New Boiler for my folks

[minscsmouse]

The combi boiler in my elderly parents house ( Saunier Duval) packed up over the weekend. It was around 12 years old. They reside in a 3 bedroom mid terrace house with a bathroom/shower and a separate electric shower. There are 9 radiators.


My mother is partially sighted and old man is not particularly well so I spent most of the weekend rushing around arranging fan heaters/oil filled heaters to buy time. I have to urgently make a purchase tommorrow.

Our longstanding plumber kindly popped over sunday and mentioned the heat exchanger had packed up.

I'm paying for the boiler and labour costs. I also have no experience with boiler makes at all apart from knowing that all combi boilers post 2005 are of the condenser type.

Our plumber's opinion was to opt for a Potterton Gold 28 HE which can be purchased for around £700, along with an electrostatic scale reducer and a Fernox boiler buddy ( although he said this can be replaced by a similar product from Magnaclean and there wasn't much between them).

He mentioned Vaillant as being very good but had appeared to have some problems with their "diverter valves". I'm not sure what that is, or what type of problem it may be in the future.

What I'm looking at is something as reliable as possible with low maintenance for my folks. They are quite diligent and for as long as I can remember had been annually servicing the boiler.

I've been pondering on either the Potterton Gold 28HE or the Vaillant ecoTec Plus 837HE.

The cost at this point in time is not important.

Any advice would be appreciated

 

[htgeng]

Don't go for the potty or the boiler buddy or the magnaclean and you don't need one of those electricky things on the water pipe. Well, you did ask for an opinion. Everyone has their own opinions on best/worst make of boiler and you will get 50 different views. If you trust your plumber thats probably good enough. Just wouldn't go with the potty. Vaillant is probably better than most.

If you say where you are one of the lads on the gas forum may be able to advise you if you want a second quote.

 

[bengasman]

For optimum reliability, get a Viessmann 100W combi with as simple a time and roomstat as possible.
Better than Wb, Vailant, and most certainly better than Potterton.
Baxi/Potterton is mostly cheap Italian built crap, and at best a medium range product.

 

[minscsmouse]

Thanks for the help all, in the end I plumped for the vaillant ecotec plus 837 as I can get hold of it by wednesday and installed by friday.
Once again thanks for the help and advice.

Regards