New central heating system..no idea what im asking for! HELP

[wysfoi]

Hi all,

i must admit i know nothing about central heating systems and thats why im here (IT Systems? then im ya man! lol)

Anyway im wondering what i need to sort of look for, ask to anyone i ask for a quote.

My current system is over 18 years old, has a back boiler in the chimney breast downstairs and a hot water tank upstairs and a total of THREE hot water switches, all of which work, no idea why but hopefully it'll be gone soon.

So it all needs to come out and a total new system replaced.

i have a 3 bedroom semi, medium size with a total of 9 single radiators, so they need replaceing to those double ones!!?!!?! apolgies if the termanology is rubbish!

the plan it to fit two electric showers as i have a long bathroom and so want to split it, make one en suite. but also keep a bath in one of them with a shower over it.

I moved into this old house a few months ago and came from a newish (8 year old) town house, you know the ones, all have white internal cheap doors, flimsy plasterboard walls and part of an estate where they all look the same. The central heating system there was great, hot water all the time and piping hot radiators and not expensive to run at all so i wouldnt mind something like that, if it still applies in todays installations.

That had (i think) a water heater in the kitchen, which sprung into life if the heating kicked in but also a water tank upstairs in a cupboard in the bedroom with a really thick foam jacket. I used to have the water timed to come on for an hour ever every day along with the heating and like i said i always had hot water at a high pressure for the missus to have her baths....god forbid i should not have pressure for her to fill her bath up, the world may stop on its axis.

Anyhow, back to my current old house, the water tank i have currently is in the bathroom upstairs in a cupboard, but thats taking valuable space up for a much needed bathroom coversion, so if im to keep a water tank (which i dont mind if it gives me good water pressure for bath etc)id like to put it up in the loft along with any combi boiler or whatever you recommed.

What do all you think? What system should i go for? What combi coiler, heater etc make and model should i go for? Id like to spend the money on something decent rather than low quality. What should i be asking anyone who comes to do the install? Does anyone know anyone in the Chesterfield area i cna trust to do a good job.

Sorry for babbling, but like i said i have no idea and so dont want to shell out thousands on something that someones took me for a ride and so i thought id ask on here to see what peoples thoughts are!

Thanks again all =)

Foz.

 

[Softus]

So it all needs to come out and a total new system replaced.

I think the first questions for you are:

1. Why does it all need to come out?
2. What exactly is wrong with it?

 

[Slogger]

cos its old n knackerd and uneconomical to run


just get quotes for a combi tie in or better still get quotes to replace all and i mean all the pipework doe to higher pressure you going to put it under

all this depends on your water pressure and delivery rate any corgi should be able to advise you on this and its free to get them out

oh and ps make sure you get at leat 15 quotes













just kidding on the quotes 3 is more then ample

 

[JohnD]

mmmm, Combi you say? (sucks teeth)

How will you make sure two people don't try to run hot water at the same time? And will it be OK when it takes a long time to run a warm bath, and you can't have a powerful shower, either from your combi or from those weedy electric heaters?

 

[JohnD]

As for rads, I'm a great believer in having them oversized (with TRVs) finned doubles, so that they have ample capacity to heat your home on the coldest of days, and your new (condensing) boiler will run at peak efficiancy to get them hot, then it can sit back for a rest, rather than cycling on and off at short intervals. If you have any long rooms get a rad at each end, not under the windows.

They will be a litttle more expensive (not that much on the cost of the entire system) so people preparing quotes may want to include the minimum size rads to keeep the quote down, but if you tell all the suppliers to quote for the same sizes, that will make it fair.

Of course, get a Corgi supplier and make sure he knows you will want an installation certificate (is that the right term?) and that you want a commissioning chemical flush and refill with inhibitor. If some of the installers want to powerflush and some don't this should affect the price. Any old parts retained will need it (and will also not have any guarantee) .


You can ask BG to give a quote if you want a good laugh.

 

[Slogger]

aye your right a good system boiler would be a better route but would cost a lot more cash thats why no one seems to want them now


but they are way better for multi users in a house and you could even get rid of the electric showers and simply install a larger storage tank


or better yet if cash isnt the worry fit a combi for the heating and a seperate hot water heater one of the larger ones


all ££££££££££££££

 

[fitz1]

JohnD, why not put rads under windows ?

 

[JohnD]

Ha Ha!

1 - because the window is the part of the room where most of the heat escapes. So by making it the hottest area, you will increase the temperature gradient, and force the maximum heat out into the garden

2 - because when you decide to get long curtains, they will shut off almost all the heat from the room.

 

[fitz1]

radiators under windows are there so u can have a comfortable heat in the room. i.e. the heat rises and the incoming air via the windowpicks it up and circulates it therefore giving a warm ventilated space rather than a hot stuffy space.

 

[jimbox]

The reason rads go under the windows is so you don't get a circulating draught. Heat rises, cold falls. If you put the rad on the side of the room opposite the window you get a circulation of heat around the room that will give you a cold floor and cold draught around your feet.

Putting rads under the window counteracts the falling cold preventing this effect. However, it's less of an issue in modern houses where windows are typically double-glazed, or at least seal well when shut. Hence JohnD's recommendation sounds fine to me.

 

[Nige F]

The reason rads go under the windows , it's less of an issue in modern houses where windows are typically double-glazed, or at least seal well when shut. Hence JohnD's recommendation sounds fine to me.

and me and they`re easier to pipe