Re-doing kitchen - should I replace and move my boiler?

[damurphster]

I'm looking at a new kitchen soon in my new flat.

It has a Potterton Suprima 80 boiler in a terrible position (right next to door).

I've only been in the flat a few days but i seem to run out of hot water very quickly (after 2 showers I had to boil the kettle to shave).

I used to have a combi boiler and like the on/off hot water - never had a storage heater before.

I was considering attempting to either:

1. Just move the boiler
2. Move and replace the boiler (to combi and ditch water tank)
3. Just hide boiler (in cupboard - cheap but not ideal)

Is this a decent boiler? Is it a waste of money changing it? Is it hassle relocating a boiler?

Help appreciated!

Will attempt to put some pictures up....

Ben

 

[tonybhoy]

Change it ,boiler is a bag of shoite.

 

[damurphster]

Change it ,boiler is a bag of shoite.

lol

Care to expand on that?!!

In the future I intend to let the flat so need to be sure its upto the job and reliable.

Assuming that actually changing just the boiler (ie same location) is pretty simple - just remove water tank.

 

[damurphster]

Pictures.....

Boiler - right next to hundred year old oak church door...very fitting.

Considering using kitchen top level cupboards along this wall bit to hide it.

Water cupboard - there is presently a (pretty rubbish) power shower hooked up. I have no idea what everything does!

[/img]

 

[Congreave]

Ha ha I love the sponge under the shower pump to stop vibration!

 

[spacethegas]

boiler is likely to cost you a lot of money in maintainance.

providing it is not a monster flat a combi in the airing cupboard would suit nicely. providing fluing etc is feasible.

 

[JohnD]

put a bucket under the cold water tap in the kitchen sink and see how many litres of water you get per minute.

that is the most you can hope to get out of your hot and cold combined if you have no stored water and rely on a combi.

If you are used to a power shower it may be less than you were expecting.

If you live in an old flat the pressure and flow may reduce when another occupant runs a tap.

Be aware that when (not if) the combi breaks down, the occupants will have no hot water since there will be no immersion heater to fall back on.

 

[damurphster]

Sponge is not my addition!

Going to get plumber/gas engineer round to figure out what is going on in there!

 

[nickso]

boiler is likely to cost you a lot of money in maintainance.

providing it is not a monster flat a combi in the airing cupboard would suit nicely. providing fluing etc is feasible.

i disagree.

no point in spending money if you dont have to. assuming the boiler and system get a service and all faults are ironed out with the hot water the suprima is not a bad boiler, as long as it has the version 3 pcb on it.

 

[spacethegas]

wouldn't trust that one either.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

stick a vaillant combi in the airing cupbord-best option methinks.

 

[Corgigrouch]

The hickory handled heating repair module is a nice touch..In terms of economy then I would say get the existing boiler sorted and put a decent pump on the shower.. Those little things are as noisy as hell.. For making the place look modern and tidy, then pop a little combi in the airing cupboard... Vaillant or Worcester

 

[nickso]

wouldn't trust that one either.

why? how many version 3's have you changed and why?

 

[damurphster]

Yeah the hammer was left by previous owner as well....seems to be the main tool he used for all his installations!

Still not decided what to do....will see what boiler man says tomorrow but having just worked out my budget I might be covering the old boiler for now with a view to maybe getting a nice neat combi in the future.

Assuming that I would be looking over £2k for a new combi plus installation?

How much more efficient are newer boilers? Will they justify themselves in terms of gas use compared to my present one?

 

[lagunaglen]

Whoever fitted that pump did a quality job
Lovely bit of pipework where it tees into hot outlet, is it chrome pipe, oh i see no, just a little too much solder hes had to wipe away