Do I need a new boiler, or just a service...?
- Thread starter Roger465
- Start date
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I'm leaving all that sort of stuff to the plumber - I know very little about these things.
What I need to know now is if there's any way of unjamming my pump till it all gets renewed.
Personally I'd have got that done as an absolute priority, without delay. £50 a week in oil is about 125 litres a week, 17.8 litres per day. I was once told that one leaked litre will contaminate up to an acre of land - by leaving it you're potentially causing a massive pollution incident. I believe you could be leaking as much as 10-15 litres per day
You could try operating your pump valves, but they look old and there's a risk they might jam shut. Other than that, turn the system off, wait for it to go cold and then at least you'll only be getting sprayed with cold water
PLEASE get the oil pipe checked ASAP though
You could try operating your pump valves, but they look old and there's a risk they might jam shut. Other than that, turn the system off, wait for it to go cold and then at least you'll only be getting sprayed with cold water
PLEASE get the oil pipe checked ASAP though
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It doesn't use any oil when the heating isn't on, which leads me to suspect that there isn't a leak. The plumber said the massive consumption was due to several factors (1) the boiler being "one of the most inefficient ever made", and also 30 years old; (2) not having been serviced in at least a decade, and probably more; (3) it's a big bungalow with a lot to heat, and a lot of loss (door and window seals leaking; (4) no or broken TRVs on many of the 17 rads, so they're full on all the time; (5) I've just moved from Gloucestershire to Northern Ireland, and the difference in temperature is shocking.
If it was leaking wouldn't there be a smell?
If it was leaking wouldn't there be a smell?
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Don't know mate, as it isn't running now
Week after next before I can get a new one fitted - freezing to death here!
OK, update – new boiler fitted yesterday – pic of new and old attached. It’ll be interesting to see what the consumption is after a week or two.
They did test the fuel line from the tank, found no leaks but it was badly kinked due to having been routed incorrectly – it’s a wonder fuel was getting through at all, but wouldn’t adversely affect consumption I’d have thought.
Will (hopefully) close the thread when I’ve estimated the new consumption figures… thanks for all your help everybody
They did test the fuel line from the tank, found no leaks but it was badly kinked due to having been routed incorrectly – it’s a wonder fuel was getting through at all, but wouldn’t adversely affect consumption I’d have thought.
Will (hopefully) close the thread when I’ve estimated the new consumption figures… thanks for all your help everybody
Looks good - I'm considering doing something similar myself next year. From the looks of the air intake it's a room sealed boiler? Did you have to maintain any external vent holes in the room or just the balanced flue?
It's in the garage mate, plenty of air circulation in there under the garage door
Otherwise, I'm afraid I have absolutely no idea - I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to plumbing and heating. Just handed the plumber wodges of cash and let him get on with it...
£2500. But if your boiler is an ancient pile of crap in N Ireland, you get a £700 grant towards replacing it
I'm hoping £50 a month will be more like it - that's about what my parents pay, just down the road...
£2500. But if your boiler is an ancient pile of crap in N Ireland, you get a £700 grant towards replacing it
I'm hoping £50 a month will be more like it - that's about what my parents pay, just down the road...
That's not too bad, our gas condensing combi boiler (Bosch) wasn't far off 2k fitted.
Do the cows live in there too?
Only Yoking - at least you can acclimatise now
Only Yoking - at least you can acclimatise now
Do the cows live in there too?
Only Yoking - at least you can acclimatise now
The cows wouldn't survive mate... polar bears maybe. Can't get used to how hot it is now FFS.
And how quiet and "whirry" everything is. Before the old one packed in completely, I'd lie shivering in bed in the morning watching the clock radio till it hit 7:30 and the whole house started to vibrate as the old boiler kicked in and gradually heated me up a bit.
This morning nothing happened, so I dragged myself out of bed, put my ski suit (yes really) on, and staggered out to the garage. To my amazement, there were various LEDs blinking in the corner, and a soft whirring noise. I touched the valve beside the pump, and my fingers nearly stuck to it. 20 minutes later, the house was getting nicely warm.
Oh, and disaster narrowly averted - the guy came to fill the oil tank (900 litres, which will weigh quite a bit), got maybe 100 into it, then suddenly stopped, and started poking around the back of the tank... turned out the @!!%$!@** who lived here before had tipped the (plastic) tank up on bricks etc to drain the last dregs out of it before I moved in. The guy reckoned if he'd carried on and filled it, it would have split at the bottom, and then I WOULD have had an environmental catastrophe on my hands. We managed to drag them out and get it filled.
Brief update: oil consumption still seems heavy to me with the new boiler – but had a chance conversation with my cousin in Somerset, who recently had the exact same boiler fitted.
He lives in a country cottage in Somerset, and had a complete new installation – boiler, tank, rads, everything. His consumption in cold weather is £50 a week – 3 beds (only one or two heated); one large reception.
On the one hand, his house is a lot older than this one, so probably a lot of heat loss – though he’s a builder, and has done what he can to mitigate heat loss (also his house is a fair bit smaller); on the other, having moved here recently from Gloucestershire, I know it’s A LOT warmer where he is.
I’m beginning to wonder if oil is just an inherently expensive way of heating your home… sadly we have no gas in my area
Going to check if my roof insulation can be improved – seems to be maybe 4” of fibreglass at present.
He lives in a country cottage in Somerset, and had a complete new installation – boiler, tank, rads, everything. His consumption in cold weather is £50 a week – 3 beds (only one or two heated); one large reception.
On the one hand, his house is a lot older than this one, so probably a lot of heat loss – though he’s a builder, and has done what he can to mitigate heat loss (also his house is a fair bit smaller); on the other, having moved here recently from Gloucestershire, I know it’s A LOT warmer where he is.
I’m beginning to wonder if oil is just an inherently expensive way of heating your home… sadly we have no gas in my area
Going to check if my roof insulation can be improved – seems to be maybe 4” of fibreglass at present.
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