The boiler is certainly a very vital part of your home’s structure – without it, you wouldn’t get central heating or hot water.
However, your boiler is also likely to be one of the most expensive pieces of equipment in your home and repairing or replacing it can quickly get costly. It’s important to be ready for when your boiler might need to be replaced since, sadly, they don’t last forever and the replacement can be a huge expense. Most of the time, boilers will last for around a decade before you begin to notice some tell-tale signs that a new one is due. In some cases, your boiler might still work, but bear in mind that if repairs are becoming more and more frequent, a total replacement might be cheaper in the long run. PPM stands for Planned Preventative Maintenance and it’s something to keep in mind when you have equipment to maintain.
According to a credible heating contractor, here are some of the main signs that you need a new boiler.
5 Signs You Need a New Boiler Soon
Poor Energy Efficiency
A drop in the energy efficiency of your home is likely to be down to the boiler. When a boiler is over
ten years old, its energy efficiency levels are going to be much lower compared to a new boiler.
You’ll definitely be losing out on a lot of savings that you could make over time with the cheaper
energy bills that are often associated with having a higher energy-efficiency boiler. If your energy
bills are getting higher even though you are using the same amount as always, this is a sure sign that your boiler is wasting energy.
Regular Breakdowns
Does it sometimes feel like you should just ask your gas engineer if he wants to lodge in your spare
room? If your boiler is breaking down on a regular basis and you feel like you are constantly forking
out for the cost of repairs, having a brand-new boiler installation is likely to be a cheaper and much more convenient option over time. Not only can you rely on a new boiler to work well without breaking down when you need it most, but you won’t need to worry about finding the cash for repairs on a regular basis either.
Noisy Heating
Sometimes, noises in your radiators and pipes could be coming from these fixtures themselves, and
in other cases, it could be the boiler. If your radiators and pipes are newer than the boiler and they
are still quite noisy when the heating system is turned on, there’s a high chance that you could be
dealing with a boiler problem. Kettling, banging, or gurgling noises coming from your boiler or
radiators is something that you should definitely get checked out as it’s not a normal occurrence.
Yellow Flame
A boiler that is working correctly and safety should be burning with a blue flame. However, a yellow
flame should always be something that you have investigated immediately by an expert since this
could be a sign of a dangerous carbon monoxide leak. If left unchecked, this could cause carbon
monoxide poisoning which can lead to a range of undesirable symptoms like headaches, nausea and
fatigue, but in more serious cases it could even kill you. Call a gas engineer as soon as possible to
check your boiler if you have noticed a yellow flame. In some cases, this can be repaired; however, it
might be necessary to replace your boiler altogether if it has become dangerous.
Unusual Odours
Finally, your boiler should not be giving off any unusual smells or odours. Carbon monoxide is
naturally odourless, but since this is one of the biggest factors for making it so dangerous, companies
will often add some scents to make it easier for you to detect a leak. If you can smell any gas in your
home around the boiler, this could be a sign of a serious emergency and it’s advised to get in touch
with Gas Emergency Services as quickly as possible. Smells that are not gas, but are otherwise
unusual, such as the smell of electrical burning or a burning fabric smell coming from the boiler will
usually also signify that something is wrong and you’ll need to get the boiler checked by a
professional as soon as possible.
Last Updated on June 25, 2023 by Lucy Clarke