Back boiler dilema

tbw

We had a Baxi fire and back biler which worked OK and never had a call ou on it. Each year the engineer warned us when he serviced it that eventually parts might be a problem if it did break down. We decided to replace the unit with a separate boiler in the back shed and gad a lovely looking coal effect gas fire fitted. The boiler appears to be more efficient and the gas fire is also pretty effective (although I think more heat goes up the chimney than with the old one) - when it works !!!

However, bearing in mind that the fire didn't get much use until November last year, I was pretty upset to find that the fire had a really annoying habit of switching itself off. It burns fine for about an hour and then shuts down. We have now had something like 13 visits in 2 months from various British Gas staff (sometimes 2 men at a time) and acouple of Emergency staff who turned all the gas off late at night incase there was a leak and it is still not resolved. Yesterday I had one man on my roof looking down the chimney with a torch and his supervisor lying on my hearth with his head up the chimney muttering darkly and cursing. They've renewed all the 'bits' ie tap, ignition, oxy sensor, thermo thingy (some of the bits have been changed twice!) and yesterday they took the whole unit out and re-fitted it. The cowl has been taken off my chimney and I've had several smoke 'bombs' set off to check the flue. Apparently the chimney is in excellent nick.

Today the fire has been burning continuously for several hours so POSSIBLY whatever they've done has now worked. But I'm not banking on it.

What I'm getting around to saying is, if your present system is OK then think very carefully before you replace it. You might get another beauty like mine!

milkybars

What it all boils down to (excuse my pun) is efficiency versus reliability... amongst a few other issues.