New Boiler

[stevesey]

Do you really not have enough wall space for a boiler to hang on. They can be smaller than standard upper kitchen cupboards now.

If you're thinking of going for a combi then can't you stick it in the airing cupboard, assuming you have one.?

Why would you need an external flue, either fit an internal one to a better location (within distance constraints) or fit an angled outlet to direct the gasses differently so there is enough space.

Boiler is in the garage at the moment - having moved it from the kitchen to gain extra cupboard space when we extended (kitchen only has one external wall on the short end with the window - so no space there anyway now).

Combi, not a fan, to much extra to go wrong, condensers are bad enough in the first place - also need a big one to be able to run a bath and support taps/showers.

We might just get away with an angled flue (i.e. 45 degrees), but height might be an issue as the boiler is mounted quite low on the wall due to an RSJ above it (wasn't prepared to loose 6in of garage to a double skinned wall downstairs when we built the extension) hence the possibility of an external flue to raise it up. Can't remember at the moment if there is a min height for a condensing flue outlet which discharges across a pathway. A read flue would probably come out at 1.8m above the path, with a side flue we could probly get it tight against the RSJ could probably get 2m.

A Keston boiler is one option on my list as they use 50mm plastic waste pipes as a flue with separate in and out pipes gives much more flexibility.

 

[Dieselman]

What's more problematical about a condensing boiler than a non condensing one.?
Why do you need the flue to exit the rear of the boiler, couldn't you fit one sideways and go out of an unobscured wall.?

 

[stevesey]

What's more problematical about a condensing boiler than a non condensing one?

It's Combi's I said I wasn't a fan of - even so condeners are more complex than non-condensers. At present I doubt you'd get the 25+ year life span and reliability we've had out of our current boiler (with just one thermocouple replacement along the way) out of a condenser. Basically I'm holding off as long as I and hoping that by the time ours does give up a reliability will have improved further.

Why do you need the flue to exit the rear of the boiler, couldn't you fit one sideways and go out of an unobscured wall.?

Yes (like I said)

with a side flue we could probably get it tight against the RSJ

But can't get any higher as the bedroom floor rests on the top of the RSJ.

 

[stevesey]

Just checked the regulations, this is the bit that makes the angled flue solution uncertain.

"guidance" (not compulsory) in the government document "Guide to the Condensing Boiler Installation Assessment Procedure for Dwellings" extends this 600mm to "a minimum 2·5m from a facing wall, fence, building, or the property boundary" for condensing boilers. Again, this applies only to a flue pointing in that direction. British Standard BS5440-1 "recommends" that condensing boiler flues should not be sited where the plume is "likely to cause a nuisance".

A 45 degree flue extends the distance to the boundary to 1.5m (but 3m to a facing wall) although this would probably miss the front of the neighbours house altogther as theirs is set back a little from ours.

 

[rf065]

Somebody I know says the same of Vaillant.

Good boilers, I tried to get one for my last house but no-one in my area sold them, so got the next best thing, a Worcester Bosch.

Russ

 

[portzy]

Like driving a ford you mean.

No, honestly. Being a dyed in the wool apprentice trained gas fitter I have a certain amount of appreciation for a well hung piece of copper pipe.

No, seriousley. If it means half destroying your home then its acceptable, (not necessarily preferable mind), to run on the outside on either schoolboard clips bare or within trunking which is open at both ends.

Portzy.

 

[portzy]

The paradoxical thing about pluming though, is that what people claim to be a hazard or a nuisance etc has always been there except now you can see it.

Fan flued pre condensing boilers shoved out just the same volume of POC, boiler size for boiler size, but people were not always aware of the extent and direction taken by the POC.

Portzy.

 

[wilbur]

Somebody I know says the same of Vaillant.

Vaillant are also really good boilers, however they can be a nightmare to repair at times due to being very complex appliances. My opinion is only really based on experience of repairing all the different manufacturers boilers and you get to know quickly the ones to avoid or recomend!

 

[Tan]

To resurrect my old thread after nearly a year and a half, we have decided that this is the best time change the boiler.

The decision now is do we go for a High Efficiency Back Boiler Unit or a Condensing boiler in the loft or some other kind of boiler.

We have 8 radiators, plus would like to add one more in the downstairs bathroom.We 2 bathrooms and often need to run two showers at the same time.

Thanks

Tan

 

[LTD]

Bugger, I thought this was about divorce ......................

 

[yachtman]

It's Combi's I said I wasn't a fan of - even so condeners are more complex than non-condensers. At present I doubt you'd get the 25+ year life span and reliability we've had out of our current boiler (with just one thermocouple replacement along the way) out of a condenser. Basically I'm holding off as long as I and hoping that by the time ours does give up a reliability will have improved further.


.

Totally agree, we have 2 boilers, a condenser installed 17 years ago, now ready for replacement at next breakdown, and the original 8os potterton stillworking.

you will be lucky to get beyond 10 years with a modern boiler

 

[s88]

Hi

Further to my previous posts regards the problems with my central heating, I had a plumber come to look at the boiler this evening and I have been told that we need to change the boiler.

Now for my next question, how much should this cost?

I have been quoted £3100 to remove the old back boiler and to install a new boiler into the loft. We have looked for other locations and unfortunatley the loft is the only option.

Does this price seam right?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Tan

Plumbers ( heating engineers are quick to sat repalce the boiler. Are we sure it is totally gone.
Mine is slow to come on and will not come on for water only, internet tells me it is a few cracked solder joints or blown components on the circuit board, every plumber wants to replace the boiler!

 

[Tan]

Plumbers ( heating engineers are quick to sat repalce the boiler. Are we sure it is totally gone.
Mine is slow to come on and will not come on for water only, internet tells me it is a few cracked solder joints or blown components on the circuit board, every plumber wants to replace the boiler!

This one is over 25 years old, my neighbour thinks may be even 30 years plus.

It has broken down a few times on us and is very inefficient, if we don't change it now sods law is that it will last until the dead of winter until it packs up again.

 

[martin_a]

My dad is a 'heating engineer' and i'm sure that by law they really have to condem back boilers as and when they break. You can keep it while it runs but they shouldn't fix it if a combi bolier etc can be fitted. As others have said though, if you can show this isn't possible then you can keep the back bolier. We went through it when buying a new house and lots of places had back boliers fitted. Dad reckons there isn't too much to go wrong with them. Not super effiicient but not a disaster and very reliable. Just make sure you buy a Co2 monitor as Co2 leaks/risk is the reason they have to be swapped.

m.