What to do Before a Boiler Upgrade
Thursday, April 3rd, 2014
If you are thinking about a oil boiler upgrade or a gas boiler upgrade, is not the cheapest thing in the world that you can do but on the plus side though, upgrading your boiler is a sound long term investment because it will greatly reduce the cost of your central heating bills which means the upgrade easily pays for itself over time.
Of course, it is worth noting that carrying out a complete gas or oil boiler upgrade is quite a large undertaking. With that in mind, you should make sure that getting your boiler upgraded is the best choice for you.
The following factors should all be taken into consideration when looking to upgrade an oil or gas boiler:
Make Sure that Your Boiler Needs an Upgrade:
Whenever a problem is uncovered that is associated with a home heating system, the default assumption tends to be that something has gone wrong with the boiler itself and that it may need to be replaced. However, jumping to conclusions is rarely helpful and this situation is no different to any other. All other possibilities should be examined before carrying out a full boiler upgrade (see: Alternatives to Boiler Upgrades).
Of course, not everybody has a working knowledge of the ins and outs of a central heating system, so figuring out exactly what needs to be done can be quite difficult. That is why it is important to get advice from someone with experience in such matters. DeWAR Plumbers’ heating engineers are experts when it comes to figuring out what is the source of a central heating system’s ailments. Among the many potential problems that can plague a heating system are blocked pipes, water pressure and insufficient radiators. Your heating engineer will be able to determine if any of these are the source of your heating problems. Only when all of these possible problems have been ruled out should you decide on a gas or oil boiler upgrade.
Getting the Right Brand of Boiler:
Knowing which brand of gas or oil boiler to get installed can be difficult if you have no expertise in the subject. As is the case with pretty much any type of product, not all boiler manufacturers are of equally good quality. Purchasing a cheaply made boiler may save some money in the short term, but is unlikely to be as fuel efficient as a top of the line model from a well established brand as well and may also be more prone to boiler break downs.
When deciding on which brand of the boiler to have installed you should do as much research into the topic as you can before rushing into things. It will soon become which brands have good reputations and which ones should be avoided. There have been many independently conducted tests and experiments which highlight exactly which boilers are worth getting. Two brand names which show up time and time again as being among the very best are Vailant and Worcester Bosch. These two companies are renowned for producing top quality A-rated gas and oil boilers.
Finding the Right Place for Your Boiler:
At first thought, finding a suitable location for a new oil or gas boiler may seem as easy as finding anywhere there is space. However, it is not quite that simple. I most cases, locating your boiler closer to where your heat emits from (ie: your radiators) is recommended because when the boiler is situated near a source of heat it accumulates some of this heat. In practice, this means that the boiler is getting a ‘head start’ in terms of heat so will have to use less fuel and energy warming up when it is switched on.
Should you be limited in relation to boiler location options and have to install it in a colder location (such as in a garden shed), be sure to have all piping that is connected to it properly insulated. This will prevent heat from being lost in the time it takes to get from the boiler to the radiators via the pipes, meaning your central heating system will heat rooms up faster and waste less fuel, thereby keeping heating bills down.
Use Chemicals to Treat Your Central Heating System:
Not everyone is aware that a very important aspect of central heating maintenance is treating the boiler and its associated piping with specific chemicals which help the fuel burning process run more efficiently. This chemical treatment is particularly important in hard water areas such as Dublin. It is extremely important that only the correct chemicals are used and in the right amounts. If chemicals are used inappropriately, you may end up causing more harm than good to your central heating system.
Your central heating system’s chemicals should be topped up whenever the system has been drained or when your boiler’s yearly service is taking place. This ensures that the chemicals are being administered by a professional who knows what they are doing and will adhere to the boiler manufacturer’s specifications carefully, thereby not making any costly mistakes.
Only Hire Registered Boiler Installers:
It is illegal for anyone who is not a fully licensed member of the RGII (Registered Gas Installers of Ireland) to carry out any gas boiler works in Ireland due to there being inherent risks and dangers associated with such works.
There is a similar qualification for engineers working on oil boilers from OFTEC (the Oil Firing Technical Association). While it is not a legal requirement like the one for gas installers, it is strongly recommended that anyone working on an oil based central heating system be OFTEC registered.
All of DeWAR Plumbers’ engineers carry the relevant qualifications related to their specialties.
Ensure that Your Boiler Comes with a Warranty:
One thing that is overlooked by many when planning on a gas or oil boiler upgrade is after sales service. It is always worth reading the fine print in relation to warranties when purchasing a new boiler. Cheaper boilers (which also tend to be of poorer quality) may not have a lengthy manufacturer’s warranty in place. This is part of the reason why they are sold at cheaper prices – when they inevitably break down you are left with no form of redress, leaving you forced to pay for repairs or a replacement in fill – a false economy if ever there was one.
DeWAR Plumbers offer a full conditional seven-year guarantee with every high-efficiency gas or oil boiler that we supply and install, meaning that we will rectify any problems that occur in relation to the boiler within this period.
Contact DeWAR Plumbers to Organise a Boiler Upgrade
If you wish to go ahead with a gas or oil boiler upgrade you should call DeWAR Plumbers on our phone number 01 514 3300 or contact us via email to have one of our engineers come out to you and do a feasibility test.
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