Advice needed for choice of new boiler

[womble]

Hi,

I need to replace my Ariston EuroCombi SX20 combi boiler, which has developed various faults after just 8 years (scaling, leaks, faulty thermostat).

I'm looking for a good value combi boiler, reliable and relatively compact. Is there a particular brand/model you would recommend? My plumber advised an Ariston ACO 24. which is about £700+VAT. He advised against the Ariston Micro Genus 24 HE (£520+VAT) on the basis that it's an older design.

I was quoted £1800+VAT for the replacement of my boiler with an Ariston ACO 24 (supply + fit), which I find a bit expensive as the guy said it would be a day's work. What sort of money should I be realistically paying to fit a new boiler?

Regards

 

[HarrogateGas]

Why another Ariston if your current Ariston boiler is leaking, faulty and presumably behond repair after only 8 years?


I always fit Vaillaints or Vokeras as a rule. If that price includes a flush of the system its not a bad price. Not brilliant either.

 

[Agile]

If he does it in a day then I dont see any power flushing being done although the price should include it. Not power flushing is lining up future problems.

My real question is why not get your boiler repaired?

There are very few boiler problems we cannot fix for less than £250.

Scaling, £180 if lime, thermostat £30, leaks mostly free!

I suspect you are the victim of someone who can fit boilers and prefers a more profitable job of replacement ( even if he could fix it. )

My advice is to get it repaired or if you must replace it get someone else "on principle".

Tony Glazier

 

[weareleeds]

Get a german one if you are changing it either a vaillant ecomax or a worcester greenstar

 

[Paul Barker]

Get a Dutch one.

 

[mcguire]

DEFFINATLEY DO NOT GET ANOTHER ARISTON. they should stick to making fridges.not boilers. I repair boilers day in day out and i don't go to many worcester greenstars or vaillant ecomx's. and the reason why your installer won't want to install one of theses is 'cause they are twice as much. please take it from me, you won't go far wrong with either of these. But! if your system doesn't get a proper flush, it won't matter what you fit.

 

[Agile]

The installation cost should be transparent whichever boiler is to be fitted.

E.G. say £700 plus the cost of the boiler, to include power flushing!

However I still dont see why your existing boiler cannot be repaired.

Tony

 

[Baxi-Remeha]

what you need is a BAXI platinum, with a 5 year parts and labour warranty.............

 

[corgiman]

Really they do a five year guarantee?????

 

[Paul Barker]

Yes a freee 5yr parts and labour warranty and a freee mechanical clock, and it fits the same jigg as the 105e so if you get combi swaps in future you can do them in half an hour. And it uses same pcb as 105e, vertually everything below the heat exchanger is 105e instant. AND the Heatteam engineers are true gentlemen, and if you are a member of bonus direct they guarantee to come out to your boilers next day or they give you so many points (which probably earns you a pair of socks!)

 

[Mikeyboy]

Mr .Barker , a fine reply with regards to Heateam engineers ,not many people reply in the same vein.Although I no longer work for Heateam ,I am certain that existing field engineers will appreciate your input.

 

[Prof.plumb]

NO NO NO NO!!! How many people live in your house? How many bathrooms have you got? 9 times out of 10 24kw is a drop in the ocean. Get yourself a 28kw Baxi Platinum. They are awesome machines. They come with a 5 year guaretee parts and labour. They are a little dearer but hey you get what you pay for!

 

[Softus]

NO NO NO NO!!! How many people live in your house?

A more apposite question is how many people live in your head?

9 times out of 10 24kw is a drop in the ocean.

9 times out of 10 you appear to think things happen 9 times out of 10, and the remaining times you just post nonsense.

 

[womble]

Actually my current Ariston is a 23KW and in terms of power it's perfectly adequate. I only have two bathrooms and the one in the loft has an electric shower. 24KW would be plenty.

With regard to whether my boiler would be repairable, I don't know. Here's a more precise description of the fault:

The central heating works perfectly fine. However when I draw hot water the boiler starts kettling, then there's a very loud groan which stops after 10 seconds. The plumber who came said the heat exchanged was probably scaled (which I believe could be true after reading various posts). He also said that the adjustment on the gas valve was broken and that the central heating was only working at its minimum setting (though if I increase the CH thermostat on the boiler it does produce more heat).

What I noticed is that when the boiler was working fine, the intensity of the flames used to reduce when I was drawing hot water, then went back up when I closed the tap (I believe the reason is that there's less water to heat in the DHW circuit). Now when I draw hot water the flames intensity does not reduce. Hence I suspect that the DHW circuit is getting too much heat and the water starts boiling (that's just my own speculation).

So if I'm not totally wrong the bit that regulates the flames intensity (gas valve, thermostat or else?) may need to be replaced. At the same time replacing the pressure relief valve should solve the leak.

The problem is that I've already paid a £70 callout charge for a diagnostic I found suspicious, and I'm not convinced that bringing another plumber in will yield better results (how do you know if a plumber is competent and honest before booking?).

In the meantime I've injected a dose of Fernox Boiler Noise Silencer and it didn't really make a difference (that was a week ago).

At the moment I'm considering doing a main flush and descaling the boiler with Fernox Restorer, but if as I suspect the problem is with the flame intensity descaling won't solve it.

Any comments about this?

 

[Paul Barker]

Personally if I owned an A23 with those sypmtoms I would pull it off the wall and call a man who collects my scrap boilers.

Some here would be able to fix everything and guarantee their work for half a crown. I'm obviously a total cluts.