Hello everyone. Here is my first posting so apologies if you see anything stupid or I miss the completely obvious or I ramble on !
Currently have a 4 bed detached with a boiler room connected to the side of the house. This houses an Ideal Mexico Boiler fitted around 13 years ago (although we have only lived here for 2 years). Seems to function well. The airing cupboard upstairs has a hot water cylinder / immersion heater. The loft has a storage tank and separate expansion tank (1963 build so these are asbestos - nice !).
We are 5 in number, one of us keen on baths, (along with the 3 kids) - the other keen on showers. I like the feeling of a power shower but we do not have this as of yet - so I occassionaly bath
.
We are planning a single storey extension (would like double storey but costs rule this out). The extension will replace the boiler room with a new kitchen and shower room (along with a play room at the back).
We are considering upgrading the boiler due to the following :-
Hot water runs out after one bath and takes ages to be ready again.
The old unit takes up a lot of space that could be better used.
Things must have moved on for the better ?
Upstairs radiators become hot when just the hot water is on, which I presume is because of lack of control that may be resolved by adding some form of thermostatic control - running back to the control panel downstairs.
Advantages of keeping it as it is :-
It works, and within its own limitations - works well.
We have an understairs cupboard, which has a radiator above it. This leaves the piping exposed below. The same pipe runs in to the in and out pipes - therefore I presume this is a single pipe system. Upstairs would be OK to upgrade to dual pipe as I've already had floorboards up to fit a lot of new cables (over 60 new cable runs inc. Tv, Power, Network, Alarm, Phone - done before new regs kicked in !!) but I think the downstairs pipes may be buried in concrete.
What to do ???
I am wondering if we need to upgrade the boiler. Something like a condensing boiler but would like to achieve a good output of hot water for a power shower. Would ideally like to get rid of upstairs airing cupboard and tanks in loft but not a major plus.
Can imagine taps going, dishwasher or washing machine working whilst a shower is required - therefore a high output boiler may be required ?
Outside water tap gives a flow of around 20 litres per minute dropping to around 15 litres per minute on 2 bar (18l on 1bar).
Any ideas ?
Should I consider upgrading boiler ?
Should I upgrade single pipe to dual ?
Should I retain any cylinders ?
P.S. 10 radiators, with lockshield no TRV's - new extension would take this to around 13.
P.P.S. Radiators on single pipe system are real fun to balance aren't they !!! Done now but took days !!!
Thanks for reading this. Comments are welcome.....
Currently have a 4 bed detached with a boiler room connected to the side of the house. This houses an Ideal Mexico Boiler fitted around 13 years ago (although we have only lived here for 2 years). Seems to function well. The airing cupboard upstairs has a hot water cylinder / immersion heater. The loft has a storage tank and separate expansion tank (1963 build so these are asbestos - nice !).
We are 5 in number, one of us keen on baths, (along with the 3 kids) - the other keen on showers. I like the feeling of a power shower but we do not have this as of yet - so I occassionaly bath
.We are planning a single storey extension (would like double storey but costs rule this out). The extension will replace the boiler room with a new kitchen and shower room (along with a play room at the back).
We are considering upgrading the boiler due to the following :-
Hot water runs out after one bath and takes ages to be ready again.
The old unit takes up a lot of space that could be better used.
Things must have moved on for the better ?
Upstairs radiators become hot when just the hot water is on, which I presume is because of lack of control that may be resolved by adding some form of thermostatic control - running back to the control panel downstairs.
Advantages of keeping it as it is :-
It works, and within its own limitations - works well.
We have an understairs cupboard, which has a radiator above it. This leaves the piping exposed below. The same pipe runs in to the in and out pipes - therefore I presume this is a single pipe system. Upstairs would be OK to upgrade to dual pipe as I've already had floorboards up to fit a lot of new cables (over 60 new cable runs inc. Tv, Power, Network, Alarm, Phone - done before new regs kicked in !!) but I think the downstairs pipes may be buried in concrete.
What to do ???
I am wondering if we need to upgrade the boiler. Something like a condensing boiler but would like to achieve a good output of hot water for a power shower. Would ideally like to get rid of upstairs airing cupboard and tanks in loft but not a major plus.
Can imagine taps going, dishwasher or washing machine working whilst a shower is required - therefore a high output boiler may be required ?
Outside water tap gives a flow of around 20 litres per minute dropping to around 15 litres per minute on 2 bar (18l on 1bar).
Any ideas ?
Should I consider upgrading boiler ?
Should I upgrade single pipe to dual ?
Should I retain any cylinders ?
P.S. 10 radiators, with lockshield no TRV's - new extension would take this to around 13.
P.P.S. Radiators on single pipe system are real fun to balance aren't they !!! Done now but took days !!!
Thanks for reading this. Comments are welcome.....
