Like For Like Boiler Swaps
Boiler Replacement When Your Old Boiler Is Failing
When a boiler keeps letting you down, replacing it with a modern equivalent in the same place is usually the quickest, least disruptive way back to reliable heating and hot water.
Boiler Replacement
When the Repair Bills Start to Add Up
Most boiler replacements are not planned projects. The boiler has broken down again, the engineer has mentioned that parts are getting hard to find, or the repair bills have started to add up. At that point you want straight answers: is it really time, what will happen, and how soon can the house be warm again.
Jake, Billy and the team replace boilers in homes across Walton on Thames, Shepperton, Weybridge and Byfleet. In most cases we fit a modern boiler of the same type in the same position, which keeps the job simple and keeps disruption to a minimum. Where a different type would serve you better, we will say so, but we will never push a bigger job than you need.
The Signs It Is Time to Replace Your Boiler
A boiler over 10 years old is not automatically finished, but age combined with other warning signs usually tells the story. It breaks down more often, the same faults keep coming back, or the parts it needs are outdated or no longer available.
Pressure that keeps dropping, radiators that heat unevenly, hot water that runs warm then cold and a boiler that has become noisy are all signs that the boiler or the system behind it is wearing out. Rising energy bills with no change in how you use the heating point the same way.
Repair Or Replace
Is It Time for a New Boiler?
Tick what sounds familiar. Your answer updates as you go.
Strong Signs
A boiler over 10 years old is not automatically finished, but age combined with other warning signs usually tells the story.
Other Signs
Boiler Replacement
What Your Boiler Replacement Includes
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An Honest Assessment
A clear view of repair against replacement before you commit to anything.
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A Matching Modern Boiler
The same type of boiler in the same position wherever that is the right choice.
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Draining and Flushing
The system drained, cleaned and flushed so the new boiler starts with clean water.
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Old Boiler Taken Away
The old unit, flue and redundant pipework removed and disposed of responsibly.
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Commissioning and Testing
Gas, flue and safety checks, with the Benchmark checklist completed and signed.
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Certificate and Warranty
Building Regulations notification made and the manufacturer warranty registered for you.
Repair or Replace: An Honest View
If your boiler is fairly young and has a single fault, a repair is usually the sensible choice, and that is what we will recommend. Our boiler repair service exists for exactly that, with fixed pricing once the fault is diagnosed.
The picture changes when the repair is expensive, when it is the third or fourth visit in a couple of winters, or when the part needed is no longer made. Spending heavily on an old, inefficient boiler that is likely to fail again soon is rarely good value, and we will tell you plainly when a replacement makes more sense.
We give you both options in writing where both are realistic, so you can decide without pressure.
Like for Like, Sized for Your Home Today
Manufacturers generally advise keeping the same type of system when you replace a boiler, as it is usually the most practical and least disruptive route. A combi is replaced with a combi, and a system or conventional boiler is replaced with a new boiler of the same type, connected to your existing cylinder if it is in good condition.
Like for like does not mean copying the old boiler's output. Building Regulations guidance says the heating should be specified from a heat loss calculation for the home and not be significantly oversized. So the new boiler's output is worked out for your home as it is today, which may well be lower than the old one.
If something has changed since the old boiler went in, such as a new bathroom or an extension, we take that into account and talk you through whether the same type is still the right one.
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What Happens on the Day
We arrive in your fixed appointment slot, lay dust sheets and protect the route between the front door and the boiler. The gas and water are turned off, the heating system is drained and the old boiler is disconnected and taken off the wall.
Before the new boiler goes on, the system is cleaned and flushed, as Building Regulations guidance requires, so old sludge is not carried into the new boiler. We then fit the new boiler, connect the gas, water and heating pipework, fit the flue and run the condensate pipe to a drain.
The system is refilled, inhibitor is added to protect it, and the boiler is commissioned and tested. A straight swap in the same position is usually finished in a day, with heating and hot water back on before we leave.
- Arrival in your fixed appointment slot
- Floors and furnishings protected
- Old boiler drained down and removed
- System cleaned and flushed
- New boiler, flue and condensate fitted
- Refilled, treated, commissioned and tested
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Removal and Disposal of the Old Boiler
The old boiler, its flue and any pipework that is no longer needed come away with us when we leave. You will not be left with a heavy, dirty boiler in the garage or on the drive waiting for a trip to the tip.
We dispose of the old unit responsibly, and the area around the new boiler is cleaned before we hand over, so the cupboard or kitchen is ready to use straight away.
Paperwork and Building Regulations Compliance
A replacement gas boiler is notifiable work under the Building Regulations in England, just like a first installation. We notify your local authority through the Gas Safe Register, and you receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate by post. Without it you would have no record that the work complies, which can cause delays when you come to sell.
On the day you also receive the completed Benchmark commissioning checklist, and we register the new boiler with the manufacturer so the warranty starts properly. A carbon monoxide alarm is fitted in the boiler room if there is not already a suitable one, as Building Regulations guidance expects when a gas boiler is replaced.
Questions
Boiler Replacement Questions
How Do I Know If I Should Repair or Replace My Boiler?
If the boiler is relatively young and the fault is a one off, a repair is usually right. If it is over 10 years old, breaking down regularly or needs a part that is no longer made, replacement is often better value. We give you an honest view of both.
How Long Will I Be Without Heating and Hot Water?
For a like for like swap in the same position, the work is usually completed in a single day and the heating and hot water are back on before we leave. If the boiler needs to move or the system type is changing, we tell you in advance how long it will take.
What Happens to My Old Boiler?
We take it away with us, along with the old flue and any pipework that is no longer needed, and dispose of it responsibly. You do not need to arrange anything.
Can You Connect a New Boiler to My Existing Cylinder?
Yes, if the cylinder is in good condition and suits your needs, a new system or conventional boiler can be connected to it. If the cylinder is old or leaking, we will explain the options before any work is booked.
What Paperwork Will I Receive?
You receive the completed Benchmark commissioning checklist and the manufacturer's instructions on the day, and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate by post from the Gas Safe Register. Keep them together, as they are needed for warranty claims and when you sell.
My Boiler Has Broken Down Completely. What Should I Do?
Call us on 01932 640 256 or 07826 844 490. We are available 24/7 for breakdowns and will first check whether a repair can get you going again, before discussing a replacement.
Related Services
More Ways We Can Help
01Boiler RepairsFast fault finding and repair when your boiler breaks down.Find Out More
02Central HeatingRadiators, pipework and controls, installed and repaired.Find Out More
03PlumbingLeaks, taps, toilets and pipework, put right first time.Find Out More
04BathroomsNew bathrooms and en suites, planned and fitted with care.Find Out More
05Emergency WorkAround the clock call outs for urgent plumbing and heating.Find Out More
Get In Touch
Arrange Your Boiler Replacement
Tell us what you need and we will book a fixed appointment slot that suits you.
- Gas Safe Registered
- Fully Insured
- Fixed Appointment Slots
Where We Work
Boiler Replacement Around Walton on Thames
Based in Walton on Thames, we cover Weybridge, Esher, Cobham, Hersham, Claygate, Oxshott, Molesey, Byfleet and Shepperton. If you are just outside these areas, please get in touch.
Areas We Cover