Commercial boilers are a necessity in private accommodation and apartment buildings to keep tenants warm and hot water flowing.
But when should you consider replacing your boilers, what are the different factors to look into when purchasing new equipment and how do you address the challenge of minimising capital expenditure?
Tenant satisfaction
Tenant satisfaction is an important topic in social housing settings due to Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard. However, it is also becoming an issue of growing importance for private landlords.
Unreliable, defective or inefficient boilers can significantly affect tenant satisfaction and cause an increase in complaints from residents.
Saving energy
With energy prices still stubbornly high, modern boilers, particularly condensing boilers, are much more efficient than older non-condensing models. Even replacing an older generation gas boiler with a modern gas boiler can produce significant savings due to technological improvements.
Here at JLA, we have been advising private landlords on how to reduce their carbon footprint and conserve energy. One of the first things we recommend reviewing is heating systems, boilers and other commercial HVAC equipment in order to achieve a ‘quick win’.
Reliability and engineering support
Boiler reliability is essential and a major source of frustration for tenants. A lack of heating and hot water causes major disruption, especially in winter, means an urgent fix is required.
Newer, more reliable equipment can save the hassle and expense of repairing existing heating systems, especially as problems arise over time.
End-of-life equipment
A paradox often found in the industry is that well-maintained boilers usually have a long lifespan. However, this could be detrimental given the additional operating and repair costs associated with older equipment.
It can often be a struggle to source replacement parts for older boilers, or they can become too expensive, therefore this is a factor that must be considered when deciding if it is the right time to upgrade your boiler.
As boilers approach the end of their useful life, a new installation is recommended before problems arise.
Tips on what to look for when purchasing new commercial boilers
When you are sourcing new boilers, there are lots of different factors to take on board. We always suggest contacting a HVAC expert to advise you on the best solution, but a few examples are outlined below.
Capacity and sizing
The boiler must be appropriately sized to meet the heating and hot water demands of all apartments, especially during peak times. It is important to consider the sizes of different flats and communal areas, so that correctly sized boilers are sourced. Boilers that are too small may not provide sufficient power or become overworked, whilst ones that are too large would be expensive to run.
Fuel type
Efficient gas boilers are still the most common on the market, due to the balance between cost and availability.
Other options include hybrid heating systems, which combine the power of a gas boiler with the efficiency of an air-source heat pump. Thanks to a combined condensing gas boiler and air-to-water heat pump, a hybrid heating system can still meet peak demand, but use much less energy overall.
Engineering and after-sales support
Selecting a supplier who provides engineering support, service contracts and the ability to respond quickly in the event of a breakdown is a very important consideration. At JLA, we provide a fast response rate, exceptional customer support, preventative maintenance and a package of service contracts ensuring continuous long-term support.
Futureproofing considerations
With energy trends and legislation constantly evolving, we recommend a solution that takes any future changes into account.
A hydrogen-ready appliance, such as one of JLA’s commercial floor standing and wall mounted boilers, provides reassurance for the future. A bolder option to consider would be hybrid gas boilers with air source heat pumps to get the best of both worlds.
Addressing the problem of capital expenditure
Many of our housing customers understand the importance of new boilers in their properties, but cost and capital expenditure concerns can often delay a much-needed boiler installation that would provide cost savings.
An all-inclusive commercial heating subscription package, like JLA Total Care, ensures brand-new commercial heating systems can be installed along with comprehensive servicing and repairs with no upfront costs.
Some of our housing customers include these monthly payments in their residents’ monthly service charges essentially splitting the cost and removing the hassle of trying to fund a replacement installation.
Contact us today for advice or assistance.
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