.
Heating a home, however, costs money. So if you're going to be leaving your boiler turned on for long periods of time, you should ensure that it is running at its optimum performance. And if you've had the same boiler for several years, getting a heating engineer in to carry out a boiler replacement may be a wise idea.
By having a new boiler fitted, you can find that heating up your home is a much more efficient process. Specialist heating engineers have cottoned on to this and are able to install high-performance boilers which use the latest technology.
How can I tell if a boiler is efficient?
If you find yourself shelling out high amounts of money on heating each winter, it may be time to find a more efficient boiler. The Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK guide - more commonly known as SEDBUK - can help. Developed by the government in conjunction with boiler manufacturers, the guide aims to give consumers an easy and effective means of comparing boiler efficiency.
All boilers are rated from A to G, with those with an A grade deemed to be the best and most efficient.
Finding out your current model's level of performance could provide you with the impetus to change your heating system.
What are the benefits of condensing boilers?
Those looking to make the most of their heating system may well be considering purchasing and installing a new boiler. And while there are numerous types available, you might want to bear in mind condensing boilers.
This type of boiler tends to be more efficient than traditional kinds, so opting for such a model may help you to significantly lower your home's carbon footprint.
Independent figures show that condensing boilers have an energy efficiency rating of around 87 per cent (or grade B), compared to the 75 per cent (grade E) the average non-condensing model has.
There are other, more tangible, benefits to investing in a condensing boiler. While installing it will involve some initial outlay, the fact the heating system should run more economically than the one you've had in the past means that less energy will escape from it. Such efficiency should consequently mean your heating bills will be lower, allowing you to save money.
By fitting a grade A condensing boiler, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) claims you can save some £55 a year on heating costs in comparison to a grade D heating system. Such a move would also see your home's annual carbon footprint fall by 30kg.
However, should you have a particularly inefficient boiler - one that is rated grade G - the EST claims that yearly savings of £235 and 1,100kg of CO2 are achievable by upgrading.
There are two types of condensing boiler - regular and combination. The former heats and stores your hot water within cylinders, while combination models can provide you with instant hot water without the need for a cylinder.
And while there may be significant advantages to having hot water instantly, the EST notes that not all domestic heating systems are compatible with combination boilers. The organisation advises speaking to a qualified gas installer first to find out which kind of condensing boiler would be most suitable for your property.
Can I replace a boiler myself?
You may think that you are able to carry out work on a heating system by yourself, however you ought to bring in a professional tradesman for such a job.
Anyone doing gas work is required by law to be a member of the Gas Safe Register and to hold an ID card proving this while working.
The Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI as the national gas registration body in 2009 and aims to ensure that all 120,000 engineers on the list are competent and qualified to work with gas in a safe manner.
Those working on boilers who are not on the Gas Safe Register are breaking the law and such engineers may install equipment that is faulty or poorly-maintained, potentially leaving you and your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
When having a condensing boiler or any other type of heating system fitted, it is always best to hire engineers that are part of the register.
Using Rated People for boiler replacement jobs
Perhaps one of the most difficult things when looking to have a new boiler installed is finding a reputable tradesman who will do such work at a reasonable price.
This is where Rated People can help. Simply post the details of the job you want doing and up to three heating engineers in your local area will get in touch and give you a quote. You can select a tradesman based on what other Rated People users have said about them and once they have done the job, you can rate them on their work.
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