Warmflow Boilers

[púca]

Hi,

After much debate research and general messing about I've decided to bin gas and go for an oil boiler. My local and friendly gas man has recommended a Warmflow Boiler. What I've read about them so far has been positive, however I have a couple of questions which I be greatful if you could give me some pointer on...

1. We're going to stick this boiler in our garage - not the outside warmflow boiler, but we're having it outside if you like. Does this reduce the efficiency of the boiler significantly - water temp dropping as it passes from our garage to the house (approx 50ft)?

2. Our mains water pressure is ok, but our shower is not as powerful as we'd like. We have a Victorian Terrace. 2 bed, 2 attic rooms, no En Suites, an extra WC, but nothing really out of the ordinary. We currently have an old Saunier Duval Thelia Combi.

Our man said we had a few options:

leave it as it was but replacing some of the pipework - 15mm changed to 22mm - which may up the flow a bit;

re-install a gravity flow type affair; or

install a Megaflow system which would sort it out, but cost a few extra quid.

Any suggestions - would a megaflow system be worth circa £1K extra?

3. We're also getting a reasonably sized extension and would like to use underfloor heating, but would like to be able to zone the heating - well isolate the living area from the rest of the house. As this is new pipework anyway (basically the extension), would this mean this makes it easier to zone off?

I realise this might be difficult to answer without actually seeing what's going on, but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much.

Ant

 

[Agile]

"""I've decided to bin gas and go for an oil boiler. My local and friendly gas man has recommended a Warmflow Boiler"""

Whilst he may be a nice friendly gas man, are you sure he is OFTEC registered to fit oil boilers.

Is he an oil man as well as a gas man?

Tony

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Hi,

After much debate research and general messing about I've decided to bin gas and go for an oil boiler.

Ok so you want to pay 50% more for your heat!

My local and friendly gas man has recommended a Warmflow Boiler. What I've read about them so far has been positive,

I have never fitted one but have only heard good stuff about them. From the rest of your post a HRM Wallstar might be a better option if you want to stick with the oil.

however I have a couple of questions which I be greatful if you could give me some pointer on...

1. We're going to stick this boiler in our garage - not the outside warmflow boiler, but we're having it outside if you like. Does this reduce the efficiency of the boiler significantly - water temp dropping as it passes from our garage to the house (approx 50ft)?

Assuming here that you are on about a garage that is 50ft away from the house and not attached to it. I dont care what anyone else's views are on this and I accept that they could differ. I personally wouldnt do it unless you signed a disclaimer.

2. Our mains water pressure is ok, but our shower is not as powerful as we'd like. We have a Victorian Terrace. 2 bed, 2 attic rooms, no En Suites, an extra WC, but nothing really out of the ordinary. We currently have an old Saunier Duval Thelia Combi.

Our man said we had a few options:

leave it as it was but replacing some of the pipework - 15mm changed to 22mm - which may up the flow a bit;

re-install a gravity flow type affair;

Hold on ... Do What?? See Tony's post. I am beginning to wonder if he is even a gas man. Gravity went out in 2002 AFAIK when the government issued CHeSS. A booklet on Central Heating System Specification. Anyone with a CORGI badge should now be familiar with it. Now with this picture in my head of a garage that is 50ft away from the house, I wonder how you would expect a gravity system to work.

or

install a Megaflow system which would sort it out, but cost a few extra quid.

Any suggestions - would a megaflow system be worth circa £1K extra?

I would say so. Put the boiler near or in the house and the money you save could go towards it. Does he have a card saying that he is permitted to install Unvented Direct Hot Water?

3. We're also getting a reasonably sized extension and would like to use underfloor heating, but would like to be able to zone the heating - well isolate the living area from the rest of the house. As this is new pipework anyway (basically the extension), would this mean this makes it easier to zone off?

I realise this might be difficult to answer without actually seeing what's going on,

Yes it is. Please post pics, especially of where your gas man can park his horse. I wouldnt like to see it suffering in a cramped space or something

but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much.

Ant

Maybe not what you wanted to hear but it's what I had to say. Try getting some more opinions and putting me right on anything I may have mis-understood

 

[púca]

"""I've decided to bin gas and go for an oil boiler. My local and friendly gas man has recommended a Warmflow Boiler"""

Whilst he may be a nice friendly gas man, are you sure he is OFTEC registered to fit oil boilers.

Is he an oil man as well as a gas man?

Yep, he's qualified to do both. You don't have to be OFTEC registered to fit oil boilers in the Isle of Man, but this guy is.

 

[púca]

Ok so you want to pay 50% more for your heat!

Not if I'm working the price out right. Here the latest figures.

http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/oft/comparativeheatingschedulejanua2.pdf

I should have mentioned I'm in the Isle of Man.

Assuming here that you are on about a garage that is 50ft away from the house and not attached to it. I dont care what anyone else's views are on this and I accept that they could differ. I personally wouldnt do it unless you signed a disclaimer.

I don't understand this. Any particular reason? A lot of the new builds I've seen in Ireland have either oil or pellet burners in a detached garage. My parents and my sister's house are both set up like this. Can you give me anymore detail as to why you wouldn't do this?

EDIT: Just called my sister to ask her about this and she says it's a terrible set-up. "Don't do it!" They reckon they lose a load heat as it travels into the house. That's that ruled out.

re-install a gravity flow type affair; Hold on ... Do What?? See Tony's post.

He said that this was an unlikely solution, but he did offer it as an option.

I would say so. Put the boiler near or in the house and the money you save could go towards it. Does he have a card saying that he is permitted to install Unvented Direct Hot Water?

I'll have to check that. I'm not sure if he's permitted to do this.


3. We're also getting a reasonably sized extension and would like to use underfloor heating, but would like to be able to zone the heating - well isolate the living area from the rest of the house. As this is new pipework anyway (basically the extension), would this mean this makes it easier to zone off?

Again a bit confused at this. This is another thing that is quite popular in Ireland. My parents have 3 zones in their house - any of which can be on at the one time.

Thanks for taking an interest. It's appreciated. I guess I'll have to do a bit more digging before decide. If I'm getting the jist of this right...the better option is to go with a convential oil burner (warmflow being a decent enough boiler) with a megaflow system. Keeping the boiler close to or in the house if possible will also keep the cost down.

 

[oilman]

"""I've decided to bin gas and go for an oil boiler. My local and friendly gas man has recommended a Warmflow Boiler"""

Whilst he may be a nice friendly gas man, are you sure he is OFTEC registered to fit oil boilers.

Is he an oil man as well as a gas man?

Tony

How many more times? You do NOT have to be OFTEC registered to fit oil boilers, even if doing it as a paid occupation.

 

[wilhelm]

oftec 105?

 

[kevplumb]

yeah but you have to work to the regs tho

unlike us sorry lot that have the dog at our heels

 

[Agile]

I thought that there was a requirement for OFTEC registration to do something in the UK associated with the Building Regulations?

Could I ask Puka why he is getting a boiler installed in the Isle of Man when he is located in Ireland? Is it a wet and windy holiday home?

Tony

 

[púca]

There isn't an Isle of Man location and I spend more time in Ireland (where I'm from) than the UK so that's the closet I can get to match my circumstances.........unless someone wants to add IoM to the list of course.

 

[oilman]

I thought that there was a requirement for OFTEC registration to do something in the UK associated with the Building Regulations?

This is ONLY required where building regs are relevant, if you want to self certify. It is a "snout in the trough" sop to get people to join a money leeching organisation similar to CORGI (but not so mercenary). If you apply to building control and pay your money, ANYBODY can install an oil boiler.

Hold on ... Do What?? See Tony's post. I am beginning to wonder if he is even a gas man. Gravity went out in 2002 AFAIK when the government issued CHeSS. A booklet on Central Heating System Specification. Anyone with a CORGI badge should now be familiar with it. Now with this picture in my head of a garage that is 50ft away from the house, I wonder how you would expect a gravity system to work.

I suspect the gravity referred to here is the water supply, either to the taps or to the heating system, not a gravity circulation.

50 feet is a fair way to run pipes, if they're properly insulated it will get heat to the house, but there will be quite a bit lost on the way.

There is no significantrisk having the boiler in the garage. It is less of a risk than having a smoker in the house.