Ideal Response 120 - big bang and fan full of water

[Jowo]

Last night, no heating/hot water - burner wouldn't come on - pressure seemed okay but topped it up slightly. Switched boiler off and then on, pressed reset button. Still no joy

Big 'bang' - water dripping down through boiler for a few hours (about a litre).

This morning, engineer discovered fan is still now full of water - seems to think it could be rainwater. There has been heavy rain recently but have had similar atrocious weather periods over the last few years.

****

Background - In the weeks before, the system had been losing pressure and needed to be topped up a couple of times a week. Last night, I identified one small leak in a radiator.

A few months before, I had it serviced when the ignition wouldn't spark (explosive sound but burner wouldn't come on). Engineer said contact points were dirty.

A few weeks later, no heating/hot water again - engineer couldn't identify problem but thought it was a loose wire - system kicked in when he pushed a wire in.

thanks for your time.

 

[shambolic]

New heat exchanger!

 

[Jowo]

Cheers. Thanks for your time.

A google of boiler problems for this particular brand often flags up heat exchanger problems (plus their scarcity and expense to fit...).

Shall investigate more.

 

[Agile]

You might as well come to terms with the need to replace this boiler.

Out of the last five that I have been to repair, four were a leak in the HE !

Tony

 

[Jowo]

I am at one with the need to replace it. Hopefully my wallet will also become philosophical.

The engineer said it probably wasn't rainwater ingress, the heat exchanger is completely kaput and obsolete and recommended a new boiler and flush of the system because of the shortage and cost of replacing that part. His estimate is £2200 for a Romera? which includes additionally taking away a separate cylinder and water tank that powers a separate shower, plus fixing a leaking rad.

Working my way through local plumbers for quotes - getting close to £1900 as a total quote.

 

[Agile]

We dont know where you are.

I expect our price in London is probably going to be closer to the £2200 than £1900.

But you tend to get what you pay for to some extent so make sure the installer takes full responsibility for the effects of dirt in the system for at least a year after the installlation.

Tony

 

[Jowo]

Again, thanks for your time and info.

Property is in London.

 

[Jowo]

A megaflow with combi boiler has been recommended, with an upgrade of gas? water? pipes from 15mm to 22mm. I've been assured that water pressure won't be a problem.

Does this sound like a sound solution for a 3 bed, 2 bath/shower rooms, 2 reception property over two floors with 11 radiators and 4 very well groomed ladies?

Anything I should be wary about or consider (apart from obvious stuff like sticking with a Gas Safety accredited installer?).

Any high level estimates for work of this scale?

 

[glasgowgas]

A megaflow with combi boiler has been recommended, with an upgrade of gas? water? pipes from 15mm to 22mm. I've been assured that water pressure won't be a problem.

Does this sound like a sound solution for a 3 bed, 2 bath/shower rooms, 2 reception property over two floors with 11 radiators and 4 very well groomed ladies?

Anything I should be wary about or consider (apart from obvious stuff like sticking with a Gas Safety accredited installer?).

Any high level estimates for work of this scale?

if you have been quoted £2200 for this to be supplied and fitted i would snap his hand off at that price!!

 

[Jowo]

if you have been quoted £2200 for this to be supplied and fitted i would snap his hand off at that price!!

No, been quoted around 2k for a Bosch/Woster (crap spelling, sorry), 2.2k for a Romera (both combis) and I am awaiting the quote for the Megaflow which I would expect to be dearer because of the extra work mentioned to change the pipe sizing.

By the way, the majority of English plumbers I contacted with messages asking them to call me to provide a quote for a new boiler have ignored me. Meanwhile the few plumbers that actually answered their phone (2 eastern european plumbers) booked an appointment and turned up within hours to inspect the property and aim to provide a written quote to me tonight (all on Gas Safety register).

Are there economical disadvantages to a Megaflow in terms of energy usage and bills? I've had a glance of pictures of them and they look like clunky cylinders. I've always associated cylinders with the 1970s where your parents forbid you to turn on the immersion for more than 1 hour per week or the family would starve paying for the electricity bill.

I take it these are somewhat more advanced?

 

[glasgowgas]

yes unvented cylinders are very very efficient,

you will heat 210 litres of water to 60degC in roughly 20 mins and they are so well insulated they retain the hot water for hours

a combi will only supply one hot tap at a time (there are a few exceptions,but untill you know makes/models couldnt comment)

ps its a Remeha!! both quoted boilers are at the higher end of manufacturers

keep us updated, always willing to give advice

 

[shambolic]

Fixed price repair from ideal 200 odd quid for new hex!

 

[Jowo]

Fixed price repair from ideal 200 odd quid for new hex!

But all plumbers to date have said it is a rare and special part that will cost very many hundreds of pounds to buy and fit...

Boiler was probably fitted in 2001, shame it never saw the decade out.

 

[Jowo]

if you have been quoted £2200 for this to be supplied and fitted i would snap his hand off at that price!! (megaflow and combi boiler

That quote hasn't come through but I've had another one for 2.2k for a veissmann combi boiler with a Telford 180 litre cylinder which I've been advised is a cheap and reliable alternative to megaflow. Again advised that there is no problem with water pressure issues and but unlike the previous Megaflow proposed solution, there is no need to increase the size of any pipes.

This plumber detests Worcester boilers, says they are crap and he can take me to any local junkyard to see new ones piled up as scrap. He's not impressed with my boiler either - has the same model in his house and says it keeps breaking down.

 

[pw21]

Why get a megaflow and use with a combi boiler ?