Boiler Investment Tips And Tricks

Collaborative post.

Investing in a new boiler is a huge and expensive decision that most people will have to make during their time as a homeowner or even as a landlord. Despite this, laying down some initial guidelines before your purchase will mean that you are making the decision that is best for you and your situation. 

Budget

When it comes to any purchase in life, it is often dictated by the budget that you have available. My first great tip is that it’s vital to set yourself a budget at the start of your boiler search and stick to it. The price of a new boiler can depend on a few things such as the type, size and what brand you choose to go with – Viessmann boilers for example offer a range of boiler prices to suit your needs. 

Another thing to remember when choosing your new boiler is often the cost of installation is not included in the initial price of the boiler. The best way to go about getting the best price for your boiler installation is to check and get quotes from a few local heating engineers in your area and choose what quote is best for you. 

Boiler Grant

As I said above, budget is often the point that dictates a purchase and can sometimes lead to you not being able to purchase the best option available to you. If this is the case and you feel like you may need a little bit more money you may be eligible for a boiler grant. Grants can often be issued if you have an old and inefficient boiler in your property. However it is still worth having a look around online and seeing if you can get financial help with a new boiler in any way.

Research

Just like when buying a new car, doing your research is key to finding the best boiler for you. There are three main factors that can be considered when doing your research.

• ErP rating: An ErP rating is the classification given to electrical products in the UK based on their efficiency. The lowest of these classifications is a G while the highest is A+++, meaning this product is of the highest energy efficiency.
  
• ErP efficiency: A boilers efficiency rating is calculated by how much fuel it uses and converts to create energy and how much fuel is wasted making this energy. Since 2018 all boilers in the UK are required to have at least an energy efficiency rating of 92%.
  
• Kilowatts: A kilowatt is a measure of how much energy your boiler can use to heat your home. Different sized homes will need boilers that can produce more energy. 

What type of boiler

Choosing the type of boiler that you need is a huge part of selecting your new boiler. There are several factors that can affect what type of boiler would be best for your home such as the size of your home and how many people currently live there. 

Combi Boilers

Combi boilers heat water straight from the mains as and when you need warm water. A combi boiler is great for a home that is struggling for space as the water is directly heated from the mains which means no hot water storage tank is needed and you can get hot water on demand. A combi boiler is best for a smaller sized home with only one bathroom as a combi boiler will struggle to heat two water sources at once.

Conventional Boilers

A conventional boiler is the most traditional way to heat your home in the UK. A conventional boiler uses hot and cold-water storage tanks, which are often placed in the loft of your home so if space is an issue for you, a conventional boiler may not be the best option. However, if you are living in a larger home with multiple bathrooms that will be used at the same time and you have space for two water tanks, a conventional may be the best option. 

System Boilers

A system boiler works like both a combi and conventional boiler. It works like a combi boiler as water is heated directly from the mains and works as a conventional boiler as this water is then stored in a hot water tank. A system boiler is great for homes that have more than one bathroom as hot water is stored in a tank and not just taken from the mains and heated when needed. However, as they require a hot water storage tank, they can take up a lot of space and require good insulation to prevent energy wastage. 

However, it is still important to do your own research into each boiler type and even your home itself to know which is best for your property. 

Brands

Just like shopping for shoes, when looking for a new boiler to invest in you’ll find many different brands available to you. Each brand will often be better at something than the next so it’s important to have a look at as many brands as you can. As a little helping hand here are five brands commonly bought and used in the UK: 

• Worcester Bosch
• Vaillant 
• Ideal 
• Viessmann 
• Potterton 

To conclude, the most important tip when investing in a new boiler is research. Making sure that you’re researching everything from boiler brands to checking aspects of your own home will mean that you’re getting the best boiler for your home.