​How to carry out the installation of an electric or gas boiler?

How to carry out the installation of an electric or gas boiler?

The installation of an electric or gas boiler is one of the most popular and necessary operations in the home, but it is also a complicated task if it is not done correctly, since it involves some risks for both your property and the people who live in it. This work is better when we leave it to a professional plumber in London, but we will indicate what the steps are to follow in the installation of a boiler, both electric and gas.

Before deciding on the installation of one boiler or the other, you must take into account that the gas boiler provides unlimited hot water, whereas an electric boiler has a capacity of litres that once exhausted you have to wait for it to warm up again.

You may be wondering if “plumbers near me” could inform you of the right decisions to make when selecting the brand and model etc. This is always a good idea, as they will have inside knowledge as to which type to choose for your type of property.

Don’t forget to opt for a gas safe engineer check after the boiler is installed and to have one of these done at least once a year.

Installation of an electric boiler

Once you have selected and purchased the electric boiler, you have to decide where you are going to install it. The most common is to locate it in the kitchen, although there are houses that have it in the bathroom. You must make sure you have a grounding-type plug near where the boiler will be located.

If there was already an electric boiler in the building, the logical solution is to place the new one in the same place as the previous one.

Sometimes it is necessary to change the electric water boiler for another, because the family has grown perhaps and it has become too small. The first thing you should do in the installation or a repair of a boiler is to disconnect the old boiler and close the water stopcock.

As you will need to empty this boiler, you must open the drain valve, by opening the taps but it will take longer. Then you must remove the hoses that connect the boiler to the wall and then you can pick up the old boiler. If you are thinking “I might need the help of plumbers near me” at this stage, then this would be fine to seek help or support.

Depending on the type of electric boiler, you may need a pressure reducing valve. In addition to our tips we recommend that you read the instruction manual that accompanies the boiler.

Remember that for the installation of a boiler this must be placed in a master wall that supports 3 times the weight of the boiler filled with water. It is also important to leave a distance of at least 50 centimetres between the appliance and the wall to facilitate handling. The electric water boiler should be placed close to where it is going to be used, since the farther away it is, the more heat will be lost by the length of the pipes.

In the event that the installation of an electric boiler replaces a gas boiler, you must take into account some tasks beforehand:

• It is essential that a qualified plumberhas closed the gas installation.
• You will have left a hole in the wall that was responsible for the exit of smoke. This hole can be used to ventilate the kitchen but you can also cover it. This is because the electric water boiler is not going to need that hole.

Once you have made these steps, you can continue with the installation of an electric boiler.

The first thing you must do is cover the holes that have been left with an extra strong adhesive putty. This bi-component material can be manipulated until it is consistent and of a uniform colour. In the event that you do not have putty, you can use plaster.

You have to get a finish that leaves the wall impeccable so use a spatula to smooth the wall and let the area dry until the material hardens. If it is not smooth, you can sand it later.

Hanging the Boiler

After these steps, you need to hang the new boiler. For that, use the attachments suitable for both the wall and the electric boiler. Help yourself with some marks made on the wall to know where you are going to exactly place the holes where the boiler restraints will go.

It is usual that when buying a new boiler, that the attachments and the necessary hooks are included to place it on the wall. You will need a drill and screws for this process.

Once the boiler is fixed on the wall, reconnect the cold and hot water pipes (this is indicated by the blue colour for cold water and the red colour for hot water.) In the cold water inlet, an electrolytic sleeve is placed to prevent corrosion of the pipes. Then put the plates and fix the plastic nuts and hang the boiler.

Once you have everything placed and connected, reopen the water stopcock. The boiler should not be plugged in without this step, the electric water boiler should be full of water so that the resistance is not burned. While the boiler is being filled, it is advisable to open the hot water taps so that the air from the boiler can escape.

If you have done these steps correctly, you will have your boiler ready to use. When you open the water stop valves you should check that no connection is dripping. In case of doubts, we recommend you to install an electric water boiler by recommendedlocal plumbers.

Installation of a gas boiler

As in the case of the electric boiler, it is important you buy a gas boiler that suits your needs. It is recommended that it has an automatic ignition so that you can save on gas. In the event that you replace a boiler that no longer works, it is simpler than the installation of an electric boiler.

To begin with, you must be very clear that any work of masonry and installation and handling of gas must be done by a qualified professional plumbers in Peckham. In addition, these types of boiler require periodic checks, since the material they use is dangerous.

If you are only going to replace one boiler with another, the first thing is to uninstall the old boiler. Remove the front casing, enabling you to remove the screws and remove it from the wall. As you know, the boiler has a cold water inlet, a hot water outlet and the gas inlet. Make sure you have closed the water and gas shut-off valve before installing the boiler.

Most likely, the holes of the previous boiler will not fit with those of the new. In that case, you’ll have to cover the previous holes with putty and make new holes with the drill. Then install the hooks and hang the gas boiler. It is essential that the gas boiler has a vent to the outside.

Like the old boiler, you will need to remove the case to access the interior. Once the boiler is hung, place the hoses that connect with each entrance and exit of water and gas. To ensure a more effective hold, use Teflon tape at the water and gas inlets and at the hot water outlet.

First they are screwed in manually and then tightened with a wrench until securely fastened, so that the connections will not break. Once everything is connected, open the water and gas stopcocks again. To finish, return to place the cover trim of the boiler that will be ready for use.

If you prefer (and it is recommended), your electric or gas boiler can be safely and securely installed by a professional plumber in SE5, so do not hesitate to contact us. We have at our disposal a team of technical specialists who will attend the installation, maintenance and repair services.

At Dulwich Plumber Ltd we have the best plumbing professionals in London. Speed, quality, guarantee and savings in all your work, rest assured trusting in the best team of local plumbers. We handle emergency faults 24 hours a day and have more than 15 years of experience in the sector.