If you were to look at a smartphone from 10 years ago you would be disappointed with its performance, intuitiveness, and user friendliness.
What many people don’t realise, however, is that boiler technology has advanced as much over the past few years as any other industry and upgrading to a newer model could be a significant positive impact on your home life.
There are more fantastic boiler choices on the market now than ever before, but as this is a decision that you will be living with for the next 10-15 years, it is important to weight up all of the pros and cons before making your final decision.
Modern boilers are not only cheaper and greener to run, but they are also a lot simpler to programme and operate.
What type of boiler do you need?
The very first step on the road to new boiler installation is choosing the type of boiler that is right for your property.
By far the simplest option is to simply replace your existing boiler with one of the same type. If you opt for this there will be no major changes required to your internal plumbing system and your engineer will have the system running and operation in no time.
But what types of boilers are available, and which one is best suited to your needs?
Combi Boilers
Combi boilers are the most popular boiler choice in the UK and it is easy to see why. These boilers required no additional cylinders or water tanks and take up very little space. They are sealed systems that heat both hot water and central heating as and when it is required.
They are extremely easy to install and save a tremendous amount of space compared to the other boiler listed below. The only major downside of a combi boiler is as they are required to produce heat on demand they sometimes struggle to cope with high heat requirements and if you live in a larger property with many occupants, you might be better off with a system or regular boiler.
System boilers
System boilers are better suited to heating large properties as they feature a hot water cylinder that is used to store heat ready for use when required. As a result of this they can produce significantly more heat and produce a high pressure supply to multiple outlets.
Although more room is required to install a system boiler than a combi boiler, there is still no need for a cistern in the attic and the cylinder will be built in alongside the boiler itself.
Regular boilers
Regular boilers are, nowadays, considered a bit old-fashioned, and only really installed on properties as a replacement for older style open-vented systems.
Similarly to a system boiler, regular boilers store hot water in a expansion cylinder but also have the addition of a water tank located in the loft of the property. Regular boilers are capable of supplying a significant amount of hot water simultaneously but can be pretty expensive to have installed and are pretty complicated to fit in properties without one already installed.
Choosing the right sized boiler
Choosing a combi boiler for a huge property is not the only mistake people make in terms of boiler size. Your heating requirements are measured in kilowatts, and it is critical that you choose a boiler capable of providing the required number of kilowatts on a regular basis.
On average, it is a good idea to slightly oversize boiler, normally around 30% bigger than the basic requirements, just to make sure that your needs are met and to account for any minor drops in energy efficiency that occur naturally over the years.
You would not be expected to know exactly what size of boiler you need, and this is where an expert Glasgow boilers installer will come in, giving you all the advice and support you need to pick the right product.
Get a good warranty
The longer the warranty is on your new boiler the longer you will have without having to worry about expensive repairs being required at no fault of your own.
Look for a warranty of around 10-12 years, if possible, this will cover you for almost the entire average lifespan of a modern boiler.
Choose the right installer
Choosing the right person to install your boiler is almost as important as the boiler itself. Take the time to find 2 or 3 highly respected Gas Safe engineers in your area and get quotes from them all. This will ensure that you get the best deal possible and prevent you from getting ripped off. You should also look for a company that has an agreement with the boiler manufacturer as an approved installer of their appliances.