Head Off the troubles in a heating boiler failure
Head Off the troubles in a heating boiler failure
Keeping our homes warm from May to September is not a problem but unless you have the habit of taking cold showers and boiling the kettle after you bathe, you could be left without help or hope of recovery if your gas boiler breaks down. It is only when the heating boiler breaks down that you become acutely aware of its importance in your home. And as soon as it stops working, everyone realises how essential it is and how expensive repairs can be.
Generally a tenant paying rent is not liable to repair a malfunctioning boiler as the landlord is responsible for maintenance and repair of his premises. Should anything go wrong when you are the homeowner the situation is different so you might think of putting a little aside to cover this risk.
New high-efficiency boilers can reduce your fuel bills dramatically so if your boiler is over ten years old it may be time to think about investing in a newer model. The type of heating boiler that you should buy would depend upon your existing central heating boiler type, the size of your family and the amount of space in your home. A combi central heating system is the most widely known, and is good for small homes with few people, or people who don’t want to wait for their hot water. Unlike a storage heating boiler, a combi central heating system warms the water directly at the mains, thus eliminating the tank section. With a combi hot water is available instantly but if some one runs hot tap while you are having a hot shower be ready to jump out quickly as it turns cold.
A sealed central heating system system can cater to several family members having a hot wash or bath at the same time since it utilises a storage tank housed in a cupboard or loft, thus ensuring a steady supply of pressured hot water. The system gas boiler is quick and easy to install, and doesn’t take up too much space. The main disadvantage, however is that you will have to wait for the water in the tank to heat up.
Older models of boilers are generally of open vent type – requiring a couple of loft mounted water tanks as well as a storage section installed in an airing cupboard. Like the sealed system, this type of central heating boiler can allow multiple outlets to draw hot water a the same time, but can also take a while to heat and doesn’t give the best water pressure.
The fifth type is a back central heating boiler which is bulkier, but can deliver hot water to several outlets under good pressure. Back boilers are normally placed in a chimney breast, but they are not the recommended type for your house unless your home already has one. It is great if your new home has a back heating boiler already as this type of boiler costs less to install, if you need to replace your back central heating boiler it is better to replace the old one with the same type rather than getting a new type of heating boiler installed.
Whichever central heating boiler your home has, it can be costly to repair. That is why it is important to get heating insurance so you can be confident that any costs will be taken care of if something breaks down, costs which cover labour and spare parts for your central heating boiler. Buy a good gas boiler breakdown policy which not only covers the labour, repair costs and also provides annual inspections with no call out charge.