Do I fix a 35 year old boiler or replace it?

BookerT · 20 Feb 2008

Hi,
I recently moved to a house with a 35 year old boiler (Glow-worm 105-120) which was ticking along nicely until 3 days ago. I can light the pilot light which in turn lights the burners, but the pilot doesn't stay lit so I only get one blast from the burners. A heating engineer cleaned the pilot today but it didn't help. He advised that the gas valve needs replacing and probably the pilot assembly and thermocouple. He also said the system needs flushing as it looks like it's never been serviced. I have a few questions:

1. Any ideas on where I can get spares for such an old boiler?
2. Are there any known problems power flushing a 15 rad system run on 8mm pipes?
3. Can I get a replacement open vented system & can I use the existing 8mm pipes if I do?
4. Should I just replace it with a Combi?

Thanks in advance

JohnD · 20 Feb 2008

how many bathrooms do you have/how many people likely to run hot taps at the same time?

do you think your whole installation needs changing?

do your rads have a valve at each end, or a double valve at one end?

Diyisfun · 20 Feb 2008

Offer it to a museum

BookerT · 20 Feb 2008

Thanks for the reply.

I've got one bathroom with shower upstairs and a toilet and electric shower downstairs. 3 sinks in other rooms. I'd say there would only be 2 or possibly 3 hot taps on at the same time.

I hope the installation doesn't need changing - once the burners are burning, all the rads (valves at each end) get hot and the water comes out at a reasonable pressure.

A museum might be interested but they'd need a huge truck to transport it...

scatmanjohn · 20 Feb 2008

Are you aware of "Energy Efficiency"

That fossil will be costing you a fortune in gas.

Get rid asap.

doitall · 20 Feb 2008

scatmanjohn said:
Are you aware of "Energy Efficiency"

That fossil will be costing you a fortune in gas.

Get rid asap.

I agree, buy an nice new modern combi that will cost you an arm and a leg to keep working

anjme · 20 Feb 2008

I agree, buy an nice new modern combi that will cost you an arm and a leg to keep working

Not that old chestnut again!

Open vented ?

8mm pipe?

Sounds like a new system to me.
You just have to research and decide if you prefer to have stored hot water ( little or no flow restrictions to taps) in a cylinder or instant hot water (can only serve a limited flow) from a combi boiler.

scatmanjohn · 20 Feb 2008

doitall said:
scatmanjohn said:

Are you aware of "Energy Efficiency"

That fossil will be costing you a fortune in gas.

Get rid asap.

Click to expand...

I agree, buy an nice new modern combi that will cost you an arm and a leg to keep working

You could get the most expensive breakdown cover and still save money.

anjme · 20 Feb 2008

.... get sacked for taking too much time from work waiting for the engineer to call to repair it, or freeze to death waiting..

There are a lot of engineers who believe modern boilers tend to be unreliable so an annual maintenance contract can be good value for money.

Soggy_weetabix · 20 Feb 2008

anjme said:
.... get sacked for taking too much time from work waiting for the engineer to call to repair it, or freeze to death waiting..

There are a lot of engineers who believe modern boilers tend to be unreliable so an annual maintenance contract can be good value for money.

35 years IS OLD. The regulars on here know I do advocate a repair on an old boiler. But I have a 30 year limit for a reapir.

David

Terrywookfit · 20 Feb 2008

There is nothing wrong with open vented systems and 8 mm pipe IF installed correctly.

dal5band · 20 Feb 2008

Start by replacing the thermocouple - that's the most common failure point. Add some inhibitor to the system to be on the safe side - look for an old carton or bottle in the loft to see which inhibitor was last used and use the same one.
As long it's not ketteling and all the radiators are heating up, should be ok.

Soggy_weetabix · 20 Feb 2008

dal5band said:
Start by replacing the thermocouple - that's the most common failure point. Add some inhibitor to the system to be on the safe side - look for an old carton or bottle in the loft to see which inhibitor was last used and use the same one.
As long it's not ketteling and all the radiators are heating up, should be ok.

I think ive found the only engineer on here with my way of thinking.

Good on yer

Dave

JohnD · 20 Feb 2008

I am just a householder, but I have no doubt your system will have a lot of sediment and sludge in it

I cleaned a system of similar age last year, after a plain-water flush I used X400 and a Magnaclean and got a LOT of sludge out of it. It kept trapping black for months afterwards. This is a very mild cleaner and does not risk eating holes in your rads or making the joints leak, it just loosens old sludge. I was very pleased with the results (I once had a sludge blockage in another system, so this was far preferable).

If you are thinking of putting a new boiler on an old system it is important to get it clean first.

anjme · 20 Feb 2008

I think ive found the only engineer on here with my way of thinking

If you're not doing any other major projects in the new home I would say repair and maintain.
Yes you would lose out on boiler efficiency but save over two grand on a new system.

But I would not refit a kitchen around an old boiler and have new carpets fitted if I thought I would have to replace the system in the near future.

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Do I fix a 35 year old boiler or replace it?

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