Cheapest possible boiler replacement....

[dishman]

If one has an old open vented system, what would be the cheapest way to update the boiler?

Would this be replacing the existing boiler with a heat only boiler?

Would that (apart from fully flushing the system) be the only required change? I read somewhere that all new systems have to be pressurized rather than gravity fed. Would this apply to an existing system on which you were retro fitting a modern boiler?

This is just a hypothetical question. I was just wondering what the cheapest solution would be if someone needed to replace an old non-working boiler, they could not get a loan, repair the exiting one nor eligible for any grants etc.

 

[doitall]

Getting in a tizzy with the terminology again.

Sealed or open vented is fine, although sealed is preferred on new systems whereas open vent is better if the system is old and suspect.

Gravity refers to the pipes to the cylinder which should be fully pumped with controls.

 

[Agile]

The cheapest boiler will be about £550 and then you can choose an installer.

I would be charging about £740 to install but many others will do it a lot cheaper.

Tony

 

[dishman]

Thanks doitall.

Ahh, so you can have an open vent system, which is gravity fed or fully pumped? Or am I getting confused further?

If I am not getting confused, would that mean an old open vent system which is gravity fed would have to be upgraded to be fully pumped? Or could it be left as is with a new heat only boiler.

 

[stardanny]

System need to be fully pumped eg with pump, motorised valves controlling hot water and heating with 2 pipes coming from new boiler.

If your existing system is gravity hot water ( pipes is 28mm ) and pumped heating, it will need change to fully pumped.

Afaik, there is no HE boilers that can do gravity hot water apart from solid fuel boilers.

Daniel.

 

[dishman]

So in terms of the cheapest possible solution.

Would it still be to fit a heat only boiler ,or if the system is gravity fed, would this now entail a tank replacement etc?

 

[ALCPlumbing]

It would be to fit a heat only boiler and fully pump the system. When they say gravity is not allowed it is referring to the way your cylinder is heated not the way your system is filled.

 

[ServiceNumpty]

Dishman,

What exactly do you have at the moment, back boiler?, wall mounted boiler? Gravity fed system, fully pumped system?

Mike

 

[McCombi]

Worcester bosch and veissmann can do system boilers which can be adapted to take 4 pipes like a gravity system.
Maybe that could be an idea, not the cheapest mind.

Whether the system/coil could take the higher pressure I don't know

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Who the Hell would retain a gravity circulation hot water system in 2014???!!!
Just crazy on gas systems!!!

 

[Agile]

I don't understand why anyone would ever want to get the cheapest boiler.

They might be a Heatline or a Ferrolli fitted by an unregistered builder but the average installed life seems to be about three years and rarely ever work for the expected minimum of 10 years.

Tony