Five things to know before buying a new boiler

Five things to know before buying a new boiler

As the nights start to get colder, and you begin to heat your home again, one of the most inconvenient things that could happen is a boiler breakdown during Autumn/Winter.

It’s at this time of year that a lot of people think about the health of their existing heating system and consider replacing their boiler.

Buying a new boiler is a big and expensive decision, so we’ve created a list of 5 things that you should consider before handing over that hard earned cash . . .

1. Firstly, you should consider what type of boiler you need for your home?

There are 3 main types of boilers, combi, system boiler or a regular or conventional boiler.

Combi (combination) boiler - A combi boiler delivers your hot water and heating in one single unit. It takes the cold-water supply directly from the mains and then heats the water on demand – providing plenty of hot water for central heating and taps.

System boiler - A system boiler again gets its cold water directly from the mains but unlike a combi it then sends the water to a separate hot water cylinder for storage. When it's bath time or you feel like popping the heating on, it's ready to go. Cylinders do empty though so you'll have to wait for it to top itself back up.

Regular (conventional) boiler - Houses with regular boilers take their water from a cold-water tank that is kept in the attic. The water gets heated before being sent to a separate hot water cylinder to be stored until you're ready for heating or hot water. Again, just like a system boiler when the cylinder is empty, you'll need to wait for it to refill.

2. What size boiler do I need?

The type of boiler you will need is based on the size of your home and how much hot water you need. You may want to also consider whether you would like an internal or external boiler.

If you live in a small home with only one bathroom or live on your own or with only one other person, a standard combi boiler without a hot water tank will usually be the best choice. If your home is larger or there are more than two people living in it, then a heat-only or system boiler is usually a better option.

3. Choose a reliable brand

Once you know just what type of boiler you are going to need, the next step is to choose which oil brand or manufacturer you are going to have installed.

The Warmflow Agentis Boiler, available in both internal and external versions, is the UK & Ireland's only AAA-rated oil boiler, which offers an average saving of 5 litres of fuel per week compared to other brands.

4. Efficiency

If you are replacing an old-style boiler with a modern condensing boiler, the good news is you are likely to save a decent amount on your energy bill.

The latest savings estimates (source: Sedbuk) suggest that if you live in a detached home and are replacing an old-style heavyweight boiler with a modern condensing boiler, you will be swapping average fuel bills of £1,705 for £1,053 - a £652 saving.

The Agentis oil boiler combines Warmflow’s unique, patented high efficiency stainless steel heat exchanger technology with the latest Riello low NOx burner technology to create a range of high efficiency oil boilers which offer some of the best efficiency ratings in the UK & Irish markets.

5. Ask your boiler engineer’s advice

Your boiler engineer will be a great source of information during the buying process. He or she will be able to guide you to make the best choice on the type and size of boiler you need. However, many heating engineers are incentivised to install particular brands of boilers and some will only install boilers from particular brands. . Therefore, it’s best to also do your own research too.

If you would like to discuss your needs with an expert our highly trained customer service team will be more than happy to help. Give us a call on 028 9262 1515 or email sales@warmflow.co.uk.

As featured on: 10 Best Boiler Brands/Manufacturers of 2022 (energyguide.org.uk)