Friday, December 26, 2008

Boilers - Is it Better to Repair or Replace?

By Tal Potishman

UK homeowners frequently strive to run an energy efficient household. Energy efficiency is proven to save time, money and lend a helping hand to the environment. Even the government is showing concern. Building Regulations now contain set standards to which all heating and hot water systems must comply. The current state of the economy and rising prices provide additional incentive toward efficiency. Homeowners are finding it harder than ever to pay for all their bills.

Recent climate changes have brought additional attention to the topic. The number of natural disasters attributed to the changing climate raises the concern of many citizens. Often, homeowners do not know what they can do to improve the current situation. There are a number of slight changes in the home that can produce great results. Energy efficiency can be attained in part by ensuring that your home uses high efficiency heating and hot water systems. There are a number of options available to the homeowner.

High efficiency condensing technology can prove extremely worthwhile. When faced with the decision to replace or repair their boiler, consumers are often unsure of what to do. They should be supplied all the facts so that they can make the choice that is best for their home. It is common for the homeowner to depend on the installer to provide guidance. Therefore, the installer plays quite a large part in this whole process.

Boilers are often expensive. When consumers consider this and the additional installation fees, they usually choose to just repair their current boiler instead of investing in a new high efficiency boiler. This can prove to be a costly mistake. Older boilers can be repaired but their level of efficiency can never be improved. A faulty boiler just creates problems and produces unnecessary expenses. The cost of repair and running of older boilers is usually higher that the price of total system replacement.

If costs don't seem to be too persuasive perhaps the following statistics will change your mind. UK households produced 21% of the country's carbon dioxide emission. Hot water and heating systems make up 80% of that emission. Energy efficiency not only lower bills but also helps the UK to reach its goal of decreasing carbon emissions by the year 2010. Heating and hot water contributes to the majority of the average fuel bill. The use of high efficiency boilers can reduce bills by 30% and save the average home 200 per year.

There are several UK manufacturers that sell heating and hot water systems in a variety of makes and models. Common features include cast aluminium-silicon heat exchanger, brass waterset, energy efficient pump, and a concealed system connection that greatly improve system performance. A centrally located telescopic flue kit with preformed connections and pre-fitted mains electrical lead results in fast and cheap installation. Drop-down controls and a spacious interior allows the appliance to be serviced with ease. RF, radio frequency, controller versions are also available. They provide the user with complete touch of a button control. Warranty agreements vary company by company but usually provide 10-year parts warranty on the heat exchanger and two-year parts and labour coverage on the entire system.

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