What will you do when your boiler breaks?

[Jurgmee]

Genuine question if people are considering getting a heat pump. If so will you be applying for a grant.

I'm sure I read that after a certain height they're no use for flats and the SNP spent a horrendous amount of money experiment installing it on a tenement building.

This is an eye opener. I didn't know you had to replace pipe work and radiators.

I've heard that they use a lot of electricity to run the pump and had always thought that if we were to change we would combine it with solar panels. But it's so much money! We are in NI and I don't think we get any grants.

Oh interesting, I hadn't thought of this. Is it a viable option?

Gas boiler. We live in a Victorian terrace with no space either at the front or rear for one unless we put it in the middle of the garden.

We've been told solar panels wouldn't work well either due to the way the house faces (sun is mainly to the side not front or back).

Gas boiler when ours breaks.

We've had the dire warnings from British Gas homecare every time we have it serviced that they can't get parts for it (we know, it's 22 years old). We've had the "would you like a quote for a new boiler oh go on... go on... go on... it's free". Nope - your quotes only last 4 months and we'll get a new one when ours breaks and not before. No, we don't want to consider it, we don't need finance and we don't want to "talk through our options".

We'll be getting a replacement similar to what we have - combi boiler won't do sufficient supply, heat pump we have space for but we have the micro bore pipes which would mean ripping up every floor in the house to replace them. We have big windows and some of our radiators are small so we'd need extras. Insulation - not sure on that but would probably need more and possibly window/door replacements. It'd cost tens of thousands even with a grant and we still have a gas hob and gas fire so if we didn't get rid of those we'd still have the gas supply standing charge. It'd be a terrible idea for us.

The thing that concerns me is the mixed reviews and experiences of having a heat pump. Some claim they are the best things since sliced bread, for others it's the worst investment they ever made.

Until they can explain why outcomes vary so much I am not prepared to make such a large investment for something that may not work well in my property.

Heat pump and underfloor heating. Don’t think they work well with radiators. It may change as solar panels have got loads better too.

We have the small bore plastic pipes from the 90s in our house so we couldn’t have a heat pump without replacing the entire central heating system. We also don’t have permitted development rights (long story!) so would have to apply for planning permission to change the external appearance of the building which would likely be refused by the current planning official (I will celebrate when he retires!)
So, we’ve got no choice but to replace gas with gas…

My house is 110 years old with large windows, 10ft ceilings, and plenty of gaps for draughts. A heat pump wouldn't stand a chance. I'll be getting another gas boiler.

What's the life expectancy of a heat pump? How much is the servicing and re-priming?

I believe it's 20 years.

We got a heat pump quote from Octopus but they said there was a wait of a few months so not really a solution if it’s just broken down.

We went with a gas boiler as we were moving, the boiler needed replacing and we wanted it sorted before winter.

Rural dweller here, oil fired boiler.
If it goes, it will be replaced.

I don't think heat pumps are designed for 300 year old houses on the (ever windy) Pennines.

We've only ever had a gas boiler at home. We live in an urban area.

I'm curious with an oil boiler how do you physically "top it up" with the heating oil fuel?

I’m daunted by the work that would be required to install a heat pump, that and we have a tiny front and rear garden.
as adding all the pipe work would mean a lot of work- we refurbished our mid terrace Victorian house 10 years ago. And can’t lift the floors and break into walls again at this point, but boiler will need replacing in next 5 years.

im curious about electric boilers and solar panels.

You keep an eye on the gauge then order from the company . They do the rest.

I hear lots of people say they don't work well, they are noisy etc

Get the odd person say they are the best thing ever, they may well be in a new build house that is designed with them in mind but when our boiler needs replacing it will be with another gas boiler

When I did an online assessment I realised I wouldn’t have space for a heat pump. My new combi boiler is being fitted on Monday and I shall have heating once more!

My mum has just had her gas main taken out/ shut off . She’s had loads of solar panels installed and electric storage type heaters .

time will tell how effective it all is , but in theory it’s free heating.

it will depend on cost when it comes to replacing. Mine . If it went tomorrow I could see us using electric heaters for this winter!

I didn't do anything when my boiler broke....couldn't afford it.
I use my kettle for hot water and a couple of electric heaters to stay warm.

They should be pushing solar panels more. Our garden is south facing which is obviously ideal but plenty of houses round here have them on the side or fronts of roof.

Our bills went from being quite scary to being in a decent credit situation.

We got solar panels recently. We are using very little energy from the grid and what we are using is very cheap. We fill the battery up with cheap power from the grid overnight and then sell it back to them at a higher price during the day. Obviously we sell less back in the winter.

we made this choice 3 years ago when our old gas bolier died.

Living in a 300 year old solid stone listed building, which is very hard to heat, extremely energy inefficient, and on the top of a hill in the middle of no where in the pennines the only choice we had that could work for this property was another gas bolier.

Heat pumps and ground source heat definitely have their place for newer buildings, but they catagorically do NOT suit ALL buildings.

(and yes, following the wood burning stove post, we have a large wood burner as well (and an aga and drive a landrover) which all contribute to us actually being able to live in a vaguely warm house.... (a house where the temp drops from 18 - 13 in just a few hours, but hive doesnt let it drop below 13)

an oil tanker comes to your house.
They have VERY long hoses so can often park on the road, and they use a very long hose to top up the oil tank.

In the tiny village my Mum lives in, they all order their oil at the same time (ie the tanker comes twice a year) and they all fill their tanks, and benefit from a slightly cheaper price per litre due to the economies of scale.

I thought this was an emergency question, so my answer in the short term is to light the wood burner and sleep in the living room. We already have a heat pump, we don't have gas in the village and we didnt want to have an oil boiler again for various reasons. It was the only feasible option really.