SEAI Archives -

Upgrading Your Gas Boiler – One of the key challenges associated with modern living that homeowners need to contend with is that of running an energy efficient home while keeping the cost of utility and fuel bills as low as possible. One of the most costly aspects of any home is its central heating system. This is why it is of the utmost importance to ensure that you’re gas boiler is running as efficiently as possible. Your gas boiler is essentially the ‘heart’ of your home’s central heating system and everybody knows that a healthy heart makes for a healthy body.

A lot of the time, simply ensuring that you gas boiler is serviced regularly is enough to keep it running at the necessary levels of fuel efficiency, with occasional small repairs being implemented when (and if) required. However, in the case of older or particularly run down gas boilers, regular servicing and repair work may simply not be enough to keep the boiler running at a sufficient level of fuel efficiency. In some cases the only truly economically viable solution to your home’s central heating problems is instigating a full gas boiler replacement service.

Is Upgrading Your Gas Boiler Necessary?

Upgrading a gas boiler to a more fuel efficient model tends to be a somewhat more complicated and expensive (at least in terms of the immediate future) undertaking than other, more short term, means of improving gas boiler efficiency. To that end, it is quite important that you are sure that upgrading your gas boiler is the right option for you before going through the trouble of organising one.

Every homeowner’s individual circumstances are different, so there is no single definitive answer as to whether or not a gas boiler upgrade is a good idea. However, there are a few key questions that you should look to answer that will help make your decision an awful lot easier. Ask the following questions of your gas boiler:

How Efficient does my Gas Boiler Need to be?

Much like how the circumstances surrounding different households vary, so too do individual gas boilers. Each different style of the gas boiler from each different manufacturer is unique in terms of both design and its ability to convert fuel into usable heating energy, ranging from those which would be considered quite poor (by modern standards) and those which are considered A-rated in terms of fuel efficiency as well as everything in between.

As a rule of thumb, it is the general consensus that any gas boiler which is graded as being in excess of 80% fuel efficient is referred to as being a high-efficiency boiler. The higher the percentage o fuel which is directly converted into usable heating energy, the higher the gas boiler’s rating. For example, the Worcester Bosch high-efficiency gas condensing boilers which are stocked and installed by DeWAR Plumbers convert over 90% of their fuel into heating energy. To this end, they are considered A-rated boilers.

Generally speaking, once your gas boiler is running at a fuel efficiency rating that is upward of 80%, you shouldn’t be in any major hurry to have it upgraded as it would take a considerable amount of time for the costs saved in terms of improved fuel efficiency to offset the price of having a gas boiler replacement carried out.

However, if your gas boiler’s efficiency rating falls below the 80% mark then serious consideration should be given to carrying out a gas boiler upgrade service. Remember, the lower the efficiency rating of a gas boiler, the more fuel, and therefor money, it wastes on a daily basis.

If you are unsure as to what your gas boiler’s fuel efficiency rating is, you can find it out here once you know its make and model.

How can you tell if Your Gas Boiler is Running at its Full Fuel Efficiency Levels?

Even though a gas boiler is a satisfactory make and model which burns fuel at an efficiency rating upward of 80% out of the factory, that does not mean that the prospect of you potentially needing a gas boiler upgrade service is completely out of the question. Like all machines and household appliances, gas boilers can and will deteriorate over time. This will happen very gradually if you take care of your gas boiler with regular servicing and appropriate levels of maintenance. However, if the correct measures are not taken to ensure that your gas boiler is being properly taken care of, its fuel efficiency levels can plummet dramatically in a relatively short space of time.

The key to keeping a hold on your gas boiler’s fuel efficiency levels is by having your boiler serviced by a registered professional on a yearly basis (at least). They will be able to tell how efficiently (or inefficiently) your gas boiler is operating and, if it is deemed inefficient, they will make a recommendation on what course of action best suits your circumstances. In the best case scenario, you may need to take no action in addition to the annual gas boiler service. Depending on you gas boiler’s condition though, repair works or even an upgrade service may be required.

It is of the utmost importance that anyone that you have to service or doing any work (for that matter) on a gas boiler is fully certified as an RGI (Registered Gas Installer) from the RGII (Registered Gas Installers of Ireland). All of DeWAR Plumbers’ engineers are registered with the RGII.

The typical life span of a home gas boiler tends to be about fifteen years. Even if your boiler is not causing any obvious problems (such as boiler break down) and has been serviced regularly, it will most likely have lost much of its fuel efficiency by the time it reaches this age. It is very rare that a gas boiler this old does not need to be replaced with a more efficient model. It is only natural that a brand new gas boiler would work better than one built more than a decade ago.

Does Your Gas Boiler Ever Break Down?

To put it bluntly, if your gas boiler breaks down at all then you have a serious problem which must be sorted out as soon as possible. Servicing your boiler regularly helps to considerably reduce the likelihood of such a boiler break down in addition to improving the overall fuel efficiency levels of your home’s central heating system. Having a gas boiler breaking down is a stressful experience which can often be time-consuming and expensive to rectify. If this is happening to your gas boiler semi-regularly and the cost of consistently repairing the boiler are adding up it may well be time to consider upgrading your gas boiler as constantly repairing a faulty boiler is not an economically sustainable home central heating system maintenance strategy.

How Much are You Spending on Gas Boiler Repairs?

While a lot of the repairs that a gas boiler will need throughout its lifestyle are relatively quick to perform and not too expensive, things tend to become increasingly complicated as the boiler ages. Not only are older gas boilers more prone to braking down, they are also much harder (and more expensive) to source suitable replacement parts for. If replacement parts are becoming increasingly difficult and costly to purchase then it is probably time to consider having a gas boiler upgrade service carried out, especially if your gas boiler needs to be repaired on a fairly regular basis.

Is it Worth Investing in Heating Controls for Gas Boilers?

There are a great many advantages associated with installing heating controls to be used with your central heating system’s gas boiler. Most notably of all is that gas boiler heating controls put you in direct control of your home’s central heating system, giving you the power to fine tune your heating needs specifically to your own individual requirements. Under proper use, gas boiler heating controls have been shown to help homeowners save up to twenty percent off the total cost of their home’s central heating bills. That’s a massive saving of one euro for every four euros spent on heating bills over the course of the year.

Upgrading your gas boiler heating controls is generally seen as a cost effective means of increasing your home’s central heating system’s fuel efficiency and reducing energy costs (instead of having a full gas boiler upgrade carried out). While this is true to some extent, the best results in terms of making your home’s central heating system more economical are by combining the two. Upgrading your gas boiler as well as having state of the art heating controls will have your home’s central heating system working at its optimum levels of fuel and energy efficiency, generating massive savings for your household when it comes to paying bills.

What Grants Are Available for Upgrading Your Gas Boiler?

If you are looking to upgrade your gas boiler then it is well worth contacting the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) to see if you are eligible for a grant to alleviate the cost of having your works carried out under their BEH (Better Energy Homes) initiative. Depending on your financial circumstances, grant relief can be obtained for upgrading your gas boiler itself, upgrading your gas boiler’s heating controls or both.
More details on the SEAI’s Better Energy Homes grant scheme can be found here.

If you would like to make an inquiry in relation to having your gas boiler upgraded, feel free to call DeWAR Plumbers on our phone number 01 514 3300. Alternatively you can email us with your questions.

Boiler Upgrade FAQ

Boiler Upgrade FAQ – Nothing lasts forever in this world and your gas/oil boiler is certainly no exception. It is an unfortunate inevitability that boiler deteriorates in terms of efficiency over time. When they lose the ability to convert an acceptable level of fuel into usable heating energy it becomes high time that they were replaced.

What are the Signs that a Boiler Needs to be Upgraded?

Unfortunately, it is not always easy to tell exactly when your boiler is in need of replacement. However, there are some signs that you should be mindful of. Watch out for any of the following symptoms:

Once any (or, indeed, several) of these occurrences in your oil or gas boiler then it is quite probable that it is on its way out and should be replaced soon. In these cases, you should make it your business to have your boiler inspected by a fully registered oil or gas contractor (depending on what kind of boiler you have). With any luck, there may be less expensive and time-consuming alternatives to having a full scale upgrade carried out. However, in the case of very old or poorly maintained boilers, there is a good chance that you may have little choice but to upgrade to a high efficiency condensing boiler.

What is a Condensing Boiler?

A condensing boiler, often referred to as n A-rated boiler or a high-efficiency boiler, is any gas or oil boiler that has an energy efficiency that is upward of 90% with regard to HARP (the Home Heating Appliances Register of Performance) database. A boiler’s score is calculated by HARP based on its running costs as well its levels of fuel consumption.

The fact that condensing boilers convert much more of the fuel put into them into usable heating energy than regular oil and gas boilers means that they can quickly offset the cost of having them installed.

What Kind of Savings does a Condensing Boiler Provide?

While there are numerous variables which will affect the exact savings which can be made by getting your boiler upgrade to a high-efficiency model, it is generally accepted that you will stand to make an annual saving of anywhere between 18 and 25% of the cost of your central heating bills – a substantial saving. In practice, this means that a condensing boiler will usually recover the cost of its installation in about three years.

What other Advantages are Associated with Condensing Boilers?

While the financial advantages of having a high efficiency condensing boiler speak for themselves, they are not the only good reason to get one. Condensing boilers are also known for being considerably safer than regular boilers. When gas or oil boilers are not burning their fuel properly they run the risk of leaking out carbon monoxide (CO gas) which is an extremely dangerous and undetectable gas which can be fatal in high volumes.

Are there Grants Available for Installing Condensing Boilers?

The SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland), in conjunction with the Irish Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, provide grants for many forms of home improvement, including gas and oil boiler upgrades, under their Better Energy Homes incentive scheme which can be availed of by homeowners whose houses were built before 2006.

When upgrading your gas or oil boiler to a high efficiency condensing model, you can save up to €560 in SEAI grants. A €400 grant is also available when upgrading your boiler’s heating controls.

More information on what grants are available and how to obtain one can be found here. Inquiries to the SEAI can be made via email or telephone (1850 927 000). Applicants usually receive a response withing one working day.

How long does a boiler upgrade take?

There is no exact length of time in relation to a boiler upgrade as there are many variables that must be taken into account such as the size of your central heating system and the location of your boiler. However, most installations will be finished in a few hours. DeWAR Plumbers will always have a boiler upgrade fully finished on the day the work has started.

Is it possible to get someone to check my boiler?

If you are still not certain whether your boiler needs to be upgraded or not, you can arrange for a DeWAR Plumbers engineer to visit your property for a no obligation consultation to discuss what options are available to you. Consultations can be arranged via email or over the phone. Our phone number is 01 514 3300.