Combi boiler extras

[phil1963]

I am being brave and getting a Combi installed to replace a troublesome old boiler that the previous owners put in about nine years ago. The plumber said that I will also need an attachment to stop the system getting blocked up with gunk (a sort of water purifier(I live in Kent where chalk gets into the water supply, if that helps)) at about £86. He mentioned that the purifiying thing will need replacing too.


Two questions:
1) How often would this purifying piece of equipment need replacing?
2) How often do Combi boiler themselves need checking?

 

[twgas]

1) if he means a magna clean type filter it would need cleaning every few months. but not replacing.

2) service once a year - usually

 

[gas4you]

Me may even mean a Spirovent. This removes non metallic crud from the system. It has a drain on the bottom that anyone can use to empty the debris it has collected.

Magnaclean will only remove the iron oxide build up in the system, not any chalk or scale deposits present.

 

[twgas]

perhaps he intends to fit both

 

[gigz]

.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Magnaclean will only remove the iron oxide build up in the system, not any chalk or scale deposits present.

Ahha!! Not so!.... The pretty lady on the Magnaclean stand at the Ricoh arena demonstrated to me their new and improved magnetic filter with a steel mesh (Kinda like a corse brillo pad) in the base

 

[Agile]

I have always fitted a mesh filter washer in the outlet from the magnaclean.

I will see what the lady can show me tomorrow! Their stand is very smart !

He might also mean a water conditioner on the water inlet. You really need a permanent magnet conditioner anyway if your water is very hard.

Tony

 

[phil1963]

Many thanks for your respective bits of advice. Sadly I live in Kent so no doubt will have to put up with chalk impeding the performance of my new boiler. I wish someone would invent something to neutarlise chalk depsoits! The self same substance has made a mess of the inside of my shower door for years!

 

[simond]

In which case he refers to limescale in the water.

An inline magnet or conditioner does according to some people, have a short term effect where the molecular shape of the crystals alters and causes them to be less 'sticky'.

The limescale still passes through the boiler and sticks to your shower door.

The only way to prevent limescale is to fit a water softener, which is a different thing entirely.

Nowadays it is very rare to find a scaled up combi. With modulating burners the internal temp regulation is much better and in my view the water conditioner is utterly without merit. I've seen a few block up or cause leaks though.

 

[Corgigrouch]

In which case, you'll need one of these... http://www.diynot.com/network/Corgigrouch/albums/

Ironically it is in a town with very soft water... Perhaps it is doing the whole town