Keep 2 separate boilers or move to combi?

[CraigM]

Any advice here would be great. At the moment we currently have two separate boilers. One for the hot water upstairs in the bathroom. Its quite old but the chap from British gas says it s a good boiler (Corvec Brittony) And we have a boiler downstairs in the kitchen for the heating (Ideal i think it is) which we fill up with water every now and again to bump up the pressure.

Both are on a maintenence contract with British Gas.

We are having the whole kictchen /utility area rebuilt (as its a 1910 terraced and the back bit is only single skin and was originally meant to e used as a skullery) and we want to know if its worth going to a new combi boiler? We will have a bathroom and also when the work is done a shower room in the converted loft.

Is it much cheaper to use a combi boiler as opposed to two separate boilers?

Thanks for your help

Craig

 

[kevplumb]

Is it much cheaper to use a combi boiler as opposed to two separate boilers?

in gas usage prob

in repairs

 

[CraigM]

I have to say in the 3 years we have bene in the house. The fan got stuck on the central heating boiler once. Got that fixed and the Brittony needed fixing once also. Simple problem.

I suppose if one goes at least we have hot water/Heating

Just wondering about costs of running. Also is having two boilers more reliable than a combi.

 

[kevplumb]

yes ok i'll keep it simple

if it ain't broke don't fix it

 

[Paul Barker]

The Brittony II water heater is ultra reliable. One frequent problem pilot jet gets blocked, for which British Gas will have to take it out and clean for you as part of their contract and can't get put of it. Likewise every 5 years or so it will need a new diaphragm about £5 for that part. Thermocouple rarely goes but another cheap part.

The Ideal boiler in the kitchen might be a problem if it isn't an Ideal Classic system boiler (you have demonstarted you have a system boiler). If it is, stick with it, if it is something else, you could have a problem soon.

I wouldn't get a combi in preference to a Brittony II and a system boiler. If the system boiler fails to be repairable by BG on their scheme, replace with a new system boiler.

If your Brittony is a Flexiflue that is another story, they aren't so good. In that instance replace it with a Brittony II when BG won't fix it for free any longer, if the flue position allows.

 

[CraigM]

The Brittony II water heater is ultra reliable. One frequent problem pilot jet gets blocked, for which British Gas will have to take it out and clean for you as part of their contract and can't get put of it. Likewise every 5 years or so it will need a new diaphragm about £5 for that part. Thermocouple rarely goes but another cheap part.

The Ideal boiler in the kitchen might be a problem if it isn't an Ideal Classic system boiler (you have demonstarted you have a system boiler). If it is, stick with it, if it is something else, you could have a problem soon.

I wouldn't get a combi in preference to a Brittony II and a system boiler. If the system boiler fails to be repairable by BG on their scheme, replace with a new system boiler.

If your Brittony is a Flexiflue that is another story, they aren't so good. In that instance replace it with a Brittony II when BG won't fix it for free any longer, if the flue position allows.

Paul, many thanks for this mate. yes it is an Ideal classic, As i have said before only problem i have had with it is the fan got stuck, BG came out next day and fixed it.

Thanks for your response.

 

[Paul Barker]

The Classic is a really excelent product. The fans do wear a bit quick, all the radiated and convected heat from the slightly less efficient but perfectly adequate heat exchanger. there is an awquard screw at the back when changing the fan, but apart from that it's a simple job. I deal were all out of fans last week but it's not generally a problem geting parts for that excellent boiler.

So if I had what you have I would keep it.

One flat I let has vertually the same configuration, a small boiler of that generation and a Britony IIt. I just clean the pilot of the Brittony when I do the landlord check changed the diaphragm 5 years ago, so that may go soon, they only cost me 50p and take 20 minutes to do.

A far more reliable set up than a combi.

If however you offset fuel efficiency then in terms of running costs a modern Band A combi makes sense. What doesn't make sense is to replace perfectly good equipment just for the energy saving, since the payback on the cost of capital and labour is infinite. You will never see a financial reward for the upgade, and the new boiler will not outlive the pair that you have there.

At home I still run an even better boiler the Ideal Mexico. It is a brave man who takes out an Ideal Mexico for a band A boiler. I very nearly did when I was lumbered with an Ideal Icos that I bought for a job and opened the box, but it didn't fit the space so I had to get a regular boiler, but after I'd undone the box pts wanted 20% handling fee, so I kept it against a future customer. Fortunately I found a customer for it, or I would have had to have it. The problem with that is the modern stuff I don't value so much as the venerable stuff you and I have.