Help/advice for a newbie, please

[VWGolf]

Just stumbled across your forum when I was trying to find out about my gas fire and found out it should probably be scrapped. Immediately!

Please make allowances for the fact that I know next to nothing about central heating/fires/gas and that I'm on a limited budget - about £3K.

My house, which is timber-framed, brick and tile-faced, was built in 1976 and still has the original back boiler (no idea what) and New World Stowaway 411/1, 412/1,415 gas fire. The gas fire is in the sitting room (18' x 10' x 7' high) but there is not a radiator in here. The other rooms (kitchen, bathroom, 2 bedrooms and hall) all have radiators, which I hope I'm not going to have to replace.

I want a new fire and I've seen flueless gas fires that look like plasma TVs with little flames dancing in them. Do I need a 2kw or 3.5 kw size?

And I'd like a new more efficient boiler, preferably not behind the fire and I don't have any idea about condensing or otherwise. I understand it has to be on an outside wall?

Could the radiators be checked/flushed/reused?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated in what I should be looking for.

TIA

 

[Agile]

It sounds as if you have a back boiler.

It should be replaced with a new boiler elsewhere. Probably cost about £2000.

I would strongly advise against any flueless gas fire. One killed a girl in Wales!

You should have a radiator added to the lounge instead, about £350.

Need a bit more for making good the old boiler space. If you must have a fire as a focal point then get an electric one.

Tony

 

[Bahco]

Read this regarding flueless fires.

 

[spudkey]

A new boiler can be installed almost anywhere, get a radiator installed in lounge and forget about flueless gas fires,

 

[VWGolf]

Thank you.

Does that mean a new boiler will cost £2K for just the boiler, or is that fitted?

Why did the girl in Wales die? When I've looked at some online, it said they don't need a flue (although I've got one) and that they are very efficient.

Also, if I had to have a radiotor in the sitting room, it would probably need one each end, as it is a long thin room. Which would also need a lot more piping, presumably. My neighbour had two put in and now there's double copper piping all over the place, whihc I'd rather avoid, if possible. Also, I though electric fires were very expensive to run, so didn't consider one.

 

[jamesdean]

Does that mean a new boiler will cost £2K for just the boiler, or is that fitted?

A new condensing boiler will cost you between 400 and 1100 quid, then the price to fit.

Why did the girl in Wales die? When I've looked at some online, it said they don't need a flue (although I've got one) and that they are very efficient.

They are very efficient until the catalytic converter fails, then so do you. Don`t entertain this ridiculous fad. I won`t and never will install a gas appliance where the products of combustion have nowhere to go but into your room, if it ain`t got a flue, I aint fittin`it

 

[VWGolf]

I've just been and read those links, also a 71-page HSE document and I've now changed my mind about having a flueless fire!

However, I'm now going to look for a similar fire, but one that uses a flue and keep my fingers crossed that they're alright.

Also, regarding the boiler, as I'm starting over again, might I as well get a condensing one instead of whatever the other sort is (evaporating?)?

And can I still keep my radiators if I get some thermostats for them?

Thank you.

 

[jamesdean]

I've just been and read those links, also a 71-page HSE document and I've now changed my mind about having a flueless fire!

Hooray

A condensing boiler is what you need. You can keep your radiators and fit TRV`s