Boilers

There are a range of different types of boilers and fuels, so the decision on what to have can be quite difficult, so it is impossible to give adequate advice here, but feel free to call us for some independent advice on what the best alternatives are for your particular situation. However some broad generic advice can be found in the following locations.

Visit the SEDBUK website for efficiency ratings on boilers. The Energy Saving Trust also carried some advice on boilers. They also have a website calculator for sizing boilers for houses.

We would also recommend that you look at future proofing your choice if you are replacing your boiler. The key elements here are:

• Do not fit a combination boiler!!!*
• Fit a dual coil hot water cylinder so that you can hook up a solar panel at a later date (even if you are not fitting one now).
• Insulate the hot water pipes.
• Insulate the hot water cylinder to a high a standard as possible.
• If you are planning to fit underfloor heating bear in mind that this runs at a different temperature than radiators so get a boiler that can provide this temperature efficiently.
• If you are looking at a radiator and underfloor system in the future this can only be achieved by specialist boilers.
• Fit thermostatic radiator valves whilst you have a plumber on site. Also make sure that you adjust them correctly for each room.
  
• Make sure that the controls are set and working correctly.
• Look out for climate controlled boilers - these measure the temperature outside and adjust their setting accordingly.
  

* Combination boilers have a range of issues associated with them notably:

1. Pressure differences (i.e. other people turning on taps, even cold ones) can cause quite wild temperature swings - not nice if you are in the shower!
2. They don't work well with thermostatic mixing valves, so if you have one on the main hot tap (to prevent scalding) this can cause no end of hassle for both pieces of equipment.
3. You can't easily fit a solar panel system to a combination boiler.
4. They are more complicated than a straight forward boiler and hence more likely to go wrong.