The boiler you choose for your home can vary widely in price and performance, so how do you know you are getting the best boiler?
A good comparison would be to that of the car industry. Many people choosing a new car will first start with the price. This will eliminate any that appear outside of the budget. This will remove certain car brands as they are just too expensive. Then, a car buyer will look for deals, read reviews, or seek specific benefits that a particular car in the price band has to offer.
From a boiler buying perspective, there are similarities. There are expensive brands and very cheap brands, and then there are the ones that sit in the middle. We avoid the cheapest brands (found in home improvement stores) as the parts are very expensive.
But more important than the best boiler manufacturer will be the quality of the installer. The work they carry out on the installation and commissioning will insure any boiler you choose works to its maximum potential. We recommend researching the right installer for your project.
Customer & Industry Reviews
There are three points to researching information about a new boiler. First, and perhaps most important, are consumer reviews. These reports identify the pros and cons of living with and using a boiler. We’d recommend using search engines and social media to find realistic reviews. Also, find reviews from people who have been using their boiler for a minimum of 12 months. This will cover the winter time, notorious for affecting the performance of a boiler, as well as summer.
Second, there are reviews, blogs and case studies from the profession. If the heating installer recommends you a boiler, find out as much detail from them about the reasons why. There are many installers affiliated with boiler manufacturers which bodes well as they have high expertees and will ensure the installation meets the manufacturer’s instructions.
Finally, you can investigate independent reviews from organisations such as Which? (subscription required) and newspaper articles. Be careful to spot articles that manufacturers sponsor!
Warranties and Guarantees
Many boilers on sale today offer substantial warranties. Although this is a good thing, there are invalidations that can cause problems if the boiler and system aren’t installed and commissioned correctly. For instance, if installing a replacement boiler on an old system, the warranty may not cover for issues such as sludge, or system installation defects. If the installer has flushed the system and carries out the correct commissioning procedure this will protect the warranty.
At Parkstone Yorkshire we believe in the best quality we can install. Therefore we are official installers of Vaillant boilers. Vaillant are highly recommended by Which? magazine and among the industry leaders. This does not mean we won’t install a cheaper brand if a customers budget cannot afford the latest Ecotec range. Glowworm Boilers (who are part of the Vaillant Group) offer quality boilers at more affordable prices, They share several components that you would find on the more expensive Vaillant range. This is like certain car manufacturers who are part of a group (think VW, Audi, Skoda, SEAT), where they share many parts to keep manufacturing costs lower, yet the quality of those parts remains high.
For further advice and help with choosing a boiler for your home, get in contact with Parkstone Yorkshire today.