Boiler replacement

A central heating boiler is essential for keeping your home warm in winter. It is therefore important to have it replaced on time. Beforehand, read up on what suits your living situation and what different options you have. This article tells you when you should replace your boiler, how expensive it is, what options you have and how the installation works.

Replace your boiler: The cost

The price of a central heating boiler replacement is on average £500 – £900 excluding boiler. You naturally want to know what the cost of your old central heating boiler replacement will be. When you want to install a new central heating boiler, there are different types to choose from: the vr boiler, the hr boiler and the hre boiler. The price of the boilers differs because it is not always in the same cw class. The cw value of your central heating boiler indicates how many places there might be hot water simultaneously. You can read more about cw classes and cw values later in this article. Check out the cost of replacing a central heating boiler and its efficiency in the overview below.

When should you replace your boiler?

• After 12-15 years
• When an expensive repair is needed
• If you want to do something good for the environment
• If you want to save on energy costs

It is difficult to determine when to replace a central heating boiler. The lifespan of a central heating boiler is on average between 12 and 15 years. After this time, it is wise to buy a new one, as essential functions often fail from then on. It is also wise to replace your boiler when an expensive repair needs to be done. You will find this out during a service. In this case, it is often cheaper to buy a new boiler. It is advisable to schedule a service once or twice a year.

Choose a sustainable alternative

In some situations it is wise to have your boiler replaced, even if it is not yet due for replacement. An example of this is to do something good for the environment, as it significantly reduces CO2 emissions. Another reason for replacement is to save on energy costs. Outdated boilers often cost more energy. A high performance boiler saves up to 300 euros on the annual energy bill. It is a matter of calculation after how many years you will benefit from this, as you first have to invest in the high purchase costs. So after how many years you need to replace a boiler depends on your situation and considerations.

How does the boiler specialist replace your old boiler?

A boiler installer puts safety and efficiency first. Installing a boiler is not something you do lightly. A specialist is therefore happy to help. Check out the steps for replacing your boiler below.

1. Close the gas supply to the boiler and let the hot water run out.
2. Remove the old boiler
3. Replace the boiler, including re-routing the pipes so that everything fits again properly.
4. Replace all the taps under the boiler and the expansion vessel.
5. Calibration and adjustment of the boiler.

Always choose a specialist with a seal, they are qualified and work according to a transparent step-by-step plan. There is also a possibility to have the installer do a safety check after installing the boiler, checking whether the flue and gas pipes are still intact and whether there is carbon monoxide around the boiler. In most cases, you will pay around £150 for such a check.

Cv boiler replacement: What options are there?

You choose between three different types of central heating boiler: the vr boiler, hr boiler and hre boiler. The difference between the three is how much heat is lost and how much you save on your energy bill after purchase. Among central heating boilers, then, there is another distinction between cw values, or how much capacity a boiler has. Cw stands for comfort value; a boiler with a high cw value ensures that you have hot water in several parts of the house at the same time. Do you have a small household and is there little chance of people using hot water in two places at the same time? Then a low cw value is often sufficient.So, which boiler is best for you depends on your living situation. For the best choice, it is wise to compare several boilers. Take a look at the advantages and disadvantages in the table below.

Sustainable alternatives for your central heating boiler

In March 2018, a legislative proposal was made on the abolition of the central heating boiler. The plan was to replace boilers only with renewable systems from 2021. This bill was not passed, but it is wise to be aware of all sustainable alternatives.

Here they are listed:

• Heat pump: uses heat from the ground, air or groundwater and replaces the central heating boiler. It reduces CO2 emissions by 50 per cent. This form of heating does require a well-insulated house so that the heat does not escape.
• Pellet stove: is more efficient than a wood-burning stove and does not give off odours due to clean combustion. However, it still emits particulate matter.
• Hybrid heat pump: this is an addition to the central heating boiler (i.e. not a replacement) and uses outside air and ventilation air to heat the house. This pump reduces your home’s CO2 emissions by 30 per cent.
• Solar boiler: this is an addition to the central heating boiler (i.e. not a replacement), saving around 190 cubic metres of gas in a standard family. This is especially interesting if you use a lot of hot water. Make sure that your solar boiler has the Zonnekeur Keurmerk, so you can be sure that it is of good quality.

Subsidies for sustainable alternatives

The Dutch government wants to make sustainable appliances more attractive and therefore makes subsidies available. For all sustainable alternatives, the government offers a concession so that the purchase is more accessible. It does vary per appliance how big the allowance is, but it is easy to find out how much it would be in your case. You can easily check this via the Energy Subsidy Guide. There are also opportunities to borrow money cheaply for sustainable alternatives. You can do this via the Green Project Scheme and the Energy Savings Loan.

Handy tips for replacing your boiler

You have now read all about replacing your boiler. Are you curious about some handy tips? Check out the tips below, so you can make an even better choice.

Help a hand

For boiler replacement, a second fitter often comes along to help lift the boiler and to pass and tidy up tools. Often, it is also possible to do this yourself, so there is no need for a second technician, saving you a lot of money. Before you go with a company, ask what the options are.

Replace in summer

When we move from hot to cold weather, your central heating boiler has to work hard again. Often, this is a time when an old boiler starts showing signs of cracks. If you want to be sure of a nice warm house in winter, make sure you have your central heating boiler replaced during the summer months. Besides, installers are often very busy in early winter, as it is only then that people think about heating their homes again. If you make the request in the summer, you are more likely to get an installer when it suits you.

Rent a central heating boiler

It is also an option to replace your central heating boiler with a rental one. The advantage of renting is that you don’t have to incur a big expense all at once and the rental contract is transferable in case you move house. However, it always remains the property of the rental company and renting is not tax deductible, making it a slightly less good investment.