A Bristol Homeowner’s Journey Through Replacing a Boiler

Reliable Boiler Installers Bristol – Willow & Matthews Plumbing & Heating Ltd offer gas boiler installation and domestic heating services for properties throughout Bristol and the surrounding local area. With our team of fully certified Gas Safe engineers, you can rely on secure and dependable heating solutions, efficiently installed with safety and reliability in mind. Whether you are looking for a new boiler Bristol homeowners can depend on, replacing an old and inefficient system, or you require gas boiler servicing and maintenance, our expert team can help keep your home warm, efficient and protected against future issues. We handle all your boiler and heating needs with professional workmanship and honest advice. Call Willow & Matthews for safe, reliable and efficient heating solutions.

Deciding If Replacement Is the Right Move

Considering replacing your boiler Repair Vs replace can be difficult as there is no guarantee as to how a current boiler will perform after repair – and often this is not easy to predict. But what you can easily do is tot up what has been spent over the past 2 years on boiler repairs and compare with the price of installing a new boiler, to gauge whether an engineer’s quote is high relative to this. If boiler repairs are increasing in frequency or there are suggestions that specific components no longer exist, this generally suggests that it is worth having a new boiler.

Many boilers do come to the end of their life at around 15 years so if your boiler is in this region and may be having problems then it may just be more pragmatic to replace.

Do consider also the effects of an additional boiler breakdown and at home you are also living in the house with young children, an elderly parent or anyone particularly dependent on hot water, and a few figures may give them less peace of mind. Better to ask for an honest assessment from an engineer that you have been getting on with, than to make a decision simply on guesswork.

Researching Boiler Options Before Getting Quotes

After the decision has been taken to replace the, even 1-2 weeks of ‘at-home’ research prior to contacting installers generally makes for a more productive conversation and a better outcome when the engineers arrive. It’s not necessary to become an expert, but knowing there are three main types of boiler, that prices for the different sizes and types fall broadly into certain ranges and that you may have constraints in terms of where the flue can exit the building will allow you to pose sensible questions once installers begin providing quotes. Browsing some websites will help give you an idea of sensible lengths of boiler warranties and efficiencies.

Thinking about your future plans for the house is also useful: in the next few years do you want an extra bathroom, or to convert the loft, or do you do very little heating?

These will all impact on what sized (and typed) boiler you would ideally require.

Getting and Comparing Quotes in Bristol

Nine out of ten people will also save money on the quoted price by getting at least three installers around their home. It may seem obvious, but not only do prices differ more widely than many expect but opinions and recommendations too. Quotes should always follow a site survey, rather than being quoted over the phone.

They must see how your existing pipework is set up, take the size of your home and family into consideration and flag up any potential issues you may or may not know yourself.

When you’re weighing up quotes, you need to look past the initial price and see what it includes. Ask if a filter comes as standard, is the system flush provided, what will the old boiler be disposed of and do you get a labour guarantee? That’s typically from 2 to 5 years. Take the example of two similarly priced quotes: without the additional components they can look about right compared, but not necessarily good once the work is added in.

A cheap quote might sometimes represent less comprehensive work and you may not get the value for money that it claims to offer.

You should compare, too, the specification and size of boiler put forward by each installer. You would expect a professional to come up with a similar specification for your home as another professional but large discrepancies between the boiler specifications indicate a company has not assessed your home and its needs thoroughly. It sounds like an effort, but taking time at the research stage rather than simply opting for the cheapest offer and then being in dispute at a later date will save you a great deal of time and aggravation later on.

What to Ask an Installer Before Booking

For 3/4 of us it’s worthwhile getting at least 3 quotes as prices and advice could surprise you more than you think. A decent quote will always follow a site visit – an installer really does need to see the house to check your pipe work is accessible and they can accurately assess your needs and choose the right size boiler, and should be very wary of those giving you a quote over the telephone. Be warned: always look past the headline figures and check what your installation quote includes such as a power flush, filter, removal of your old boiler and details of your labor guarantee. 2 quotes might look similar on paper but turn out to be very different when you check what is included (for instance, 1 may be cheaper because there isn’t a flush included in the price).

Another factor: do all the installers recommend the same size of boiler.

If your estimates very significantly in system size you know for sure one (and maybe even both) are guessing! Taking a few minutes now to assess the whole picture rather than plumping for the cheapest estimate could save you and your plumber a lot of hassle down the line.

Preparing the Home Before the Team Arrives

A little bit of preparation in the days running up to installation will make the whole process easier for your family and for the installation team, too. Simply clearing out any items of clutter around your old boiler, and around where the new one will be placed if this is different, will ensure they have adequate space to begin the job immediately. If it looks likely that there will be pipe access in rooms containing furniture such as sofas and chairs – particularly when radiators are altered or expanded – it’s a good idea to clear them to ensure there are no obstructions when installation teams need to get to them.

Those with young children and pets should also be prepared for a certain amount of disruption during the day of the installation, as power and water may be off at times while water and heat lines are adjusted, and there’s always potential for drill noises and moving of heavy objects!

However, having a plan in place, perhaps to run a temporary portable electric heater just for an hour or two, will not prevent the job being done without major discomfort.

What to Expect in the First Week After Installation

The first week with your new boiler Bristol installation is also the time when you’ll need to monitor how it is operating, as this is when minor “snags” tend to appear. A small amount of adjustment to the controls may be necessary while the house becomes familiar with how the new boiler operates, especially if the previous system was different. The pressure gauge should be monitored, and all radiators should be checked individually to ensure they are heating evenly throughout the house. Any issues identified during this period can usually be addressed while the installer’s guarantee is still relevant. Checking the hot water supply from different taps around the property during the first few days is also advisable. If you notice unusual water flow or temperature, it is easier to explain the issue to the installer while everything is still fresh in your mind. However, unusual noises, leaks or other significant problems should be reported to the installer promptly so they can return and check the system if necessary.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Replacing a Boiler

It is easy for DIYers to make a few common mistakes time and time again – if the output of a new boiler does not meet the demand on your home you might end up with poor performance (even if the boiler unit works just fine). The desire to cut out a few pounds on the job is also a sure fire way to end up with problems – fail to have your old systems flushed and debris and old gunk can work its way into you new, fresh, boiler causing you trouble in year one or two and, while a new boiler needs to be registered with the manufacturer soon after it is fitted for any warranty claim, this seems to be easily forgotten by some! And finally, no one want’s to be without heating in winter so most people only get one quote and, unfortunately, this often leads to buying a poor quality boiler in an emergency without really considering the options (although a bit of buyer’s remorse goes a long way once the heating is on and the quote wasn’t necessarily bad).

How a New Boiler Affects Home Insurance and Resale Value

A boiler upgrade has both a slight, yet definite, implication on both insurance premiums and the price received for a property. Indeed, certain home insurers request details concerning the age and general state of the boiler to correctly assess their premiums, as a dated system would be considered to be a greater risk of a water damaged or breakdown insurance claim. In the cases that property is intended to be marketed with the possibility of sale within a few years, an installation with official proof of work and certification would serve as useful selling ammunition during viewings, as the age of domestic appliance systems often represents key initial questions raised by prospective buyers prior to making a house offer. Having documents comprising of a completion certificate, commissioning certificate and service records filed collectively ensures they are to hand rather than needing to be sourced during a sale transaction.

Energy Efficiency Ratings and What They Mean

A rating for the energy efficiency of boilers is given for all new boilers sold in the UK and high rating will already apply to many modern condenser boilers. In this situation, the values on the specification sheet do not really help you to compare models. What seems to be of more importance in practice is that the boiler chosen actually suits the property and that the heating controls will be used appropriately on a daily basis.

An high rating boiler in a poorly insulated home or on inappropriate control will nevertheless use more energy than expected while a lesser rating boiler well in use in a well insulated home would perhaps work in effect.

Therefore for houses owners willing to better make use of their boiler’s rating the control setting, the radiators balance as well as their homes isolation should play a greater role when deciding on a purchase.

Living With a New Boiler Season by Season

Once the new boiler has had chance to get comfortable you’ll notice some slight differences in its appearance and operation through the year and being aware of this can save you calling the boiler in when it doesn’t need. Your new boiler will fire more, run for longer, during the winter months – this isn’t actually a sign the boiler has gone faulty and is completely normal operation. During the spring and autumn the system will be firing in short spurts to respond to mild, varying temperatures and in summer if the heating hasn’t been required apart from for hot water, test the boiler on heat on short burst’s every few weeks to make sure it does start up when expected during the cooler months and book in it’s first service 12 months later, and don’t wait for the boiler to go wrong first, call the manufacturers and book a boiler in 12 months later to keep it in good order and maintain manufacturers guarantee.