Protecting against gas boiler failures

The central heating 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 strange though that the central heating system is never considered to be an important piece of equipment until it stops working. And as soon as it stops working, everyone realises how essential it is and how expensive repairs can be.

For those of you who are renting, of course you don’t have to worry about repairs and maintenance as the responsibility lies with your landlord and they probably will have landlords gas boiler cover. But if you live in your own house, it will be wise to have a special savings pot or central heating insurance in case something goes wrong with your boiler.

If your heating boiler is over ten years old, it might be worth investing in a new model; this can cut your fuel costs down considerably, especially if you get a high-efficiency model. The type of heating boiler that you should buy depends on your family size and the available space at your home, the existing central heating boiler also affects your choice. The most common type is the combi boiler, it is perfect for small homes and for people who want hot water quickly. A combi gas boiler warms up the water as it flows through, removing the need to store the water in a hot water tank. Hot water will be available instantaneously on demand, but if a hot tap is opened by someone else while you are enjoying your shower, you better jump out fast unless you like cold showers!.

A single storage tank is used in a sealed system heating boiler usually placed in an upstairs airing cupboard enabling a large number of people to have multiple showers and taps on the go at once, without compromising hot water availability or water pressure. This central heating boiler can easily be installed within hours and doesn’t require excess space. The main disadvantage, however is that you will have to wait for the water in the tank to heat up.

Older models of boilers are generally of open vent type – requiring a couple of loft mounted water tanks as well as a storage section installed in an airing cupboard. Though it does not give the best pressure and takes a while to heat, it is very like a sealed system that can provide hot water to several outlets.

A Back gas boiler is another central heating boiler which provides good water pressure, allows several water outlets but occupies quite a bit of space. Back boilers are usually stored in the chimney breast but if you do not have this type of central heating boiler installed you will find that it is not worth shifting over to this form of heating. However repairing an existing back gas boiler or replacing it with a new back boiler can result in better efficiency and reduced long term costs.

It is expensive to get the any of these types of boiler repaired. A central heating boiler insurance policy can help a great deal by easing your repair costs in case your heating system fails at some point. As a final thought remember that you can save yourself an extra amount per year if you take out a heating boiler maintenance policy that covers annual central heating boiler inspections as well as call-outs and repairs.