New Boiler - Should I or Shouldn't I?

[chuckalicious]

Ok, here's the situation:

I bought a house which has a boiler which is older than I am (I'm 27). It works, albeit expensively. It has some quirks such as not being able to have the heating on without the hot water, and that it's a microbore system so the rads are not thermostatically controlled, but as I say, it works.

My concern is that when it does develop a fault, it's very likely that it'll be too old to get parts, and so I have done some saving to combat this issue.

So I have a couple of questions.

1. Should I get the boiler replaced now, even though it still works, to a more efficient and serviceable one, before the winter starts, or leave it until it packs in (which will undoubtedly be in the middle of the Scottish winter)

2. Leave the microbore piping where it is, and just get it stepped up to 15 or 22 where it meets the rad so I can have thermostatic valves, or should I get the pipes replaced as well (which would obviously involve a great amount of upheaval and cost).

I'm not asking for a ballpark figure, but I will have £3600 for the complete replacement. My property is a terraced 5 bed 3 floor Victorian house, so it needs a good heat. It has 10 rads of varying sizes.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chrishutt]

Might help if you identified the boiler!

 

[chuckalicious]

It's a GloWorm 65-80.

 

[Bambergaspipe]

chuckalicious"]Ok, here's the situation:

I bought a house which has a boiler which is older than I am (I'm 27). It works,

If it`s not broke, don`t fix it.

 

[chuckalicious]

I would normally agree with the last comment, but my concern is that due to it's age, it could quite feasibly break down, at which point we'd probably need to get a new one, and it'll happen when we really need it.

However, you folks will know better than me whether or not you can actually still get parts for something like that.

 

[Bambergaspipe]

I would normally agree with the last comment, but my concern is that due to it's age, it could quite feasibly break down, at which point we'd probably need to get a new one, and it'll happen when we really need it.

However, you folks will know better than me whether or not you can actually still get parts for something like that.

Your brand spanking new car could break down today. If it`s doing it`s job, then let it do it`s job.
However, if you want to rip it out & upgrade that`s for you to decide.

 

[mikej2005]

2. Leave the microbore piping where it is, and just get it stepped up to 15 or 22 where it meets the rad so I can have thermostatic valves, or should I get the pipes replaced as well (which would obviously involve a great amount of upheaval and cost).

What makes you think you can't use 10mm pipe with TRVs ?

I've just used 10mm microbore in a complete system replacement, which included replacing a 35 year-old Glow-Worm 65/75 boiler funnily enough.

You can buy both lockshields and TRVs in the 10mm size without a problem - you may just have to look a little further than B&Q, that's all.

Some of the TRVs are just 15mm with a 15-10mm insert.

There are many arguments as to the pros and cons of replacing an old (but working) boiler, but I don't regret my decision for a second. Only time (and my gas bill) will tell whether it was the right decision....!

 

[chuckalicious]

Ok, sorry, what I should have said is I don't think you can buy the TRVs which have the 2 microbore (which I thought was 8mm, not 10mm) on the same end. So what I was asking is is it acceptable to continue to use microbore (and extending one end to reach the far end of the new rad) on a new system?

I just don't know whether keeping an old system, which is costing us £110 a month (or was last winter) to keep the house moderately warm, running, with the worry that it might break (but might not), or spending £3600 on a new system which might also break, but would surely be more efficient and save on the monthly running costs.

 

[chrishutt]

A new condensing boiler will not be as reliable as your old Glow-worm. When it goes wrong it will be much more expensive to repair. And it will need much more regular servicing than you can get away with on an old boiler.

Against that you have to consider the increased energy efficiency of a new condensing boiler. You might save 15 - 20% of your fuel bill, but if that's not much money anyway the higher maintenance costs of a condenser might neutralise those savings.

The part most likely to fail on the old boiler is the thermocouple, but these will be available for many years and are very cheap. Otherwise there's not much to go wrong.

If you can find a competent heating engineer it might be worth getting him in to have a look and advise on how the existing system might be brought up to a higher level of efficiency, as well as the options for boiler replacement.

 

[chuckalicious]

Thanks Chris, I have heard that new boilers are less reliable, which is terrible, but not surprising.

Maybe I will just wait for it to pack up.

I will get someone round to see what they think. I imagine the poor thing could do with a good clean, that might help it!

Thanks all.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Make sure you dont get your local (Chuck a combi at the wall) trader round!!

Or BG.

Some installers use scaremongering and efficiency to con people into changing boilers!!

Two grand for new boiler or £65.00 for service and T/C !!

Yours will probably outlast most new boilers currently being fitted!!

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS NOT ABOUT SAVING MONEY

 

[chuckalicious]

Thanks Terry. Can I ask what a "service and T/C" is? I know the service bit, but not the T/C.

And don't worry, I'm not letting BG into my house to look at anything

 

[Terrywookfit]

Its a thermocouple!!

If its not been replaced for a couple of years you might as well have one fitted for reliability (less than £10 for a good quality one Honeywell Q6309A if my memory serves me right)!!

 

[Bambergaspipe]

[ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS NOT ABOUT SAVING MONEY

It is . Muppet

 

[Terrywookfit]

[ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS NOT ABOUT SAVING MONEY

It is . Muppet

Is this one of your alternate theories Bamber ??

Or have you been brainwashed by all the sales hype??

OR maybe you are the local chuck a combi at the wall merchant??

Consider this!!

You have an old but reliable boiler that is say 75% efficient.

To replace it and upgrade system controls trv etc would cost say £2500.00

A new H/E boiler could save save you 15-20% on gas!

If your gas bill is £1000 .00 per year that is only £150-£200 saving which equates to a 12to15 year term just to get installation cost back!!
But as current boilers are so unreliable it is unlikely that you would get a payback in 20years !!

All this is totally irrellavant however due to the fact that the boiler will be K*******D in half this time and some one will be trying to sell you a super new model !!

I suggest that it is you not I who is a muppet!!

Unless of course you are a sales rep on commission with Grittish Bas