Should I repair my boiler or replace it?

There’s no single rule. These are the things that decide it.

What has failed

Some parts are cheap and quick to replace. Others, like a heat exchanger, cost a lot more. Ask which part it is and what it costs, and the answer often gets clearer quickly.

How old the boiler is

A younger boiler with plenty of life left is usually worth repairing. An older one has other parts of the same age, all equally worn, so a big repair on a very old boiler is more of a gamble.

Whether parts are still made

Older models get discontinued. When parts get hard to find, repairs get slower and dearer.

What’s already been done

One repair is bad luck. Several in a couple of years is worth taking into account.

How it’s been looked after

A boiler that’s been serviced every year can be in better shape than a younger one that’s been ignored.

What to ask whoever quotes you

Ask which part has failed and what it costs. “It needs a lot of work” isn’t a diagnosis. You should be told what’s actually wrong, so you can make the decision yourself.

If you’d like me to have a look, put the make, roughly how old it is, and what it’s doing on the form.