New boiler or not?

[mp129]

Hello folks,

Our central heating system needs a new 3 way valve and a new high efficiency pump because the water is no longer getting hot, although the heating works. We've been quoted £1,368 including VAT.

Our Ideal Classic boiler is approximately 30 years old.

My question is whether there would be benefits if we changed to a combi-boiler at the same time (including saving some space in the airing cupboard and the loft).

Any thoughts please?

M

PS: Sorry, I should have said that the quote includes supplying and fitting a new radiator, draining the system etc..

 

[Wayners]

You get a 10 year warranty parts and labour on a new boiler if you shop around.
All you pay for is a service every year.
I'm thinking of doing the same with a 17 year old boiler.

If you look online as an example, you can pay monthly if that works for you and have no worries for the next 10 years plus a more efficient boiler.

If you said my boiler is fine if I spend £200 to fix, then maybe you would do that until the summer when you can get a new boiler fitted, but spending that amount of cash isn't worth it.

 

[gas112]

£1368 quid to fit those two parts ? if so someone is pulling your pants down

.
If you got a new combi then you wouldnt need those parts as they are incorporated within the boiler

Ideal classic is one of the best boilers ever made

 

[mp129]

Thanks both.

gas112 - sorry, I should have said that the quote includes supplying and fitting a new radiator, draining the system etc.

How much disruption would be involved in switching to a combi?

 

[ericmark]

Central heating (CH) for a three-bedroom house likely needs a 12 kW boiler or less, and domestic hot water (DHW) to fill a bath as fast as it could be filled from stored water, likely needs a boiler of 35 kW or more. In the main I use a shower, and so don't need a massive boiler, again likely 12 kW is ample, as to turn off CH while using the DHW is no big deal, however unless you stipulate the boiler size, likely a combi will be grossly oversized.

I have not seen a room in years which a 2 kW electric fire would not keep warm, so 6 rooms in a house, maximum boiler size likely around 12 kW, and with rooms satisfied, likely it needs to turn down to 3 kW, in order to gain the latent heat in the flue gases.

So a combi boiler is a compromise, and is unlikely to work as efficient as a system boiler, but a 40 gallon cylinder and 30 gallon header tank take up a lot of room, so do you need that room?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Our central heating system needs a new 3 way valve and a new high efficiency pump because the water is no longer getting hot, although the heating works. We've been quoted £1,368 including VAT.

If that quote is just for a new valve, and a new pump - it is awfully expensive. Get some alternative quotes..!

 

[CountryFan]

Getting a combi would have some benefits, but not many and it would require a conversion (changed from conventional system to combi) a lot more than your quote. I would get it changed to an S plan (X2 motorised valves) system rather than keep the 3 port valve.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Getting a combi would have some benefits, but not many and it would require a conversion (changed from conventional system to combi) a lot more than your quote. I would get it changed to an S plan (X2 motorised valves) system rather than keep the 3 port valve.

Any particular reason, for the swap from 3-port, to 2-port valves?

 

[CountryFan]

Any particular reason, for the swap from 3-port, to 2-port valves?

I've read on here that 2 ports are supposed to last longer, we only have about two 3 ports in our housing stock as vast majority are combi's, some with zonal heating.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've read on here that 2 ports are supposed to last longer, we only have about two 3 ports in our housing stock as vast majority are combi's, some with zonal heating.

They are certainly less complex, and so more reliable, I just wondered if you might have some other reason than that. MOMO types, 2 or 3-port are even more reliable, than spring return types.

 

[ericmark]

The three port valve default is DHW, so it will allow the boiler to cool by heating DHW even when the pump is not running, so for oil boilers they work very well allowing the boiler to cool. But they are complex and more likely to failure as to the S plan, the S plan relies on the by-pass valve allowing water to circulate should the micro-switch fail, so it does depend on where the by-pass valve is, the re-plumbing required if either no by-pass or by-pass in the wrong place, could mean there is a lot of work to swap Y Plan to S Plan.

In the main, the whole wiring plan and plumbing changes with the S Plan, boilers often have a cool down cycle, and there is no need for a motorised valve in the central heating, only the domestic hot water, as the modern electronic TRV head is a motorised valve in its self, so basically we have multi-motorised valves in the central heating anyway so no advantage duplicating them. And the TRV type better control the boiler's output.

 

[gas112]

I've read on here that 2 ports are supposed to last longer, we only have about two 3 ports in our housing stock as vast majority are combi's, some with zonal heating.

Yep always found 2 ports to last longer and you get a better flow through them than a 3 port

 

[mp129]

Thanks everybody for your advice. Unfortunately I'm now way out of my depth trying to make this decision but it sounds to me that switching to a combi or an S plan would require more work and more disruption than simply getting a new 3 way valve and a new high efficiency pump. Am I understanding it correctly?

If so, does £1,368 still sound too far over the top considering it includes supplying and fitting a new radiator, draining the system etc?

To be honest, that amount won't break the bank and I'd just like the problem solved asap. Given that it's now winter and heating engineers are going to be hard to find, should I just go with the quote? It is from a reputable local firm...

Thanks again for all your input.