ofib,my main concern was,ground floor is solid ashpalt,with laminate floorboards throughout.3 bedrooms also laminate,how would they repipe?Iwas awarded full grant whatever that is.No way would i have conduit running down my walls,over skirting etc. i am a ex-deccy and take pride on appearence of decorated walls,woodwork,unlike many a plumber,who will stick his pipes anywhere,just because it works.New boiler,old pipe work?Dont wish to antaganise(sp) but these where my main concerns,esp. as my boiler i fine now.
Warmfront v Potterton
- Thread starter paulc7617
- Start date
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Here we go again.
The grant is £3700.
There are no Baxi's on the scheme as of several months ago though some may still be going in due to using older surveys.
Boilers currently are;
Ideal Logics - combis and heat only. Preferred boiler in the south.
Worcester Greenstars heat only and Juniors for combis. Preferred boilers in the north.
Vaillants ONLY if you have an existing water softener and the surveyor gets prior approval from eaga tech.
Potterton Promax for floor standing replacements but have heard the 7-30KW one model does not perform well on smaller systems so I try to choose a wall mounted option. This maybe unfair on Potterton as I have no idea what the systems the boilers were installed on were like or how well the install was carried out. I hear reports from the field managers who are trying to sort out post install problems which might have resulted from a bad survey or install or product choice.
There is a larger Worcester combi for larger properties but only in certain circumstances.
You can choose the non-preferred boiler in certain areas for certain reasons.
Boiler can be working. Staff at call centre are trained to say the boiler should be inoperable and some of the old assessors also. That has never been the case since I've worked on the scheme and can only guess why the discrepancy exists.
The boiler will be changed if it is
over 15 years old
10-14 years old and sedbuk c or less or NCS or AR etc.
Under 10 years old the cost has to exceed £600 to repair it or AR , ID etc.
Surveyors are like decorators, some are sympathetic to the property and homeowner and some just want to get onto the next job.
This is the WarmFront world as I am told it see and work it - things differ across the country though they probably shouldn't.
If what I consider (subjectively) to be a good boiler that is working, in good condition, well installed in a good system in a well insulated house and the client is happy and can afford the energy costs or doesn't want the disruption I suggest they leave it as it is. The scheme is optional, not compulsory.
One install on a good system the client and I were happy to leave in recently.
The grant is £3700.
There are no Baxi's on the scheme as of several months ago though some may still be going in due to using older surveys.
Boilers currently are;
Ideal Logics - combis and heat only. Preferred boiler in the south.
Worcester Greenstars heat only and Juniors for combis. Preferred boilers in the north.
Vaillants ONLY if you have an existing water softener and the surveyor gets prior approval from eaga tech.
Potterton Promax for floor standing replacements but have heard the 7-30KW one model does not perform well on smaller systems so I try to choose a wall mounted option. This maybe unfair on Potterton as I have no idea what the systems the boilers were installed on were like or how well the install was carried out. I hear reports from the field managers who are trying to sort out post install problems which might have resulted from a bad survey or install or product choice.
There is a larger Worcester combi for larger properties but only in certain circumstances.
You can choose the non-preferred boiler in certain areas for certain reasons.
Boiler can be working. Staff at call centre are trained to say the boiler should be inoperable and some of the old assessors also. That has never been the case since I've worked on the scheme and can only guess why the discrepancy exists.
The boiler will be changed if it is
over 15 years old
10-14 years old and sedbuk c or less or NCS or AR etc.
Under 10 years old the cost has to exceed £600 to repair it or AR , ID etc.
Surveyors are like decorators, some are sympathetic to the property and homeowner and some just want to get onto the next job.
This is the WarmFront world as I am told it see and work it - things differ across the country though they probably shouldn't.
If what I consider (subjectively) to be a good boiler that is working, in good condition, well installed in a good system in a well insulated house and the client is happy and can afford the energy costs or doesn't want the disruption I suggest they leave it as it is. The scheme is optional, not compulsory.
One install on a good system the client and I were happy to leave in recently.
So, Potterton now make tumble driers as well as boilers! 
I am still trying to work out how many violations there are on that installation.
Reminds me of the last time I had a GSR inspector visit on a service I was doing. I did the boiler then went outside to inspect the flue. A builder had built an extension right up to the flue (an old fanned flue, hot flue gases) and run the guttering plastic downpipe right in front of the terminal. The downpipe had melted into a blob. I fell about laughing and so did the inspector. Another case was a conservatory company did something similar and the flue gases had melted the conservatory frame. I told the customer that they can get the conservatory company to rebuild them a new conservatory AND fit them a new boiler in a different location.
I am still trying to work out how many violations there are on that installation.
Reminds me of the last time I had a GSR inspector visit on a service I was doing. I did the boiler then went outside to inspect the flue. A builder had built an extension right up to the flue (an old fanned flue, hot flue gases) and run the guttering plastic downpipe right in front of the terminal. The downpipe had melted into a blob. I fell about laughing and so did the inspector. Another case was a conservatory company did something similar and the flue gases had melted the conservatory frame. I told the customer that they can get the conservatory company to rebuild them a new conservatory AND fit them a new boiler in a different location.
So, Potterton now make tumble driers as well as boilers!
I am still trying to work out how many violations there are on that installation.
Yes but the flue isn't one of them. I confess I'd not come across it before so I wrote to Potterton who said it's fine on a non condensing boiler. Don't even have to get a dispensation form the manufacturer.
I've lived a sheltered life.
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well if I went to that installation I would also take a photo and then explain why I am not going to work on it, unless they want me to remove it and fit a new boiler. What about side clearances? The PCBs on those go fairly regularly, and to do that you have to get a screwdriver into the right hand side which you can't on that one.
I don't think a self respecting installer (assuming he is registered) would do an install like that would they?
Is there a grille on the terminal and is it covered with undergrowth? Snails crawling into the flue?
Well done for contacting the manufacturer to query it, and posting the reply. Thats why we come here, to learn. Anyay, nice photo and thanks for lightening my day!
I don't think a self respecting installer (assuming he is registered) would do an install like that would they?
Is there a grille on the terminal and is it covered with undergrowth? Snails crawling into the flue?
Well done for contacting the manufacturer to query it, and posting the reply. Thats why we come here, to learn. Anyay, nice photo and thanks for lightening my day!
There is a removable side cheek to the cupboard for access and the job was a really neat install. Grille over terminal, no bushes etc.
I was surprised with Potterton's answer and also queried it with our tech guru who said no, they'd done it when necessary on BG installs but would try to avoid it if possible.
Mind you I seen jobs knocked back by BG for primary Flow/open vents not rising continually to the F&E and then come across BG installs of Baxi Bermuda BBU with an air vent by the boiler flow then the flow pipe dropping to skirting level.
In an old BG publication I remember seeing a Flamingo rigged up with 5 metres or so of separate combustion air and flue product duct running under a suspended wooden floor as a trial.
Yes any boiler now would have to be fixed differently as the flue has to slope back to the appliance but of course in a non-condenser it doesn't.
I was surprised with Potterton's answer and also queried it with our tech guru who said no, they'd done it when necessary on BG installs but would try to avoid it if possible.
Mind you I seen jobs knocked back by BG for primary Flow/open vents not rising continually to the F&E and then come across BG installs of Baxi Bermuda BBU with an air vent by the boiler flow then the flow pipe dropping to skirting level.
In an old BG publication I remember seeing a Flamingo rigged up with 5 metres or so of separate combustion air and flue product duct running under a suspended wooden floor as a trial.
Yes any boiler now would have to be fixed differently as the flue has to slope back to the appliance but of course in a non-condenser it doesn't.
One odd install I saw was an OV oil boiler in an airing cupboard. Custard had decided that the flue which ran up from the boiler past all the shelves of linen through the ceiling was too hot even for their liking. So they got an old sheet and tore it into strips and wrapped it round the enamelled steel flue pipe to insulate it.
Half an hour after starting work on it I was surrounded by blackened charred cotton sheet material on the floor. I was surprisingly polite to the custard. Must have been in a good mood that day.
Half an hour after starting work on it I was surrounded by blackened charred cotton sheet material on the floor. I was surprisingly polite to the custard. Must have been in a good mood that day.
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