Well, that's our Worcester Bosch combi boiler truly fooked! After about 12 years of nothing but trouble with it, we need a new boiler. We currently have no hot water yet again, the boiler has had numerous circuit boards, gas valves and a replacement fan, so its got to go!

 

I presume the new condensing boilers are the way to go? We live in a 4 bed house, so we would like something that can cope, unlike the current boiler that we've got.

 

Any advice on what boilers are best, approximate cost of a new boiler including installation would be much appreciated!

Combi boilers are fucking wank, especially in bigger houses.

 

Get yerself a standard boiler and an unvented hot water storage tank. Even if your boiler fails you'll always have the back up of an immersion.

 

Is it a new build house?

Combi boilers are fucking wank, especially in bigger houses.

 

Get yerself a standard boiler and an unvented hot water storage tank. Even if your boiler fails you'll always have the back up of an immersion.

 

Is it a new build house?

No not a new build house, the house was built in the 60's. We just want something reliable and to be able to get hot running water relativeley quickly instead of standing there for about 2 minutes.

Edited October 1, 20178 yr by Blondi

No not a new build house, the house was built in the 60's. We just want something reliable and to be able to get hot running water relativeley quickly instead of standing there for about 2 minutes.

Honestly, combi boilers are no use in a 4 bed house.

 

How many baths/showers/basins do you have, and how many people in the house?

Combis are ideal where your hot water demand isn't too high i.e. Smaller properties. Unvented is a good way to go. Although it's a bit of work converting to that! And you'd need to find room for cylinder. Regarding your old boiler sounds like you've been unfortunate there. Worcesters and Vaillants are up there with the best boilers about.

I joined British Gas for 12 months, about £20 a month for parts and labour, after what went wrong with my boiler it was a bloody bargain, engineer reckoned over £900 to fix it. I've only a two bed bungalow so happy with my Worcester Green Star.

Combis are ideal where your hot water demand isn't too high i.e. Smaller properties. Unvented is a good way to go. Although it's a bit of work converting to that! And you'd need to find room for cylinder. Regarding your old boiler sounds like you've been unfortunate there. Worcesters and Vaillants are up there with the best boilers about.

I'm biased about unvented cylinders as my company makes them.

 

That said, combis are gradually being recognised as unsuitable for anything bigger than a small flat or 2 bed house.

I'm biased about unvented cylinders as my company makes them.

 

That said, combis are gradually being recognised as unsuitable for anything bigger than a small flat or 2 bed house.

I was led to believe that a top of the range combi boiler would be suitable for my house and in fact i was going to get my plumber to quote this week. I have 4 beds/3 bathrooms and i loathe the hot water cylinder we have in our laundry room. How does an unvented cylinder improve on what i have currently got?

I was led to believe that a top of the range combi boiler would be suitable for my house and in fact i was going to get my plumber to quote this week. I have 4 beds/3 bathrooms and i loathe the hot water cylinder we have in our laundry room. How does an unvented cylinder improve on what i have currently got?

It's pressurised so you have guaranteed good water pressure around the house, even if several taps are open at once.

 

With a combi, you will find that the pressure is unpredictable.

 

Plus, when a combi breaks - and even the good ones do - your are left with no heating or hot water. A cylinder system would still give you hot water if your boiler breaks, which is less likely with a standard boiler as there are less parts to go wrong.

 

Chances are you currently have a standard vented copper cylinder? An unvented Tempest cylinder looks good too :-)

https://www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/blog/vented-vs-unvented-hot-water-cylinders

It's pressurised so you have guaranteed good water pressure around the house, even if several taps are open at once.

 

With a combi, you will find that the pressure is unpredictable.

 

Plus, when a combi breaks - and even the good ones do - your are left with no heating or hot water. A cylinder system would still give you hot water if your boiler breaks, which is less likely with a standard boiler as there are less parts to go wrong.

 

Chances are you currently have a standard vented copper cylinder? An unvented Tempest cylinder looks good too :-)

Thanks for the info. I will have a chat to my plumber this week

Tin bath and a cauldron over the fire.

Combi boilers are fucking wank, especially in bigger houses.

 

Get yerself a standard boiler and an unvented hot water storage tank. Even if your boiler fails you'll always have the back up of an immersion.

 

Is it a new build house?

How does a standard boiler & unvented hot water storage tank compare to the efficiency of a condensing boiler?

 

Btw, just had a gas engineer out and our combi's circuit board is goosed yet again, only had it replaced last year.

How does a standard boiler & unvented hot water storage tank compare to the efficiency of a condensing boiler?

 

Btw, just had a gas engineer out and our combi's circuit board is goosed yet again, only had it replaced last year.

Case in point, circuit boards used in the vast majority of combis are utter shit. Combi manufacturers know this but don't care.

 

A condensing boiler/unvented tank is more efficient if you get the right ones.

 

If you've got the will to do it , and the space, have a look at renewables like solar or air source heat pumps. Well worth the investment.

I thought the the push towards condensing jobs was because of better efficiency. Could be wrong.

 

My Worcester boiler is fine with the exception of the switch valve always sticking when it comes time to start using it again. Engineer said to switch it on occasionally in summer to prevent this.

When we tried it had already stuck again.

Case in point, circuit boards used in the vast majority of combis are utter shit. Combi manufacturers know this but don't care.

A condensing boiler/unvented tank is more efficient if you get the right ones.

If you've got the will to do it , and the space, have a look at renewables like solar or air source heat pumps. Well worth the investment.

Yep.

Obviously like my wood burner, and they're getting increasingly efficient. More fuels coming out now; harvested bracken and olive kernels for example. Norway actually has a net increase in biomass despite wood being the main heat source for many. They make sure they plant more than enough trees to compensate.

 

Combine with other renewables and I'm sure that's the way forward.

Wood burners might face a crackdown, they belch out some pretty nasty air pollutants - London is getting smog again and the popularity of wood burners is contributing.

 

Renewables have some good incentives - air source heat pumps basically provide you with free hot water.

Wood burners might face a crackdown, they belch out some pretty nasty air pollutants - London is getting smog again and the popularity of wood burners is contributing.

Renewables have some good incentives - air source heat pumps basically provide you with free hot water.

Yeah, though a lot of that is down to poor fuel preparation. Going back to Norway; its illegal to sell wood of a moisture content higher than 20%.

I can see the standards (DEFRA) being made more stringent too, similar to how diesel cars have had new pollution prevention standards put on them.

We've recently changed ours and it has an ad-blue tank like trucks and buses. Was surprised but happy enough.

Will any of this help my taps?

Still knackered?

Still knackered?

Yeah - I've tried leaving them to their own devices but they've still not pulled their fingers out!

Yeah - I've tried leaving them to their own devices but they've still not pulled their fingers out!

You probably need to faucet.

You probably need to faucet.

Lovely work! :-)

You probably need to faucet.

Post of the month

My whole central heating system is fucked

 

Got an Ideal Classic boiler that is about 20 years old and at the last service the bloke from the AA (who we have our maintenance plan with) said that it will fail within the next 12 months due to corrosion on the flue outlet

 

Add to that the diverter valve is knackered (radiators come on even if the heating is off when the water heats up) and the thermostat in the hall has pretty much given up

 

Any advice on where/who to go to for the best deal gratefully received

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