The goal of finding more efficient ways to heat homes has led to many different approaches. The majority of UK homes use boilers that heat with gas and oil, but alternatives have emerged in pursuit of cleaner and lower-emission ways to create heat. One of these alternatives is in the form of electric boilers, which can be ideal for some circumstances, not so much for others. An electric boiler service also won’t look exactly the same as a regular gas service on paper, so it’s worth understanding the key differences before booking one, starting with the main points of an electric boiler.
What is an electric boiler?
Electric boilers use electricity to heat water as opposed to the gas and oil that most others use. Electric combi boilers can handle all the same jobs as conventional combi boilers, the only difference is their power source.
Electric boilers are ideal for people who aren’t served by a gas grid, or people who want to move away from burning gas or oil. People who use renewable electricity sources, either through their provider or through their own means such as solar panels, may consider electric boilers due to being a cleaner way to power their central heating.
Electric boilers also take up less space than gas burning boilers, making them more convenient to install, and they don’t require flues to vent the gases that come about from combustion. Electric boiler services don’t require Gas Safe engineers due to the absence of any combustible gas.
However, electric boilers aren’t necessarily a cheap option, even if they are often cleaner. Electricity costs four times more than gas on average. Though electric boilers are highly efficient, with almost none of the heat they generate going to waste, they are often going to cost a lot more than using an existing gas supply.
Can you service an electric boiler?
Electric boilers can and should be serviced just the same as gas boilers, but with some different context lent by the fuel type change.
Electric boilers don’t require a Gas Safe registered engineer to work on them, but they are still boilers that deal with hot water and pressurised metal chambers. A specialist is still required for a competent and safe service. After all, you may not be dealing with gas, but you are still talking about an appliance that draws a high electrical voltage.
Electric boiler services won’t concern the exact same components as a gas boiler, but it’s important all the same that the parts are checked and cleaned to keep them in top shape. Electrical connections are also checked to ensure they’re tightly fitted and free of any corrosion.
How often should an electric boiler be serviced?
Electric boilers might not have as much stringent control over their regular upkeep as gas boilers have, but regular servicing may be a manufacturer’s requirement to maintain a warranty or guarantee.
Ideally, an annual service should be carried out on an electric boiler all the same. Electric boilers have fewer moving parts than gas boilers, which may lead some to think that there is less chance of faults developing and fewer things to go wrong. While this might be true in a sense, electric boilers typically have much shorter warranties than their gas counterparts.
Electric boilers often only bear warranties of two or three years on their electronics as standard. Some have longer warranties on their bodies, but the actual parts that make the boiler a boiler aren’t covered for very long without an extended warranty or a cover plan being taken out (for extra cost).
For these reasons, electric boiler services are best treated as importantly as gas boiler services and booked in annually.
What is the cost of an electric boiler service?
Electric boiler services typically cost slightly less than a gas boiler service due to their reduced complexity and the absence of a need for Gas Safe registration.
Average costs for an electric boiler service fall around £70 – £80, not far from the typical cost of a regular gas combi boiler service. Bear in mind that prices in London will likely be higher, as with most services.
Boiler services with Bumblebee
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