Heating Advice Please

Wavey_Davey · 1 November 2009 at 7:03PM

Hi All,

First time poster, so please go easy. I have read/searched the forums and hopefully am not duplicating any questions:

My standard and ancient boiler is coming up to 20 years old (Ideal Elan 2) and has been doing a lot of rattling and banging in the last year or so. It has also seized up twice in the last year (once was the diverter valve, this time we are still investigating). I am coming to the conclusion, though, that it is time to bite the bullet and upgrade. My bro had his system replaced a few years ago by a local firm and has been very impressed with the results, so I am tempted to get them in to give me a quote. Before I do, I would like some advice from you clever people on here::A

1) Does anyone think I should persevere with my old system? The biggest problem is that the pump and diverter valve are located under the floorboards, so every time something goes wrong, we lose the best part of a day clearing the room and pulling the carpets up - hardly practical.
2) What sort of price should I be looking at for a quote? I have a 1930s semi with 7 or 8 rads (may take the bathroom one out, still debating). My bro got his house (same size house with 7 rads) done for £2,800. The company were also in and out in 1.5 days for the full job. This seems pretty good to me, and hopefully boiler prices may even have dropped by now?
3) Are there any grants available during pregnancy? My wife is heavily pregnant, and someone told me that you could possibly get some money off your system as part of government grants for new families. However, after looking around a few websites, I can't see anything.
4) Is there anything I should bear in mind when getting the quote - any key questions or rookie mistakes I should consider?

If anyone can provide some answers to any of the above, I would be very grateful.

Thanks a lot for reading.

Dave

bambibashercol · 1 November 2009 at 7:25PM

You could try rip off warmfront if you are on tax credits or any benefits.
The ideal elan was a decent boiler, just never liked the glass front.
I would think about moving the pump and divertor valve to the airing cuboard.
For a full rip out and new install of a combi and 7 rads i would think you would be looking about £3500 plus but that is using top quality gear.
Did the company that did your brothers use the existing pipework?

Wavey_Davey · 1 November 2009 at 8:20PM

Hi bambibashercol,

No, not on any benefits at the moment! My bro's was located behind his fire, and developed carbon monoxide problems - needless to say, he was very quick to get it replaced! Having said that, he has had no problems since. The company used micro bore pipes and just cut the pipes that were no longer in use. The whole job was very professional, so I am certainly planning to get them in for a quote. £3500 would be too much for me though, I'm afraid. £2800 is pushing it! :eek:

Cheers,

Dave

Mankysteve · 1 November 2009 at 8:40PM

You wouldn't need to tear up all the floor board to switch to combi just keep the existing radiators and pipe work my parents are have just had this done by BG, I would guess this is what your bro did. They would remove the pump.
You don't want to know how much they charged

bambibashercol · 1 November 2009 at 9:55PM

depends if on a 1 pipe system. If it is on a 1 pipe system then it's a complete rip out.
Modern condensing boilers need a 2 pipe system.

Canucklehead · 1 November 2009 at 10:31PM

Good evening: save your money for the little one and maintain your current boiler ..in the meantime, put aside ££ every month for the eventual replacement of your Ideal and continue your research for when the time comes to put the old beast to rest.;) Lots of useful info here.

The cost of a new boiler will be dependent on your location on the UK, the site requirements and the standard of the specification.

HTH

Canucklehead

bambibashercol · 1 November 2009 at 10:51PM

I would agree with keeping the ideal elan. Thats why i said move the pumps and valves to the airing cuboard. You only want to change the boiler when you have to, When its breaking down alot and costing loads to repair.
I would start sticking some money aside and change when you have to. Besides cash is king in the heating game so you may even get a better deal.

Wavey_Davey · 1 November 2009 at 11:36PM

Hi all, thank you for your kind advice.

You may all shout "NO!", but isn't 20 years pretty much the end of a boiler's life? I have a carbon monoxide detector and there are no troubles there, but it has been kettling and clanging a lot more over the last winter and the start of this. I am reluctant to spend money on plumber callout fees, moving the pump etc only to find that I am back in this situation in 6 months time, but with a baby in the house as well! :S

Canucklehead · 1 November 2009 at 11:46PM

Wavey_Davey wrote: »

Hi all, thank you for your kind advice.

You may all shout "NO!", but isn't 20 years pretty much the end of a boiler's life? I have a carbon monoxide detector and there are no troubles there, but it has been kettling and clanging a lot more over the last winter and the start of this. I am reluctant to spend money on plumber callout fees, moving the pump etc only to find that I am back in this situation in 6 months time, but with a baby in the house as well! :S

Hi..lots of folks on MSE (and many of my OH's customers) with boilers much older than yours. Moving the pump/valves isn't cost effective. Get the boiler serviced and the kettling addressed.

HTH

Canucklehead

Wavey_Davey · 2 November 2009 at 12:11AM

Hi Canucklehead,

Thanks for the replies - the diverter valve, pump etc are located under the floor boards in the baby's room (to be). I would have to be pretty sure that everything was fine if I was going to leave them there, as obviously I can't be taking a baby's floorboards up every couple of weeks!

The problem this time was a trip out on both the RCD and the separate fuse in the boiler switch. We have found problems with the diverter valve which will need to be fixed (it seems to have seized), plus the short-out, plus the knocking and banging that is getting worse so the boiler will need a good service/clean. Will I not end up spending hundreds of pounds anyway sorting these issues out? Yes, hundreds is better than thousands (unless you're baking!) but hundreds spent on an old boiler two or three times in the next year or two may make thousands spent on a new efficient boiler now seem a decent choice.

Obviously I don't want to spend money unnecessarily (or I wouldn't be on this site), but I also don't want to throw good money after bad. I'd rather bite the bullet and get it done in that case. I do a lot of DIY and between my brother, my dad and I we can do most jobs in our houses - something like this, though, is out of all our comfort zones.

Cheers,

Dave

bambibashercol · 2 November 2009 at 1:34AM

Moving pumps and valves not cost effective? Depends on your labour rate.
If it was me to save on the cost of a full system, Move the valves and pump to airing cuboard,
Stick some sentinal in the system to clean, Then if you want to change the boiler go for a standard condensing boiler. Still less expensive than a full system install and it will be like a new system.

Heating Advice Please

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