Why Buying a Budget Boiler May Cost You More in The Long-Run

When faced with the task of purchasing a new boiler, it can be tempting to go for the cheapest boiler available, however, more often than not the short-term savings aren’t worth the long-term issues and costs they generate.

In this article, we’ll explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of cheap boilers and why it’s usually better to spend a little extra on a new boiler.

The Advantages of Purchasing a Budget Boiler

Significant Upfront Savings

Of course, the biggest advantage of a cheaper boiler is the low cost and for those with a tighter budget, a budget boiler can seem ideal.

Great Short-Term Solution

If you’re replacing a boiler in a property that you don’t intend to stay long in, say, less than five years, a budget boiler is the ideal short-term solution as whilst some cheaper boilers offer the same functionality as more expensive alternatives, you’ll notice the warranties are much shorter. This is because they tend to break or start experiencing problems around the 5 year mark and often end up incurring hefty repair costs.

The Disadvantages of a Budget Boiler

Low Quality

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. There’s a reason why some boiler brands can offer such low prices- it's because they build their boilers using cheap and low quality parts that show signs of wear and tear early on and don’t last anywhere near as long as their more expensive counterparts, hence the shorter warranties budget boilers have to offer.

In more expensive boilers, you can expect to see components such as stainless steel heat exchangers which ensure longevity, unlike cheaper aluminium heat exchangers which tend to wear much more quickly and put your boiler at risk of a breakdown.

Shorter Warranties

As we’ve just mentioned, cheaper boilers typically have shorter warranties as they are more likely to break down sooner. Unfortunately, this doesn’t offer you the same peace of mind as a boiler with a longer warranty period does and puts you at risk of having to fork out hefty repair costs a few years down the line.

Low Efficiency

One of the biggest disadvantages of budget boilers is their low efficiency ratings. This means whilst you’ve made a quick upfront save on the cost of the boiler, you’ll likely experience much higher fuel bills each month, potentially costing you more in the long run. Not only is a low efficiency rated boiler bad news for your wallet, it’s also not great for the environment.

A more expensive boiler will typically have a much higher energy efficiency rating (90%+), potentially saving you up to £380 per year on energy bills and helping you do your bit for the planet.

Noisy

Cheaper boilers frequently lack quiet-design features, resulting in more noise which can be disruptive in the home, particularly at night when you’re trying to sleep. Expensive boilers on the other hand usually boast about their quiet operation features, meaning you’ll hardly even notice them working away to keep your home warm.

Difficult to Source Parts

If your budget boiler breaks down or requires a repair, it can sometimes be difficult to find the parts needed to fix it, potentially leaving you without the necessary parts to keep your boiler running and needing to be replaced altogether, costing you significantly more in the long run.

Parts from more expensive and established boiler brands tend to be much easier to find, meaning if your boiler does even end up breaking down, you can have it repaired instead of having to replace it.

At iHeat we only stock the best, most efficient and money saving boilers - our simple guide to new boiler cost explains all at a glance!

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