New central heating system - where do I start?

[DIYDodger]

Hi All,

I am looking for advice we have moved into a georgian three storey house with no central heating - but there are gas heaters.

We want to install a central heating system with some sort of boiler that will cope with two bathrooms and teenage girls (they are only 1 and 3 but this is a long term project). I have just been looking on line and came accross this forum. So thought it worth a go as I have no idea where to start and would like to sound like I have an idea of what I am talking about before getting in plumbers.

Any advice? I expect the water pressure to be poor due to the age of the property how can I test the pressure without digging up the pavement?

Thanks in advance

New DIYer

 

[mickyg]

open up the kitchen or outside tap and time how long it takes to fill a known volume, ie a 10l bucket. From this work out your litres per minute flow rate. check at more than one outlet if available. Come back with results and we'll go from there

 

[JeffDe]

You need to check standing pressure then flow rate first

ajdgas

 

[Agile]

Or even better to measure the flow rate when say 1.0 Bar is left in the supply pipes.

Tony



Mick, I left voicemail for you a while ago.

 

[sweet]

You can't go wrong with a 24 kw Combi, dead cheap off the shelf in b&q you can buy all the other bits you need off the shelf as well. Go down your local and ask around should be in spitting distance of a plumber who says he's registered, book him in and jobs a good un...

 

[bengasman]

There is really only one thing you need to do. Find a good installer with a good reputation, and let HIM advice you.
If there is any need for you to tell him how to do his job, you clearly have the wrong installer.

 

[PlumbGas]

You can't go wrong with a 24 kw Combi, dead cheap off the shelf in b&q you can buy all the other bits you need off the shelf as well. Go down your local and ask around should be in spitting distance of a plumber who says he's registered, book him in and jobs a good un...

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

Call in 3 separate companies (gas engineers) to give you quote for installation of your central heating and hot water requirements. If you can get recommendations all the better. How about asking the neighbours!

 

[DIYDodger]

Thanks for your replies

We will be getting in fitters so like you say they will be able to advise but we might get different advice and I like to have an idea of how these things work - sad but true.

Anyway no idea on the 1 bar pressure thing but flow rate is 0.19 ltrs/sec (54 sec to fill to 10 ltr) on the ground floor - no other bathrooms other than this floor and we want to put in a bathroom on the 2nd floor.

Any suggestions welcome

I love these forums

cheers

 

[bengasman]

We will be getting in fitters so like you say they will be able to advise but we might get different advice and I like to have an idea of how these things work - sad but true.

There is nothing you can learn via a couple of posts on a forum that a half clever cowboy installer could not bamboozle you about.


Getting some random installers in is a big gamble. Spend some time of finding a good one.