Swapping a Worcester Highflow for a Baxi Duotec

[BigBurner]

As this thread is now about quality of boilers, re: Baxi, Vaillant, W-B, and that includes service backup. The JD Power surveys do not go on just the build quality of cars, they take the whole thing into account.

The best wall mounted average flow rate combi around is by a mile the Atmos Intergas. The heat exchanger was innovative when it came out about 10 years ago, incorporating a multi-point heat exchanger inside the main gas/water heat exchanger. There is no DHW combi lag when using CH in winter, as the DHW heat exchanger is up to temperature. The design is simple it does not need a three way valve, so less to go wrong. The pump does not run when DHW is called. There is little to go wrong and all parts are easily accessible the design is so good. Part changing takes minutes. If you have a dealer near you, it is well worth buying one of these combis. Otherwise having someone travel 100 miles to fix it maybe off putting. I may be disingenuous to Atmos, as their service may be comprehensive.

Better boilers are around than Baxi, Vaillant and W-B. Viessmann, some Buderus models, Atmos, Atag come to mind. If local service is good, always look at these makes first. Go for quality first then look at service backup in your area. Apart from the 105 (great little boiler) Baxi/pott models generally are poor. I reserve my judgment on the Duo-Tec. Getting a poor quality model with decent local service may not be the right way.

Unfortunately people buy whatever a plumber gets the biggest markup on, or on his half-baked opinion, as he doesn't fix them down the line. . People would never do that when buying a car.

 

[BigBurner]

IMHO if a boiler is 15years, changing it is not such a bad thought as, even if parts are still available at the moment there is no way of knowing when parts will become obsolete.

Isn't it best to change when parts are not available? The highflow is a decent boiler, even old models. I would go along with that changing an old cast-iron boiler is probably worth it going for a quality condensing model with updated system control, and that includes zoning the CH to reduce fuel usage, is probably worth it. From an old cast iron boiler to quality condensing boiler you can drop fuel bills by one third.

 

[westbrom]

NOBSAG

Picked the wrong target there bud, ran my own Biz Install and Breakdown for nearly 5 years...

reason I jacked and went back on the books too much work...got fed up of working every weekend.

BB makes a good point, If you had to go back and fix em either in warrantee period or out..you would not fit them. If a master engineer from Baxi 15 years plus tells me they are not a good boiler..i am inclined to believe him and not you

 

[BigBurner]

What is NOBSAG?

 

[namsag]

Westbrom don`t talk so much carp. Too much work that you had to go back on books.
Its called time management and one of the most basic things you have to get right in business. You plan your own work to suit what YOU want to do around what customer wants.
Customer phones and if you busy you apologise and say the earliest you can get there they either accept as a good tradesman they will wait or they go elsewhere

Its simple unless you needed the money there is no need to work more than 4 days a week being self employed.

26 hours spread over mon/tues /wed gave me £950 .This morning done 1 hour £45 so just under a grand for 3 and a bit day week why the fek would i want to work 7 days a week.
Work situation is I have a changeover or full system planned in everyweek till middle of aug . People are prepared to wait. So why kill youself doing 2 a week and working 7 days

Do maybe 4 saturdays a year to clear bits that have overrun and have never worked a sunday.

 

[diverdee]

in reply to westbrom yes am a sparky.but what is the first thing any boiler engineer tuns to a multimeter!!.modern boiler is 80 electronics n 20 mechanical.most boiler breakdowns are due to bad plumbers instalation n that is a fact sorry

 

[doitall]

Would I install a Baxi, Not a cat in hells chance, that also applies to Vaillant, which seem to have a habit of catching fire of late.

BigBurner summed it up when he said, Atmos, Atag, Buderus, Viessmann. to which I will add Broag Aventa as a first choice.

For cheap Alpha at least give a 5 year waranttee.

 

[gas4you]

full stops should not have a space after the word

Correct, they should have 2.

Commas have 1 space after them

 

[possum_jenkins]

More absolute pish from BG. Dont buy anything off them, the boiler is functioning perfectly so why change it?

Really riles me how these guys have the hard neck to mislead those who trust their judgement.

Very VERY doubtful you'll have any bother getting WB spares in the foreseeable future, and if you do, cross that bridge when you come to it.

You'd be mad to replace a boiler your happy with.

 

[possum_jenkins]

Just to add to that, how long has your mother been paying her premiums for the heating cover?

Poor show to have paid what i assume is a fair bit of money, for a company to look after her boiler, for them to fob her off with some poor excuse for scrapping it.