Choosing the Right Boiler for your New Central Heating System

For a more detailed post on Which Boiler is Best, please take a look at this article: https://boilerhut.co.uk/which-boiler-is-best/

In the article quoted above, you will get exact model numbers and latest prices for the best boilers available in the UK market in 2018.  What we’re going to do in this post is list the best manufacturers, which in our experience of over 40 years in the heating and plumbing industry, we deem to be the best boilers.

Viessmann

Not only are some Viessmann boilers the best in the UK market, or Europe, we believe they might be the best boiler brand in the world.  Simply because their innovative technological solutions and their boiler range leaves every other manufacturer in the dust.  Some of the reasons why we love a new central heating systems with a Viessmann Boiler is:

• Patented Inox-Radial Stainless Steel Heat Exchangers. Manufactured in-house.
• 10 Years Extended Warranties.
• Compact Design: Easier to Site and Install.
• PRV (Pressure Release Valve) and Condensate Connection are Combined.
• Heating Seasonal Efficiency (ErP) – 94%.
• Built-in Shock Arresters for quiet operation, and to avoid water hammer problems.

Not only does this German powerhouse have one of the best boiler and new central heating system line-ups in the UK market, they’re continuously adding to it.  Take their Vitovalor 300-P model for example:

Viessmann Vitovalor 300-P

This is a collaboration between Viessmann and Panasonic, and is a device which can not only heat your home and provide hot water, but can also generate electricity!  This is just the beginning of things to come from Viessmann.  The point we’re trying to make here is whether you go high-end or low-end, you can’t go wrong with a Viessmann boiler.  The only complaint they received years ago was non-availability of parts, which they have since solved over the last 2 years by opening their UK headquarters and distribution centre in Telford, Shropshire.

Worcester Bosch

Worcester-Bosch have developed their brand reputation over many years in the UK, by manufacturing one of the most reliable and high efficiency boilers for household use.  Worcester was established in 1962 by Cecil Duckworth, and when the German company Bosch acquired them in 1992, they became Worcester-Bosch, as they are known today.  From their humble beginnings as a small engineering business, Worcester Bosch have expanded to being one of the biggest boiler manufacturers in the UK.  Some of the reasons why installers and customers like Worcester-Bosch boilers is:

• Easy to Fit.
• Easy to service.
• Good Technical support when they break down.
• Rear piping Chassis on most models [ great for concealing pipe work ].
• Nice Aesthetics

Other Notable Boiler Manufacturers

Below is a list of notable boiler manufacturers in the UK who make reliable and efficient boilers.  They may not be the bee’s knees like Viessmann or Worcester-Bosch, in our opinion, but they’re right up there with the best.  In no specific order:

• Vaillant
• Ideal
• Baxi
• Glow-Worm
• Potterton
• Alpha
• ATAG

Warning

Please note:  We have not worked with all of the manufacturers listed above.  We encourage you, as a consumer about to make one of your biggest household buying decisions, to do your own thorough online research, look at latest facts and figures, before making your decision.  It is very important that you do not get swayed by word-of-mouth or plumber endorsements, because a lot of time these opinions are based on outdated information.  Or in the plumber’s case, affiliation, commission, and a chance to make an extra penny.

Having said all that, Boilerhut are Viessmann Premium Partners, and an Accredited Installer with Grant Boilers UK too.  Which on the surface may make us look biased, but that is not the case at all.  While we do love Viessmann boilers, it is for good reason.  They’ve got one of the most efficient boilers in the world, the 200-W (98% efficient with weather compensation).  All their models come with a patented Inox-Radial stainless steel heat exchanger carrying a 10 year warranty.  Which if you’re planning your new central heating system, is really the best choice one can make.  If you’ve got one of the highest efficiency boilers with a corrosion resistant, reliable and durable heat exchanger at its heart, it makes all the difference to the longevity of your new central heating system.

How much would a New Central Heating System Cost?

Before we delve into the new central heating system price breakdown, it will definitely be faster for you to get an online boiler quote through our quoting system.  It takes literally minutes to get the price estimate.  Even if you initially get a quote for a boiler installation only, a quick chat with one of our team members and we can finalize a new central heating system quote for you.

Cost Breakdown for a New Central Heating System

Following is an estimate of average total cost for a new central heating installation for a 3-4 bedroom house.  The list includes all the components that make up a central heating system:

Basics + Essentials

1. Brand new A-Rated Condensing Boiler with a Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger – £1,200
2. Boiler Plus Legislation 2018 Compliant Smart, Programmable Wireless Digital Thermostats – £200-£350
3. 8-10 radiators. Supply and labor cost included – £1,200
4. Associated Pipe Work to Complete Installation – £900
5. Any water tanks supply and install – £200
6. Gas Run Upgrades (If needed) – £200 to £300 (Depending on distance)
7. Any extras + Parts & Labour – £300

Total (inc. VAT) – Approx £4,000

Extras – Included in Price

1. Flue Options – Horizontal or Vertical.
2. Chemical/Power Flush and Magnacleanse System Flushes.
3. Magnetic Filters and Limescale Filters.
4. Weather Compensation. (If feasible)
5. Registration of Extended Warranties (Up to 10 years).
6. Gas Safe Approved Installers = Expert Installation.
7. Expert Handover and Induction on Boiler, Controls and Best Usage.
8. Building Regulations Notification, Certification + Commissioning & Testing to Complete Benchmark.

As you can see, for a 3-4 bedroom house, your cost will be approximately £4,000.  For a 2 bed house, cost will go down to £3,000.  Again, these are approximate costs.  Your finalized quote can be less or more depending on your circumstances and any extras you may or may not need.

How to Save Money with a New Central Heating System

Intelligent/ Smart Controls and Thermostats

With Boiler Plus Legislation in effect since April 2018 in England, smart controls have become even more important than ever before in achieving the highest levels of efficiency.  If you are spending so much of your hard earned money on a brand new central heating system, whether it’s a new house or old house, it doesn’t make sense to then ignore all the wonderful things you can do with intelligent, smart controls.  If you’re sure about your working hours, then your central heating system doesn’t need to work for the hours you aren’t at home, or run at a much lower temperature to make sure the pipes don’t get frozen.  Modern condensing boilers, especially the range from Viessmann modulates energy usage between 5kW and 30kW anyway.  But you can take it further by instructing the boiler to only come on while you and your family are at home.  This can be programmed to go on automatically, or be setup in a way that it takes only a few seconds.

Then you have learning thermostats like Nest, which learn from the way you use your central heating, and do the programming automatically.  Nest can also be controlled via the internet using a smartphone or a tablet app.  So, even if you have left the thermostat in manual mode and forgot to turn it down before leaving the house, fret not as you can amend that with your phone wherever you are.

TRV (Thermostatic Radiator Valves) and Smart TRVs

A lot of people prefer to use old analog thermostats instead of the newer wireless and digital thermostats, as they find them problematic.  A good work around that situation is by installing thermostatic radiator valves or TRVs on all radiators around your house, so you can manually turn down radiators in rooms that you don’t use very frequently.  Another way to do is to install Smart TRVs on each radiator and control them via an app on your smartphone.  There are smart TRVs also compatible with other digital thermostats and Nest.

Central Heating Quotes

You can get quotes for a new central heating system everywhere online these days.  However, a lot of these quoting systems will simply record your data and give you a very basic initial price estimate, which obviously will have to be finalized by a surveyor doing a physical survey or through photos.  Our quoting system however is vast, and improving every time.  If at the time of you reading this article, we haven’t implemented central heating quotes, don’t fret, one of our friendly team members will call you.  Simply enter your postcode below and hit the green button to answer a few easy questions about your property and get your online boiler quote.