Why expert installation of your new boiler is important

Expert installation is as important as which make of boiler you choose

It is an unfortunate fact that people often have to make a decision to replace their boiler in a hurry, usually in the depths of winter when it has broken down and is beyond repair.

But choosing a replacement boiler an important decision – it has to be appropriate to the size of your home, the location in the home, and where vents and condenser discharge pipes can be located, among other things. Above all, you should choose a well-known make of boiler not only for likely reliability but also because the well-established manufacturers are more likely to include reliable guarantees and parts will be easier to find should there be problems in the future.

But who is going to install your new boiler?

Equally important is who is going to do the work.

Firstly, all gas boilers must be installed by a qualified fitter who has a Gas Safe registration certificate, and you should ask to see this before going any further with discussions.

Secondly, you will find many gas engineers work as subcontracted labour and it has become common practice for the larger heating firms to rely on subcontractors. However, you may prefer to ensure that the heating firm installing your new boiler employ their own engineers. The clear advantages of this include; the engineer having a demonstrable track record as an employee, his/her accountability and ownership of your installation, and getting to know your engineer over the life of the boiler.

Before any discussion begins, it is worth making a list of what you require from your heating system. These days, the combination boiler (combining supply of heating and hot water) is popular, not least because it means you don’t also have to have a hot water tank. However, a combi might not be suitable if you live in a larger property. Or you wish not to put all your eggs in one basket, heating and hot water wise.

So, your list should include your usage pattern for both heating and hot water, such as whether there are certain times of the day when more than one shower is being used, whether your demand is likely to be heavier at certain times of the year, apart from the obvious seasonal changes, and whether you have plans for any home improvements that could affect demand or positioning of the boiler.

It’s also worth listing any problems there might have been with the existing system, which will help the engineer to identify such things as whether the water pressure is adequate for the number of radiators.

What to expect and to ask when you discuss your requirements

Certainly, given your requirements list, the first thing a boiler installation company should do is a proper site survey of your home. This should establish such things as whether the diameter of the mains gas supply pipe is of the legally required diameter. In older houses this is important as it is not unusual for the mains pipe to need to be replaced if it is no longer legally compliant.

Since new boilers, which are more energy-efficient, now come with a condenser discharge pipe, the survey will also need to identify a suitable place on the outside of your property for this to be located, not only so that it can be properly insulated to prevent freezing up in winter but also so that it is accessible just in case a defrost is needed and also so that it does not discharge somewhere that might annoy the neighbours.

The survey should also assess whether there Is adequate space where you want your boiler to be installed so that access for fitting and also for subsequent maintenance is adequate. 

Reputable installers will often also include aftercare, such as UKBC. Who include their well-proven Care Plan for which you pay a nominal monthly fee for the first 12 months of your installation.  In addition to the manufacturer’s warranty for the boiler itself the Care Plan will ensure that your whole heating and hot water system is covered, and you have emergency call out a phone call away.

Once you have discussed all this with the engineer, and received adequate answers, you should be provided with a fixed written quote. This should include the make and model of the boiler they have recommended, their guidance about the location of the boiler, supporting installation tasks such as chemical treatment and flushing of your system, electrical work and registration of the boiler with Gas Safe and with the manufacturer’s guarantee scheme.

Armed with all this, you are now in a position to go ahead with the installation, provided you have been given proper and thorough answers to your questions.