Purchasing a new boiler for your property can be exciting, but it can also come with a few challenges. These challenges are easier to overcome when you understand what to look for in a new boiler.
In this post, we will go through the key things to consider when choosing a boiler, including boiler performance, your property’s insulation level, and other important factors.
Power Output.
In cars, the more cylinders an engine has, the more powerful the car can be. With boilers, the higher the power output, the quicker it can heat cold water and the more demand it can support.
This is especially important during winter, when the incoming mains water is colder. A boiler with a higher kilowatt (kW) output can heat the water faster, helping to supply hot water to more baths, showers, or radiators when required.
The first thing you will come across on purchasing a boiler is that there are two primary types: Combi and System boilers.
| Boiler Type | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Combi Boilers | These heat both your radiators and your water on demand. They are engineered to operate without the need for a storage tank for your hot water. |
| System Boilers | These usually heat the radiators only and work with a separate hot water cylinder. You will need a dedicated storage tank to hold the heated water. |
Combi boilers are usually installed more often than system boilers, so we will focus on combi boilers for the rest of this post.
Combi boilers tend to have a higher kW output because they need to heat both hot water and radiators. However, this does not mean you should simply purchase the boiler with the highest kW rating.
How to choose the right boiler kW?
If you live in a one-bedroom flat with two radiators, purchasing a combi boiler with a 24–27 kW output should usually be enough.
A 24–27 kW boiler can confidently supply heat to up to 10 radiators.
Purchasing a higher kW boiler will not necessarily keep your home warmer. A higher kW output simply means the boiler can support more radiators or a higher hot water demand.
For example, the Vaillant ecoTEC combi boiler range starts from around 26 kW and goes up to 40 kW. If you install a 40 kW boiler in a one-bedroom flat instead of a 26 kW boiler, there may be no real difference in how warm your home feels.
This is why, at Safe Plumbers, we factor in your heating demand, property size, number of radiators, and home details before recommending the right boiler kW for your property.
How to choose the boiler brand?
There are plenty of boiler brands in the UK market, this makes its very difficult to select one. The top three boilers that are installed are Vaillant, Worscester Bosh and Baxi. When it comes to choosing a boiler brand, the warranty or guarantee period plays a key role, along with the availability of online troubleshooting guides.
Popular boiler brands include:
Warranty/Guarantee period of the boiler
For example, Vaillant boilers typically come with a standard 12-month guarantee. However, this can be extended to up to 10 years if the boiler is installed with the Advanced Boiler Protection Kit, registered within 30 days and installed by a Vaillant Advanced Certified installer.
At Safe Plumbers, we are proud to be Vaillant Advanced Certified. This means that when we install your new boiler, we can provide a 10-year extended guarantee.
So, if you are looking to purchase a new boiler, make sure you read the guarantee terms and conditions carefully before choosing a brand.
Note: Annual boiler servicing is not usually covered under the warranty or guarantee, and not all faults are covered by the warranty. For example, the F22 error code on a Vaillant boiler is not always covered by the guarantee.
Summary
When buying a new boiler, you need to consider several factors and compare different boiler brands. From your household consumption to the boiler warranty period, choosing the right boiler can be a time-consuming task.
Safe Plumbers has been installing new boilers across Kensington, Notting Hill, and Battersea for several years. We can recommend the right boiler brand and size for your property, and carry out the full end-to-end installation.