Around half of the average home’s energy costs go towards running its boiler, so upgrading to a newer, more efficient model can save you a significant amount of money. Working out exactly when it is the right time for a replacement can be hard though, so here are our top tips for spotting when it’s time to take the plunge.
Hot water shortages
If the number of people living in your house has grown, you’ve had an extra bathroom fitted or if your hot water requirements have increased for any other reason, you may find your current boiler is no longer able to keep up. Any boiler is only capable of producing so many litres of hot water a minute, so if you are finding there is often not enough hot water for your basic needs, such as taking showers in the morning, it may be time to look for a more powerful boiler.
Rising energy bills
Over time boilers can become less efficient for a variety of reasons, including general wear and tear. This means they will use more fuel to achieve the same results and so your energy costs will tend to go up. Often getting your boiler serviced will go a long way towards bringing it back towards an acceptable level of efficiency, but there is a limit to what can be achieved with particularly old or worn out boilers, meaning sometimes a replacement is the best option.
Frequent breakdowns
The older a boiler gets, the more likely it is to break down, especially if it was not of the highest quality in the first place. Although needing the occasional repair is not necessarily a major concern, if your boiler starts to have regular breakdowns you may end up spending more on replacement parts and labour costs than you would on a replacement.
If your boiler is over 10 years old
Since April 2005 it has been compulsory for all new boilers to be condensing boilers. Condensing boilers are much more efficient that non-condensing boilers, usually turning at least 90% of their fuel into usable heat compared to as little as 60% for non-condensing models. This means if your boiler was installed over ten years ago there is a good chance it will be one of the old-fashioned, less efficient types and upgrading to a modern replacement could significantly reduce your heating bills, allowing the new boiler to pay for itself within a few years.
DHS have been providing boiler replacement in Bristol and the surrounding area for over 40 years, and are approved installers for both Worcester Bosch and Vaillant boilers. We are manufacturer independent, however, meaning we can recommend the best products to suit your needs and budget. We also offer financing options through Hitatchi Finance, allowing you to have a new boiler today and help pay for it using the savings you make on your energy bills.
Unit 2 Septimus Buildings 
