Boiler advice
Know what good looks like before anyone quotes you
Straight answers, no fluff. And whenever you're ready, quotes are one tap away.
59 articles
Should I pay a deposit for a new boiler?
Deposits are normal in this trade, but the size, the timing and the way you pay decide how much risk you are carrying. Here is what reasonable looks like, and how to protect the money.
5 min readRead29 Aug 2026ProblemsMy boiler is 15 years old, should I replace it?
Age alone is not a verdict. What decides the question at 15 years is the guarantee you no longer have, the parts that may no longer exist, and whether you replace on your schedule or the boiler's.
5 min readRead28 Aug 2026CostsMy boiler quote seems too high, is it?
A quote that makes you wince is not necessarily a quote that is wrong. Here is how to test whether the price is the job or the margin, without an internet average in sight.
4 min readRead28 Aug 2026ProblemsSigns your boiler is on its way out
Boilers rarely die without warning. The signs are there months in advance, and spotting them is the difference between replacing on your terms and replacing in a cold house in January.
4 min readRead27 Aug 2026CostsWhy are boiler quotes so different?
Three quotes for the same house, hundreds of pounds apart. The boiler is rarely the reason. Here is where the money actually moves, and how to line quotes up so they compare.
4 min readRead27 Aug 2026SafetyMy boiler has been condemned, what happens now?
Condemned is not a word that appears on any official paperwork. What the notice actually says is Immediately Dangerous or At Risk, and which one it says decides what happens next.
5 min readRead26 Aug 2026InstallationDoes a new boiler need a bigger gas pipe?
There is no rule that says a combi must have 22mm gas pipe. There is a rule about pressure loss, and it is the length of the run and the number of bends that decide the answer. Here is what actually gets checked.
7 min readRead26 Aug 2026ProblemsVaillant F28 fault code: what it means and what to check
F28 means the boiler tried to light and never saw a flame, so it shut the gas off. Three of the causes you can check yourself in ten minutes, and the point at which it stops being your job.
7 min readRead25 Aug 2026ProblemsBoiler fault codes explained: what the code on your display is really telling you
Why every brand numbers its codes differently, why a code is a symptom and not a diagnosis, what is safe to reset and what is not, and how to tell when a code is telling you to replace the boiler.
9 min readRead25 Aug 2026ProblemsWorcester Bosch C6 fault code: what it means and what to do
C6 on a Worcester Bosch boiler means fan speed too low. What that actually points at, why Worcester tell you not to touch it, what a good engineer checks before fitting a new fan, and when C6 is a replacement signal.
6 min readRead24 Aug 2026InstallationCan I upgrade my water supply pipe, and is it worth it?
If your mains flow rate failed the bucket test, a bigger supply pipe is one of the three ways out. Who owns which length of pipe, what the job involves, and when it is genuinely worth doing.
7 min readRead24 Aug 2026ProblemsIdeal boiler F3 fault code: what it means and what to do
F3 on an Ideal boiler is a fan fault. What the fan does, the one check you can safely make, what an engineer should test before fitting a new one, and when F3 is a warning about something bigger.
5 min readReadUpdated 23 Aug 2026FinanceBoiler grants: what you can actually get
ECO4 ends in December 2026, the Warm Homes Plan replaces it, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme still does not pay for a gas boiler. Who really qualifies, and what to do if you don't.
2 min readRead23 Aug 2026InstallationBoiler flue regulations: where a flue can and cannot go
The clearance rules that decide where your boiler can live: distances from windows, boundaries and the ground, what a plume kit fixes, and the hidden flue rules nobody quotes.
5 min readRead23 Aug 2026ProblemsIdeal boiler F2 fault code: what it means and what to do
F2 on an Ideal Logic means the flame has been lost. The checks you can safely make yourself, what an engineer should actually test, and when recurring F2 lockouts are telling you something bigger.
5 min readRead22 Aug 2026BrandsBoiler brands to avoid: what those lists get wrong
Every 'worst boilers' list names the same brands, ranked by scores nobody can check. Having read the big four manufacturers' guarantee terms in full, here is what actually makes a boiler a bad buy, and the checks that protect you.
5 min readRead22 Aug 2026ProblemsIdeal boiler F1 fault code: what it means and how to fix it
F1 on an Ideal Logic means low water pressure, and it is the one fault code most owners can clear themselves. What causes it, how to re-pressurise safely, and when a recurring F1 is telling you something bigger.
5 min readRead21 Aug 2026BrandsBaxi boilers reviewed: what the warranty actually says
Baxi's warranty ladder is the simplest of the big brands: the range name tells you the years. But the 800's filter condition carries the harshest penalty we have found anywhere, and the small print still has jobs on your side of it.
5 min readRead21 Aug 2026ProblemsVaillant F75 fault code: what it means and what to check
F75 means the boiler started its pump and did not see the pressure change it expected, so it locked out rather than fire. What causes it, the checks you can safely do, and when a recurring F75 is a bigger conversation.
5 min readRead20 Aug 2026BrandsIdeal boilers reviewed: what the warranty actually says
Ideal's Logic is one of the most common boilers in local rental and newer estate stock. The warranty behind the range runs from 2 to 12 years, and the conditions decide which of those numbers you actually get.
6 min readRead20 Aug 2026ProblemsWorcester Bosch E9 fault code: what it means and what to check
E9 means the safety temperature limiter on the heating flow has tripped: the boiler believes it overheated and has locked out to protect itself. What causes it, what you can safely check, and when it points at replacement.
5 min readRead19 Aug 2026InstallationBoiler installation in Northampton: what your house will throw at the job
Northampton's housing stock falls into three broad batches, and each one complicates a boiler swap in its own way. Here is what a good quote should already know about your street.
4 min readRead19 Aug 2026InstallationBoiler installation in Milton Keynes: why so many MK houses share the same three problems
A city built in one generation gets its boiler problems in batches. Warm air heating, awkward original boiler positions and whole streets ageing together - what a swap in MK actually involves.
5 min readRead18 Aug 2026InstallationWhat mains water flow rate do you need for a combi boiler?
Flow rate, not pressure, is what decides whether a combi gives you a decent shower. Here is how to measure yours in two minutes, and what the number has to be.
7 min readRead18 Aug 2026BrandsVaillant boilers reviewed: what the guarantee actually says
Vaillant make some of the best regarded boilers in the UK. The guarantee behind them is tiered, conditional, and shorter than the headline unless four things happen. Here is the detail.
7 min readRead17 Aug 2026InstallationCan you move a boiler to another room? What actually decides it
Moving a boiler is usually possible. The flue, the condensate drain and the gas run decide where it can go, not the wall you had in mind. Here is what an installer checks.
7 min readRead17 Aug 2026BrandsWorcester Bosch boilers reviewed: what that long guarantee actually requires
An installer's read of the Greenstar range and the guarantee ladder behind it, including the filter choice that quietly cancels your extended cover.
6 min readReadUpdated 16 Aug 2026BrandsBoiler warranties: what actually voids them
10 years sounds great until you read the conditions. The three things that void most warranties, and how to keep yours alive.
2 min readRead16 Aug 2026InstallationWhat's the best boiler for a 4-bed house?
Four bedrooms is where combi boilers start to run out of road. The bathroom count, the mains supply and the two checks that decide it.
7 min readRead16 Aug 2026InstallationNew boiler paperwork: Benchmark, Building Regs and your warranty
Three separate documents, three different jobs. What the Benchmark Checklist proves, when your Building Regulations certificate should arrive, and what to chase if it never does.
6 min readRead16 Aug 2026ProblemsWorcester Bosch EA fault code: what it means and what to check
EA means the boiler tried to light and could not confirm a flame, so it locked out. The three causes the manufacturer lists, what you can safely check yourself, and where it becomes an engineer's job.
6 min readRead14 Aug 2026InstallationConverting a conventional boiler to a combi: what's actually involved
Tanks out of the loft, cylinder out of the airing cupboard, and a bigger job than a straight swap. What the conversion involves, what decides whether your house suits one, and when to keep what you have.
4 min readRead14 Aug 2026ProblemsBoiler beyond repair? What to do the same day
The engineer has just told you the boiler is finished. What that verdict actually means, how to stay warm and washed tonight, and how quickly a replacement can honestly happen.
6 min readRead13 Aug 2026CostsCombi boiler supplied and fitted: what that price actually includes
Two quotes can both say supplied and fitted and mean very different jobs. Here is the full list of what should be in the package, what often is not, and how to compare quotes properly.
4 min readRead14 Jul 2026ProblemsNo hot water but the heating works? Here's why
The four usual causes when the radiators are hot but the taps run cold, which ones you can fix yourself, and which need an engineer.
2 min readRead14 Jul 2026ProblemsBoiler making a banging, whistling or gurgling noise?
What each boiler noise actually means, which ones are harmless, and the one that means you should turn it off and call someone today.
2 min readRead14 Jul 2026InstallationHow long does it take to fit a new boiler?
A straight swap, a system conversion, and a full relocation take very different amounts of time. Here is what to expect, and what should worry you.
1 min readRead14 Jul 2026CostsShould I repair or replace my boiler?
A straight framework for deciding, without the sales pitch. Sometimes the repair is obviously right, and we will say so.
4 min readRead14 Jul 2026SafetyBoiler service: what it costs and what actually gets checked
What a proper annual service includes, what a bad one skips, and why your warranty probably depends on it.
1 min readRead14 Jul 2026InstallationWhat's the best boiler for a 3-bed house?
Output, type and brand for the most common house in Britain, and the sizing mistake that makes your bills worse.
3 min readRead14 Jul 2026ProblemsBoiler pressure too high? What to do
Why the gauge is in the red, how to bring it down safely, and what it means if it climbs straight back up.
1 min readRead14 Jul 2026ProblemsHow to bleed a radiator (and when it won't help)
A five-minute job you can do yourself, done in the right order, plus the symptom that means bleeding is not your problem.
1 min readRead14 Jul 2026FinanceIs boiler cover worth it?
The honest maths on annual boiler insurance, when it pays for itself, and when you are better off putting the money in a tin.
2 min readRead14 Jul 2026ProblemsCombi not heating the water hot enough?
Lukewarm showers with a boiler that seems to be working. The usual causes, in the order worth checking them.
1 min readRead14 Jul 2026Installation10 questions to ask before you accept a boiler quote
The questions that separate a good installer from a cheap one, and the answers you should be listening for.
2 min readRead14 Jul 2026CostsHow efficient is my boiler, really?
How to find your boiler's ErP rating, what the percentage actually means for your bill, and why the number on the badge is optimistic.
2 min readRead14 Jul 2026CostsWhere the money actually goes in a boiler quote
What every line on a boiler quote is actually for, what pushes each one up, and how to spot what has been left out.
5 min readRead14 Jul 2026CostsAre smart thermostats worth it?
Nest, Hive, Tado and the rest. What they actually save, what they do not, and whether to add one when you replace your boiler.
1 min readRead14 Jul 2026SafetyHow to find a boiler installer you can trust
How to check they are legitimate, the warning signs that should end the conversation, and why the cheapest quote is often the most expensive.
4 min readRead14 Jul 2026ProblemsBoiler keeps turning itself off? Here's what's happening
Short-cycling, lockouts and cut-outs. What each one means, what you can check yourself, and what needs an engineer.
1 min readRead5 Jul 2026ProblemsHow long does a boiler last?
The honest answer on boiler lifespan, when repairing stops making sense, and how to tell yours is on borrowed time.
1 min readRead1 Jul 2026CostsHow much does a new boiler cost in 2026?
Why we do not publish a price for a new boiler, what actually drives the number on your quote, and how to read one properly.
4 min readRead28 Jun 2026InstallationWhat size boiler do I need?
kW output explained without the jargon. Why a bigger boiler is not a better boiler, and how installers actually work it out.
4 min readRead22 Jun 2026ProblemsBoiler losing pressure? Here's what's happening
Why the pressure gauge keeps dropping, what you can check yourself in ten minutes, and when it means the boiler is finished.
1 min readRead20 Jun 2026InstallationCombi, system or regular: which boiler do you actually need?
The three boiler types explained without the jargon, and how to work out which one suits your house, your water pressure and your household.
4 min readRead15 Jun 2026InstallationDo I actually need a power flush?
The most upsold item on any boiler quote. When it's genuinely necessary, when a chemical clean will do, and how to tell the difference.
1 min readRead10 Jun 2026FinanceBoiler finance: is 0% actually free?
Payment plans, interest-free deals, and the number you should be looking at instead of the monthly figure.
1 min readRead5 Jun 2026BrandsBoiler brands compared: what you are really paying extra for
Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Ideal, Baxi and Viessmann. Where the money goes, what the warranties mean, and whether the premium is worth it.
4 min readRead1 Jun 2026SafetyHow to check a Gas Safe engineer in 60 seconds
What the ID card should say, what to check on the register, and what to do if an engineer won't show you one.
1 min readReadRead enough?
Get real quotes.
One short form, around 60 seconds. Up to 3 Gas Safe registered installers who cover your postcode.