Do You Need a New Boiler? 4 Signs Your Boiler Needs Replacing
In this article, you will find an overview of all of the signs that your boiler needs replacing.
06/10/2022
Winter is all but here, and every year seems to be colder than the last. Making sure that your home is warm enough is not simply about your comfort but your safety too. Boilers and heating systems do not last forever, and there is nothing worse than having your boiler break down in the middle of winter. Replacing a boiler is often a pricey and lengthy process which does mean that it can be a big commitment. Ideally, you should avoid replacing your boiler until you absolutely have to, but how do you tell? Read on for an overview of all of the signs that your boiler needs replacing.
A Word to the Wise
Before you decide if you need a new boiler or not, you really need to consider your house as a whole. You could purchase a new boiler and find that your home is no warmer and your energy bills no less expensive. This will likely be because your home has other issues that need addressing. It is definitely worth looking over your house to check the insulation as well as the windows and doors. If you live in an older house, it might be worth upgrading your windows. You might be wondering, ‘how does double glazing work’? Luckily, FMB has great resources on the topic, going into detail on it and how it could save you money on your energy bills.
Your Boiler is Over Ten Years Old
The first sign that you might be better off purchasing a new boiler is that your boiler is old. Machinery often comes with built-in obsolescence, meaning that the manufacturers know that it isn’t going to last forever, and they hope that you will make another purchase from them. As a good general rule, any boiler over ten years old will make more sense to replace than to fix. This is because it becomes a lot more difficult to find parts to fix them, and they simply begin to degrade.
That being said, some boilers can last longer than ten years if they are well-maintained. It is also worth pointing out that you do not necessarily need to wait until your boiler has broken down before you replace it. You can choose to replace your boiler whenever you want to. As mentioned above, boilers are often built with planned obsolescence, and technology also tends to progress too, which can mean that your boiler is outdated.
As mentioned above, sourcing parts to repair older boilers can be tricky, if not impossible; it also tends to be a lot more expensive. This is because the parts are rarer if they are even still made. In these cases, it will simply mean that choosing to fit a new boiler instead might be the more cost-effective option. This can often be seen as a preventative option as opposed to a reactive one; otherwise, you could risk being without your boiler for a while until you can either find the part or have a new boiler fitted.
The Cost of Your Energy Bills is Soaring
Now, this one is going to be a little
difficult. As most people will be aware, energy
prices have risen across the board, and this has
made it exceedingly difficult for people to pay
their energy bills this year. Now, this isn’t to
say that a new boiler can help to offset this
increase because, truthfully, it won’t. However,
if you have been lucky enough to find yourself
with stable energy bills thanks to a fixed
tariff, but you notice that your energy bills
are still steadily creeping up, then this could
be down to your boiler.
As mentioned above,
when boilers age, as when any appliance gets
older, it often requires more energy to get
going and simply put, it has to work harder in
order to recoup the loss in efficiency that it
naturally experiences. This increased power
output means more fuel is used, which then
directly translates into higher energy bills.
Installing a new boiler means that, in theory,
it should be running at maximum efficiency, and
therefore the bills will be cheaper. You could
also choose to get a new boiler which is
compatible with smart home technology. This does
allow you to exercise more control over the
heating, which can also help to bring down
costs.
Frequent Boiler Breakdowns or Issues
This should be an obvious sign that you should consider replacing your boiler. One breakdown can easily be excused; however, frequent breakdowns are not likely to stop. It is likely to continue happening. There comes a point when the cost of fixing the boiler each time it breaks down works out to be more expensive than simply having the boiler replaced. It is a balancing act. If the breakdowns or issues start to become more frequent or if the same issue arises over and over again, it is likely to only get worse, and in that case, you should simply get a whole new boiler.
If your boiler isn’t necessarily breaking down, but you are experiencing other issues, then it could also be indicative that you need a new boiler. Clunking or banging noises coming from your boiler are likely the result of blockage or system fault. At the least, you will need to flush out the system, but this could again be indicative that your boiler is beginning to reach the end. The same can be said for leaks. If you notice your boiler or radiator leaking, then you should call a repairman out to look at your boiler. Again, this is sometimes easily fixable and sometimes indicative of a larger issue.
Finally, some boilers can emit a smell thanks to a natural gas leak. Not all gases have a scent; carbon monoxide is completely odourless and colourless, which makes it incredibly hard to detect. Most boilers have some sort of failsafe built in to warn residents of a carbon monoxide leak, it is usually a symbol or change in the pilot light, so you should be checking it regularly. If you smell gas, you need to call the proper authorities and get out of the house until it is dealt with. The other scents to watch out for in your home are a metallic scent or the smell of burning, which, if coming from your boiler, will also need to be checked out.
Your Home Never Seems to Get Warm Enough
The final sign that you should think about replacing your boiler with a new one is pretty straightforward. If you find that regardless of whether your heating is on high or not, your home struggles to get warm or reach the desired temperature, this could be indicative that you need to replace the boiler, especially if it had no problems previously. As your boiler ages, it will likely take longer to heat your home and allow you to reach a comfortable temperature, if it is even capable of this.
In Conclusion
Choosing to have a new boiler installed is likely to be somewhat expensive, depending on the make and model, of course. However, it really should be seen as an investment, it directly impacts your comfort in your home, and it can also help to save you money in the long run on your energy bills. There are several tell-tale signs that your boiler needs replacing, so be sure to pay attention to them.