Old and damaged boilers are not only costly to operate, but also tend to pose safety hazards at home. It is during times like these when you seriously have to consider installing a new unit rather than opting for repairs. In doing so, one of the most important things you need to determine is the ideal boiler size for your home. Here are some pointers on determining boiler size:
Tips On Determining Boiler Size
Evaluate Space Heating Need and Maximum Load
Before you buy a boiler, it is recommended that you hire a Gas Safe registered engineer to take a look at your property and its heating requirements. This helps ensure that the new boiler will not only meet your needs, but also run at an optimal level of efficiency. During the inspection, the engineer will determine the space heating output requirement and the maximum load expected for the new system.
Don’t Use Your Old Boiler as Basis
Contrary to popular belief, you cannot just pick your new boiler based on the size of your old system. While your heating requirements may have remained the same over the past few years, remember that new boiler units may have different, most likely improved specifications and performance. Size-for-size replacements are not recommended because you might find that the previous size will no longer work for your home or that the original sizing might have been done incorrectly. An oversized boiler just leads to low efficiency and bigger costs.
Determine Hot Water Requirements
Your home’s hot water requirement is a highly reliable factor when it comes to boiler sizing. A home’s average hot water requirement is usually determined by the number of occupants and the size of your property. The average daily consumption per person is somewhere between 30 to 50 litres. Still, homeowners would do well to remember that no two households, even of the same size, use the same amount of hot water. This is why when it comes to boiler installation, homeowners would be well-advised to employ professional help to make sure that calculations are accurate.
Boiler installation in Stanmore, North London
Reference Sources
Is a Combi Boiler the Right Choice For Me?, British Gas