Are Condensing Boilers Unreliable?
Condensing boilers are efficient, safe and reliable. So why are there so many rumours floating around that they’re unreliable?
When they first hit the market, condensing boilers had their issues. But condensing boilers have come a long way since then and must now be fitted into homes as standard.
So if you’re hearing all sorts of bad rumours about condensing boilers, they’re probably false.
What is a condensing boiler?
Condensing boilers have a Flue Gas Heat Recovery System. This means they’re able to capture heat from steam that would otherwise head out through the flue pipe.
Until condensing boilers came along, around 30% of the heat made by the boiler was being lost.
Why condensing beats non-condensing
Condensing boilers are far more efficient than non-condensing boilers. This is because they use less fuel to make more heat.
So, by replacing a non-condensing boiler with a condensing boiler, you’ll be saving money on your heating bills. They also emit less carbon into the atmosphere.
Essentially, there’s no reason not to upgrade to a condensing boiler.
Read up on condensing boilers:
Dispelling 8 condensing boiler myths
Early condensing boilers had a few issues upon launch. And some still believe that modern condensing boilers face the same problems. However, this simply isn’t true.
All new condensing boilers have an excellent reliability and safety record. Plus, all new boilers installed across the UK must now be condensing.
Here are a few of the most persistent condensing boiler rumours.
1. Condensing boilers corrode quickly
In the earliest models of condensing boilers, the heat exchanger which was used had a tendency to corrode if the flue gases created by the boiler would condense upon it. This issue was quickly resolved, and new boilers all should be fitted with a heat exchanger which is of a non-ferrous metal.
2. Condensing Boilers are over-priced
Because non-ferrous metals are often more expensive, the price of a condensing boiler is higher. It’s a common myth that condensing boilers are over-priced because of their higher energy efficiency, that the public is paying an extra premium because they are the highest technology for the best environmental benefit. This is simply not true, and, as mentioned above, the price of a condensing boiler is influenced by its more expensive essential metal parts.
3. Water gets ‘trapped’ inside condensing boilers
All the cool water created as a by-product of a condensing boiler is easily drained away, and should pose no issue at all to the health of your boiler if the boiler has been correctly fitted by a qualified and registered installer and the boiler is serviced regularly every 12 months.
4. Condensing boilers use unreliable new technology
Now 20 years after its launch, the condensing boilers ‘new’ technology has been proven to be highly reliable, and in those 20 years any bugs have been resolved and tweaks to the design have been made to ensure nothing can go wrong.
5. The pluming from the condensing boilers flue is dangerous
This is simply not the case – the small amount pluming you see from the flue of a condensing boiler is merely water vapour, and will turn into small droplets of harmless water when it comes into contact with a cold surface.
6. The plumbing will make my house damp
Condensing boilers only make a small amount of pluming, and its highly recommended that you place a boiler in a well ventilated area, or site the flue to guide the plume to outside of your residence. If a condensing boiler is placed close to a window or inner corner, then some droplets of water may be seen, but all qualified boiler fitters will site a condensing boiler in an area where pluming will never be an issue.
7. THey’re only efficient in condensing mode
Whether running in condensing mode or not, a condensing boiler is up to 30% more efficient than older boilers.
8. Condensing boilers will kill my plants
Condensing boilers are room-sealed which means they won’t harm your indoor plants.
Time to upgrade your heating system?
Install a new condensing boiler and you could soon see your heating bills drop.
To do that, you’ll need a Gas Safe registered engineer. And you’re in the right place!
Take a moment to complete our simple online form and up to 3 local heating engineers will be in touch. Each one will give you a free quote for installing a condensing boiler for you to then compare.
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