Boiler Warranty Cover – Things You Should Know

What is boiler warranty?

Boiler manufacturers provide assurance to repair and replace faulty parts in their boiler free of charge for a period ranging from 1 to 12 years.  The warranty period starts from when the new boiler is installed and registered with them.  During this period, the customer will not need to pay for repairs themselves as long as warranty terms are followed.

The manufacturer’s own engineer will come out for the boiler repair which is beneficial as they work on the same boilers all the time.  If it’s not their own engineers, the company’s approved local engineer will come out who has been through the accreditation course.

As mentioned earlier, boiler warranties can last from 1 to 12 years.  To get the longest warranty, the boiler needs to be installed by an installer accredited by the manufacturer. The longer the warranty period, the more expensive the cost of the boiler tends to be as the cost is passed onto the customer.

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What does boiler warranty cover?

A boiler warranty covers the main parts of your boiler so if a fault occurs during the warranty period, the manufacturer will fix or replace the fault.  This is done free of charge and covers boiler parts and labour.  The longer the warranty period, the more confident the manufacturer generally is in their product.  Warranty covers are not all the same so check each individually.

Warranties usually only relate to manufacturing issues in the boiler and integrated controls with them, not to any connected systems such as radiators, pipework, time switches, external pumps, external expansion vessels etc.  If the boiler has been damaged due to sludge or limescale, in most cases even this is not covered.

Are boiler warranties worth it?

Boiler warranties are worth getting if you want peace of mind that should a breakdown occur, for up to 12 years an approved engineer will come to fix it and you won’t have replacement parts and labour costs to pay which can be hundreds each callout.  But you have to pay extra when buying the boiler and stick to the terms.

How is boiler warranty different from a guarantee?

Warranty and guarantee loosely mean the same thing but a warranty is a specific written promise against any faults that may occur with a manufacturer’s products, and exactly what they will cover in it.  A guarantee is a promise in a general sense.

Common terms and conditions of boiler warranties

Each manufacturer will have their specific terms and conditions for the warranty cover but they all include the common points below:

• The installer of the boiler must be competent and gas safe registered and should install and commission it as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
• The installer should register the boiler within 30 days of installing it.
• The boiler should only be used and maintained as intended, i.e. a domestic boiler should only be used in a domestic situation for a household’s needs.
• An annual service of the boiler must be carried out by a registered gas engineer and the service details recorded.  The cost of the service is not covered by the warranty.
• The boiler should not be moved from its original location otherwise the warranty may become void
• External system components such as radiators and water pipes are not covered by the warranty.

Who can register the boiler warranty?

As long as it’s registered within 30 days of installation, either you are the installer can register the boiler warranty.  The details you will need are: What is the boiler’s serial number, when and where (in which room) was the boiler installed?  In most cases, if you don’t register it in time, the standard 1 year warranty will apply.

Has my boiler warranty been registered?

With the serial number of the boiler to hand, simply go onto the manufacturer’s website and search for ‘warranty length check’ or similar.  The result will show you if the boiler has been registered and when the expiry date of the warranty period is.  If you can’t find anything, contact the company’s customer support team.

The boiler serial number can be found in different places for each manufacturer.  On some boilers it can be found on the top of the appliance with a barcode sticker, other boilers will have them on the front panel.  The installer should also have filled in the commissioning details with the serial number on the certificate.

Boiler warranty contact numbers

At the time of writing, these were the contact numbers for the main boiler manufacturers

Company	Contact number
Baxi	0330 678 0917
Ideal	01482 498660
Vaillant	0345 602 2922
Viessmann	01952 675060
Worcester Bosch	0330 123 9559

If the boiler breaks down in warranty period

You may assume to call the manufacturer first but because the warranty covers manufacturing defects rather than installation faults, it is better to call the installer first. They can then check if the warranty is likely to cover it.  Some companies will charge you for a callout if it’s not a manufacturing fault.

My boiler is out of warranty

After the warranty period has ended and you want to keep the boiler covered for repairs, two options are available: the first is to take out cover with another company and pay monthly, and the second is to wait until the boiler develops a fault and then call the manufacturer for a one-off repair or find your own repair engineer.

Many boiler cover plans include an annual service as well as parts and labour.  The engineer called out may or may not be an accredited engineer specifically for the boiler manufacturer but will still be able to fix and service your boiler.  Boiler cover plans also have the option of maintaining the rest of the central heating system unlike boiler manufacturer warranties.

Boiler warranty lengths 2022

Brand	Boiler model example	Warranty/Guarantee Years
Baxi	825	10
Ideal	Vogue Max	12
Vaillant	ecoFIT pure 830	10
Viessmann	Vitodens 100‑W	12
Worcester Bosch	Greenstar Lifestyle 8000	12

*the boiler has to be fitted by an accredited engineer with the company, see company websites for latest t&c’s  

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