Free verdict
Repair it or replace it?
Every year we tell people to keep boilers other firms wanted to rip out — and we tell others to stop spending. Answer four questions and get the same answer we'd give you stood in your kitchen.
The tool
Four questions, one straight answer
Free verdict tool
Repair it or replace it?
Four quick questions and we'll give you a straight answer. First, who are we answering for — so an engineer can call you back if the answer isn't clear cut.
How we decide
The rules we actually use
The one-third rule
If the repair costs more than a third of a new fitted boiler and the unit is out of guarantee, replacement almost always wins across five years.
The two-strike rule
Two separate failures in one heating season means the boiler is telling you something. A third is coming, usually in January.
The big-four parts
Heat exchanger, gas valve, PCB or fan on an out-of-warranty boiler: the numbers rarely justify it past eight years.
Standing pilot = replace
A permanent pilot light means a non-condensing boiler burning roughly a third more gas than it needs to, every single day.
Parts availability
We check the part is still made before we recommend a repair. Obsolete parts mean the next fault strands you.
System condition
A clean, inhibited system with a filter changes the maths. A sludged one will kill a new boiler too, so we flush it either way.