What is a Back Boiler?

What is a Back Boiler?

Over half of a household’s annual energy bills can be accounted for by boiler usage. With the price of energy rising at an ever-increasing rate, ensuring that your boiler is as efficient as possible is essential.

Back boilers are fitted behind a fireplace, and provide both central heating and hot water. They became popular in the 1960s as they required much less space than other boilers on the market at that time and so were easier to fit in what were often small houses. One of the most commonly installed back boilers was the Baxi Bermuda model.

Do I have a Back Boiler?

An example of a fireplace that a back boiler could historically have been fitted behind

It is usually quite easy to tell if you have a back boiler:

Chimney

if you have a back boiler, your house will have a chimney, probably with a gas fire in front.

Controls Below the Fire

Your heating controls will often be located behind a panel at the bottom of your fire.

Are Back Boilers Still Available?

Back boilers are no longer being manufactured as they are not efficient, can be dangerous and have been superseded by modern, compact, combi boilers.

Lack of Efficiency

Back boilers only operate at around 78% efficiency, whereas modern condensing boilers can attain efficiencies of well over 95%. Since 2005, building regulations have required that all boiler installations (replacements and new builds) use condensing boilers. 

Condensing boilers are more efficient than old non-condensing models as they recover some of the heat that is usually lost through the flue in the form of waste gases, which means that they are not only better for the environment but also more cost effective as more heat is generated from less gas, leading to savings on your energy bills.

Safety Concerns

A key safety concern associated with back boilers is the danger of carbon monoxide emissions escaping into your home.

When gas boilers are burning fuel correctly, water vapour is produced as a by-product. If the amount of oxygen available is limited, fuel is only partially burned, producing carbon monoxide as a waste product. Carbon monoxide is dangerous if inhaled over a long period of time and can lead to symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, loss of consciousness and even death. It is also difficult to detect as it is odourless and colourless.

In modern combi boilers, any carbon monoxide produced is normally released harmlessly outside via the boiler flue; however back boilers release waste gases via a chimney not a flue. Over time, chimneys can become blocked, covered or structurally unsound, all of which can potentially lead to carbon monoxide escaping into your home and posing a hazard to your health.

Should I Replace my Back Boiler?

Back boilers are very inefficient, wasting a lot of energy and significantly increasing your energy bills. Back boilers are no longer being manufactured, and most are also very old (in some cases over 50 years old!) and increasingly likely to develop faults that may lead to the production of dangerous carbon monoxide gas, or even break down altogether. 

Parts for back boilers are almost impossible to source, and repairs usually require a specialist which are also becoming increasingly rare. This means that replacing your back boiler is more cost-effective in most cases.

What are the Best Alternatives to Back Boilers?

Once you have made the decision to replace your back boiler, an in-person survey by a Gas Safe registered installer such as Smart Plumbing is the best way to get a fixed-price quote. Simply contact us to arrange a free, no obligation appointment.

All back boiler installations are different due to the unique layout and requirements of every home, and an in-person survey is the best way to ensure that any potential challenges are identified at an early stage and to prevent any unexpected costs from being added to your bill during the installation.

Back boilers can be replaced with either conventional boilers with hot water cylinders, or combi boilers. Find out more about whether a combi boiler would be suitable for your home in our handy What is a combi boiler? guide, or take a look at our full combi boiler range.

Ideal Logic+ Combi Boilers: Our Best Sellers

Ideal Logic Plus 24kW Combi Boiler with Adey Filter & Salus Quantum Controls
Ideal Logic+ 24kW Combi Boiler
£2,200.00
Ideal Logic Plus 30kW Combi Boiler with Adey Filter & Salus Quantum Controls
Ideal Logic+ 30kW Combi Boiler
£2,300.00
Ideal Logic Plus 35kW Combi Boiler with Adey Filter & Salus Quantum Controls
Ideal Logic+ 35kW Combi Boiler
£2,500.00
View all combi boilers

Contact us:

Call 01484 940930
Online Quote
Call 01484 940930

Why Choose Us?

99% Customer Satisfaction

You can rest assured that you are making the right choice when choosing our company to install your new boiler because we are one of only a few companies in the region that have an independently verified customer satisfaction score in excess of 99%.

Lowest Prices in the UK

We buy and install more boilers than any other independent heating company in the region. This has enabled us to negotiate exclusively low prices with the manufacturers, which we share with all our customers.

Checkatrade information for Smart Plumbing

COVID-Secure Contractor

We have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment to keep our customers and engineers safe. We have comprehensive PPE, cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures in place, and will take all reasonable steps to maintain social distancing at all times. 

Price-Match Promise

We guarantee we will not be beaten on price. In the unlikely event that you receive a lower quote from any other Gas Safe registered installer, we will match their quote and provide you with your first year service free of charge.

COVID-Secure Contractor

We have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment to keep our customers and engineers safe. We have comprehensive PPE, cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures in place, and will take all reasonable steps to maintain social distancing at all times. 

Checkatrade information for Smart Plumbing

Price-Match Promise

We guarantee we will not be beaten on price. In the unlikely event that you receive a lower quote from any other Gas Safe registered installer, we will match their quote and provide you with your first year service free of charge.

Contact us:

Call 01484 940930
Online Quote
Online Quote