It’s totally understandable that you might be worried about the gas boiler ban that comes into effect in 2025. But it’s possibly the media that have got you worried. So, we thought we’d give you the facts.

There is no blanket gas boiler ban from 2025. The new legislation will state that from 2025 onwards, all new homes that are built must utilise other forms of heating than gas boilers. So, gas boilers are only being banned in new build homes from 2025. There are plans to eventually phase out gas boilers altogether, but there is no timeline set for this at present.

However, another important date is 2035. This is the date by which the Government hopes that all replacement boilers installed in homes and businesses will use low carbon technology. They have, however, taken a very soft approach with this and will not be forcing people to remove boilers from their homes. Instead, a transitional approach is being taken at this time, where replacement will come only when the boiler requires it.

Why Do We Need To Ban Gas Boilers?

The UK Government agreed to tackle global warming by becoming carbon neural by 2050 when emergency talks were held in Paris in 2016. At present, 95% of UK homes use central heating powered by gas and these account or approximately a third of UK carbon emissions. If we are to stick to the agreement of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, it seems obvious that home heating is one of the best things to tackle. You can read the Heat & Building Strategy here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-and-buildings-strategy .

What Are The Alternatives To Gas Boilers?

Because gas boilers emit carbon, we need to look at alternative sources of heating, such as solar, air or ground heat pumps and hydrogen boilers.

Hydrogen Boilers

Hydrogen releases no carbon dioxide when burned, only vapours and are seen as the “best fit” when it comes to replacing your gas boiler. They use the same infrastructure as a gas boiler, which would make their use more practical as it would only essentially be the fuel that would be changing rather than the entire system. The EAC and CCC are currently looking into the use of the current gas network for hydrogen.

Heat Pumps

Whilst it’s true that heat pumps release less carbon into the atmosphere than gas boilers, there are issues with their use as a replacement. Firstly, they are incredibly expensive to install and secondly, they are not suitable for every home. This being said, there are schemes that will subsidise the cost of replacing your gas boiler with a heat pump.

Biomass Boilers

Biomass boilers use wood pellets or chips to power boilers. The main issues with these as an alternative to gas boilers is that they can take up quite a lot of room, especially when you consider you need to store the fuel. Additionally, they can be prohibitively expensive to install, ranging from around £10k to £25k depending on the type.

Solar Panels

Unfortunately solar panels can only generate hot water, but they can assist in lowering heating costs when used alongside a boiler or heat pump.

My Boiler Is Old, Should I Buy A New Gas Boiler?

If your boiler is outdated or old, then it’s probably costing you a lot in running costs as it will be less efficient than today’s A rated boilers. It’s also likely to cost you a lot in repairs. Investing in a new gas boiler at this time will save you money and it is likely to run efficiently for many years before any type of boiler ban comes into effect. So, the answer is, yes, buy a new gas boiler if your current one is on its last legs. You could also consider one of the alternatives listed above, if it is suitable for your property.

If you have any questions about the gas boiler ban or the Heat and Buildings strategy, or if you are in need of a new boiler, then call us today on 07917 776549.