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Who Fixes Boilers?

With boiler running for several hours in a day and working hard to ensure that our home stays warm, even when we tend to take it for granted it’s always there give us the heat we need whenever we need it. So in the event whereby the inevitable happens and your boiler breakdown, which professional is the most suitable to call for help? When the pressure is on to stop a boiler leak or bring back warmth to your home, knowing who to call can make all the difference.

When you need a professional to fix your boiler, the right professional to call is a heating engineer. Heating engineers work mainly on heating I both homes and businesses, so you’d be right to call them specialists in all heating matters. As a result of this, you may want to give them a call when experiencing some issues with your boiler as they’d be in the best position than any other professional to give you a proper solution.

Generally, heating engineers are experts when it comes to fixing boilers and can help with various tasks such as installing a new boiler, boiler repairs, installing new gas pipes, repairing gas leaks, changing radiators, fixing leaks, installing heating controls and many more. What’s more? A boiler repair has to do with working with gas and before you can do that you must be a Gas Safe registered engineer as required by the legislations in the UK. In other words, any gas boiler related issue must be tackled by a Gas Safe registered engineer as this is a very dangerous fuel in which the services must be provided to highest standards of safety. Only heating engineers can be a Gas Safe registered engineer to work on gas boilers.

Condensing boilers are the in-thing when it comes to modern heating systems in UK businesses and across the globe for a good reason. This is primarily due to the fact that condensing boilers happens to be highly efficient as it enables the fuel you’re burning to heat up your home go a lot further. Having a new high efficiency condensing boiler rather than an old G-rated non condensing boiler will not only enhance your heating controls, but also save you a lot of money annually. In this article, we’re going to take you through the basics of a condensing boiler. Let’s take a closer look!

If you’re interested in getting a greener and more efficient boiler, you simply can’t afford to look beyond a high efficiency condensing boiler. This is purely due to the fact that these condensing boilers happens to make a better use of the heat they’re able to produce from burning fuels like oil or gas ( in other words, they require less heat from the burner, which makes them a lot more efficient).

So how does a condensing boiler work? Unlike a non-condensing heat-nly boiler, some heat will be wasted in form of hot gases which are released from the flue. Meanwhile a condensing boiler captures some of the heat from these gases and puts them to use for heating up water that’s coming back from your central heating system. As a result, it requires just a minimal heat from the burner which make the boiler more efficient.

You should take note that all new modern boilers are condensing boilers. Therefore if you’re planning to replace an old boiler with a new one, you’ll definitely be buying a new condensing boiler and benefit from all the efficiency and savings that comes with it.

The size of boiler you need will depend on the size of your home, how many radiators and bathrooms you have and how many people live there. The boiler size refers to its output, which is measured in kilowatts (kW), rather than the actual dimensions. Speak to your boiler engineer about which boiler is suitable for you, as if you have more than one bathroom or a lot of people in your home a combi boiler might not suit you. Other boiler types such as system boilers or conventional boilers may be better suited to larger homes because they have bigger outputs.

Does Home Insurance Cover Boiler Repairs?

When winter comes, your boiler is most likely to be one of the most used appliances in your home. It keeps operating for several hours to ensure your house remains warm and conducive and then during those cold evenings, it supplies the much needed hot water to guarantee a restive night. But with so much usage and many moving parts, you’d naturally expect your boiler to breakdown at some point especially if it’s 7 years old or above. So what’s the next line of action when it happens, leaving your radiators off and water cold? With the likely high boiler repair cost, it’s only logical to consider whether your boiler repairs is covered by your home insurance.

In almost all situations, the standard home insurance will not provide coverage for the cost of repairing or replacing a broken boiler. Being fully aware that boiler breakdowns are mostly caused by a lack or not so regular maintenance practices or servicing, most home insurance providers will exclude it from this from their offerings. In fact, a home insurance is more likely to provide coverage for the damage that has happened as a result of a broken appliance. For instance, the damage caused as a result of gas, oil or water leaking from a boiler are more likely to be paid for by the home insurance providers, but they’ll not pay for the repair or replacement of the broken boiler itself.

If you need our home insurance to cover your boiler repair, then you might just be able to get an extra insurance cover from your provider that includes a broken boiler repair. You can consult them to determine if this is possible as well as the cost to be paid per month. This will normally cost about £5 to £10 per month, but it gives you a peace of mind knowing you’re covered if your boiler happens to breakdown.

When it comes to boiler insurance in the UK, two companies easily comes to mind - British Gas Homecare and Homeserve. Just like any other choice you’d have to make, choosing the company that’s best for you might be a bit difficult especially if you don’t want to make the wrong choice. This article will give you a good insight into the pros and cons of the two companies’ boiler cover to help you make the best choice for your home.

British Gas Homecare Cover

Pros

• Reduced cost of services as a result of the annual payment option.

• An array of affordable packages including both few and several services

• Although vulnerable customers are prioritized, the company offers a 24/7 services.

• Unlimited claims

• Depending on what you wish to get, be it only a monthly boiler cover or more services, you’ll get several services’ options.

Cons

• With a 50% bad rating on a reliable customer review site, you know there is a question mark on the company’s customer service.

• Increment in renewal price after first year of service.

• Lacks cover for the boiler’s sludge or scale.

Homeserve Cover

Pros

• For most individuals, the 5 packages offered are affordable.

• 24 hour help hotline

• From reliable customer rating websites, the company offers a great service.

• Cover costs include both parts and labour.

• There are good options for one-off repairs.

• The options are cheaper than British Gas services.

• There are multiple choices for excess payments for various packages.

• An option for annual boiler repair.

Cons

• Lack of annual payment option

• The price of the packages will increase after the first year

• The services are mostly for houses or flats, while businesses and other types of property are being neglected.

You should have your boiler serviced every year. This ensures that your central heating system is running safely and efficiently, but it’s often also a requirement to keep your boiler’s warranty valid. To avoid disruption to your heating, the best time of year to service your boiler is the summer. You’ll often find that boiler companies will charge less because they have less work.

How Often To Service Boiler?

A boiler is a vital part of any home especially if you’re in the UK. Not only does provide your entire household with hot water and keep them warm but also adds a good value to your property. Boiler repairs and replacement are both super expensive and stressful, so in order to avoid all these worries, it’s better to have your boiler serviced on a regular basis for your own peace of mind. When you call in a reliable heating engineer, it can immensely raise your boiler’s efficiency while also saving you from more expensive issues down the road.

So if you haven’t had your boiler serviced for quite some time, moved into a new house and not aware the last time your boiler was serviced or perhaps you’re just wondering how often a boiler should be serviced, then you’ve come to the right place! The short and simple answer to this question is a boiler should should be serviced once in a year, and most preferably during the summer months. However, there are a wide range of factors that comes into play so it’s always advisable to check with your manufacturer before you proceed.

According to the law, you’re required to have your boiler services on an annual basis. Failure to do so can render your boiler or home warranty void. Therefore, it’s very crucial to take down the last time your boiler was serviced and also set a reminder to book your next appointment when the time closes in.

If you happen to own an electric boiler you may not need an annual servicing. But you may still be required to perform it annually by your insurance provider.

Can You Replace A Gas Boiler With An Electric Boiler?

In the UK, there are about 22 million households that are heated with the use of a gas boiler. However, do not assume that they’re the best type of boiler to install. The fact is, if your house isn’t connected to the main gas supply, the best option is for you to install an electric boiler rather than a gas boiler. So is it possible to replace a gas boiler with an electric boiler? The simple answer is yes. Both heating system options work in varying ways and also with a different impact on the environment.

The gas boiler is able to generate heat with the help of a gas burner. A heat exchanger is linked to the burner and heats the water available in its chamber. The hot water is then supplied to the heating circuit.

However, the thing is that natural gas can actually be more affordable when compared to using electricity to operate your boiler, but they have a negative impact on the environment. This is because gas boilers make use of an odourless, colourless and poisonous gas - carbon monoxide.

Meanwhile electric boilers are powered by electrical energy, hence, no carbon monoxide leak risks. Instead of using gas to heat up water, electric boilers distribute energy to heating elements which, in turn, heats up the water. So thinking about what’s best for the environment, you’d go for electric boilers. However, they’re more costly and are not as efficient as oil boilers.

If you reside in a smaller house that’s not connected to the main gas supply, then you might want to consider installing an electric boiler. However, if you live in a larger house, an electric boiler may not be the best option as they’re mostly designed to generate little quantity of hot water.