Long term value is, not replacing your boiler
A 10-year old boiler is less than half way through its 22 year predicted lifespan and yes, 22 years does apply to modern A-rated condensing gas boilers*. Mark McAuley from Hometree explains why households should repair rather than replace and invest their money in more effective energy saving measures.
Myth busting the need for boiler replacement
According to The Heating Hub’s research, the UK has one of the highest replacement boiler rates in Europe with households encouraged to replace a boiler too early and for little or no benefit. This raises questions over the advice that households receive around boiler lifespan as well as parts availability as, according to The Heating Hub, misinformation is a key driver for premature replacement.
Getting the right advice is critical
The advice households receive at the point of either boiler breakdown or when investigating their concerns around their boiler’s age is critical and may determine whether that boiler is repaired or replaced. Across domestic heating there are broadly two types of gas engineer, those that repair and those that replace (some do both but they are a minority). If a customer calls out a replacement expert, the advice they receive might be more geared towards replacement over providing accurate advice on the cost of repair.
Cost of repair v replacement
Accurate figures for repair are difficult to give as parts cost vary so wildly. The cost of repair has also become less and less of a concern as boiler warranties have increased. New boilers offer up to 12-years of warranty cover, which is great for peace of mind, but as boilers come out of the warranty period we are naturally concerned that we will be landed with a big repair bill. Poor advice at this point may be enough to sends us running for a new boiler.
A new boiler typically costs somewhere between £2.5-£5k, which is either paid upfront or via a payment plan which may include finance costs. As savings for the average household are just £145 pa, so it is difficult to justify based on reduced gas bills, but is there a case for lower parts cost?
Our boiler cover starts at £204 per year (£17 per month) and includes the annual service and no call out fee. An annual service is typically £85 and is mandatory for new boilers to satisfy the terms of the manufacturers extended warranty. The extra cost of boiler cover is therefore £119 a year.
In the example of replacing a 12-year-old boiler verses retaining it, the cost to cover that boiler for the balance of its lifespan, i.e. 10 years, is therefore £119 per year x 10 years = £1,119.
The cost of replacement for a new boiler with a 10-year warranty is at least double at £2,500 and typically up to £5,000, which may be paid upfront rather than yearly or even monthly.
No boiler too old
Like many other boiler maintenance providers, our business is keeping your boiler running. Unlike many other providers, we have no age limit on the boilers we take on. We know that most boilers have good parts availability and we are comfortable to take on older boilers as a result.
Money saving actions
Boilers do get less efficient over time, and it is important that the boiler is serviced and maintained. Low cost efficiency measures such as the right heating control or fitting thermostatic radiators valves often present a much better investment to reduce energy costs.
Tackling problems early is also a money-saver. Small problems can turn into much bigger and more expensive problems if not tackled early, particularly small leaks inside the boiler. If you are experiencing a regular pressure drop and there are no leaks on the radiators or pipework, it could be in the boiler and you should get this checked out asap.
