Unfortunately, every boiler has a lifespan, and it is inevitable that your heating and hot water will one day start to fail. The average boiler lifespan is around 15 years this can vary depending on the quality of the boiler and how frequently you have it serviced. Regardless at some point you will be in the market for a new boiler.

This is why our team at JWC Plumbing & Heating have put together a boiler replacement guide to help you choose the right boiler for your property.

What Is Your Old Boiler?

You are likely to have one of these three heating systems currently installed at your property:

• Combination Boiler
• Gravity-fed system with separate hot water cylinder
• High-pressure system with a separate hot water cylinder (Unvented)

Understanding boiler systems is quite complicated so don’t worry if you are still unsure what type you have.

If you have hot water for immediate use without a hot water cylinder then you more than likely have a combination boiler. If you have a cylinder and then a separate tank for overflow in the loft then this is probably a gravity fed system. High pressure systems are the least common type of the three and they produce water at the mains pressure.

Choosing a Replacement Boiler

Once you are familiar with what type of boiler you currently have installed you can then think about the boiler you want to replace it. The first thing you need to consider is whether or not you are happy with your current hot water system or if you would like an upgrade to a condensing system or even solar. Your decision may also be influenced by how many parts of your heating system need replacing.

If you already have a combi boiler in place then you may be considering a similar system to replace your current one, however, if you would like greater hot water output then a more powerful boiler may be something you want to look at.

Gravity fed systems are quite complex and aren’t usually recommended for new installations, however, if this is what you would prefer then you would need either a heat only boiler or a system boiler. Heat only boilers are more expensive as they require an external pump.

Condensing or Non-Condensing Boilers?

These days mast boiler installations tend to be condensing as they are much more energy efficient and help towards savings on energy bills, with this said they do require an external drain. This could mean repositioning as well as a condensate pump and drainage pipe which you can’t let freeze so it will also need to be insulated.

Solar Powered Heating

This tends to be a good choice if you are replacing a hot water cylinder. Twin coil cylinders will be connected to a solar panel that generates electricity. During the summer months hot water is likely to be free but it may need topping up during the winter months.

Boiler Installation

Once you have decided on the boiler you would like to have installed you then need to find a reliable Gas Safe Engineer to come and install it for you. Our team at JWC Plumbing & Heating are Gas Safe Registered and specialise in new boiler installations and boiler replacements.

If you need help choosing the right boiler for your property or have chosen a boiler and need it installing contact JWC Plumbing & Heating today – 0151 345 4039