Reply to: New Boiler

[d000hg]

Kind of...we have a standard boiler that heats up the water in a cylinder and does the heating. I simply want to replace the old one with a updated new one. There is nothing wrong with the rest of what we have, just that the thing powering the whole system is old and inefficient. I don't want to lose the hot water tank for the reasons mentioned earlier - I don't want unlimited hot water - I like the fact that it is limited by the size of the tank!

That's exactly what we set out to do. However because the tank and pipes were equally old they had to do a lot of extra work. Apparently the guys doing it were well peed off especially since most of the extra work they couldn't pass on - took them 3 days instead of 1.5 they quoted for.

So beware, it mightn't be quite as simple as it might sound like it should be. Get someone to come and check it out.

[Fred Bloggs]

Kind of...we have a standard boiler that heats up the water in a cylinder and does the heating. I simply want to replace the old one with a updated new one. There is nothing wrong with the rest of what we have, just that the thing powering the whole system is old and inefficient. I don't want to lose the hot water tank for the reasons mentioned earlier - I don't want unlimited hot water - I like the fact that it is limited by the size of the tank!

No problem at all. Like for like replacement if you choose the regular condensing boiler from that Worcester Bosch link. All boiler makers do that kind of boiler. IMO you should also look at upgrading your CH controls at the same time as the boiler by using things like outside temperatue control. The boiler makers websites are packed with stuff like that.

[BoredBloke]

Are you just saying you want a like-for-like replacement for your old system which heated water and put it in a tank?

That's what we did: Baxi Bermuda Back Boiler Unit

Kind of...we have a standard boiler that heats up the water in a cylinder and does the heating. I simply want to replace the old one with a updated new one. There is nothing wrong with the rest of what we have, just that the thing powering the whole system is old and inefficient. I don't want to lose the hot water tank for the reasons mentioned earlier - I don't want unlimited hot water - I like the fact that it is limited by the size of the tank!

[Lockhouse]

£8.5k.

That quoter must have a very interesting pricing scheme.

British Gas.

[ASB]

OK, Got my quote; £8667. That's for two boilers. a 40kwh for the heating\hot water and a 20kwh for the indoor pool and annex. It will take 5 days to install and set up.

They don't do any single bigger boilers unless I go commercial which is 15K and has no benefit except just being one single unit. We're going to get a couple more quotes but looks like we'll be limping on for now and getting a new boiler (or two) when time and money permits.

£8.5k.

That quoter must have a very interesting pricing scheme.

[OwlHoot]

.. servicing to maintain the warranty will not come cheap. ..

That's the big problem with all these fancy modern boilers. The plumber says all the pipes need sluicing out once a year, and the radiators bleeding (!), which is apparently almost as time consuming and labour intensive as pushing a pea across the Sahara desert with your nose. Or that was the impression he gave. So I would expect that to cost several hundred pounds! Per year!!

With my old electric boiler all I had to do was unscrew the main element housing, stick in a new heating element, toss a sacrificial anode into the boiler, and it was good to go for another five years! Job done in ten minutes for £20 tops.

Snag is I don't really have room for a water tank in my current flat. So a combi is the only option AFAIK.

[jimjamuk]

having an extension done to the cardbord box as we speak - builder says that apart from venting into the new extension with the old boiller it might be wise to replace and put in a new vent pointing outside - dunno what he's on about

Said boiler would be about 600-700 quid and as long as we put it roughly in the same spot (so they done have to reroute the pipework and gas) it would be about the same again to fit with a new vent

£8000

[d000hg]

Ok - probably had my terminology wrong, but what I meant was I'd like a system boiler or a regular boiler rather than a combi boiler.

Are they still allowed?

Gas boilers - Worcester, Bosch Group UK homeowner site

Are you just saying you want a like-for-like replacement for your old system which heated water and put it in a tank?

That's what we did: Baxi Bermuda Back Boiler Unit

[Lockhouse]

OK, Got my quote; £8667. That's for two boilers. a 40kwh for the heating\hot water and a 20kwh for the indoor pool and annex. It will take 5 days to install and set up.

They don't do any single bigger boilers unless I go commercial which is 15K and has no benefit except just being one single unit. We're going to get a couple more quotes but looks like we'll be limping on for now and getting a new boiler (or two) when time and money permits.

[Fred Bloggs]

Boilers for CH systems with hot water tanks are available as condensing boilers, no problem.

[BoredBloke]

Ok - probably had my terminology wrong, but what I meant was I'd like a system boiler or a regular boiler rather than a combi boiler.

Are they still allowed?

Gas boilers - Worcester, Bosch Group UK homeowner site

[Fred Bloggs]

You might be (rightly in my view) happy to have a non condensing boiler. Sadly building regs aren't. You can always try for an exemption cert from building control though.

+1. Don't hold your breath waiting for an exemption.

[Fred Bloggs]

Excellent post, very useful.

What do you reckon of Vaillant combis? I thought they had the best reputation. They're flippin expensive enough (see previous post)

I would never buy a combi boiler of any description. Amongst many drawbacks are the fact that I would lose my airing cupboard. Combi boliers do not have a hot water cylinder. Note that "combi" and "condensing" are not the same thing at all. AFAIK, Vaillant are a decent boiler but I'd still go for Weissman myself. They are guaranteed for 5 years as long as you use a Weissman installer. Ofcourse, it may cost an arm and a leg and the servicing to maintain the warranty will not come cheap. Myself, I'm keeping my 17 y.o. Baxi going for as long as possible.

[ASB]

I'm happy to have a non condensing boiler - just the same simple setup I already have but with a newer boiler. I'm not interested in the hot water whenever you want it for the simple reason that the kids only get out tof the shower when there is no hot water left. I don't want to change this to them only getting out of the shower once there is no gas left to supply the hot water.

You might be (rightly in my view) happy to have a non condensing boiler. Sadly building regs aren't. You can always try for an exemption cert from building control though.

[BoredBloke]

I'm happy to have a non condensing boiler - just the same simple setup I already have but with a newer boiler. I'm not interested in the hot water whenever you want it for the simple reason that the kids only get out tof the shower when there is no hot water left. I don't want to change this to them only getting out of the shower once there is no gas left to supply the hot water.