Earlier this year, we explained why the spring or early summer is an optimal time to replace your boiler. That still stands, but sometimes autumn can be a very good time too.
The reasons spring and summer are the very best times for installing a new boiler are tied in with the warmer weather at those times of year. Firstly, because it is warm you will be able to cope easily without hot water for a day or two.
Secondly, winter is a very busy time for boiler engineers because they have so many emergency call-outs from customers left shivering in the cold and it is hard to find a time when they are available. By contrast, they will have more time free in the warm months, making it easier to find a mutually convenient time to get the work done.
Unfortunately, life isn’t always so simple. It could be that a few months ago, in May or June, your boiler seemed to be working just fine, but has recently started to show signs of declining performance.
Common signs of a failing boiler include being noisy, leaking water, a bad smell, or simply failing to heat the house properly. The last of these will be a problem that will have gone undetected in summer when you didn’t need the extra warmth, but suddenly shows up when you need it to heat the home as chillier autumn weather arrives.
In this case, now is a good time because the same points about a spring or summer installation will still apply: yes, the day the old boiler goes and is replaced by a new one may be quite chilly, although it might also be moderately warm. But if you wait until winter you really are risking the icicles hanging from your runny nose until the new boiler is in place.
Similarly, by arranging for a new boiler to be fitted now, it will still be a lot easier to find a mutually convenient time slot for you and the engineer when there are fewer emergency call-outs.
A further consideration is that a boiler aged over ten years is likely to need replacing soon anyway, so it will be a risk to go into winter with one that old. Moreover, it may be that you have had it repaired a few times. There comes a point where this is a matter of diminishing returns; rather than keep trying to patch it up, regular repairs indicate it is time for a new one.
Therefore, now is definitely the time to think about your boiler as the weather gets colder. Is it becoming increasingly unreliable? Have you had it repaired multiple times in the last year or two? Is it old? Is it showing off some of the signs of failure listed above?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, the time is ripe to replace your old boiler. It may not be the very best time of year to change your boiler, but by acting now if you need to, you can avoid trying to get it done at the very worst time of the year.
