New boiler

hutchys · 24 Feb 2010

Hi,
I am looking at getting a new boiler on the scrappage scheme, my boiler now is rated at 14.3kw and heats everything up fine, but the quotes I am getting are all saying a boiler of 24kw. Am I missing something? Everyone who I spoke to have been told the kw of the old boiler.
The boiler is 15 years old, never missed a beat but it is getting old and I want to try and take the opportunity to get some money off while I can. Have the specs on radiators etc changed so much in the last 15 years.
TIA
Jim

Agile · 24 Feb 2010

Its worse than that!

You have attracted nupty installers who dont know how to size boilers or even that oversizing lowers the efficiency.

Try asking them if they have taken the Energy efficiency Course. Its technically required for anyone specifying boilers but since CORGI no longer hold the gas register the new firm Gas Safe dont list that an an installers qualification ( even though its still meant to be held ).

Its worse because over the last 15 years insulation standards have improved so the likelihood is that your home is better insulated now with thicker loft insulation, possible cavity wall insulation and thicker double glazing gaps.

Try to sort out the wheat from all the chaff and ask them to requote for a 15 kW boiler.

Tony

tamz · 24 Feb 2010

Agile said:
Its worse than that!

Its worse because over the last 15 years insulation standards have improved

Tony

I nearly choked on ma rouge there. Thought you had said "installation standards"

You have attracted nupty installers who dont know how to size boilers or even that oversizing lowers the efficiency.

Very true. They think because it modulates it will be fine

If they are quoting for a combi 24kw is the smallest. The 24kw output is needed to heat the water where bigger kw means more flowrate.

hutchys · 24 Feb 2010

Thanks for the replies I should have said that this is for a vented system so the boiler I have now has managed fine with what it has had to do.
I did say at the time that I should be looking at a 15kw boiler but most of them, 4 in total, seem to quoting for 24kw, one for 18kw, so it seems none have been on the efficiency course!
Jim

Biguns · 24 Feb 2010

Hutchys wrote

"The boiler is 15 years old, never missed a beat but it is getting old and I want to try and take the opportunity to get some money off while I can."

Sunday Telegraph Feb 14th

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property...uld-I-replace-my-ageing-Potterton-boiler.html

D_Hailsham · 24 Feb 2010

hutchys said:
Thanks for the replies I should have said that this is for a vented system so the boiler I have now has managed fine with what it has had to do.
I did say at the time that I should be looking at a 15kw boiler but most of them, 4 in total, seem to quoting for 24kw, one for 18kw, so it seems none have been on the efficiency course!

If you want to keep your vented installation and hot water cylinder you should make this clear to the installers at the outset. Many installers seem to think that the combi is the "way to go" and automatically think that the customer should have one.

As for the size of boiler you need, use either Sedbuk Boiler Calculator or EST online boiler calculator to find out.

This will give you the heat requirement in the winter, so the maximum output the boiler should be slightly more than this. The requirement reduces as the outside temperature rises, so the lower the boiler modulates the better.

SamBrownExp · 24 Feb 2010

15 years is nothing for a boiler, and there have been some serious concerns raised about the Boiler Scrappage Scheme that you might want to look into before making this decision. Unless the boiler has developed serious faults recently that mean you NEED to replace it, I'd just leave it to carry on doing its job.

In short: If it ain't broke, don't fix it

hutchys · 24 Feb 2010

Thanks for the helpful replies.
I am certainly thinking of not changing, but I wanted to see what it would cost for a replacement boiler.
The job itself would just be a straight swop (they have all been told this) with a flush of the system before the new boiler is fitted. I am not sure but I would have thought this could be done in a day?
If the quotes come back high then I will just leave the old boiler in place and hope it does not need replacing for a good few years.
Thanks again for the quick replies.
Jim

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