Back boilers aren’t a common sight in homes around the UK any more. They were popular in the 1960s and are often installed behind the home’s fireplace, where they are kept out of sight.
If you have a back boiler, there’s a high chance that it’s a Baxi Back Boiler; these were a hugely popular choice and have heated thousands of homes around the UK.
However, if you still have a back boiler heating your home today, you’re probably here because you’re having issues with it.
Back boilers were designed to be compact and cheap, and compared to modern boilers today, they’re not the most efficient of appliances.
Because of their inefficiency and safety concerns, back boilers are no longer installed today, so your best course of action is to have it replaced with a more modern, efficient combi boiler.
Here are some good reasons to remove your ageing back boiler and replace it with a more modern alternative.
What is a Combi Boiler?
Short for combination boiler, combi boilers are the most compact options on the market today, with all the elements contained within one unit.
Unlike back boilers and other older boiler models, there is no need for a storage cylinder or water tank to be installed in your home, since the combi boiler heats water instantly straight from the mains supply, rather than keeping it stored up.
They typically take up very little space within the home and tend to be wall-mounted in the utility room or kitchen. Combi boilers are the most popular option in the UK today, and they are very energy efficient since they don’t use any more energy than necessary to heat hot water. So, what are the benefits of upgrading your back boiler to a combi boiler?
More Energy Efficiency
As outlined by Boiler Central, getting back boiler replacement with a combi boiler is a great idea as back boilers are so inefficient these days, they are no longer installed.
You can use Boiler Central to find the best type of boiler for your home and book an installation at a time that fits you in just a few minutes. As soon as your back boiler is replaced with a combi boiler, you will begin to see a massive difference in your energy bills.
Since water is heated on demand, you’re spending much less time and money keeping a tank full of water heated all day.
More Space
Another great reason to upgrade your back boiler to a combi boiler is that you’ll instantly get more space at home.
While you’ll have a boiler unit somewhere visible in your property for the first time, there’s no need for an external tank, meaning that you can use all that airing cupboard space for storing towels and other items or enjoy extra storage space in your loft rather than having it taken up by a clunky, large water tank.
It’s Safer
Another reason to rip your back boiler out and get a combi boiler installed instead is that it’s much safer.
The simple fact that a back boiler is located out of sight and out of mind makes it very difficult for homeowners to see any visible issues, such as the boiler flame or the pressure levels without first having to remove the fireplace unit, which you probably wouldn’t do on a regular basis unless you suspect there is a boiler problem that needs checking out.
On the other hand, since a combi boiler is most usually installed in an area of your home that you use a lot like the kitchen, you can instantly see if the flame is burning yellow instead of blue and if the pressure has dropped.
This reduces the risk of developing serious boiler problems that get worse over time and pose a safety risk because you’re unaware of them.
Easier Servicing
It’s important to service your boiler every year, regardless of whether or not it’s giving you any problems. When you have a back boiler, finding an engineer who actually knows what they are doing with them can be tricky because they are no longer installed in the UK and most engineers don’t deal with this kind of boiler on a regular basis.
On the other hand, every engineer you’ll come across will be clued-up on combi boilers, since they are installed in the majority of homes around the UK today and services are an everyday part of the job.
You will find it much easier to find a suitable engineer in your area and if your boiler needs any repairs or replacement parts, this should be a much quicker and easier process compared to a back boiler, which may be difficult to find parts for since they are no longer sold.
Back boilers were once top-of-the-range, but the times have definitely moved on since then. If your home is still using a back boiler, it’s definitely time to consider replacing it with a modern, energy-efficient combi boiler instead.
