How to Buy a Boiler: Things to Keep in Mind

A boiler can be one of the biggest investments once you already own a house. It is essential to pay good attention when choosing the appropriate boiler type as this will provide you (or not) the comfort you desire and also will affect (or not) your budget. Another concern when choosing a boiler would be the environmental aspect, the lower the carbon dioxide emission is, the lower the pollution level will be and the lower your bill will be.  It has been proven that most of the new boiler models are highly efficient, which determines a decrease up to 30 % of the carbon dioxide emission and a 40% decrease in your heating bills.

When deciding to invest in a boiler you must remember that even if you go for a new technology one, the bigger initial investment will be covered in a couple of years through lower monthly bills.

Another thing you must consider when purchasing a boiler is the type you really need: a regular conventional, system or a combi one? The difference between these two is the type of housing you plan to install them in. The combi boiler is more appropriate for a flat while the regular and system boiler suit better a house, the more space the better. This decision is not as simple as it may first appear, the real decision should be made by an expert engineer.

It is advisable to inform yourself over the boilers’ by calling at least three different firms both nationwide and local ones, in order to be able to form an opinion regarding their offer and their professionalism. Make sure you ask questions about the guarantee policy, the after sale service and the shipping support, especially when it comes to nationwide firms. Remember to read about how you install your own oil fired boiler, as always learn before making some home improvement.

As we previously said, it is essential that an engineer inspects your home in order to decide what kind of heating would be more appropriate for you. Before having him over your place you must be prepared to answer him some questions regarding your house and lifestyle so that he can figure out what kind of heating would be appropriate for your needs.

It is good to provide the engineer with details about your living style, such as the possibility of more people taking a shower in the same time so that he knows exactly what kind of needs should the boiler satisfy in order to be appropriate for your particular living habits. Also you should provide him information about future plans you may have to extend or convert certain areas of the house. This is important for the planning and could save you extra money by not having to change the heating system twice.

You can also think about the placement of the boiler before the engineer arrives so that you already have several places in mind so that you can discuss them together. Bear in mind that the new types of condensing boilers have low temperature exhaust gases and this leads to a plume of steam. On a long term this may represent a real problem for you and your neighbours as well.  

All the above mentioned aspects are important when purchasing a heating system but the most important one still remains the budget. Before even calling an engineer to evaluate your heating situation you must decided over the amount of money you are willing to invest in this. Whatever sum you may decide on, make sure you will not let yourself convinced to invest more that you are prepared for; some engineers may have benefits from persuading you to buy a more expensive boiler.  

Another proper option in order to save more money on your bill can be supplementing the loft insulation or installing cavity wall insulation. None of these options are expensive and they both reduce your heating bills by making your boiler work to its maximum efficiency.

Pay attention when it comes to after sales boiler service and boiler support offer. It is not enough to have an installer that is only good at installing but knows little of repairing. Not all installers are good at diagnosing heating problems, especially when it comes to newer technology. It is preferable to have one that covers both installing and diagnosing; otherwise it would be more difficult to have two people performing different work styles, not to mention it is more expensive too. Form this point of view it might be a good idea working with a company that has good credentials and is qualified by the manufacturer to install that certain type of boiler, most of these companies offer long term maintenance plans.  

You must always remember that it is not always about the price. Not always what is more expensive is the best. Remember that heating systems are a long term investment, you can not judge them by the initial investment, and you must wait some years before forming a correct opinion about your deal. A good deal should include a full package plus the ongoing maintenance.