New Boiler ?

[jerrysimon]

Would appreciate some advice/comment on this.

Ok some background.

I live in a 1950s 3 bed medium sized semi. One bathroom/toilet. Just my wife and I now the kids have left

Our existing and currently working boiler was fitted in 1996 before we moved into the house 12 years ago. Had the system on a BG contract since then and all has been well getting it serviced every year and probably balanced out in terms of costs/call out.

Anyway the last couple of fixes we have been told that we need a power flush. Cost form BG = £700 including a magnetic filter. I can hang a small magnet off some of the copper pipes so clearly there is a lot of debri though the radiators all seem to heat well across their whole surface. Except the newest on in the porch which works sometimes and sometimes not in the last couple of winters.

Its a back boiler in the lounge with a gas fire fitted in front of it. Engineers always moan about having to remove the the fire to service it.

So to complete the system description we have the two header tanks in the roof for C/H and hot water tank, cold water taps/mixer shower and toilet. This is a pain and I would prefer these to be on the direct water supply.

I have been thinking maybe I should just go for a new system. We don't plan to move for another ten years.

Anyway looking around this is what I am thinking

1. New combi boiler installed in the kitchen in one of the wall cupboards. I could get it fitted in the roof space but don't like the idea of this.
2. Strip out all tanks in the roof, hotwater tank and plumb cold water taps into the mains. The kitchen cold water tap is the only one at the moment that is fed direct. Water mains on the sink cold tap (the only one fed direct) pressure wise is excellent and constant. I hate the faf of tanks in the rooms and the cycle of fixing ball valve washers.
3. Manufacture wise I think either Vaillant or Worcester Bosch ? BG quoted for a Worcester Bosch 25SI see below.
4. One of the radiators (the oldest one by the looks of it) needs replacing. They fixed a leak on it a while back.
5. Most the radiators upstairs have thermostats on them, none downstairs do.
6. Controller is wired and fitted on the landing.

As we are with BG for the contract I got them in. Needless to say they quoted £4100 for the above work with just one year included cover with their 200 service. Currently we have the 400 service. I should be able to save some money not needing this on a new boiler ?

Looking around it seems alternative registered fitters would give us 5 or 7 year manufactures guarantee.

As I said all this stemmed from a quote for a power flush. BG are saying parts are getting harder to source for our old boiler. I forget the name of it but will check.

I like the idea of doing an upgrade now rather than having to do it at short notice during a winter breakdown. This gives us plenty of time to think and plan it to do it right. I think the shower mixer will run better with the upgrade and of course having all the cold outlets on mains pressure would be a good upgrade. I am also hoping our gas bills will go down with a new boiler ?

At the minimum I guess we could just get a power flush and new radiator. However I think air is also getting into the system as I have to bleed the bathroom radiator every two weeks in winter. I would kick myself if just doing this when next winter comes we end up having to get a new boiler fitted in a hurry.

Just another point BG want to fit a soak away for the condensate outside which sounds like a faf though the location of the boiler may be why. Its on the opposite wall in the kitchen i.e. no direct run to the sink waste pipes. I guess we could get it fitted into a cupboard nearer the sink.

Would appreciate any comments/advice ?

Regards

Jerry

 

[jerrysimon]

Guess I should have posted with a name like liverBird lol

Interesting in the response to that post people say if you have a working back boiler you should keep it.

Maybe I should just get a power flush and then get a magnaclean and new radiator fitted.

I am able and I guess I could take off all my radiators myself and clean them out.

PS on my last BG callout when the boiler was not igniting the engineer told me the previous BG engineer had not routed the lead correctly when it had been changed two months earlier and it was arcing on the case.


Jerry

 

[dcawkwell]

Keep that great back boiler mate and give BG the push.
Bunch of rip off merchants.

Give it a basic flush.
Find a drain valve on the heating system and with the pump running (boiler switch off turn the dial under the fire to off)
open it up using a hose pipe to drain outside.
The clean water will pump around and you will get rid of most of the dirt out of the system.
Leave it running like that for a few hours.
Close the drain off then put some cleaner in the header tank and run the heating around for a couple of nights. Best to do it perhaps in september when it's starting to get colder. The flush out again as before.

Job done. Heating should be a lot better and will solder on for years.

Wouldn't have british gas contract for such a simple boiler.
Gas valve 60-80, thermcouple £10. Very little to go wrong.
Get a local guy out once a year to give it a clean and check.
Sorted.

 

[jerrysimon]

Thanks for the response. I am coming round to that way of thinking, I must admit, having read a lot on line.. I may take the one small radiator off (the one that does not always come on) to flush through and see what comes out.

Interesting and clever way of flushing it out you have suggested, thanks.

I guess I should put some new inhibitor in anyway as its not been done in a while.

I had already arranged for a local non BG engineer to come round and give a second quote. It will be interesting to see what he says and compare it with BG.

I would also like to change the one (the oldest and largest) double radiator in the lounge. I doubt that would be a straight swap and the pipe work would probably have to be adjusted.

Ps just checked the name on the boiler and it says Myson Housewarmer 55. The main thing I have had changed is the sparking unit, averaging about one every two-three years ?

Jerry

 

[jerrysimon]

Still lots of reading up happening here.

So do you folks think it is worth fitting a magnaclean type unit as well ?

Which type/brand would you recommend ?

Regards

Jerry

 

[naanbread]

Keep that great back boiler mate and give BG the push.
Bunch of rip off merchants.

Give it a basic flush.
Find a drain valve on the heating system and with the pump running (boiler switch off turn the dial under the fire to off)
open it up using a hose pipe to drain outside.
The clean water will pump around and you will get rid of most of the dirt out of the system.
Leave it running like that for a few hours.
Close the drain off then put some cleaner in the header tank and run the heating around for a couple of nights. Best to do it perhaps in september when it's starting to get colder. The flush out again as before.

Job done. Heating should be a lot better and will solder on for years.

Wouldn't have british gas contract for such a simple boiler.
Gas valve 60-80, thermcouple £10. Very little to go wrong.
Get a local guy out once a year to give it a clean and check.
Sorted.

couldnt agree more with the highlighted statement...