Need new heating but totally confused - help!!

Mark105

We are new to the forum and really would be so grateful for any advice and information based on experience. I expect this has been asked before and I apologise for all the waffle, but we are totally lost.

We are looking to replace the warm air heating in our 70s style home (4 bed, 1 bathroom, 1 cloakroom). The boiler probably has another few years life but we are looking to renovate the property and we can never fit a new warm air boiler as the return duct is too small and we have no way of making this bigger. Therefore we are considering changing now to a wet system.

We have spoken to three companies but they all suggest something different. BG suggest sticking with traditional boiler, water cylinder and tanks in loft. Third party suggested changing to a combi. We like the sound of the combi as it seems to make a lot of sense - only heat water when needed, remove the existing water cylinder allowing us to make the bathroom bigger to accomodate a shower cubicle, etc. However, BG say the water flow at the taps will be lower and the boilers go wrong all the time. The boilder would be sitting directly under the bathroom so I wonder if the flow would be ok? Is the water flow really that bad - do they actually go wrong a lot. Apparently our water pressure is ok.

Thank you all very much indeed

macman

BG talking their usual nonsense-they install thousands of combis, so how can the claim that they are less reliable?. Combis are no more or less reliable (if properly installed). The choice depends on whether the required flow required is available from the boiler you choose-what you can't really do is run a bath and take a shower /fill a washing machine etc at the same time with a combi. And remember that the CH goes off temporarily while a combi is producing DHW. So the question relates more to lifestyle than any technical requirements.
Get an opinion from a local recommended independent RGI and base your decision on that.
What did the third company suggest then?

Pincher

Get a figure for your mains water pressure first.
You can't get a combi if it's too low.

Buy your own gauge, B&Q sells one for around £20.
I know you will only use it once, that's why I pester my plumber to measure it with his.

Mark105

Hi, the third company recommended a sealed, pressurised system which they said would produce mains pressure hot water at all the taps. I do not really need this and have read that these systems can be dangerous so I sort of dismissed this.

Mark105

Hi pincher - this is something that worries me because the water pressure is out of my control - what if you install a new system and then the water pressure drops. I think I am starting to warm to the idea of keeping the water cylinder and going with the advice from British Gas - keep it simple.

Pincher

Mark105 wrote: »

Hi, the third company recommended a sealed, pressurised system which they said would produce mains pressure hot water at all the taps. I do not really need this and have read that these systems can be dangerous so I sort of dismissed this.

But that is a combi.

I suppose the mains pressure water could be via a thermal store, which is yet another cylinder, which you prefer not having.

Mark105

Hi Pincher - sorry to appear so dumb. I thought the pressurised system was different - it appeared to have a large blue water tank with pressure guages - they said this was the latest type of system but everything was under high pressure and needed regular services to ensure it stayed safe (something we always do anyway).

Pincher

Mark105 wrote: »

Hi pincher - this is something that worries me because the water pressure is out of my control - what if you install a new system and then the water pressure drops. I think I am starting to warm to the idea of keeping the water cylinder and going with the advice from British Gas - keep it simple.

A. Worry about the unknown

B. Measure the pressure!

James May is right, Man Lab should be a compulsory GCSE subject.

gas4you

All of those quoting should have tested the cold mains flow and pressure and told you the result.

If combi's are so unreliable, then why do BG fit so many!

The BG bloke is just a salesman, pushing what they want to sell and get more commission on this week.