Except in a few countries, home boiler heating systems are the center of the home. It is what makes it comfortable and luxurious - it is what makes it a home (at least during winter).
It may seem like a disaster if the boiler is approaching its final days of useful work, but in fact it is a great chance to sort a few things out. It is an exciting time. Honestly.
It is smart to think about a boiler replacement as soon as you sense that something is awry with the current set up. Leave it too late and you will end up buying the first thing that seems to do the job - this will be a missed opportunity.
If you really have an old boiler you can hardly fail to replace it with something that does the job better for less money. Take gas home heating boilers as an example. Even ten years ago efficiency rating of 60% were not uncommon. Because gas is comparatively cheap (even this efficiency will probably make it cheaper than a simple electrically heated system), manufacturers seemed to get away with it.
The truth is that that performance was not good in a gas central heating boilers. They are now much more efficient - 95% for example. They make use of the heat that was previously wasted in the atmosphere.
But the improvement in heating efficiency that has been demanded by consumers and governments is not limited to gas. Look far and wide - even home wood fired boilers are an effective alternative for some families.