1996 Worcester Bosch ? 240 combi boiler in bedroom

[mrelliott]

Hi, first time poster here. I'm in the process of buying a bunglaow for my parents. 1969 build which originally had ducted air heating. There is a boiler in a wardrobe in the bedroom.
Initially from the property info the vendors provided we were under the impression that it was installed in 2005 but they hadn't provided any documentation and didn't know when it had last been serviced. They're family of the elderly lady who lived the
When we round the other day with our electrician(property is empty) I noticed a little note on the inside of the wardrobe saying it was installed in 1996.
We asked the estate agent a month to ask the vendor to get a gas safety certificate and eventually this was done last week. It states remedial work required. Now I was speaking to our solicitor on the phone and I think she said some pipe should be going out through the external wall. All I can see on the external wall is the flue.
As this was installed pre 2005 there's no building regs available. Are all combi boilers, even old ones, suitable for bedrooms ie room sealed?
Anyway, just some opinions from folks regarding this dinosaur being in the bedroom where my 84 year old Dad will sleep!
Thanks in advance

 

[oph]

240 stopped production in 1997 and was replaced by the 24I and 24CDi. They were then replaced by the Greenstar range in 2004/2005.

Sounds to me from what you've typed that the pressure relief pipe hasn't been piped up possibly.

Was a fan flued boiler and could be installed in a bedroom but I suggest it gets a damn good checking over, such as case seals and flue integrity.

Don't get some muppet in whos just an installer, get someone who does mainly servicing and repairs

 

[footprints]

Room sealed boilers are OK in bedrooms still as far as I know, certainly back in 1996 it would have been OK, that said I would never suggest having one in a bed room despite the out and out fib that salesmen give that they are silent, they are not it would be a right pain to have one chugging away while you are trying to sleep. Servicing will be done in your bedroom who wants tools on the bed and debris on the bedroom carpet! Although experts will tell you they are 100% fail-safe nothing is foolproof and it still depends in the guy who serviced it last time to be properly sealed.

Should be a safety discharge pipe through the wall and if a condensing model a drain to outside directly or via an existing waste pipe.

 

[mrelliott]

Thanks oph and footprints. Definitely no pipe(s) through the wall. So what you're saying is that it wasn't fitted correctly? How've they been having it passed as OK for the last x years? (Questions if the person who's just done the gas safety check is the same person who's been servicing it for last x years)Think we've decided it needs a new boiler and will be asking for an allowance. I didn't think combi boilers lasted that long from the experiences we've had with Baxi x 2 and Worcester! Heaven knows why they put it in the bedroom. Guess there wasn't space in the kitchen, but there's a cupboard in the hall that's on an outside wall where it could've gone.How much work is involved in moving the boiler to what is essentially the other end , but same side, of the bungalow? I mean time wise really ,over and above just putting a new boiler in? Needs a complete rewire, so floor boards etc will be coming up anyway. The garage is next to where it is now, but I'm thinking that's not an ideal place for when you want to change the programmer,although have seen them in garages in some places we've looked at. While you're here and kindly offering advice, what make/model would you recommend ? It's around 600 sq ft with rads in 3 beds, LR, kitchen and bathroom. Thanks again.

 

[muggles]

If it works it's probably not worth replacing it, but if you do want to replace it you can't go wrong with an Intergas ECO RF; which power output rather depends on your incoming mains flow rate and hot water requirements as much as anything else. Ten year warranty as standard, now upgradeable to 15 years for an additional £300. Only four moving parts, so it's very reliable, and unlike some supposedly "premium" brands they don't use plastic components or rubber hoses in their construction. Nothing wrong with putting it in the garage - you can get wireless programmable room thermostats for them so you can have the programmer in the house. How much work it will be to move it depends entirely on the pipework route and ease of access, which can only really be estimated by someone on-site. Bear in mind that if you move it a long way from your hot water taps it's going to take longer for the hot water to get through (people don't always think about this!).

 

[HootingOwl]

The 240 is an exceptionally reliable boiler and I would keep it. PRV not going through wall is not a big issue and is easily remedied

Worcester has stopped supplying parts for the 240 but most stuff can be found if you look hard enough.

 

[mrelliott]

Thanks again. Hooting owl, interesting about the reliability of the 240, but a little concerned about potential for delays in getting the parts, especially as parents are 80 and 84. Muggles thanks for that. Actually, it would closer to the bathroom if we moved it to the kitchen,but I lnow what you mean. We rent and the combi is upstairs and it takes what seems like forever to get hot water in the kitchen. Always think about how much water we're wasting. There'll only be the 2 of them and just one bathroom with a mains shower and the pressure on that seems good.

 

[flameport]

How've they been having it passed as OK for the last x years?

Fitted incorrectly in the first place. Never serviced, checked or even glanced at from a moving van in the 20 years since.
Pure luck that it still works at all.

 

[mrelliott]

How've they been having it passed as OK for the last x years?

Fitted incorrectly in the first place. Never serviced, checked or even glanced at from a moving van in the 20 years since.
Pure luck that it still works at all.

They did say on the property info form that they didn't know when it was last serviced. Maybe the CO got to the elderly lady who lived there last. Family are selling the house. So you're of the same opinion as me, which is replace it?

 

[McCombi]

Could be open vent model and engineer assumed sealed. Therefore no pipe outside req

 

[AGAS]

the pressure relief pipe doesn't always go to outside

 

[picasso]

The boiler is 20 years old , if it was in a decent place and did not need remedial work I would say keep it but your having work done to the property anyway so now is a good time to change it.

 

[footprints]

You don't want upheaval once your parents are in, change it and position as near as possible to the kitchen sink, that will be the most often used tap and a short run will save wasted water and gas.