Central heating is a system that transfers heat to every room in your home. It provides warmth to various building spaces and can heat hot water from the primary heat source.

If an old, non-condensing boiler currently heats your home and causes expensive repairs. It's time to upgrade it with an efficient and innovative system. If paying for a new central heating system is not feasible for you, you can approach government free grants for central heating  which provides funding to families in fuel poverty so they can install a new central heating system. Curious about what changes will undergo during installation. Take a closer look in our guide for detailed insights.

What Happens During a Central Heating Installation?

First, insulating your home before installing a central heating system is like laying the foundations of a house; it’s essential. It’s crucial to consider wall, loft and floor insulation, as this can affect how efficiently heat transfer is throughout the building and ensure your new central heating measures are energy efficient. 

Additionally, you should check that all heating control systems have been adequately installed with adequate ventilation for the proper functioning of the central heating unit.

A professional surveyor will assess your home and inspect any existing pipework or other potential issues that may arise from fitting a new central heating system. This helps when applying for grants, as they need to be sure that your home meets specific standards for funding to be released. Ultimately, this ensures that the installation process runs smoothly and efficiently without further problems.

Step-by-Step Installation Process

1. Removal of the Old Boiler

Most of the time, workers start by removing the old boiler. Again, how long this takes depends on the difficulty of the job and the method already in place.

2. Flush/Clean

British Standards say that the contractor should clean or flush your system. The type of cleaning may depend on the state of the system; a chemical flush may be enough, or a power flush may be needed. When installing a new boiler, keeping the water in your system as clean as possible is essential. If you flush the system before installing the new boiler, any dirt in the system won't be able to hurt it. 

3. Upgrades/Changes to Pipework

When your new boiler is installed, your pipes may need to be changed or upgraded. Installing pipes could be challenging and take a lot of time for the worker. So make sure the pipework is fitted before the process.

4. Fitting of the Boiler

The person who comes to install your new boiler will put it either where your old boiler was or somewhere else. Moving your boiler will save you time and money. Following the installer's advice is very important.

5. Accessories

Your engineer should suggest getting a system cleaner to replace your new boiler in line with British Standards. A system filter protects your boiler from any waste or sludge that may build up over time. To do this, the engineer will clean the system and add a regulator to stop rust. The system filter keeps your heating system working well and as "clean" as possible, making the whole house more comfortable. Accessories like a handle, filling holes, a boiler, and any other accessories you may have bought will also be added.

6. Commissioning of the System

Your technician will test the system to ensure everything works right after the new boiler is fully installed and all the pipes are connected.

7. Handover

Ensure that when the work is done, the installer goes over everything with you so that you are as well-informed as possible. They should show you how to use the controls, run the boiler, and go over some basic maintenance checks you may need to do over the years, like boosting the system's pressure and bleeding a radiator.

8. Registration

The homeowner or installer will need to register the boiler with the boiler manufacturer, so your product’s guarantee is valid, ensuring you are covered if you are unfortunate enough to experience any issues.

Final Words

Hence, you should implement significant property changes to ensure the smooth installation of your new central heating system. After that, you can enjoy warmth and hot water whenever you want. To maintain the guarantee, an annual boiler service is required. A service regularly checks the boiler’s installation, performance and safety. We recommend contacting the installer who fitted your boiler to arrange a service. You may want to consider organising this in the summer months to avoid being caught out in winter.