How Long Does It Take to Install the Boiler?

Although they have a long life, boilers are not everlasting. As in every piece of equipment, the duration of its useful life depends on various factors. A topic we are regularly asked about is how long it takes to install the boiler system for the house. It is natural to want to know since it is inevitable that there will be some interruption to your home life, not to mention your central heating and hot water supply.

What You Need to Know About Boiler Replacement

Installing a new boiler might take anywhere from six hours to four days, depending on the complexity of the system. We have shared a few examples below to give you a better idea of what we are talking about and to explain the process in more depth.

We have not taken into account the complicated cases because each circumstance is unique. As a result, these figures are based on average installations in most household settings.

All Boiler Replacement: 4-6 Hours

Changing an old boiler with a new one of the same type is the quickest and easiest installation. This implies that the old one has broken, that the new one will be put in the exact location, and that all water, central heating, and gas lines are already in place and meet the new model's requirements.

In this circumstance, installing a new replacement boiler is as easy as disconnecting and emptying the systems, turning off the power and thermostat, removing the old boiler, and replacing it. A Zara Heating expert can do this work in less than 6 hours.

Changing the Boiler Position: 1-2 Days

It is improbable that you will be able to reposition an existing boiler or install a new boiler in a different place in a single working day. This is because new pipes (water and gas) and electrical and thermostat wiring must be installed.

There may also be some modest structural work, such as creating frames and putting flues and overflows through brick walls. It will also take time if the old boiler needs to be disassembled, transported, or removed.

A Completely New Boiler Installation: 1-2 Days

If you do not have a boiler yet, it will take roughly the same time to install one as it takes to move one because the quantity of work is identical. The time saved by not removing the old model will be spent connecting the water and gas pipes to the new model.

If there is no boiler, there will be no central heating system. The duration of work will increase considerably if you install a completely new central heating system and a combined boiler. As an approximation, a new system usually takes between one and two weeks since it will be necessary to remove carpets, floors and decks, lay the pipes, and install the radiators. The good news is that this can be done simultaneously with the boiler installation.

Changing the Boiler Type: 2-3 Days

Your house's three primary types of modern boilers are combi, heat-only, and system. They all require distinct plumbing and electrical installations, so switching from one to the other takes almost as long as a new installation.

The most critical shift happens when switching from a mixed boiler to a heat-only or system boiler.

• You will need a cylinder with a system boiler to store the water for your central heating system. It is frequently found in a ventilation cabinet or near the boiler, necessitating the removal of floors and the installation of new pipes. Immersion heaters must be linked to the mains if they are located in the tank.
• If switching to a heat-only boiler, you will also need a cold water tank and an expansion tank. The expansion tank must be in the attic or another elevated location near the house's highest point. This is because the system is gravity-fed rather than mains-fed. This will also lengthen the process because extra pipes must be placed.

If you switch from a heating system to a combi boiler, you will have to spend more time eliminating unneeded cylinders and deposits and disassembling and cleaning more lines.

Some people choose to leave them in place in case they change their minds later. You have the option, but keep in mind that cylinders and reservoirs will take up additional room in your home, and components may need to be dismantled and cleaned after several years of inactivity.

Changing Boiler Type and Location: 3-4 Days

If you change the kind and location of your boiler, it will take the most time. Because it combines all of the work from the "change type" and "change position" parts above, this might take many days.

In addition to installing new pipes, tanks, and cylinders (or removing existing ones), you may need to build new brackets, drill holes through walls, and reroute water, gas, and electric supplies to the boiler.

When Should You Change Your Boiler?

As in many other things, there is no mathematical formula that assures the maximum use of a boiler since, in addition to the elements we have previously described, some others also affect it, such as all the essential adjustments that have been made.

Despite this, there are defined periods of years in which the old boiler must be updated. The average, in reality, is between 10 and 15 years. With a more efficient boiler, you help protect the environment, as new boilers emit fewer greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, such as CO2 or NOx.

Is there a more appropriate time to change the boiler throughout the year? The ideal time to replace a gas boiler is to do it in the summer, as in this period you do not need to switch on the heating and hot water is not as crucial as in winter.

The boiler replacement is carried out in only a few hours; therefore, the change is swift when competent experts carry it out to install gas boilers.

At Zara Heating, we specialise in the installation and maintenance of boiler systems. Call us and find out.