Gas Boiler

djr2031

Our gas boiler is over 20 years old and needs replacing. Even with grants can't afford heat pump system so looking at replacing with a new gas boiler.  Expect it to last for 15years.  Is there any date when gas will no longer be supplied to households as don't want to install something that will be obsolete in near future. 

lookbook

No date as far as I'm aware. They have stopped installing gas to new build properties only.

tacpot12

No, there's not been a date published for when the gas network will be decommissioned. I expect that a date will have to be published with quite a number of year's notice, and the decomissioning is likely to be done area by area; so you are likely to hear that decomissioning has started before it reaches your area. 

My parents had a new boiler fitted a week ago, and the heating engineer didn't try to steer them away from gas. I think you are fine to for a new boiler now.  

BarelySentientAI

There are still discussions about converting the gas grid into a hydrogen grid - until that's finally been done away with as an option then nobody is taking away the gas.

FreeBear

BarelySentientAI said:

There are still discussions about converting the gas grid into a hydrogen grid - until that's finally been done away with as an option then nobody is taking away the gas.

Pilot projects for hydrogen in England have all been scrapped for the foreseeable future, and the one remaining scheme in Scotland is mired in setbacks and failures Unlikely that that project will produce any meaningful results..

Hydrogen does nasty things to a lot of the materials used in the gas distribution network (look up "hydrogen embrittlement"), so there are major infrastructure costs involved before we can start burning hydrogen (and that is on top of boiler/cooker upgrades).

djr2031 said: Our gas boiler is over 20 years old and needs replacing. Even with grants can't afford heat pump system so looking at replacing with a new gas boiler.

Had a quote from Octopus earlier in the year for an ASHP of just £2700 (subject to survey). This was only slightly more than I paid for a new gas combi last year. Although, once the cost of the new radiators & plumbing that I added is taken in to account, the Octopus quote would have been quite a bit cheaper.

Eldi_Dos

FreeBear said:

BarelySentientAI said:

There are still discussions about converting the gas grid into a hydrogen grid - until that's finally been done away with as an option then nobody is taking away the gas.

Hydrogen does nasty things to a lot of the materials used in the gas distribution network (look up "hydrogen embrittlement"), so there are major infrastructure costs involved before we can start burning hydrogen (and that is on top of boiler/cooker upgrades).

Fibre Optic cables do not like being in a Hydrogen rich enviroment, if it gets to the fibres it effects the transmission quality.

Scot_39

djr2031 said:

Our gas boiler is over 20 years old and needs replacing. Even with grants can't afford heat pump system so looking at replacing with a new gas boiler.  Expect it to last for 15years.  Is there any date when gas will no longer be supplied to households as don't want to install something that will be obsolete in near future. 

Depends on where you live as Green Policy appears devolved.

There was talk of a date in 2035 in Eng  - but the Cons watered that down - amongst the ice car and other dates - and now only for replacement after 2035.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/sep/20/uk-net-zero-policies-scrapped-what-do-changes-mean

But Labour were looking af accelerating dates again - a lot of their aims were 2030.  You'd have to read up on their plans now I guess in power.

The Sottish Greens - were pushing many aggressive dates ' but were compromising on some dates even last year when Bute House power share still active.

Their dates were ultimately a back stop of 2045 for all.

Replacements ??

Unless sold - in which case new owners have to fit zero emissions within x years - which could impact pricing at a guess.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67553862

Would have to find a more detailed source than BBC article though to see earlier dates / details. 

MP1995

I would think it's potentially a big risk getting a new gas boiler whilst the ASHP grant is at its current level.

Possible issues

1) No grant available in 15 years 
2) Gas becomes the devil's fuel and attracts an emissions tax sending prices higher

Plus many others