Buying the best boiler for your home can be a tough task, there all sorts of criteria you must take into account. Below are several common questions.

Do I need to buy a new gas boiler?
As of April 2005 all new gas boilers must be over 90% energy efficient. If you own an old G-rated boiler with a seasonal efficiency of less than 70%, your home will benefit from using a new gas boiler which is rated A for energy efficiency. This is because a G-rated boiler only efficiently uses around 70% or less of the energy it produces for the purpose of heating your home or hot water, with the remaining 30% being lost through the flue. Many new high efficiency boilers have well over 90% efficiency, which means less wastage and more money saved on heating bills.

What are my heating and hot water needs?
There are several types of heating boilers such as back boilers which are fitted at the back of gas fires and stoves. These units are becoming rare and have made way for more modern designs. Some of the best boilers around are condensing gas boilers these units are highly energy efficient and have a condensation drain as well as a flue. They are installed with a fully pumped system and are perfect for the more environmentally conscious homeowner. The most popular boilers are combi gas boilers. They provide hot water and heating but not at the same time. They are relatively cheap gas boilers with Baxi and Vaillant offering very affordable high quality models. Combi gas boilers are considered the best boilers for small houses and flats.

What type of boiler do I need?
For the average household with only one bathroom the best boilers are combi gas boilers. They are often small, compact, highly efficient and offer immediate hot water. Combi gas boilers heat water without the need of a tank, so as well as the space saving benefits you are saving money on heating bills because you don’t have to repeatedly heat a huge tank.

Which boiler make and model do I buy?
The most ideal way to find the best boilers is to compare them against one another according to your needs and requirements. You can use Buyability’s boiler comparison table to compare prices and features. Once you have chosen several options you can read some of our boiler reviews. If you are having trouble deciding what kind of system you need you can arrange for a British Gas engineer to visit your home and they will be happy to give you some advice.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein