FAQ: Should I buy a gas or electric boiler?

It can often be difficult to make the decision to change your boiler, especially given the expenses involved, but there are several reasons why you might need to.

Maybe you previously suffered a boiler breakdown and you’re looking for a more stable upgrade to your central heating, or perhaps your current boiler is quite old, and you are looking for a more efficient alternative.

The only choice left to make is whether you want a gas or electric boiler. Both come with their own benefits and drawbacks, so read on to find out which one would be best for your home!

Gas and electric boilers work in very similar ways

Simply put, the purpose of your boiler is to heat up the water in your home.

Gas boilers do this by burning the natural gas that is supplied to your property, while electric boilers heat up a particular part of the boiler with electricity.

The fact that they are quite similar is good if you’re in need of an emergency boiler repair or are dealing with a boiler emergency as it means that almost all engineers will be trained to deal with a breakage no matter which type of boiler you own.

Gas boilers are currently more popular and powerful

It is estimated that around 80% of homes in the UK are currently fuelled by gas boilers, but this is likely to change as we move towards more sustainable alternatives. This is because the burning of natural gas, a fossil fuel, releases harmful compounds into the atmosphere, contributing towards global warming and climate change.

Until recently, gas boilers were thought to be the better choice in terms of efficiency if you have a larger home. This is because they are typically cheaper to run than electric boilers because they are more powerful and can more easily heat up the water in your home.

However, with recent geopolitical events inflating the price of gas, people are facing significant increases to the costs associated with running a gas boiler on top of having to keep the boiler well maintained and undergoing an annual central heating service on their gas boiler.

Electric boilers are more environmentally friendly.

Electric boilers are a good way to reduce your emissions and, provided the energy comes from renewable sources such as solar panels, then it can allow you to reach a 100% zero-emission performance.

With the Government’s commitment to be Net-Zero by 2050, it is expected that the popularity of electric boilers will rise significantly in the coming years.

Typically, electric boilers have always been more suited to smaller properties or flats due to their inefficiency with high demands for heating and hot water in large homes.

However, as the technology evolves and further developments are made, electric boilers will be more efficient and better suited for larger properties. In a few years’ time, it is likely that an electric boiler will be both cheaper to install and more efficient than a traditional gas boiler!

Aside from the environmental benefits, electric boilers are a lot lower maintenance than their gas counterparts and are easier to install, don’t require an annual service, and there is no risk of a CO2 leak that would require you to call out our specialists for an emergency boiler service.

If you currently have a gas boiler, you may be worried about the complications involved in installing a new electric boiler. Luckily, the installation of and transition to an electric boiler is very easy, as the majority of the plumbing and central heating piping is exactly the same.

In fact, the lack of a flue on electric boilers make them significantly easier to install than gas boilers, and can even be relocated within the property if you need it to be. An old gas pipe can be removed by a qualified, experienced engineer with relative ease.

How Butco can help with your electric or gas boiler plans

As the boiler experts you can trust, our team of specialists can assist with all your heating needs, from the full installation of a new system to 24-hour boiler repair and landlord boiler care.

If you’d like a no obligation chat with one of our qualified engineers to discuss which service could be right for you, get in touch. Send an email to info@butco.com or call us on 0333 366 1121.

From our boiler service and cover plans to the full installation of a new boiler system, we’re here to handle all your heating needs.