"The craze lessened bit by bit and then, in the early 80s, back boilers got serious competition – system and combi boilers."

Back boilers became immensely popular in the 1960s. At the time, this type of boiler was the latest must-have. The craze lessened bit by bit and then, in the early 80s, back boilers got serious competition – system and combi boilers. If you own a property that has central heating but you’re not sure where it is coming from, that means you have a back boiler (integrated within your fireplace).

Not only do back boilers have an extremely high maintenance cost but they are not safe, and, therefore, not legal. But how do you remove your old-fashioned back boiler without having your fireplace dismantled and house covered in dust? We know the answer!

Why Removing a Back Boiler Causes a Mess

Back boilers’ components are fitted to the floor and installed within the fireplace, which is why removing the appliance requires deconstructing the whole space. You don’t have to remove the fireplace if you don’t want to remove the old boiler, but fitting a new boiler into the fireplace will make a lot of mess and cost you more money. If you are keeping the back boiler where it is, to reduce costs, you will need to check if it can be disconnected from the gas supply. Always get a professional heating engineer to do this.

Government Regulations

The UK Government has announced several back boiler-related regulations and barriers in the last 10 years. Using an old back boiler is illegal. You are allowed to leave it in the same place, under the condition you update it to a new back boiler.

Removing a Back Boiler Without Causing a Mess? It’s Doable!

Removing a back boiler includes having dirt and dust all over the place. Yet, there’s a way to remove it and minimise the mess a little.

1. Have two to three empty buckets to hand. Dirty water coming out of the boiler can damage your flooring.
2. Remove carpets and all the unnecessary things from the room. Dust and pieces of brick will be flying around and it would be best to protect your furniture. You can place old rugs over the floor to prevent scratching.
3. Have one spare bucket to collect pipework waste in. Engineers will have to uproot the pipework and there will be a lot of rubbish around.

Speaking of engineers, removing a back boiler yourself isn’t safe. And it is difficult to figure out how to choose a replacement boiler and where to install it. Large properties typically need 40+kw system boilers, while smaller properties can do with 24kw combi boilers. Please hire a Gas Safe engineer or a team of professionals to handle the removal and installation for you. This way, you will ensure your and your family’s safety and your new boiler’s highest efficiency.

Summary

Why would you stick to an old, inadequate, inefficient back boiler when you can replace it with a brand new one that can reduce your bills, make your home warmer, and contribute to its safety? Switching to a new boiler will cause some mess around your house, although you can take the steps we listed to reduce it. If you would like to convert to an energy-efficient boiler, contact us today or get a quote on a new boiler now.