Gas boiler needs replacing, query 'power flush'

DIYDumbo

Hi

My current Combi boiler is coming to the end of its life so I've had 4 plumbers in to give me quotes.

They've all said they'll fit either a Vaillant PRO28HE or Bosch Worcester Greenstar 28i.

2 plumbers have included a 'power flush' in the price. One said it wasn't needed as my rads/system only 10yrs old.

The other didn't mention it at all, so I've gone back to him to check whether quote includes or not.

Can anyone advise whether a flush is necessary/compulsory and what it does exactly?

I bled a radiator a tiny bit recently just to see what came out of it - clear water, no grime or black.

Thanks

savemoney

I am looking at same thing fed up of our crap boiler

Thinking of going for a valiance plumber coming round tomorrow I remember asking home that he says he fits maga clean something to keep system clean.

He told me he fits boilers that have output of 31kwh

How much you got a quote for

gas4you

A flush is not compulsory, but it would be idiotic not to do one at the time of a new boiler installation.

The chap who said it won't need one as it is only 10 years old, forget him.

I've seen boilers fitted to systems that were dirty after 2 years.

If you don't have a flush and a problem occurs with the boiler under warranty, the manufacturers will test the water quality and if dirty the warranty will be invalid.

I always flush and fit a magnaclean to every boiler change I do.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Stupid not to do it.

DIYDumbo

gas4you wrote: »

A flush is not compulsory, but it would be idiotic not to do one at the time of a new boiler installation.

The chap who said it won't need one as it is only 10 years old, forget him.

I've seen boilers fitted to systems that were dirty after 2 years.

If you don't have a flush and a problem occurs with the boiler under warranty, the manufacturers will test the water quality and if dirty the warranty will be invalid.

I always flush and fit a magnaclean to every boiler change I do.

Thank you all.

I have been quoted between £1400 and £1900 - though as said before not sure whether all those inc Flush and/or VAT. One plumber says the copper pipe leading all the way from the meter to the boiler needs replacing. The others said only the last 1m is the wrong width!

Does the Worcester Greenstar boiler come with a programmable timer? My house doesn't have a thermostat fitted anywhere so one Plumber said he could provide me with a wireless model. If the boiler comes with a timer then do I need this?

This is such a mine field ! Many thanks

Techno

British Gas charge about £6/700 just for the powerflush so those don't sound bad prices to me

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Techno wrote: »

British Gas charge about £6/700 just for the powerflush so those don't sound bad prices to me

about 2 to 3 times the average price then...

cyclonebri1

DIYDumbo wrote: »

Thank you all.

I have been quoted between £1400 and £1900 - though as said before not sure whether all those inc Flush and/or VAT. One plumber says the copper pipe leading all the way from the meter to the boiler needs replacing. The others said only the last 1m is the wrong width!

Does the Worcester Greenstar boiler come with a programmable timer? My house doesn't have a thermostat fitted anywhere so one Plumber said he could provide me with a wireless model. If the boiler comes with a timer then do I need this?

This is such a mine field ! Many thanks

The plumber HAS to do the calculation for the pipe sizing. Ask to see it, if he can't show you do not entertain him.

Also loads of calculaters if you search gas pipe sizing on the net, done this recently myself after an argument with a builder who damaged a 28mm gas run, and replaced it in 22. (It was actually well within spec at 22mm even with a 38Kw boiler and a gas fire at 5Kw, but you have to be sure)

The boiler waranty may be void if the sytem is not flushed correctly and chemically protected.

I to fitted a magna clean on advice. Plumber wanted to supply at £125, but found them on ebay at £70 delivered.

Take care.

abtmay

DIYDumbo wrote: »

Hi

My current Combi boiler is coming to the end of its life so I've had 4 plumbers in to give me quotes.

They've all said they'll fit either a Vaillant PRO28HE or Bosch Worcester Greenstar 28i.

2 plumbers have included a 'power flush' in the price. One said it wasn't needed as my rads/system only 10yrs old.

The other didn't mention it at all, so I've gone back to him to check whether quote includes or not.

Can anyone advise whether a flush is necessary/compulsory and what it does exactly?

I bled a radiator a tiny bit recently just to see what came out of it - clear water, no grime or black.

Thanks

This might deviate from the main thread abit;)! Went through similar situation as you recently. I have looked around and shortlisted the Vaillant 831. My requirements are :
- Vaillant boiler
- Magnaclean
- remove and dispose boiler
- powerflush
- install a descaler
- rad balancing
- get the boiler electrics up to regulations

I got 7 different quotes (the more the merrier:rotfl:!) and it varies from £1800 to £2700. That was the start of my headaches. One of them tried to sell me a Vaillant pro 824, saying that by using a lower powered boiler, it is in condensing mode most of the time (therefore more efficient). What rubbish! Its not true as most boilers are modulated, i.e. they adjust the gas flow according to the amount of energy required. Another had the lowest quote, BUT that exlcudes power flushing and VAT. By including the two (so that all the quotes are consistent), it became the MOST expensive quote. He even had the cheek to say that my system does not need power flushing (without even looking at the water in the CH system!).

Ultimately I went for a Vaillant priority installer, and being a priority installer, he is able to provide a 5 year warranty and this warranty comes from Vaillant itself, not the plumber.
He also mentioned that for the installation to qualify for the 5 year warranty, there are several steps he needs to follow:
- the system must be powerflushed
- installed by the priority installer
- an inhibitor must be used
- get a sample of the water in the system and get it tested

All in all, it took the plumber 1 day to remove the old boiler and install the new one. He came back the next day to do the powerflush, which took him about 3 hrs ( my system was very clean before the flush!). Throughout the work, he was very polite and professional. He layed cloth on the floor to prevent scratching my wooden floor and he lagged my condense discharge pipe.

My main point is when getting quotes, try to compare like for like, i.e include VAT..etc and agreeing to the cheapest quote in the short term might come back and bite you in the a**e in the long run! And if they are professional installers, usually the powerflush must be done as it's part of the requirement for the warranty.

Hope this helps!

p.s Apparently Viessmann boilers have 5 year warranties as well, provided it is installed by their selected installers!