New Boiler Exeter: Gas Safe Installers

Exeter's housing is split between older terraces and semis near the centre and newer estates on the edges. That affects what you install. Older homes mostly have gas boilers. Newer homes are more varied: almost a quarter of new-builds with an EPC up to March 2022 were on a community heating scheme rather than their own boiler.

Exeter at a glance

Water hardness: Mostly soft. South West Water says most of its supply comes from moorland rivers and reservoirs and is soft or moderately soft. East Devon, supplied from boreholes, is the one area it treats as hard, so homes on the city's eastern edge should check their postcode. Source
How homes are heated: 76.4% of Exeter households heat with mains gas only and 11.5% (6,029) with electricity only. 579 homes (1.1%) are on a district or communal heat network, 1,157 (2.2%) had no central heating, and 135 (0.3%) used oil only. Source
Heating in new homes: Of new-build homes in Exeter with an EPC lodged up to March 2022, 23.8% were heated by a community heating scheme and 66.5% by mains gas. Across all Exeter homes, community heating was 3.8%. Source
Housing mix: 31.3% of Exeter households lived in terraced houses in 2021, 26.9% in semis and 15.1% in detached houses. 26.0% lived in flats, maisonettes or apartments. Source
Median energy score: About 41% of homes with an EPC in Exeter are rated band D or below (median score 70, band C), against 47% across England. Based on certificates lodged in the 10 years to March 2025. Source

Matching the boiler to the home

Ask each installer for a heat loss calculation instead of matching the old boiler's size. A combi suits most flats and smaller houses with one bathroom. Larger homes with two bathrooms may need a system boiler and an unvented cylinder to supply two showers at once.

Ask what controls are included. Weather or load compensation lets the boiler run cooler in mild spells, which saves gas in a climate like Exeter's.

Flues and conservation areas

Exeter has a number of conservation areas around the historic centre. If you live in one, or in a listed building, check with the council before changing the flue position on a front elevation. A flue on a rear or side wall usually causes fewer problems.

Soft water

Most of Exeter has soft water, so a scale reducer isn't usually needed. Put the money into a magnetic filter, a proper system flush and good controls. If you live on the East Devon side, check your hardness first.

Price a heat pump too

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, with no income test. For a well-insulated semi with a garden, it's worth getting a heat pump quote before you commit to another gas boiler.

Exeter homes and what they need

Interwar and post-war semis

Replacing a regular boiler with a combi frees loft and cupboard space, but larger households should compare a system boiler.

Victorian and Georgian terraces

Tight spaces and old pipework mean installation may take longer. Check that the gas supply pipe is large enough for a modern combi.

New-build estates on the edge of the city

If your home is on a heat network, you can't simply fit a gas boiler. Speak to the network operator about your options.

Areas covered

Engineers who cover Exeter work across areas including Heavitree, St Thomas, St Leonard's, Pennsylvania, Alphington, Whipton, Pinhoe, Exwick, Topsham and Cranbrook.

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Questions people in Exeter ask

What should an Exeter boiler quote include?

The boiler, flue, magnetic filter, system flush, controls, removal of the old boiler and Building Regulations notification. Our new boiler cost guide has national price ranges for comparison.

How long does a boiler installation take in Exeter?

A straight combi swap usually takes a day or two. Moving the boiler, converting from a regular system or upgrading the gas pipe adds time.

Do I need to tell the council about a new boiler?

Your Gas Safe installer registers the work under Building Regulations and you receive a certificate. Keep it, as buyers' solicitors ask for it.

Sources

Also nearby: Boiler installation in Plymouth, Boiler installation in Bristol, Boiler installation in Bournemouth

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