Non-Condensing Gas Boiler Upgrades
We can offer a gas boiler upgrade if your current boiler is non-condensing and you own the property you currently live in, through the ECO4 scheme. The new boiler will be a more efficient condensing gas boiler.
Non-Condensing Boiler vs Condensing Gas Boilers
All new gas boiler installations must be condensing by law, which came into effect in 2005. However, there is a small list of exceptions that still allow a non-condensing boiler to be installed, Only condensing boilers can be installed under the ECO4 scheme under which there are no exceptions.
All well-designed and maintained boilers burn their fuel efficiently, but non-condensing boilers inevitably lose heat in the form of hot gases that escape up the flue. This limits their overall efficiency. Non-condensing boilers may only have an efficiency rating of 70 to 80 percent, while in older models, this figure could be even lower at 50 to 60 percent. In contrast, condensing boilers have been designed to minimize this heat loss and have an average efficiency of 95%, with some models able to achieve 99% efficiency.
Condensing boilers feature larger heat exchangers that cool the flue gases before they escape, condensing the water vapor out of them. The temperature of the flue gases during this heat exchange process drops rapidly from approximately 130℃ to 50℃. The condensation formed as a result is what gives the boilers their name, and there can be as much as two liters of it produced every hour. This condensate liquid is drained into a wastewater outlet via a condensate pipe.
Thanks to this additional heat exchange process, condensing boilers are able to extract virtually all of the heat latent in the flue gases. This additional heat energy is then transferred back into the heating system. The extra efficiency of condensing boilers means they can offer major cost savings and they are also more environmentally friendly, helping you to lower the carbon emissions of your household.
Advantages of Condensing Gas Boilers
- More energy-efficient as they use more of the fuel for usable heat
- Lower energy bills
- Use less fuel than non-condensing boilers to produce the same amount of heat and hot water
- Reduced CO2 emissions and carbon footprint
How can I tell which type of boiler I have?
There are two easy ways to check if your boiler is either condensing or non-condensing, if you do not have a manual to hand:
- If the boiler has a white plastic pipe coming out of the bottom of the boiler and then going outside into a drain, it is condensing. You will usually see the condensate pipe on the exterior wall near the boiler.
- If the flue is white plastic, it is condensing. If the flue is metal, then it is non-condensing.