Replace 16yo boiler or repair?

[stuart799]

Hello,

I know this can't be answered without you knowing exactly what's wrong with the boiler, but I was wondering if my boiler was starting to fail, if it was worth repairing or if I should just go ahead with a replacement which I would need at some point soon anyway.

The current boiler is 16-17 years old, and our system is in dire need of a flush, so I was thinking of getting quoted on replacing it, having a powerflush, and installing a magna clean.

How long are boilers meant to last for?

Thank you,

Stuart

 

[nickso]

Make and model will help any net diagnosis.

 

[stuart799]

I'll have to check it when I get home. It is a 'Classic' but I'm not sure the number - pretty sure it's BG's own label. It is a Y plan system so not a combi or anything.

 

[JohnD]

if you are thinking of having a Magnaclean, it will do nothing but good to get it fitted straight away, and do at least a chemical clean. The less dirt and sludge your system contains, the better. If you have an old open vented system it will probably be full of dirt, corrosion and sludge. The Magnaclean only traps black particles, but that will probably be the vast majority of dirt in your system.

You will be amazed and delighted to see how much black sludge it traps. Unfortunately build quality is not first class and they tend to leak after a while. I believe they have a 2-year guarantee now. By that time it will probably have captured all the loose stuff, and all that you can loosen with a chemical cleaner, so as long as you have no piping errors, and have used a good inhibitor, the system will not make much more.

You will still need a powerflush immediately before fitting a new boiler to dislodge whatever is left.

Having used Magnacleans before (I am a householder not a pro) I would put a gate valve above and below any new one for ease of replacement. In my own home I now have a Spirovent which is a substantial brass item, not hard plastic like the Magnaclean. However the Magnaclean is very fast and spectacularly effective when you have a dirty old system.

 

[razmataz]

16 years mean its time is almost done. You could probably use it for 2-3 years more, but if I were you, I wont wait for that one cold night for it to break. I'd get it replaced by a trusted plumber. I was in exactly the same situation like you 3 years ago. I got it replaced by someone who was highly recommended to me. I now have an efficient combi - after flushing the entire system, and cost-wise it turned out to be much cheaper than all other quotes. I could give you the plumber details if you want.

 

[breadnbutter]

need model g.c number
if its floor standing ideal classic,i would be tempted to keep it.
as long as its safe,could run for another 5 + years

 

[mickyg]

if it is an Ideal Classic as you suggested then keep it. They are not vastly inefficient, they have a solid cast iron heat exchanger and all the parts will be available in the highly unlikely event it fails. If its the old balanced flue model as its age would suggest then it has a whopping 2 functional parts to worry about. If anyone tells you it should be replaced for any other reason than a slight increase in efficiency then ask for actual reasons, other than "its old".

 

[stuart799]

Thanks for all the replies so far. It is an Ideal Classic, FF250. I think the FF stands for 'fanned flue', it's wall mounted in the kitchen.

 

[mickyg]

Thanks for all the replies so far. It is an Ideal Classic, FF250. I think the FF stands for 'fanned flue', it's wall mounted in the kitchen.

ok didnt realise they were getting that old. In which case you have a couple more components than I thought but a bit better efficiency. definately keep it. A magnetic filter and some flushing chemicals wouldn't hurt if your sure there's a problem in that respect.

 

[stuart799]

ok didnt realise they were getting that old. In which case you have a couple more components than I thought but a bit better efficiency. definately keep it. A magnetic filter and some flushing chemicals wouldn't hurt if your sure there's a problem in that respect.

Great, thanks for the heads up. Luckily we have an immersion heater to use for a little while before we get it sorted so there's still hot water.

 

[stuart799]

Not even sure it's the boiler at fault now. Just fired the system up to see what happened. The pump comes on, motorised valve ticks over, and the fan then boiler came on and was firing for a few minutes. The pipe coming out of the boiler is hot for about six inches, then is cold all the way upstairs to the pump. Is there something else going on, maybe the pump not pulling the water up sufficiently?

 

[Agile]

Either lack of water or pump is not pumping. See FAQ.

Tony

 

[adlplumbing]

that boiler is built to last repair parts are cheap