Boilers, New Boiler Needed Options

[Ozzy]

We need a new boiler, according to British Gas, so i'm doing some hunting around. BG original price is overpriced.

Anyone got any recommendations or experiences with local trades?

[Biker1]

We need a new boiler, according to British Gas, so i'm doing some hunting around. BG original price is overpriced.

Anyone got any recommendations or experiences with local trades?

As you say, BG will rip you off with a highly inflated quote.
Find a local, qualified, recommended tradesperson and get a few quotes.
Checkatrade and Ratedpeople are good sites to find reputable trades.
I had a Worcester Bosch boiler fitted and it has been fine although it was at the top end of the price range of boilers.

[Newbelly]

We need a new boiler, according to British Gas,

My advice, always get a second opinion when BG says you need a new boiler.

[stewiegriffin]

Don't know what size house you've got, but if it helps I put a new boiler in a rental property about 18 months ago for £1000 inc fitting. A 2 bed house with 6 radiators. The boiler wasn't top of the range but still plenty good enough.

[Ozzy]

As you say, BG will rip you off with a highly inflated quote.

My advice, always get a second opinion when BG says you need a new boiler.

I'm well aware of BG and the way they work. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2012/0...h_gas_2012.html

I'm not taking their word for it, but it's probably about time. 12 years old now and that would be there defence for recommending we get a new one. I'm not convinced we need one desparetly but it's nearing that time.

I'd like to get some local trades in, as in theory they should be cheaper. However, you just never know what you are going to get. At least with BG you can tackle them if something goes wrong.

I'll try those two ratings sites.

[On the edge]

Second Biker1's choice of boiler (Worcester Bosch) ours has been in 18 months now and is great. It replaced a floor mounted traditional flued Potterton which was about 20 years old. My better half initially complained that the new boiler wasn't much good for drying clothes - but we have noticed a difference in that gas bills are lower. SSE fitted ours on a package deal - seemed OK and workmanlike. We used a local chap in Shaw previously who was very good indeed - nothing too much trouble and inexpensive, he was in the Phone book, can't recall his name.

[gel]

OUR BOILER Servicing guy advises new crop of condensing boilers, which is what EU/ Greens force on us, will last nowhere as long as older generation.
(So not very green )

So if repair guy (not BG obviously) says it can be repaired, best spend the £ money, and put some away for when you do need to finally change.

Surprisingly large portion of people now buy the boiler themselves online, for fitting by qualified person.

[On the edge]

OUR BOILER Servicing guy advises new crop of condensing boilers, which is what EU/ Greens force on us, will last nowhere as long as older generation.
(So not very green )

So if repair guy (not BG obviously) says it can be repaired, best spend the £ money, and put some away for when you do need to finally change.

Surprisingly large portion of people now buy the boiler themselves online, for fitting by qualified person.

A lot of truth in that. However, if the cast iron water jacket is shot, not too much else you can do! As to the longevity of the condensing replacements, I'm not convinced that burning gas in domestic boilers is a sustainable long term position - even with the exploitation of gas from oil shales. Over here, as well as EU / Green policies, we are hampered by the confused and muddled LibDem energy policies which Mr Hune managed to foist on the Government before he departed to spend more time

[JeffG]

The problem with a condensing boiler as far as I can see is that you lose the airing cupboard with its hot water tank, which I find indispensable. (Odd - I thought that was an -ible word, but my squiggly red line told me otherwise.)

[gel]

The problem with a condensing boiler as far as I can see is that you lose the airing cupboard with its hot water tank, which I find indispensable. (Odd - I thought that was an -ible word, but my squiggly red line told me otherwise.)

YES OUR OIL BOILER even just on "Hot Water" setting heats up kitchen radiator; very useful, but would be deemed wasteful no doubt; equally flue from boiler which is in kitchen, is hot, and also used for drying towels.
These days that would be cold/ highly lagged.

[Andy Capp]

Yes, drying clothes seems to be omitted from the requisites of home heating systems. We often end-up putting the heating on in the summer just to dry clothes (it rains a lot).

[Exhausted]

The problem with a condensing boiler as far as I can see is that you lose the airing cupboard with its hot water tank, which I find indispensable. (Odd - I thought that was an -ible word, but my squiggly red line told me otherwise.)

Condensing boilers are a newish design which replaces the old 'weighs a ton' cast iron boiler. They are consideably more efficient. However, a straight replacement retains the copper cylinder and header tank in the loft so if that is a priority for you, then you will still have an airing cupboard. Bear in mind though that if the airing cupboard gets really warm that is heat loss and reduces the overall efficiency.
The alternative type of boiler is a combi condensing boiler. This boiler works at mains pressure for the hot water and produces heating and unlimited hot water on demand without storage tank and header tank. There are combi systems which do make use of a storage tank but not usually in a domestic situation. They do not produce heat outside the boiler case.It is also advisable in this area to fit a water softener.
If the layout of your house allows it, a good option is zoned heating. Downstairs on during the day, bedrooms at low temperature and the opposite at night. Temperature control is the key to economic heating using programmable controllers.
I'm a fan of Vailant boilers and have installed three combis (using a gas safe installer) and they have been so good and never missed a beat. Top of the range at a good price (comparitively).
One thing that can be a problem is that the chimney gas tends to be visible in colder weather and plumes. This can be stressful for neighbours if they do not understand that the gas coming out is almost all water vapour and there are very few noxious fumes unlike the invisible product from the old type boilers.

[NWNREADER]

Quite honestly, if any energy supplier said I needed a new boiler I would understand that to mean they want me to buy one....

Get an independent engineer to look at yours and assess it. The utility companies tell you how efficient a new boiler is, but there is still the cost to put against the savings.

My boiler is around 20 years old, and the annual service is all it needs.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, let alone replace it - and certainly not on the say-so of an interested party....

[Penelope]

Quite honestly, if any energy supplier said I needed a new boiler I would understand that to mean they want me to buy one....

Get an independent engineer to look at yours and assess it. The utility companies tell you how efficient a new boiler is, but there is still the cost to put against the savings.

My boiler is around 20 years old, and the annual service is all it needs.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, let alone replace it - and certainly not on the say-so of an interested party....

Problem is, it's always gonna break on Xmas eve.

[Andy Capp]

Problem is, it's always gonna break on Xmas eve.

Or when things are at their coldest!

[Exhausted]

My boiler is around 20 years old, and the annual service is all it needs.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, let alone replace it - and certainly not on the say-so of an interested party....

That's quite a good maxim but if you had a new condensing boiler fitted ten years ago, you would already have paid for it more than once due to the lower running costs and they are considerable as you no longer send masses of heat out through the flue heating up Newbury instead of your house.

[On the edge]

Quite honestly, if any energy supplier said I needed a new boiler I would understand that to mean they want me to buy one....

Get an independent engineer to look at yours and assess it. The utility companies tell you how efficient a new boiler is, but there is still the cost to put against the savings.

My boiler is around 20 years old, and the annual service is all it needs.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, let alone replace it - and certainly not on the say-so of an interested party....

Aye, these machines 'ave bin w' us since old Queen were't on throne!

[Cognosco]

Quite honestly, if any energy supplier said I needed a new boiler I would understand that to mean they want me to buy one....

Get an independent engineer to look at yours and assess it. The utility companies tell you how efficient a new boiler is, but there is still the cost to put against the savings.

My boiler is around 20 years old, and the annual service is all it needs.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, let alone replace it - and certainly not on the say-so of an interested party....

One of my neighbors was told by British Gas that her boiler was obsolete and she needed a new boiler. She got a local independent in and was informed that her boiler was not obsolete and only needed a new part fitted and servicing.
£95 later and all was working well and has been for the last five years.!

[On the edge]

One of my neighbors was told by British Gas that her boiler was obsolete and she needed a new boiler. She got a local independent in and was informed that her boiler was not obsolete and only needed a new part fitted and servicing.
£95 later and all was working well and has been for the last five years.!

Pays your money makes your choice. Just like a car (and how many of us are driving 20 year old cars?) when maintenance reaches decision time. There are lots of factors to take into account - not just the immediate cost.

With heating today, there is another factor - the longer term cost and availability of the fuel. My sister has taken the quick fix option with her oil fired system - on the basis that she'll be there for one more winter, so it won't be her problem.

[JeffG]

Condensing boilers are a newish design which replaces the old 'weighs a ton' cast iron boiler. They are consideably more efficient. However, a straight replacement retains the copper cylinder and header tank in the loft so if that is a priority for you, then you will still have an airing cupboard. Bear in mind though that if the airing cupboard gets really warm that is heat loss and reduces the overall efficiency.
The alternative type of boiler is a combi condensing boiler. This boiler works at mains pressure for the hot water and produces heating and unlimited hot water on demand without storage tank and header tank. There are combi systems which do make use of a storage tank but not usually in a domestic situation. They do not produce heat outside the boiler case.It is also advisable in this area to fit a water softener.

Ok, I was half-way there, then I have recently had a new cylinder fitted to my oil-fired system which according to the label on the front is to BS1566 and is Grade 3 single lagged. Very little heat escapes from the cylinder itself, but the pipes that feed it give off enough heat to keep the airing cupboard cosily warm.

PS: Maybe I'm just soft, but I put the heating (as well as the normal hot water) yesterday morning for the first time since I switched it off earlier in the year. The house was starting to get a little cold...