Boiler upgrade ''will pay for itself''

25/02/2008

Switching boilers can be so effective in reducing heating bills that the change could pay for itself in a matter of years, it has been claimed.

The statistic emerged from an energy audit conducted on the home of Times journalist Angela Jameson.

An adviser from energy supplier npower informed Ms Jameson that getting rid of her inefficient 25-year-old boiler and installing a new boiler and pump would cost around £2,000.

However, with modern boilers being so much more efficient than their predecessors, the payback period is just seven years.

Fitting thermostatic valves to radiators, installing insulation and switching to energy-efficient light bulbs are also effective ways of cutting fuel bills, the adviser said.

The Energy Saving Trust estimates installing a high efficiency condensing boiler can result in a household heating bill being cut by around a third, as the modern boilers convert 90 per cent of the fuel used into heat.