Combi Boiler Installation Fife
Lets’s face it, there are so many variable options for choosing the right new combi boiler installation for your home. Hopefully this blog will guide you in the right direction to choosing the right combi boiler installation in Fife.
Is a combi boiler right for your home?
- How do I know if a combi boiler is right for my home? Combi boilers are relatively small, which can give you the benefit of saving space. So, if you have limited space in the house and don’t have anywhere to put a hot water cylinder, then the combi boiler could be the better choice for you.
- If you live in a small house or a flat, combi boilers are a great choice.
- If you have an old conventional boiler and hot water cylinder and a bulky storage tank in the loft and want more space to store things, then a combi boiler would be an ideal choice.
- If the airing cupboard is just filled with stuff and you struggle for space to fit a new boiler in the kitchen, this would be an ideal time to fit a new combi boiler in the cupboard.
- Combi boilers are also energy-efficient with an efficiency of up to 93%. This could save you hundreds of pounds annually in your energy bills.
How to size a combi boiler?
This is a very important factor in making sure that you get the correct boiler that best suits your property. There are a couple of important factors in choosing the right combi boiler. They are:
1/ Under sizing: An undersized boiler will struggle to meet the heating demands of your home. This results in a lack of heating to your radiators, hot water to your taps/shower or worse – both.
2/ Over sizing: This could lead to wasted gas being burned heating your home which could cost hundreds of pounds extra each year. As a rule of thumb, you’ll need the following power outputs for the number of radiators for a combi boiler: Up to 10 radiators: 24–27 kW. 10 to 15 radiators: 28–34 kW. 15 to 20 radiators: 32–40 kW.
However it also depends on how many bathrooms you have in your home. If you have 15 radiators and two bathtubs, you might be better with a floor standing combi boiler which offers excellent flow rated for hot water.
If you really want to be sure that you get the right sized combi boiler, contact your local heating engineer and they will be able to advise you correctly as every property is different.
What combi boiler brands are on offer?
There are many brand in the UK, however to give you an idea here are a few of the bestselling brands. Baxi, Vaillant, Worcester are considered to be the 3 top brands in the UK. There are many other good brands such as: Ideal, Glowworm, Navien and Atag.
All manufacturers offer warranties from 3 years up to 12 years depending on which models and filters that are installed. Again, speak with your local heating engineer to find out which brand is right for your home. Below is a list of some of the boiler brands in the UK.
Key things to consider when installing a combi boiler
There are 3 main things that will help you decide which combi boiler installation you should choose:
- Budget: The cost of a new combi boiler ranges vastly depending on what brand, size and model it is. The cost of a new installation could range from as little as £1500 up to as much as £2500 plus.
- Length of warranty: Boiler manufacturers offer a wide variety of warranties for their new boilers from as little as 2 years for a budget boiler or up to 12 years for a bigger model with more heat output.
- It is of utmost importance that you get a Gas safe registered engineer to service your boiler every year as long as it is in warranty, otherwise you risk losing your warranty. This is one of the stipulations that manufacturers set when offering boiler warranties.
- Area: The location is also dependant on how much you will have to pay for a new combi boiler installation. If you are living in a big city like Edinburgh for example you would expect to pay quite a bit more than in a say Dundee.
Choosing a combi boiler installer in Fife
- Most people go for three quotes to compare which offer is best for you.
- Getting recommendations is always a good way to go as your friends or family may have had previous good experiences with tradespeople in the past.
- Always hire a gas engineer that is gas safe registered. You can verify their details directly with gas safe to ensure they are up to date with their qualifications or else ask to see their gas safe card.
- Make sure you get a comprehensive written quote with detailed information on what you can expect to get for your money. Make sure that the length of boiler warranty is within the quote as you may end up with a warranty for only 5 years when you originally wanted a 10-year warranty.
Reviews: If you are hiring a complete stranger, it is best to do some research on the Company and how long they have been in business. It is also wise to do a search on their previous reviews. For example, Google is where many of the heating companies in Fife get their reviews to help endorse them as a professional Company.
Check how many reviews they have, the quality of the reviews and if they did get a bad review, was it justified. See how they respond to bad reviews. Let’s face it nobody is perfect; it is the way that issues are dealt with that is important. If the Company you want to choose has a couple of poor reviews, don’t let that distract you, just see how they responded to the poor rating and this should help.
Combi boilers are one of the most popular boilers in UK homes but they are not always the right fit. They work through a hot water and heating demand in one unit. If your home has a high hot water demand i.e multiple showers and or bathtub demands at the same time, then the combi boiler would most likely not be the right choice as they only support one outlet at a time.
Make sure that you seek advice from your local professional heating engineer and they will help you make the right decision on whether a combi boiler is right for your property.
Why should landlords install a new combi boiler in their rented property?
- They are more energy efficient than older boilers.
- They are cheaper to install than traditional heating systems.
- They are more compact and save loads of space.
- Easier to service and maintain.
- Less likely to suffer from airlocks compared to a traditional heating system.
Click here to find out more about combi boilers.
We hope that you got some value from this newsletter and that it helps you make the right decision before making such an investment in a new combi boiler. If you would like us to install your new combi boiler, please contact us.
Combi Boiler Installation Fife