Gas Boilers Information

What must I do to cover against a central heating system breakdown

The boiler in your home is generally ignored in the summertime when warmth is plentiful, but if it does suddenly stop working, you may be stuck with measly kettle fulls of hot water and chilly cold showers everyday. It is only when the gas boiler breaks down that you become acutely aware of its importance in your home. And then you realise how important, not to mention expensive, it really is.

Generally a tenant paying rent is not liable to repair a malfunctioning central heating 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.

You might consider investing in a new heating boiler model if your previous one is older than ten years, it would cut the cost of your fuel especially if the new one is a high-efficiency model and it would be less prone to breakdown. Your choice of a gas boiler should be determined by the capacity required (based on family needs), the space available for the heating boiler and the existing heating system. For smaller homes with fewer people a combi gas boiler tends to be the most common choice, especially if you want instant hot water at mains pressure. A combi boiler warms up the water as it flows through, removing the need to store the water in a hot water tank. With such a combi central heating boiler, a hot shower is instantly available; however if another hot outlet is opened, your share of warm water will quickly run out and you shower could be a cold one.

A sealed system heating boiler uses a single storage tank, usually in an airing cupboard, and enables a large family to have several taps or showers on the go at once, without compromising hot water or water pressure. The benefit of using a system boiler is that it can be installed quickly and easily in a relatively small area. Compared to a combi boiler, a storage boiler heats water slowly; after depletion, a fresh tankful can take some time to be replenished.

Many older houses have an open vent heating boiler installed, and it is the bulkiest of all; two tanks in the attic and a storage cylinder in the ventilated closet. This has similar advantages and disadvantages to the sealed systems as it enables several taps to be used at once, but you will have to wait for the water to heat and pressure is sometimes an issue.

Lastly, one central heating system type that lets many outlets to be used at once without losing any pressure is the back gas boiler, however it can take up a lot of room. 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 would save you a lot of money on installation of a new central heating boiler if a back gas boiler is already installed in your home when you moved in, as it is cheaper to replace an old back boiler rather than install a completely new heating system.

It is costly to repair a central heating system which ever type your home has. Taking out central heating insurance can provide peace of mind that if something goes wrong with your heating system, your costs will be covered. Buy an insurance plan that includes an annual maintenance contract and emergency house calls and repairs when needed; you will save some extra money and mean you never have to shiver in your shower again.