The best boilers are the ones that you can simply trust will be working quietly in the background, keeping you and your family warm. Ideally, you wouldn’t think about your boiler at all.
However, there comes a time when you simply have to give it some attention — and the best time to do that is before it experiences catastrophic failure. While you might not dream of having to replace your boiler, it’s much better to take a proactive approach to getting a new one fitted rather than waiting until it breaks down completely.
The problem that many homeowners have is that they don’t know when that time is. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to put together some helpful insights regarding the telltale signs that it could be time to replace your boiler. If you notice any of the following, then get in touch with a boiler company as soon as possible.
It’s More Than 15 Years Old
Boilers last a long time, but they’re not invincible. If your boiler has been keeping your family warm for fifteen years or more, then there’s every chance that it’s on its last legs. Taking a proactive approach to boiler replacement while your old one still provides some functionality is a lot better than having to urgently replace it in the dead of winter, right at the moment when it’s needed the most.
Of course, the age of the boiler doesn’t automatically mean that it needs to be replaced. Some well-maintained boilers will last longer. However, it’s definitely worthwhile having a boiler expert take a closer look, so you can know for sure how much life it still has in it.
Your Energy Bills Are Skyrocketing
OK, we should clarify this point by saying that it can be worth replacing your boiler if your energy prices are skyrocketing beyond how they’re rising across the board. There’s been a sharp increase in the cost of energy in recent times, and that looks set to continue in the coming months. Dealing with a poorly functioning boiler essentially means that you get a double whammy of increased energy expenses — first from the general rising energy costs, and second from having a boiler that has to work harder to produce the same results as more efficient models.
It’s Taking Ages To Heat Up Your Home
The benefit of having a boiler system is that you can stay warm at home, but that benefit is severely compromised if the system requires an unusually long time to heat things up. That’ll likely indicate that the boiler has some sort of issue. Upgrading to a newer boiler model ensures that you can heat up your property as quickly as possible, which is all too important when you’re trying to stay warm during the chilly winter months.
Strange Noises/Smells
Many of the signs on this list are subtle, but there are some signs that shout loudly that it’s time to call a boiler expert. For example, if your boiler is making strange noises or producing strange smells, then that’s something that needs to be looked at urgently by a boiler professional. It could be nothing, but it’s much better to know for sure than to continue dealing with the issue.
It Provides Inconsistent Performance
You need your boiler to work when you want it to work. A boiler that delivers inconsistent performance does not do that. Many homeowners find that, at some stage, their boilers shut off unexpectedly. That can happen due to a number of reasons, including frozen pipes or low water pressure. In any case, it’s best to get things looked at.
Repairing Is Becoming Expensive
It’s often possible to repair a damaged boiler, but whether you should is questionable. At some point, it makes no financial sense to continue throwing money at a boiler that you know will only have another issue in the not-too-distant future.
There are a couple of non-scientific rules you can use to determine when it’s better to replace a boiler rather than repair it. The first is the 50% rule, which says it’s worthwhile considering replacing a boiler if the repair cost is 50% or more of the cost of installing a new model. Another is the two-strike rule, which says that if you have to pay for two major repair jobs within a 12 – 24-month period, then you’re probably dealing with a boiler that will never truly inspire confidence, and which should be replaced.
