Choosing a boiler
The simplest method to heat water and provide central heating to a home is with a hot water boiler. This is the most important component to a home’s central heating system and with technological advancements of the past few years coupled with government requirements concerning energy efficiency; the boilers of today are smaller and more efficient than ever before. The most common type of household boiler is the gas-fired type which is fed directly from the mains gas supply.
**NOTE** Because these boilers deal with gas, they must be installed and serviced by Gas Safe (CORGI) registered installers. It is both against the law and unsafe for an unqualified individual to install or conduct any work/service on any gas powered device.
Boiler Efficiency
The efficiency rating on most boilers installed in the UK, both current and obsolete, can be found in the Boiler Efficiency Database (www.boilers.org.uk). This database, developed by the Government and updated regularly, was designed to accurately calculate the energy rating of dwellings by SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure), and help purchasers find the efficiency of new boilers on the market and compare these with old ones.
The SEDBUK Range
SEDBUK (Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK) is a rating system developed to provide a fair comparison of the efficiency of different boilers. It shows the average annual efficiency achieved in typical domestic conditions (UK), and makes reasonable assumptions about pattern of usage, climate, control, and other influences. It is also an excellent guide for estimating annual fuel costs. It calculates how much of the heat obtained from burning the fuel is transferred to the central heating and hot water system, and is expressed as a percentage in the range of 0-100%. The higher the figure, the less fuel is needed to produce the same amount of useful heat. SEDBUK ratings are usually shown on a banded scale ‘A-G’, and boilers rated A (90% efficiency or above) and B (86%-90%) qualify for the ‘Energy Efficiency Recommended’ scheme. At My Plumber, we are fully qualified energy efficiency advisors and fit only boilers that have been rated energy efficient. Please call us today for a free estimate, we are happy to help in any way that we can!
