Winter is the most common time of the year for boilers to break down. It makes sense as this is when most people use their boilers more, and if they’ve not been used for most of the year, the sudden ongoing demand can put pressure on the boiler, leading to repairs. And this is something 45% of people have experienced (source:iHeat), and a 10-year study from 2009 to 2091 found that an average of 107,108 boilers break down annually at an average repair cost of £300 per boiler repair.
However, boilers don’t last forever. On average, they have a lifespan of around 10 to 15 years, and sadly, most people don’t realise they need a new boiler until their current one gives up the ghost. While regular servicing and maintenance tips can keep your boiler in good condition, there are some signs that you might need to consider replacing your boiler and booking a new Boiler Installation. Let’s take a look.
Radiators Don’t Heat Up As Fast
If you’re noticing your radiators are taking longer to heat up, there could be a couple of things to play here. Firstly, don’t panic, and check if your radiators need bleeding. Unevenly heated radiators or cold spots can be caused by air in the radiator. Bleeding them can resolve the issue. However, if this isn’t the case, it could be that your boiler is on its way out, especially if it’s older, as modern boilers heat up pretty quickly. The same goes for your hot water; the longer it takes to get hot water flowing, the more your boiler is struggling.
Eggy Smell
Healthy boilers should not omit any odours at all. However, if you smell an eggy sulphurous odour in your home, there’s probably a gas leak, and if it’s from your boiler, you likely need to get a new one asap. In this situation, turn the gas to the property off, don’t turn anything on, including lights, open the windows and call the emergency gas line to report it.
Frequent Breakdowns
If your boiler constantly needs repairs and you’re simply handing over more and more money to fix it, it’s probably time to invest in a new boiler. New boilers aren’t cheap, but neither is constantly getting the boiler fixed and paying call-out fees, not to mention the inconvenience of being without heating or hot water.
It’s Noisy
Your boiler shouldn’t make any sounds except when firing up, and this is usually a low hum most people don’t even notice, and it lasts a few seconds. However, ongoing noises such as banging, clunking or whirring, etc, can indicate your boiler isn’t at its best, and at the very least, it needs further investigations. There could be many things wrong inside the case impacting how your boiler works, but in older boilers, these problems could be more serious than in newer ones. Not all noises will render your boiler unusable, and in many cases, you might only need a repair; however, ongoing noises or excessive sounds despite repairs, in all likelihood, are probably signalling the end of life for your boiler.