Has your boiler been declared beyond the point of repair? What does it mean? And what are your options?
Wondering whether your boiler is beyond economical repair (BER)?
Or simply want to know what it means for a boiler to be BER? In this guide, we’ll answer these questions and more.
Let’s dive in!
PS we fit new combi boilers with gas installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and you could get it installed as quick as tomorrow.
What Does It Mean for a Boiler to Be BER?
If your boiler is beyond economic repair, it essentially means that it would cost more to have your boiler repaired than to replace it.
It may not even cost more in the short term to repair an old, worn-down boiler, but if more issues are likely to arise or it were to break down completely soon after, repairing it would be more or less a waste of time and money.
If your boiler is more than 10 years old and runs into issues often, it is likely beyond economic repair.
If in doubt, you can always consult a professional to find out whether or not your boiler is beyond economical repair or if it still has some life in it.
Signs That Your Boiler May Be Beyond Economical Repair
So, what are the actual signs that your boiler is BER?
Of course, it will depend on the boiler and the issues it may have. However, in general, evidence that a boiler is BER include:
Not working like it once did
First and foremost, you may find that your boiler simply doesn’t work like it used to.
Obviously, any boiler will see a decline in its quality over time but for some boilers, the decline may be sharper than with others.
Regular loss of water pressure
All boilers see a reduction in water pressure over time and will occasionally need to be repressurised.
However, if your boiler is losing water pressure especially often and significantly more so than before, it may be a sign that you need a new boiler.
Of course, it’s also possible that there is simply a leak that needs repairing.
Unexplained rising gas bill
It’s also possible that your gas bill is unexpectedly increasing due to your boiler being old and worn down.
In this case, one cost-effective fix won’t suffice and you’d probably need to have a new boiler installed.
Difficult to source replacement parts
If you’re finding it hard to source replacement parts for your boiler such as due to its age, it may not be economically viable to have your boiler fixed/repaired.
Instead, it may be best to have your boiler replaced.
Loud boiler or/and radiators
You should also look out for whether your boiler or/and radiators are louder than they used to be.
Your boiler can’t meet your hot water demands
Whether your hot water demands have changed over time (e.g. you have a growing family) or your boiler’s decline means it can’t meet your current hot water demands, this is another sign that your boiler needs replacing.
Frequent boiler breakdowns
Lastly, regular boiler breakdowns would also suggest that your boiler is likely beyond economical repair.
Remember that the above list are merely signs that your boiler may be BER
These signs alone are not proof that your boiler should be replaced but they are evidence of it.
So, if you find that one or more of the issues listed above are present, you should consult a qualified heating engineer about it either way.
From there, they will be able to identify what exactly is wrong with your boiler and determine if your boiler is BER.
Related domestic energy guides:
Purchasing a New Boiler
If your boiler is deemed to be beyond economical repair, you’ll want to know what options you have for obtaining a new one.
Of course, you could simply purchase a new boiler upfront, however, between the standalone cost of the boiler and labour costs, you’d be looking at a bill of around £1.000 to £3,500 in total.
So, clearly, it’s not cheap and for some households, this may not be entirely economically feasible right now.
Therefore, you might want to consider the following alternative options:
Purchasing a boiler on finance
As the name suggests, a new boiler pay-monthly scheme allows you to break down the high cost of a new boiler and installation into manageable monthly chunks.
For more information about how this works and how to make an application, please refer to our boiler finance guide here.
Looking for a great deal on a new boiler?
If you’re aiming to get the best deal on a new boiler, consider getting a quote from us, here’s why:
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Flexible payment options, including interest-free finance.
Up to 12-year guarantee on selected boilers.
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