Where is the best place to install a boiler?
For many years, homeowners have become accustomed to the boiler replacement process that traditionally involves installing a new boiler in exactly the same place its predecessor sat.
However, as we all strive towards optimum energy efficiency thanks to both constant innovation by boiler manufacturers and government regulations, many have pondered the idea of alternative locations around the home.
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Where should you install a boiler?
Our experts have researched gas boiler location regulations in pursuit of discovering which boiler placement is best.
Find out more as we list some common boiler installation areas, as well as some vital considerations you should be aware of which can affect how much a new boiler costs right now.
Best Gas boiler location & regulations
Before we discuss optimal boiler placement, we must first consider the regulations surrounding boiler installation locations.
To protect you from harmful fumes, flues can only be a certain length. As there is high voltage equipment, your boiler installer will be required to adhere to various rules and regulations to ensure that your new boiler is installed legally.
For homeowners, obtaining full copies of these documents proves to be difficult, but essentially, these regulations cover the following areas:
- New boilers must achieve a minimum Energy-related Products (ErP) rating of 92%.
- Boilers should be installed inside on any wall deemed capable of holding a boiler at its full water capacity.
- The boiler’s flue must pass through to the outside through either a wall or roof.
- Flue’s must be located between 30 and 60cm away from roofs, balconies, plastic guttering or openings such as windows.
- Boiler Plus regulations stipulate that a gas boiler must be fitted with at least one form of time and temperature controls.
Where Can Boilers Be Installed?
Provided that building regulations are followed; your new gas boiler can be installed in any location around the home. Having said this, there are some aspects to be aware of depending on where you choose to install yours.
Here are some of the most popular locations for boiler installations but remember moving a boiler will cost money in terms of labour and materials.
Kitchen Cupboards
By far the most common location for combi boilers to be installed is within kitchen cupboards. With many new boilers being manufactured in compact sizes, a boiler installed in a kitchen cupboard is certainly a good idea.
This is a highly practical spot as not only will a boiler cupboard blend in with those around it, but it keeps a boiler easily accessible and kitchen surfaces are unlikely to suffer water damage in the rare instance you should suffer a leak.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are another commonly used location for boiler installation. However, one major concern with this choice revolves around electrical circuitry.
Bathrooms are wet environments. This means that sometimes there are high amounts of humidity from showers and hot baths. An increased amount of water in the air can further raise the risk of your boiler electrical components shorting out. Not only can this cause damage to your boiler, but it can also be incredibly hazardous.
If considering installing your boiler in a bathroom, you may want to look into getting your boiler sealed in a cupboard to reduce the risk of electrical failure.
Utility Rooms
Depending on its purpose, a utility room can make for another great location to install a new boiler. Just be sure to keep the surrounding space free from clutter so the boiler can easily be accessed for services or should a fault occur.
If you have an outside or you are off grid, then floor-standing boilers could be a good option if you don’t want to hang on on a wall.
Most of the best combi boiler, system and regular boilers will fit in a decent size kitchen cupboard but it’s always best to check the boiler size first.
Lofts
An increasingly popular location for new boiler installation is within a loft or attic. This can be done provided that there is a ladder that can be used to access the boiler for servicing, maintenance, and installation.
Installing a boiler in a loft has many benefits, with noise reduction and space savings being the most prominent. However, there are some negative implications involved:
Efficiency
While installing a boiler in a loft will not significantly reduce the boiler efficiency, it can increase the amount of time it takes for water to move to its various locations around the home. This is due to the increased distance that the water has to travel from your water pipes to your boiler itself.
Interaction
Boilers installed in lofts are quite difficult to access and service. This means that homeowners are less able to change their water and radiator temperature, or even set holiday modes.
Temperature Changes
When compared to living environments, lofts are typically less prioritised when it comes to insulation. This means that the temperatures within them can quickly move from one extreme to the other, something that can have dire consequences on your boiler’s pipework.
This can also confuse a smart thermostat depending on how clever they are.
Bedrooms
Although a bedroom may seem like a bad location for installing a boiler, there is nothing in building regulations that prevents it from happening. Despite this, a boiler in a bedroom probably isn’t the best location possible.
Granted that many modern new boiler options are built to be quiet, they do still emit low-frequency hums and noises that can be disturbing, especially in the middle of the night.
How Much Does It Cost To Relocate a Boiler?
Due to the various amounts of structural work and pipe adjustments involved with moving your boiler to a new location, the cost can differ on a case-by-case basis.
With an average price of £300 to move a boiler, the final figure is ultimately determined by your requirements. To get a more accurate quote, we recommend contacting your boiler installer and arranging an assessment to determine the level of work required.
So, Where is the Best Place to Install a Boiler?
All homes are different, while there are some commonalities, we all have our own preferences. These preferences ultimately determine that, unfortunately, there is no one definite answer to optimal boiler placement.
As always, nothing quite beats solid advice from a registered Gas Safe heating engineer. Thanks to both their knowledge of boilers and building regulations, they will be able to provide you with plenty of options for your boiler replacement to help you find the best location for your home.
Need Help Finding a New Boiler?
Now that you know where your boiler can go, it’s time to get a better price on a replacement.
Looking for a competitive, fixed price quote? Compare Boiler Quotes can help. In addition to our various blogs about boilers, our comparison tool can help you find a boiler suitable for your home in just 20 seconds.
We compare boilers from top manufacturers such as Viessmann, Worcester Bosch, Vokera and many more to get you an unmissable deal. Compare and save today.
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