Heating Advice Please

Canucklehead

Wavey_Davey wrote: »

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

Good morning: ..the plot thickens...for your peace of mind then, spend the money on a new boiler...get written, full specification quotes from RGIs recommended to you by a source you trust. Make sure the system is thoroughly flushed and your RGI follows 'Basic Practice' and manufacturer's specifications at the very least. See more here.

HTH

Canucklehead

Wavey_Davey

Hi All,

An update on this week's developments. Thanks to everyone's kind advice, I have decided that I will swap out the central heating system now (although it is expensive, I will hopefully be in a better position to afford it now than when my new baby is 4 or 5 years old and the boiler has really gone up the spout!) :mad:

I have had a few quotes to get an idea of price and sadly £3500 is not far correct, despite my initial shock at this!:eek:

Of the quotes, I have two quotes from two old, established firms in my town (north-west England) which I am interested in. Both have good reputations, both have done work for friends who have been satisfied and both are fully signed up with Gas Safe, no subcontractors etc. I would welcome some opinions on the offers:

Quote 1

• Glowworm 30 CXI Ultracom boiler, re-sited into the airing cupboard space and vented through the roof.
• New micro bore piping (10mm) throughout.
• 5 new radiators but keeping 2 existing (and fairly new) radiators in place.

Price: £3463

Quote 2

• Worcester-Bosch 28i Greenstar Junior Boiler - again, re-sited into the airing cupboard space and vented through the roof.
• Keep existing piping but all new TRVs and couplings.
• All new radiators including boosting the surface area of 1 radiator for extra coverage (i.e. double rather than single).
• Power flushing existing pipework.

Price: £3400

So, as you can see, similar jobs but different solutions. It is difficult to decide which is better, but I will need to pick one pretty soon as the hot water has packed in now as well. Brrr!

Any advice very much appreciated.

Cheers,

Dave :rotfl:

bambibashercol

Right i would want it repiping properly for that money.
I would also prefer a vailiant 831 over the worcester or glowworm.
Microbore is no good unless they are putting in 22mm circs.
I would ask for a few more quotes and i would be asking if they would lower there prices a bit.

Wavey_Davey

Hi Bambibashercol, thanks for the swift reply.

I may be wrong with the 10mm then - the quote says "central heating system - 10mm". I just assumed this was the size of the micro bore pipe? I will have to check

All three of those boilers (Valliant, Glow and WB) seem to be equally praised and cursed on the forums I have been scanning. It is hard to know which to go for - any particular reason you are going for Valliant?

Cheers,

Dave

bambibashercol

yes the vaillant is a better boiler than the worcester juniors. they are built to a budget and fitted by lots of builders who no nothing.
If you want a worcster then go for the cdi. Very good boiler and i would say on equal par with the vaillant.
The glowworms are made at the same factory as vaillant in derbyshire but use cheaper parts.

Wavey_Davey

So, if I am reading you correctly I should be getting a better boiler and better piping than I am for the costs I have been quoted? My main problem in that case is knowing who to trust to provide me with alternative quotes. There's a million and one plumbing/central heating engineers around, but these are the only ones I know by direct recommendation!

bambibashercol

Thats where you do a little research first. Tell them what boiler you want and what work you want doing and get them to quote on that.

inmypocketnottheirs

Wavey Davey, are you sorted?