Magnetic filter.

[pete01]

Hello nice people of the plumbing and heating section....

I had my boiler serviced yesterday by British gas, they said I have no magnetic filter and recommend i have one.

Questions

1, do I need one?

2, they quoted me £230 all in, is that a fair price?


Thanks all

 

[CountryFan]

Good afternoon @pete01

1 - We'd need to know the quality of your heating water to ascertain this properly. Plenty of systems if installed correctly don't need one. So if your system water is good, then no you don't.
2 - Not imo, but BG are expensive.

 

[oilhead]

You may find that before fitting one they will insist on a powerflush at another £500 or so

 

[pete01]

You may find that before fitting one they will insist on a powerflush at another £500 or so

Really?

 

[pete01]

Good afternoon @pete01

1 - We'd need to know the quality of your heating water to ascertain this properly. Plenty of systems if installed correctly don't need one. So if your system water is good, then no you don't.
2 - Not imo, but BG are expensive.

Cheers mate, I get it serviced every year and they always say it, I just thought why not this time.....what price should I be looking at roughly?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

2, they quoted me £230 all in, is that a fair price?

Fit one yourself, they are not difficult, depending on your pipe layout. They can be had for £50-ish, and need to be fitted into the return pipe, usually close to the boiler. Idea is, modern boiler water passages are narrow, easily choked up by the rust/magnetite from your radiators. They rust internally, unless they are maintained with inhibitor, that then ends up choking the boiler. A mag filter, collects these, before they can wreck your boiler, but they do need to be cleaned out.

A BG boiler service, does not include cleaning the filter.

 

[CountryFan]

Cheers mate, I get it serviced every year and they always say it, I just thought why not this time.....what price should I be looking at roughly?

You could get one, but only if you think it’s needed. I would say half that for price, or as suggested, fit one yourself.

 

[gas112]

Do all your rads heat up with no cold spots

 

[pete01]

Do all your rads heat up with no cold spots

Yes

 

[gas112]

Yes

i wouldnt bother then

 

[fixitflav]

Cheers mate, I get it serviced every year and they always say it, I just thought why not this time.....what price should I be looking at roughly?

A filter is very useful for sampling the water to do an annual bright wire nail test, and for adding more inhibitor if needed.

 

[pete01]

Got a price off a plumber I know £250+vat, bloody hell more than British Gas....think I'll go with @gas112 s plan and not bother.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Got a price off a plumber I know £250+vat, bloody hell more than British Gas....think I'll go with @gas112 s plan and not bother.

Many boiler manufacturers insist on one be fitted, for their warranty. They can safeguard your boiler, but only if you have a poorly maintained system, lacking inhibitor. I make a point, as I have always done since original install, of looking after my system, and checking the inhibitor level - Do you? Yet, I fitted a filter, as a bit of extra insurance, for what they cost, versus the damage which could be done, were the system neglected. A boiler service, is only a boiler service, it's not a heating system service.

 

[pete01]

Do you?

I dont touch it, it gets serviced every year and thats it, it's 13 years old Worcester greenstar I think it is

 

[Sonic70]

I fitted one on my system a few years back and my systems pretty Clean with inhibitor. Doesn't collect much but the stuff it does collect at least doesn't make it to the boiler.