According to the Energy Saving Trust there are great savings to be made on energy bills if you’re upgrading your old boiler for a new A-rated energy efficient condensing boiler – up to as much as £310 per annum in some cases !!
While old boilers can achieve anywhere between 50-70% efficiency,
A-rated boilers have to be at least 88% efficient to satisfy Building
Regulations, and some models even manage to achieve over 90%. The more
energy inefficient your existing boiler the greater the saving you’ll be
able to achieve on your annual energy bills.
Whilst purchasing a new boiler is a big investment and potentially a rather expensive one, there is help available. For example there's the government ECO scheme and Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.
Getting Started
First check to see if you qualify for a free boiler grant. If you’re not
eligible we would recommend you obtain a free boiler quotes from STL Heating. Sourcing a quote will help you to get the
best possible price for a new gas boiler installation.
Advantages of installing a new gas boiler
- Cheaper bills! Gas is an expensive fuel and prices continue to rise
year in, year out. But if you have a new energy efficient boiler it
will help to bring your bills down.
- Make your home a nicer place to live. It will feel warmer and more comfortable.
- Your home will be more energy efficient and more attractive to potential purchasers when you come to sell it.
- A new A-rated boiler will help to bring down your household’s carbon
dioxide emissions. Allowing you to do your bit for the environment!
Combi boilers aka combination boilers, are very efficient condensing boilers
that don't take up much room. They are now increasing popular due to their compact size and highly efficiency.
C
ombi boiler's are a unique kind of boiler because there's no
need to store hot water - which means you don't need a hot water cylinder
within an airing cupboard.
Why choose a combi boiler
They have in-built protection from rapid changes of water temperature
while you are in the shower due to thermostat controls (most combi
boilers have these controls and they often come as standard too).
If you don’t have much roof space for the installation of a
different type of boiler, then a combi boiler is likely your best bet. Also, combi boilers are a very efficient boiler and they can heat water on demand.
Advantages of a combi boiler
The advantages of combi boilers are the monetary savings
seen on the cost of hot water, plus the fact that you get water out of the
taps or shower at the same pressure as if it was from the mains. Also because there are no tanks being placed in the roofing and so less pipe
work to install. This results in a faster installation which can reducing initial costs as well. Also because combi's are so popular, boiler service costs should be relatively low whilst parts and boiler engineers really easy to find.
Two decades ago, condensing boilers suffered from being
over-complicated, and not as reliable as other kinds of domestic boilers. Thankfully, things have really moved on and improved considerably.
Did you know that the simple major difference between a condensing boiler and a
non-condensing boiler is the efficieniency of the heat exchanger. Also, that the water condenses inside the boiler, and so just needs to be drained away periodically. This is a very rapid and easy thing to do.
What are the advantages of a condensing boiler ?
When it comes to what is so good about condensing boilers, the array of benefits include:
Energy efficiency
Condensing boilers are simply more energy efficient than older
boilers, carrying an A or B scale SEDBUK rating – the highest possible. With modern heating controls, a condensing boiler could help to save you upto £250 a year in your energy bills, while
if you already have heating controls fitted in your home to a regular
boiler, replacing this boiler with a condensing boiler could save you up
to £130.
Lower Fuel Bills
As condensing boilers are so energy efficient, they burn a lot less fuel to to get the same energy to supply to your
home. This all means lower fuel bills, which is a relief with gas prices rising all the time! Although
condensing boilers can be expensive to purchase and install, there various schemes to help with this like new boiler pay monthly plans.
There are a range of central heating boilers of all shapes and sizes, from small and compact boilers that can fit in the space of a small kitchen cupboard to larger, high-output monoliths.
Different types of central heating boilers available have their own benefits and drawbacks. Boilers can run on gas, oil and even electricity ? Plus they differ in size and output - so it can be hard to know what you need, and what you can really have!
What boiler do I need?
Depending on your property (inc. size and number of bedrooms), there are a range of types of central heating boilers to think about - which differ in size, cost and output too. Whatever your need it’s vital that you get good solid professional advice and boiler quotes before you proceed.
How about a Combination Boiler ?
The most popular boiler is the combination boiler (often referred to as a ‘combi’ boiler) and half of boilers sold within the UK are new combi boilers. This is mainly due to their convenience, as most central heating systems use a copper cylinder to provide hot water, but a combination boiler will heat the water needed around the house within its unit. A combi system will not require a cold water tank or separate water cylinder to supply it, so that the costs of hot water will be a little lower than with a boiler that holds water in a cylinder.
What about a Wall Mounted Boiler ?
Most boilers are designed to be wall mounted, with more compact and lighter design. Wall mounted boilers come in many versions, such as with a Fanned Flue or Room Sealed. Lik most new boilers, the wall mounted type of boiler needs to have a “system by-pass” fitted, which is used to filter water throughout the boiler appliance to prevent problems later on like “kettling”.
Maybe a Condensing Boiler ?
This type of boiler has a “heat exchanger”, which allows heat to be re-circulated making it more energy efficient. One of the issues with condensing boilers is the pluming effect it creates from the flue terminal, which is often mistaken for steam. The pluming is not a danger, although is considered a nuisance and will occur for all the time that the boiler is running. Because of this, the placement of a condensing boiler can be more difficult.
