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There are many answers to this question, let me explain.

First, this will depend on what type of boiler you already have, is it a combination, system or heat only boiler?

A brief description of the type of boilers follows.

Combination boilers are where you don’t need any water storage tanks.

Hot water is heated instantly as and when you require it.

System boilers work along side a hot water storage tank, this can be either a pressurised or an open vented tank. The heating side is pressurised.

Heat only boilers work just like the system boilers do, but are open vented.

These boilers can be pressurised if needed by installing an unvented kit.

Next, we need to know the heat output you require.

It’s no good replacing the boiler with an output lower than what you already have. 

You may also want to increase the output size for a later extension project.

The heat output size is calculated by the number of radiators you have, as well as the number of hot water outlets.

The type of flue required, will it be horizontal or vertical, will it need a plume kit to divert the products of combustion away?

Will the system need the pipework upgrading to be compatible with the new boiler?

What brand of boiler do you require?

Many people think a boiler is just a boiler whatever brand it may be. This is not true.

With boilers you only get what you pay for, yes, they all do same the job they were designed for but, you want quality and reliability as well as a good back up service should you need it.

I have never understood why some people ask for the cheapest of cheapest boilers, but then complain like crazy when it breaks down saying you installed a rubbish boiler.

What type of warranty do you want, 2,5,7 even 10 years?

One thing that seems to be misunderstood re the warranties is they are worthless if you don’t have an annual service carried out.

Every make of boiler comes with a benchmark book that, by law has to be filled in on installation, signed and dated by the boiler installer.

Should this not be carried out, you have no warranty at all, no ifs, no buts, no warranty.

The same goes for the installer, if they are not gas safe registered, the boiler warranty is void. 

You may also find your home insurance will become void too.

When the annual service is carried out, the boiler service engineer must complete the service section in the benchmark book, sign and date it along with their gas safe number.

As stated, the benchmark book is a legal document and should be kept in a safe place, along with all your other important documents.

Controls, what type of controls do you have?

They may need to be upgraded with new energy efficiency controls to comply with the current boiler plus regulations.

New current British Standards now state, that when installing a new boiler, the system must be cleaned and flushed out.

Inhibitors added, and an in-line filter must be installed.  

The filter will help keep the system water clean. 

The cost of replacing your boiler will also depend on what part of the country you live in.

London and the south-east have the highest costs, with central London being the most expensive.

The days of just replacing a boiler are long gone, every boiler installed must now comply with current gas and building regulations. 

Failure to comply with the current regulations could result in some form of penalty.

Every boiler installed in the united kingdom must be registered with the local authorities. 

Most boiler installers do this through the gas safe register.

Once registered, you will receive a compliance certificate that you should keep safe.

 You will need this certificate when selling the property on.

One last thing before we end, with the internet nowadays people tend to search for the cost of the boilers. 

What they don’t take into account is, it’s not just the boiler you have to purchase, you also need to purchase the flue as well as new fittings required to install the boiler.

You can see from above, it’s not just the cost of the boiler and labour. It’s about what’s involved as well.

Remember, safety is the most important part of having a new boiler installed. 

To be safe ensure you contact your local gas safe registered boiler installer.

When you buy a new or second-hand mobile home and have it sited. 

One of the first things you need to get done is connecting up the water, gas and electric supplies.

The mobile home gas installation involves supplying either LPG gas bottles or a storage tank.

Once the gas bottles or tank are present, we move on to connection of the gas supply.

Connecting the gas bottles is done via a changeover valve. 

This could be either a 2 hose or 4 hose connection.

Most of the time the changeover valve comes with the mobile home, but if not, then a new one is required.

The changeover over gas outlet pipe is then connected to the mobile gas pipe.

Connecting the gas supply from the storage tank is a little more simple. 

A gas pipe is run from the tank over to the mobile home. The pipe will be fitted with an isolation valve on the side on the mobile.

From the isolation valve outlet side, a new pipe is connected and then connected to the mobile gas pipe.

Now the gas supply is connected, we need to carry out some safety checks.

The first one is called a tightness test. This is to prove there are no gas leaks present.

Once the gas test has proved ok, we now need to check all of the gas appliances installed within the mobile home.

Most mobiles with have some form of gas water heater, this could be a standard Morco water heater or a combination boiler that will heat the water as well as heating through radiators.

We need to ensure that the water heater is safe to use, this involves checking the flue is working as it should be, and removing the products of combustion safely.

Ensuring that it is installed to gas regulations and safe to use.

Gas fires are normally installed in mobile homes, many different makes and models, but just like the water heater has to be safety checked.

Again, checking the flue and flue terminal is in good working order. Also installed to regulations.

Now we move on to cooking, it could be a gas hob and electric oven, or a gas cooker.

All gas appliances should be checked and certified before use.

The Mobile home gas installation is not just about connecting up the gas supply. It’s all about SAFETY.

The same goes for water and electric connections.

When searching for mobile home gas installation, make sure that you search for a Gas Safe Registered LPG engineer or company.

Always remember, that safety must come first and be your number one probity.

The annual boiler inspection or service as it is otherwise known is very important.

This tends to get overlooked unless a problem accrues.

So what’s so important about an annual boiler inspection?

SAFETY, you want to know your boiler is safe to use, especially if the boiler is located in a bedroom.

The majority of gas boilers installed in the United Kingdom are now condensing boilers, these boilers need a regular inspection.

Let me explain why.

The condense, these boilers produce while working is acidic, if an internal leak from the condense pipe happens, it could become fatal.

Condense dripping on to the gas supply pipe will, over time cause a small gas leak.

Another problem that we come up against is a leaking flue pipe.

The boiler flue pipe is made up of two pipes, you have the outer pipe which is made of metal and the inner pipe made from a plastic-type of material.

When connecting the flue to the boiler it is pushed into the flue elbow that is normally located on top.

The inner pipe is sealed via a rubber seal within the elbow, these can sometimes overtime let condense drip on to the outer pipe.

This will eventually make a hole within the pipe.

Should this happen, carbon monoxide could be leaking into the room the boiler is located in.

Carbon monoxide as we all know is the silent killer, you cannot see it or smell it.

It’s always a good idea to place a carbon monoxide detector in the same room as the boiler.

Part of the annual boiler inspection is checking over the flue pipe for any signs of leakage.

If your flue pipe has any extensions connected before it exits to the outside, all of the connection points need to be inspected.

If the whole flue cannot be inspected, it is classed as immediately dangerous and must be isolated and made safe.

 Inspection hatches will need to be installed close to all of the flue connections.

Once all the safety issues have been checked and inspected, we move onto checking the expansion vessel.

The expansion vessel works by absorbing the expansion as the water heats up.

When this happens you will notice the pressure gauge start to rise as the system heats up.

This means the expansion vessel needs attention.

The rest of the annual boiler inspection is carried out according to the boilermakers instructions.

Once completed a certificate is issued, signed and dated by the boiler gas safe engineer.

Home gas safety is about being safe.

Safe with your gas appliances as well as the gas supply with in your home.

Everybody who works with domestic gas, and gas appliances, LPG and natural gas, must be Gas Safe registered by law. 

You can report someone who is working on gas that you think may not be gas registered. 

Call the Gas Safe Register on their freephone number 0800 408 5500.

Explain that you believe someone who is working on your gas appliances may not be registered.

They will advise you on what to do.

Only use Gas Safe registered engineers to fit, fix and check gas appliances in your home, it’s the law, it will help keep you and your family safe.

All registered gas engineers must carry a gas safe ID card with them while working.

Always ask your gas engineer before any work is carried out, to show you his card this is very important.

When reading his card, it will explain the type of gas and appliances he can work on. 

These details can be found on the back of the card.

The card will also have a picture on the front of the engineer, if the picture is not the same, ask him to leave.

The consequences of using someone who is not gas registered could have a profound effect on you and your family.

Let me explain.

Your life could be in danger if the engineer is not qualified for gas.

Before any type of gas work is carried out, a registered engineer will carry out a few checks first. This ensures your safety.

Someone not registered will not carry out these checks.

Another thing you may not be aware of is your home insurance becomes void when using an unregistered gas engineer.

Home gas safety is all about being safe in your own home.

Gas can be very dangerous in the wrong hands.

Explosions through leakage and carbon monoxide being 2 of the main safety issues.

These are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.

If you believe you may be suffering any of the above, switch off all gas appliances, open as many windows as possible, contact the emergency services.

Home gas safety is about being sensible.

Ensure you have all your gas appliances, including the boiler, gas cooker or hob and any gas fires, checked over annually.

An easy way to find a local registered gas engineer is by using the gas safe website.

This way you will know the engineer is qualified for the work in question.

You can also find a Gas Safe registered engineer for your area by calling the free helpline on 0800 408 5500.

How do you find a local LPG boiler engineer?

Who can work on your boiler and other gas appliances?

You could visit Google and type in the search bar, LPG engineer near me.

Google will present you with around two million results for your search term.

At the top of the page will be three or four Local companies around your area.

Personally, I would use the Gas Safe Register and not Google to find an LPG engineer.

Let me explain why.

When you search Google many companies will show up, which is OK, nothing wrong with that.

But and this is a big but, you cannot be 100% sure they are registered to work on LPG.

I am not saying that they are not registered, what I am saying is, it will be quicker to visit the registered first.

As a gas user weather its, LPG or natural gas, you have a responsibility to ensure that anyone who works on your gas appliances and gas supply pipes is registered to work on gas.

The worst scenario is, should something go wrong, you could be prosecuted for not checking the gas engineer is registered.

Another problem you will also encounter is, should you make a claim on your insurance, you will find it has become void, due to you using a non-registered gas engineer.

Every gas engineer carries a gas safe card with them, so when your engineer arrives, ask to see his card.

If you are told, sorry I have forgotten it, I will bring it tomorrow, ask them to leave until they can produce it for you.

All gas engineers must carry their card at all times while working.

On this card, you will see details of the engineer in question. It will have a picture of the person, an expiry date which is normally 31st March.

On the back of the card will be the engineer’s qualification, this tells you what appliances he can work on.

One column will be for natural gas and the other for LPG. Be sure to check the card.

What you should do is then visit the gas safe register to verify the card.

Just because someone is registered, it does not necessarily mean they can work on LPG, so be sure to check.

By going to the register first, you will save time searching for an LPG engineer near me.

Once on the register, you enter a few details, and just like magic, you will have details of the local companies in your area.

Gas can be dangerous in the wrong hands, so always be safe and visit the register when you need any form of gas work carried out.