Exactly how long a boiler will last depends on a myriad of factors, but if it is well-serviced, well-maintained and used properly, many boilers will last at least a decade before the conversation of a new installation needs to be had.
In general, it is more economical to keep an existing boiler running as efficiently as possible for as long as possible, but there is often a tipping point when a boiler becomes more expensive to repair than it is worth.
The term engineers might use is “beyond economical repair” (BER), and this simply means that it would cost more to fix your boiler than a new one would cost.
This could be due to a range of factors, but the common denominator is that repairing the boiler will at some point become a case of spending good money after bad.
Here are some reasons why a boiler might be beyond repair.
A Catastrophic Breakdown
The simplest BER case is a boiler that is extremely difficult if not impossible to repair at all. A major breakdown might be an expensive fix and potentially worth replacing even if it is relatively new, but an older boiler is not worth fixing if it breaks down significantly.
More Frequent Repairs
Alternatively, a boiler could work most of the time but have persistent minor issues that only become more common over time.
Often this leads to unusual sounds such as whistling or banging that an engineer can fix easily, but frequent callout and repair charges add up over time.
Rising Bills
If your energy bills are increasing consistently, it may be a sign that your boiler has become too inefficient to work effectively due to natural wear and tear.
This might be even more so the case if the heating system does not seem to work as well as it used to, leaving cool spots in your house.