Opinions on Ideal ISAR 24HE from Warmfront please...

[vonsworld]

My Mum who is a pensioner is planning to have her central heating replaced by Warmfront, but before proceeding has asked me to search the internet for some reviews on the boiler they use...

Warmfront say they install the Ideal Isar 24HE, and so I was shocked to read another thread on this forum that says this boiler is unreliable and pretty awful! Does anyone have any opinions?

It sounded like Warmfront only supply that particular boiler, does anyone know whether we can persuade them to come up with a different make?

Any opinions or experience with Ideal/Isar or Warmfront would be much appreciated,

Thanks

 

[vonsworld]

Just had another thought, is the make of boiler supplied specific to the Warmfront installer?

In other words, if the installer will only supply Ideal Isar, can we ask to be referred to a different Warmfront installer who will provide a different more reliable make, perhaps Worcester or Vailliant?

 

[namsag]

Best phone warmfront direct,
but yes the ideal is just about the worst boiler out there . PCB on these are about £160 trade and break all the time. So once g`tee is up an expensive insurance scheme would be needed.
On the brightside pretty certain they Have stopped making them but there is thousands out there in stock so by the time warmfront get around to installing the boiler you maybe lucky and they may be using ideals latest model.

 

[ChrisR]

A Warmfront installing company tells me they aren't having the horrendous early-in-life problems with them currently, so it's a case of fingers-crossed. Word is they just weren't selling, so Ideal did a deal to shift them.

 

[gas4you]

Apart from my usual advice of NEVER have an Ideal fitted. of any description, I would question the HE24 size.

I only fit 30/31Kw combis as a minimum size so she will be able to run a proper bath in mid winter.

24Kw are only any good for a slow shower or hand basins usually.

Stranegly enough I had a call from a market research company last week which was on behalf of Ideal boilers, trying to find out what we thought of their products and service etc. Every answer I gave began with 'C'

 

[heatingman]

Funnily enough I had the same phone call on friday, with regards the posters question, the Ideal Icos/Izar had an awful start when first launched and have now as a company got a very bad reputation within the installer fraternity. They appear to have sorted out the cliches with the range but fixing the damage done to their reputation will take longer.
Providing the boiler is installed correctly and serviced on a regular basis it should give good service. Try and squeeze installer for a higher performance model as gas4you pointed out.

 

[namsag]

Simple they redesigned it about 4 times in around 8 years . With BG constantly taking it off there sales list, failure rate is horrendous and still is no matter how well installed which is why Ideal have now finally dropped it.
Warmfront is essentially set up for people who cannot afford a new boiler for one reason or another and for this reason these people need a reliable trouble free boiler not something they will have to keep on an expenses insurance contract or is going to cost them over £200 to repair.

 

[superdupergasman]

The new Isar's are defo better than the old ones.

I would however always have a maintenance contract with ideal making sure it is properly serviced and not just performance tested every year.

Divertors are prone to failing, as are the PCB's.

I would put a couple hundred pounds the installaers way and get him to get a 30+ kw vaillant or worscester!!!

 

[vonsworld]

Thank you for all your feedback, I'll phone the installer and/or warmfront tomorrow to see if they can supply a different make of boiler, perhaps Worcester or Vaillant with a minimum of 30kW.

My Mum just wishes she could keep her Baxi Bermuda back boiler! which has given 25+ years excellent service and still works ok, but unfortunately it's come to the point where several of the radiators are leaking and rusting, and of course the pipe sizes are all different these days.

Regards
Robin

 

[ollski]

They will try to force you into having that model as ideal are having to virtually give them away and obviously that is good for the installers margin.

 

[vonsworld]

...one last question

We also asked Warmfront to install an extra radiator not covered by the grant. This was just a small radiator in the airing cupboard situated right next to the boiler. They quoted £250 for this extra work... isn't this a bit steep... what should we reasonably be paying?

Thanks

 

[namsag]

Rad and valves no more than £40 and half hour max extra to fit it . so 250 is a bit steep. 100 quid would be enough.
Are they actually changing your mums leaking rads. Is she paying anything over and above the £2700 grant

 

[vonsworld]

Yes they are planning to change all the radiators, piping, boiler and thermo. There are 5 radiators in a 3 bed semi. The quote is for £530 extra to the £2700 grant, plus another £250 for the additional radiator which we will cancel!

If they are buying the Ideal boiler at low cost I expect there must be a good margin for them?

 

[mag525]

I actually recall Ideal giving away Isar HE boilers, In the hope that plumbers would fit them.
Like a clown, I fitted one in my house. They were prone initially to firing up for no reason on dhw. I believe that they rectified this fault, but kept the problem under cover, so as not to tarnish the Ideal name.
Two pcb,s later, looking for a new divertor valve, so not that Impressed.
Fortunately took out a warranty, so will just run with the boiler until my patience gives way, then install another boiler.

 

[bengasman]

it is simple really;
search the forum on warmfront problems
search the forum on ideal problems

come to the conclusion that in the long run mum is a lot better off paying for it herself.