New Boiler

[BoredBloke]

Have any of you lot had their boiler replaced? There is nothing wrong with the one we have other than it's old and will be hugely inefficient compared to the ones available at the moment. I've searched on the net, but there seems to be very little in terms of what I'm likely to have to fork out. The British Gas website estimates our potential (made up) savings to be in the region of £335 a year.

[EternalOptimist]

Have any of you lot had their boiler replaced? There is nothing wrong with the one we have other than it's old and will be hugely inefficient compared to the ones available at the moment. I've searched on the net, but there seems to be very little in terms of what I'm likely to have to fork out. The British Gas website estimates our potential (made up) savings to be in the region of £335 a year.

335 ?

Thats one heck of a saving. i have trouble believing that

[BoredBloke]

335 ?

Thats one heck of a saving. i have trouble believing that

me too - that's why I said made up. But googling our boiler, its rated at G. It's also 30 years old and the original one from when our house was built and when it was a 3 bedroom house rather than the 4 bedroom house it is now. So it's the boiler equivalent of putting a pensioner on a very fast treadmill.

[EternalOptimist]

So it's the boiler equivalent of putting a pensioner on a very fast treadmill.

wow, that sounds great. I'd pay to see that. not £335 though, maybe £100

[ChrisPackit]

335 ?

Thats one heck of a saving. i have trouble believing that

Gotta beleive British Gas, they are the experts...


Thanks, Chris

(currently at British Gas)

[d000hg]

If it's 30 years old then I can believe you might halve you bills.

We had one like that, an old back-boiler, that died and couldn't be fixed. Actually opted for a modern back-boiler on the basis it would be less work involved tearing the house to bits, wouldn't risk damage tot he plumbing with higher-pressure, etc. As it turned out lots was so old it had to be replaced and going with a standard combi would've been at least as easy and a bit cheaper too.

It will take quite a few years to pay for itself but if you are there long-term it's worth it. On the other hand, it might help when selling that you don't have something so antique.

[Lockhouse]

We're just going through this at the moment. We have a 36 year old boiler that still works. It's a big beast rated at 59Kw and they are talking about replacing it with two smaller boilers which I think is a very bad idea as it's twice as much to go wrong.

British gas have slapped a warning notice on the boiler for poor ventilation but that's just scare tactics. They've also told us they can't get parts which I also take with a pinch of salt.

British Gas are coming round today to quote us properly. I will then get a couple of quotes from local tradespeople to see what they reckon.

At the end of the day the boiler is still working even though it's not covered with a service contract. I'm tempted to wait until it dies before replacing it. It's worked for the last 36 years and I'm not bothered too much about how "green" it is.

[EternalOptimist]

We're just going through this at the moment. We have a 36 year old boiler that still works. It's a big beast rated at 59Kw ..... It's worked for the last 36 years and I'm not bothered too much about how "green" it is.

green ??? 59kwh ?? you would need the whole street to have solar panels installed, the sun to shine 24 hours a day and large windmill stuck up yer bum to power THAT bastid

[d000hg]

they are talking about replacing it with two smaller boilers which I think is a very bad idea as it's twice as much to go wrong.

Seems odd. Is that 59 output or usage... if the latter a modern 40 one might be as effective?

British gas have slapped a warning notice on the boiler for poor ventilation but that's just scare tactics. They've also told us they can't get parts which I also take with a pinch of salt.

There are strict rules so it's not scare tactics just the law, unfortunately. If your old boiler goes you will then need to comply once you get a new one, and the house would not likely meet these requirements based on the age. Holes in the floor and/or wall... but if you get a new boiler they do this as standard.
The problem will be getting anyone to touch your old boiler. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they are right about parts. We had an independent guy out when we thought we were being spun the same line, he was doubtful and told us exactly what parts we needed so we could look for ourselves; "I'll fit it if you can find it" he said, and we couldn't.

British Gas are coming round today to quote us properly. I will then get a couple of quotes from local tradespeople to see what they reckon.

At the end of the day the boiler is still working even though it's not covered with a service contract. I'm tempted to wait until it dies before replacing it. It's worked for the last 36 years and I'm not bothered too much about how "green" it is.[/QUOTE]

[Sysman]

British gas have slapped a warning notice on the boiler for poor ventilation but that's just scare tactics. They've also told us they can't get parts which I also take with a pinch of salt.

Correct on both counts. If the poor ventilation were a danger they'd condemn it and disconnect it.

I've had the "can't get parts" story. More like the suppliers cut their credit off for not paying on time, or some such.

"In the old days we would have made a new gasket ourselves...
"but we are only allowed to use manufacturers' part nowadays...
"the manufacturer doesn't make these parts anymore..."

Tosh. When you've worked in engineering trades you can smell the brown stuff a mile away.

And then 6 months later I read that employees were getting cash bonuses for recommending a new boiler.

British Gas are coming round today to quote us properly. I will then get a couple of quotes from local tradespeople to see what they reckon.

British Gas used to subcontract work like this. Expect their quotes to be roughly what local tradespeople quote plus a markup of a third or so. They'll use a local subcontractor to do the quote anyway.