Gas boilers ‘should be banned from 2025’ – how it affects you explained

GAS boilers should be banned from 2025 to help save the planet from climate change, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said.

The step is one out 400 necessary for the world to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, according to the intergovernmental organisation.

When gas is made, it releases carbon emissions into the environment, which in turn contribute towards global warming.

The IEA said no new fossil fuel boilers should be sold from 2025, except where they are compatible with hydrogen.

In the future, new homes will instead be required to have low-carbon alternatives, such as electric heat pumps.

The report also said the sale of new petrol and diesel cars around the world should end by 2035.

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In comparison, the UK government last year announced the sale of such cars will be banned by 2030.

The IEA warned the path to cutting emissions to “net zero” by 2050, which is needed to prevent dangerous temperature rises, is “narrow but still achievable”.

Global warming of more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels exposes the world to more extreme weather and higher sea levels.

Fatih Birol, IEA executive director, said: “The scale and speed of the efforts demanded by this critical and formidable goal make this perhaps the greatest challenge humankind has ever faced.”

How would a gas boiler ban affect you?

The IEA warning comes after reports that gas boilers are set to be banned in all new-build homes from 2023, two years earlier than first announced.

Meanwhile, millions of homes will need to have their old gas boilers ripped out within the next eight years.

If you currently have a gas boiler, keep in mind the government hasn’t yet confirmed exactly when the ban would come into effect.

However, if your boiler breaks down after 2025, you may find that you have to replace it for one of the below options.

When the government first proposed the ban, it also acknowledged practical challenges to overcome, such as a target of 300,000 new homes to build a year.

Currently, about 30,000 heat pumps are installed each year, but the government wants to increase this to 600,000 a year by 2028.

How to save on your energy bills

SWITCHING energy providers can sound like a hassle – but fortunately it’s pretty straight forward to change supplier – and save lots of cash.

Shop around – If you’re on an SVT deal you are likely throwing away around £300 a year. Use a comparion site such as MoneySuperMarket.com, uSwitch or EnergyHelpline.com to see what deals are available to you.

The cheapest deals are usually found online and are fixed deals – meaning you’ll pay a fixed amount usually for 12 months.

Switch – When you’ve found one, all you have to do is contact the new supplier.

It helps to have the following information – which you can find on your bill – to hand to give the new supplier.

Your postcode
Name of your existing supplier
Name of your existing deal and how much you pay
An up-to-date meter reading

It will then notify your current supplier and begin the switch.

It should take no longer than three weeks to complete the switch and your supply won’t be interrupted in that time.

There are a number of different ways to “decarbonise” heating.

One option is scrapping gas boilers and instead using a heat network that pumps hot water and air through pipes to warm homes.

Another idea is to just use electricity to warm homes.

Some households are already electricity-only, using storage heaters instead of radiators to heat their property.

Ofgem said last year it could also look at different ways to making homes electric, such as by using electricity to power heat pumps.

Lastly, gas boilers could be upgraded to work with decarbonised gas, such as hydrogen.

Low-carbon heat pumps and networks could add £5,000 to the cost of a new-build, due to often involving underfloor heating and larger radiators.

While simply replacing a gas boiler could cost between £500 and £2,500.

However, replacing a gas boiler with an air source heat pump could save homeowners in a four-bed house £1,300 a year on their heating bills, according to Rated People.