Boilers
Submitted by ArcticFox on Wed, 24/10/2007 - 14:03.
If your boiler is more than 15 years old then it is probably in your financial interests to replace it, as new boilers are far more energy efficient. Your old boiler is probably around 70-75% efficient, possibly less if it is very old. Estimates of how much you could save vary from £40 to £200 a year.
From April 2005 all new boilers have been required by law (with some exceptions) to be condensing boilers, which typically are around 90% efficient. This is because the water vapour which would otherwise escape through the flue undergoes a further process during which heat is captured as the vapour condenses.
Condensing boilers should not be confused with combi boilers. A combi boiler is one that does not have a header tank or hot water storage cylinder – hot water is produced as and when required.
Finding a Boiler
More information, including boiler suppliers, at Boilers.org (this purports to be a government sponsored site, but it mainly consists of adverts, including dating Agency adverts!)
The Energy Saving Trust have a search facility
The EST also provide best practice guidelines on all aspects of building work, including boiler and hating system installation
When installing a gas boiler make sure the installer is CORGI registered
