Central heating boiler advice

[Chipper]

Our back-boiler is terminally ill so we're going to need a new boiler nailing in, modern wall mount thing I guess. 3-bed house if it makes any odds.

Are there any specially good makes, or makes/models to avoid, know for giving bother? Wondered if anyone on here's in the trade,
cheers.

 

[mike os]

stick with brand name stuff & if you can get away with it avoid a condensing boiler

worcester are always my first choice

 

[Chipper]

Ah, cheers. I need edjumacating, chap who kicked ours back into life just now was saying condensing boiler, off to research...

 

[mike os]

you may not have a choice, but they are all ****

 

[mart]

2 Good makes are Baxi or Worcester.

One make to avoid is Ideal.

Condensing type boilers are very economical, and I would be surprised if you are able to buy a new boiler now that is not a condensing boiler.

The problem however with condensing boilers is that in very cold weather (like last year) the condensate pipe can freeze quite easily, and then the boiler switches off.

The plonkers that fitted my condensate pipe did not put enough “fall” on the pipe and it was freezing up often. They mounted it more horizontal than vertical.

The other decision you will need to make is whether to buy a combination boiler that does not need a hot water cylinder.

Like Mike OS infers, the problem is that modern boilers have electronics in them just like modern cars. The gas engineers often change the £300 circuit board when a fault developes.

 

[mike os]

electronics, heat exchangers, burners, flues,...... not just one problem they are all shoddy and they are all unreliable, its just a case of picking the least bad.... at least this has been my experience so far...and I come across several a year in my line of work.

I would bay 5x the cost to repair my existing boiler before I would concider installing a condensing boiler... and the supposed efficiencies are just that..

couple of yers ago we fitted a new system to a property for a customer, spec was all top shelf. we then efficency tested the new & 35 year old boiler in the main house:- 4-5% less effiecient (oil boilers) than an new "a" rated boiler.. which they paid a soddin fortune for

 

[brightspark]

all boilers are condensing now or combi stick with a condensing boiler and y plan or a megaflow system with a tank at least if it packs in u can have hot water through the emersion heater

 

[weldequip]

I've just had one done, replacing an old Worcester; now to be avoided by some accounts. Check out www.intergasheating.co.uk
Manufactured in Holland with a very clever heat exchanger design & few moving parts. Time will tell reliability wise, but they seem nicely put together & I have every faith in the fitter (who's used most makes). Also seem very highly regarded from what info I could find (although relatively new in the UK).

 

[mart]

all boilers are condensing now nor combi stick with a condensing boiler and y plan system with a tank at least if it packs in u can have hot water through the emersion heater

Yes, that is a valid point. When my condensate pipe froze, the heat exchanger froze too-needed new boiler (boiler was in garage). Still had use of the emersion heater though for hot water through taps.

 

[mangocrazy]

I found that my gas bills dropped dramatically when my condensing boiler was fitted, compared to the old cast iron lump it replaced. But my boiler (Keston) has broken down on me a couple of times, one of them for a condensate-related problem.

I don't believe you'll be able to buy anything other than a condensing boiler now - thank John Prescott for that. Be sure to check the material the heat exchanger is made out of, and if it's anything other than stainless steel then walk away. The condensate is mildly acidic and will eat through cast iron or aluminium heat exchangers quite rapidly. A good stainless H/E should be fine, although it might be worth checking the grade of stainless they use.

 

[roofman]

there is a get out clause but not openly advertised were the fitter can give you a normal old none condensing boiler...but he has to fill the form in saying that there is no feesable route whatsoever for the condensate pipe.

 

[Mikey D]

Had a new vailant combi fitted about 3 years ago , no problems with it so far . Cant say the same about the installer tho

cheers Mike

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Chipper

As Stated In Another Thread Our Baxi Back Boiler Is Still Rocking On After 35+ Years !

If Did Get A Terminal Disease I Would Probably Replace It With A............

Baxi Back Boiler (New And Updated Version).

Google It.

Mick

 

[mike os]

there is a get out clause but not openly advertised were the fitter can give you a normal old none condensing boiler...but he has to fill the form in saying that there is no feesable route whatsoever for the condensate pipe.

this is true, but if the gas safe inspector chooses to visit & it would have been realistically possible he is in deep doodoo... may even get his ticket pulled

 

[KICKSY]

Vaillant or Worcester

 

[Chipper]

Thanks for the info guys, good stuff. I'd be happy if we could fix the Baxi for saving £s (Mick it's about 30 yrs, ours), the exchanger (I think - wasn't here when matey called to check it out) is leaking a slow drip, above the pilot apparently.
But she fancies a new boiler and having a woodburner or fireplace.

In our last place we had a Potterton that broke every few months, circuit board. Don't want that again. Like cars to me, who needs all the computerised faff.

Anyway, thanks again all.

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Chipper

Have A Shufty For Yourself - I Know I Have Had My Baxi Apart Into A Number Of Bits - Maybe Fixable Depending On Material And Getting Water Out !

Oh That Reminds Me, Helped Install A Woodburner That Did Central Heating Also, Cant Remember Make - Dang.

Mick

 

[Wedg1e]

2 Good makes are Baxi or Worcester.

I hope that was tongue-in-cheek! My last boiler was a Baxi; after 6 years during which almost every part of it failed at least once (the DHW heat exchanger seals twice, causing the bathrooom ceiling to collapse) I replaced it with a Halstead and ceremoniously kicked seven shades of cr@p out of the old one.
The Halstead has needed a 90p seal in 7 years.
I fitted a Halstead in my last house; after 6 years it still worked flawlessly (I moved out so don't know any further than that).
Frankly I wouldn't use a Baxi to hold a door open, it couldn't be trusted to do even that.

 

[Wedg1e]

there is a get out clause but not openly advertised were the fitter can give you a normal old none condensing boiler...but he has to fill the form in saying that there is no feesable route whatsoever for the condensate pipe.

Last time I was looking you could still buy a non-condensing boiler from B&Q or Wickes (actually rebadged Halsteads)... you just need a suitably competent person to install it

 

[hunter27]

Been in the heating instalation game for 40 years working for a well known company. (we only install a limited range of boilers)

My tuppence worth.

Baxi were brilliant until they started down the combi route and got involved with Chaffoteaux. cheaper boilers but not too reliable, we have just started installing their new boiler and non of our engineers have a good word for it !

Ideal after the Icos / Isar boilers I would never recomend them to anyone.

Gloworm used to be good but seem to be a cheaper version of Vaillant now.

Worcester has been my boiler of choice very good back-up and good to install but contain more and more plastic water carrying parts that can split when working on them and go brittle with age. (Alloy heat exchanger)

Vaillant my preferred boiler at the moment (Just fitted a 831 in my house) better quality and more metal components than Worcester, back-up reportedly not to good though (stainless heat exchanger)

Don't fit a non condensing boiler unless you cannot possibly fit a condensing one as you will hit problems if you come to sell your house without the correct documentation.

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