Replacing warm air - what type of system should we go for?

[TanDiy]

I am looking to replace the warm air system (J&S) in my 70's detached home (4 beds) and would be grateful for any advice on the best type of system to install. My friend is a property developer and says that I should go for a pressurised sealed system as this is installed in all new homes and does not require big water storage tank and header tanks, etc. - he showed me a system in a new house (tank with a big blue ball on the top). However, an engineer from British Gas said that these are hassle and that we should go for a traditional wet system. I understand that we will need to have a condensing boiler and I have read mixed reports about these too. I am totally confused and really would appreciate any advice. Thanking you very much indeed.

 

[simond]

Best advice would be to get a couple of reputable central heating installers round to measure your water supply, ask you some questions, and make proposals.

You can then compare their opinions and advice with the two you have already. I don't expect you will end up with BG

 

[johnlewis]

I am looking to replace the warm air system (J&S) in my 70's detached home (4 beds) and would be grateful for any advice on the best type of system to install. My friend is a property developer and says that I should go for a pressurised sealed system as this is installed in all new homes and does not require big water storage tank and header tanks, etc. - he showed me a system in a new house (tank with a big blue ball on the top). However, an engineer from British Gas said that these are hassle and that we should go for a traditional wet system. I understand that we will need to have a condensing boiler and I have read mixed reports about these too. I am totally confused and really would appreciate any advice. Thanking you very much indeed.

going through the exact same situation as you , when you do get some quotes please do post back your experiences with plumbers and their willingness to rip the wau out.

as we seem to have a little debate going on regarding my social skills with plumbers

 

[simond]

i have some excellent heating enginners who love to upgrade warm air if you are interested

Well you have been through a few, and pi$$ed nearly all of them off.

Engineer is spelt thus.

 

[TanDiy]

Wow - do I sense some bad vibes on here!!!!

Thanks for advice simond - I am indeed going to get a couple of independent people in to have a look. I am very happy to pay a fair price for a good job. I have to be perfectly honest though, and I am not having a pop at all you excellent installers, I am worried about being ripped off. I did get a quote from BG about three years ago - they quoted 6.5K, it was instantly dropped to 4.5K and then I was finally asked what I was prepared to pay - BG missed the point - price was not my main concern (of course I want a fair price though) - the problem was the lack of information supplied to us and the salesmans lack of interest in what we wanted. For example, they have a fixed price per room and would not discuss the size of radiator, etc untill we signed the order. They wanted to put the boiler in a new location that was easier to install for them, they could not decide whether they would relay the floorboards, etc. Unfortunately, I expect to know what I am getting before signing the order!

 

[EddieM]

Well, in my previous house, I again had a WAU. It was replaced with a megaflo unvented (pressurised) system (can't remember the boiler type). I am not a heating engineer, so the advice to get some around is key. The only thing I would say in my "end user" experience, is that it was critical to replace the (in my case) shared 15mm main. Mine was replaced with a 32mm main (bit overkill) Never had any problems.

Not the cheapest option though by any means.

 

[swbjackson]

Wow - do I sense some bad vibes on here!!!!

For example, they have a fixed price per room and would not discuss the size of radiator, etc untill we signed the order.

You'll find most installers won't divulge that sort of information until you've signed on the dotted. It takes time to do the calcs and, amazing I know, there are people out there who will then use your calculations to fit the system themselves. Happened to me once. After that all I would divulge were design temperatures.

 

[TanDiy]

Yes I can fully appreciate this - I do sometimes find the same problem in my business (custom computer software). However, there is no way I am going to sign on the dotted line when I have no idea of the boiler, no idea of the style of radiators, no idea what I can do as far as controls are concerned, and no way of comparing what I am getting against other quotes. The BG paperwork was basically boiler, radiators and installation. Maybe I am naive but I reckon I should expect a little more than this - fully appreciate the need to protect your detailed calculations though and I would not expect this level of detail without paying.

 

[gas4you]

I always give an itemised quotation, of what boiler make and model, programmer/roomstat, TRV's, magnaclean etc etc and make and style of any rads being fitted.

Can't see why one wouldn't

What I won't give is the actual sizes of rads, heat outputs and pipe work, or in fact anything that would enable a customer to either DIY or use my quote to make it easier for others to quote against me.

If a customer wants this information then I would only give this in exhange for payment worked out on the amount of work I had carried out to acheive this quote.

In fairness though, I have not, as yet, ever been asked to do this for a general quote