What Is Boiler Warranty?
Boiler warranty means that the manufacturer will send out an engineer completely free of charge if your boiler breaks down. They would replace the unit if it can not be fixed or pay for any parts and labour involved.
Your boiler warranty covers any component on the inside of your boiler. Anything external to the boiler is not covered. This means your heating system, radiators and an external heating controller. This is usually where boiler cover plays a key part as many policies will include everything that a standard warranty doesn’t.
What Is Boiler Guarantee?
A boiler guarantee goes one step further than a warranty and is an agreement that the manufacturer will come and fix your boiler no matter what the cause of the breakdown is. For example, if your boiler breaks due to a fault in the pipework, the boiler manufacturer will come and repair the boiler free of charge. However, they will not fix the original issue that caused the breakage outside of the boiler system. They may investigate and offer advice for an engineer to come and fix any issue that does not involve the boiler unit.
Boiler Warranty Conditions
There are obviously some conditions that need to be met to keep your boiler warranty intact. These are specific to each boiler manufacturer, so you should always read the warranty conditions before purchasing a new boiler.
Some of these warranty conditions include:
- The boiler must be installed by a registered Gas Safe Engineer.
- Annual boiler service must be carried out by a certified Gas Safe Engineer.
- The boiler warranty must be registered within 30 days of installation.
Which Boiler Brand Offers The Best Warranty?
Manufacturers’ boiler warranties not only range by brand but also depend on the model you choose.
It used to be that 5-year boiler warranties were pretty much the standard. However, as the big boiler brands try to compete some have started to offer much longer warranties.
Not all boiler warranties are equal. For peace of mind, you should make sure you read what each boiler warranty includes and excludes before making your decision on a new boiler.
Boiler warranty lengths by brand:
| Brand |
Warranty Length |
| Vaillant |
5-10 years |
| Baxi |
3-10 years |
| Worcester Bosch |
5-10 years* |
| Viessmann |
5-10 years |
| Navien Boilers |
7-years |
| GlowWorm |
5-10 years |
| Ideal Boilers |
2-12 years |
*Worcester Bosch offers a boiler guarantee rather than a warranty. This is considered a much more comprehensive cover than other boiler warranties.
Do I Need Boiler Cover?
Boiler cover offers peace of mind that your central heating system is covered in the event your boiler breaks down. You should always read the policy in detail to ensure that your boiler covers everything that your boiler warranty doesn’t.
In the event of a more significant issue, a good boiler cover policy means you can avoid expensive repair bills.
The Unpredictability Of Boiler Warranty
Unfortunately, manufacturers can be incredibly difficult to deal with when claiming. Manufacturers will only cover claims if they truly believe that the breakdown is not a result of poor installation.
This often comes down to luck. If the manufacturer’s engineer believes that the breakdown could have been avoided or is not because of faulty parts inside the boiler unit, you could be left with a cold home scrambling around for an engineer to come out. Gas Safe engineers are usually incredibly bust at the beginning of winter – so this could impact call out times.
This is why many homeowners choose to have further peace of mind with an extensive boiler cover policy. Completely protecting themselves from this type of situation.
How To Activate Boiler Warranty?
Each boiler manufacturer will have a dedicated section on their website or a telephone number you can use to activate the cover. Many require you to activate the warranty within 30 days of installation.
Here’s how to register your warranty for the UK's most popular boiler brands:
- Worcester Bosch: the online form can be found here.
- Vailant: the online form can be found here.
- Baxi: the online form can be found here.
- Viessmann: the online form can be found here.
- Navien UK: the online form can be found here.
- GlowWorm: the online form can be found here.
- Ideal Boilers: the online form can be found here.
How To Find Boiler Serial Number
To register your boiler warranties, most manufacturers will require your boiler’s serial number. Depending on your boiler of choice, this can be in several locations.
Boiler serial numbers are usually located on the inside of the control flap or a sticker on top of your boiler unit. This number is usually on a bar coded sticker on the outside of your boiler. If you’re still unsure, you should refer to your boilers manual which should have details on where to find the number for your specific brand and model.
Are Smart Thermostats Covered By Boiler Warranty?
Smart thermostats are not covered by boiler warranty, mostly. Despite the Google Nest & the Hive thermostat surging in popularity all over the UK, they are not covered.
However, there are very few exceptions. Ideal Heating offers its thermostat and is covered under the boiler warranty if it is installed at the same time as the boiler.
You can choose to cover other smart thermostat devices in your boiler cover.
