London (PRWEB UK) 10 October 2013
With domestic energy prices rising considerably on the run up to Christmas, CompareBoilers.net are urging home owners to install energy efficient boilers to reduce the amount of money they spend on energy bills.
How much does a replacement boiler cost?
Your 16 year old boiler has broken down once again, just before you switch it on for the first time this autumn. Your boiler is on its last legs and you don't want to spend more money getting it fixed once again, so you decide it is time to replace it once and for all. You will think to yourself how much will it cost to replace my boiler?
Depending on what sort of boiler you want, the size and layout of your property will all be factors that will affect how much your boiler replacement will cost. This guide will allow you to gain some much needed information and knowledge in order to make an informed decision on replacing your boiler.
What type of boiler do you currently have?
There is a comprehensive range of different boilers, you could have any one of them currently installed in your home. There is three boilers that are more prominent in British homes, and it's most likely you will have one of the following:
- Combination Boiler (Combi Boiler).
- High pressure (unvented) system boiler that incorporates a hot water cylinder.
- Gravity fed system that incorporates a separate hot water cylinder.
So what steps can you take to identify what sort of boiler you currently have installed into your home? If when you turn the hot water tap on in your home, the water is heated by the gas boiler for immediate use, so you DO NOT have a hot water cylinder then you will probably have a Combi boiler (Combination boiler). If you have a hot water cylinder in your home somewhere, you should check if you have a cold water tank, and an expansion overflow tank in your loft, of you do you probably have a Gravity fed system installed. High pressure (unvented) system boilers are not as common as other types of boilers in the United Kingdom. But if your taps deliver hot water at mains pressure and you don't have any tanks in the loft then you probably have one.
If you have any problems identifying what type of boiler you have installed in your home, any well qualified and GAS SAFE registered boiler engineer will be able to assist you.
What type of boiler do you want to replace your old one with?
You will need to take into account a few important factors when you trying to decide what type of new boiler you want installed...
- Your current boiler and what sort of hot water delivery it offers.
- The problems your boiler engineer might face upgrading to a condensing boiler.
- How many hot water outlets do you have in your home.
- How many outlets will need hot water supply at any one time.
So if you have 'X' installed what would be the best choice to replace it with, in terms of types of boilers?
Combination (Combi) Boilers
If you currently have a combination boiler (better known as a combi boiler) installed and you are happy with its performance then your best option would be to replace it for a like for like boiler. If you are not happy with your current combination boilers output then you should look into increasing the size, this will boost the hot water supply and allow more demand at any one time.
Gravity Fed Boilers
If you currently have a gravity fed boiler installed in your home, then your decision is a little more complicated. A low percentage of boiler installers will recommend gravity fed boilers these days as they have several limitations. They also add extra unesicary risk to the homes they are installed into, making them become less prominent in British homes over the last 5 years.
If you are working to a limited budget when replacing your gravity fed boiler then a like for like replacement will be your cheapest option. If you live in a smaller property that only have one or two bedrooms and your hot water demand is pretty low, then you will get away with installing a combination boiler relatively cheaply.
High Pressure (unvented) Boilers
This type of boiler is generally only found in larger properties that have a higher demand for hot water. The cheapest option when replacing a high pressure unvented boiler would be to do it on a like for like basis.
Condensing Boilers
Condensing boilers are known for their high efficiency levels. Older boilers generally have efficiency levels of around 40% - 70%, but new condensing boiler usually have in excess of 90% efficiency levels.
Now you have got a more informed view into what sort of boiler you are looking to replace your existing one with, you will want to find out how much its going to cost you. Below there are some broad costs of different elements of a boiler replacement, pick and choose which ones you know you will need then add it all up to give yourself a rough boiler price:
£500 to £2000 for a new boiler
£500 - £1500 for your boiler installation
£30 per radiator for a powerflush
£150 for magnetic filtration
£150 per new radiator
£220 wireless thermostat and programmer
£30 per Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs):
£300+ for a 120 litre hot water cylinder
£850+ for a 250 litre hot water cylinder