If you’re buying a house a lot of things will factor in to your decision – the number of bedrooms, the condition of the kitchen, the bathroom design, the garden and even the neighbours. However, an often neglected area to look at is the boiler. It might not be the most glamourous aspect of a house purchase, but looking at a boiler if you’re buying a house is a good precaution to save you both time and money in the long term, or to make sure you’re paying what you should be for the home.
What to look for in a new home’s boiler
The make, model and age of a boiler
The make and model will give you a good idea of the age of a boiler. The average boiler will last around 15 years if well maintained, so if the boiler is approaching that age then you’re going to need to factor in a new boiler in the near future. The make, model and age will also potentially determine some of your insurance costs so it’s worth looking for this reason as well.
In addition to money short term, the make, model, and age of a boiler will determine how energy efficient it is. Older boilers are standardly much less energy efficient and therefore will cost you more in energy bills, which – whilst they have dropped a little lately – are still a significant amount of money.
Environmental impact
The cost of energy isn’t the only reason to be aware of the age and energy efficiency of a boiler. Most people are looking at ways that they can reduce their impact on the environment and as such, knowing the age and energy efficiency of the boiler will help you decide if this is a sustainable place to live.
Gas safety record
All boilers should be checked and serviced once a year, and if you’re buying a house the seller should be able to provide you with a record of the service history. This isn’t a legal requirement in the same way that it is for a rented property, but you should still ask for it, and a lack of service history should be a red flag.
Getting a new boiler for a new home
If you’ve bought a new home and are looking to replace or service a boiler to make sure your hot water and heating will be reliable, and you’re boiler is running as energy efficiently as possible, get in touch with Deacon Heating and Plumbing for more information.
