Boiler Repair or Boiler Replacement?

If your boiler has broken down, you’re probably wondering whether it’s worth fixing or whether you should replace it. This is one of the questions we’re asked most at Woolfoot Heating and the answer isn’t always as simple as you might expect. You don’t want to make the wrong decision and waste money, so getting professional advice from a boiler repair heating specialist is always best. Here are a few things to consider before you decide!

How Old is Your Boiler?

If your boiler is old and starting to struggle, you might find this breakdown is just the first of many future issues that could become expensive. A boiler that’s around 10 or more years old may not have caused any problems to date but could end up costing you in future. For younger boilers, problems are less common. But if you’re unlucky enough to suffer a boiler break down, getting your boiler repaired is usually worthwhile if it’s just a few years old.

Most boilers come with a minimum 2-year guarantee which means the manufacturer will cover the cost of fitting replacement parts within the guarantee period. Generally speaking, if your boiler is fairly new, repairing it is a cost-effective option. If it’s old and well used, replacement is probably the best choice.

What Condition is it in?

If your boiler hasn’t been well looked after than a replacement may be better than paying the cost for repair. It may be that your boiler has been poorly maintained, or perhaps its condition has been affected by external issues such as rust. A boiler in bad condition normally won’t be worth repairing as it could end up costing you more in future, as any engineer will tell you!

Boiler Repairs – How Much Will it Cost?

There’s no ‘one price fits all’ when it comes to boiler repairs and a heating engineer will need to diagnose what the issue is and how best to resolve it. Generally, you’ll find older boilers will cost more to fix. This is because the components and parts for a boiler that’s 10 years old or more are harder to source, so they cost more. Newer boilers will have more readily available, cheaper parts. Your repair for a new boiler may seem expensive, but hopefully it will be the only repair you’ll need to pay for until your boiler needs to be replaced.

At the end of the day, only a professional heating engineer can advise whether it’s more cost effective to repair or replace your boiler. If your boiler is struggling or has broken down, get in touch with us and we’ll diagnose the problem and offer expert advice!