If your boiler has stopped working and cannot be repaired, then you are going to need to replace a significant part of your property's hot water system. However, your pipes that convey hot water to your taps and your central heating infrastructure may be perfectly sound. That being said, fitting a new boiler might only be worth it if you opt for an entire hot water system replacement at the same time. If your hot water pipes are not in the condition they ought to be, then a new boiler could merely paper over the cracks for a time before further work is needed. 

Typically, a hot water system replacement is more cost-effective if it is conducted when a new boiler is also being fitted. All of the disruptions to your daily lives will occur at once and you'll only need to book one plumbing job, not two. How can you tell whether it'd be preferable to replace the entire system or just a few elements of it? Read on to find out.

• Age

To begin with, if your hot water system is getting old, then it could be the right thing to replace it sooner rather than later. When a hot water installation gets older, it will tend to work less efficiently even if it is properly maintained. An older system really ought to be replaced if it is being swapped out for a new one because the system will have reached — or soon be approaching — the end of its serviceable life.

• Rust 

Do you see rust coming out of your taps when you turn the hot water on? If so, it might disappear after a few seconds and you might, therefore, think that everything is fine. However, rusty water is a sure sign that you need a hot water system replacement without further delay. It means that a joint in the pipework is deteriorating and will eventually give way. If you wait, then you could end up with a much more costly leak and the consequent water damage that will flow from it.

• Temperatures

Inconsistent temperatures can be felt in both central heating and hot water systems. When there is sometimes scalding water supplied by your system which could be tepid the next, then it usually comes down to a blockage somewhere. It could even mean the system is unsafe in the worst cases.

Contact a plumber to learn more.