boiler, what to do?

delluver

Hi, I have just moved into a 2 bed semi with one bathroom. I need to get a new boiler, it's 16 years old and needs bringing up to date, but I'm wondering if it's best to just replace the old regular boiler with a condenser regular boiler, or to change the system to a combi system, and have a condenser combi put in. The pump is a little noisy (next to the immersion heater), and it's in the nursery cupboard of all places, not nice for a baby to wake up to. It would give us more room in the loft, and nursery cupboard if we did away with the traditional conventional system. Any ideas or opinions from experience please? I am aware that when a combi goes wrong you have no hot water along with no heating, at least we have hot water now, and are using a small heater while we decide on what to do.

I've read up on the pros and cons over days, still not sure what to do. I have spoken to worcester bosch installers re putting in a Greenstar 12Ri regular condenser boiler, not on the cheap, will do a flush and bring it all up to spec, put therms on the rads, and will give me a warranty, one is also a fair traider for around £1500 - £1800. That's on average from diff quotes. Would it be a lot more to change the whole system? I don't want to get ripped off.

Canucklehead

Good evening

Canucklehead's O/H here (the Corgi guy.)

If you go for a combi then consider your incoming water main's pressure and flow rate . If it is poor then it won't matter what combi you fit it will not perform well.
You will then be looking to replace your incoming water main.
Benefits of a combi are good showers and saving space by taking out your cylinder, and not having hot water sitting in said cylinder, no water in your roof space.
Cost......(overriding factor!)

Take your £1500-£1800 and add about £600-£700 for a combi This is made up of the increased cost of a combi ( Worcester) and additional time in converting the system.
PS Location....Planet Thanet!!
PPS I might think of more later tired now!

delluver

Canucklehead wrote:

Good evening

Canucklehead's O/H here (the Corgi guy.)

If you go for a combi then consider your incoming water main's pressure and flow rate . If it is poor then it won't matter what combi you fit it will not perform well.
You will then be looking to replace your incoming water main.
Benefits of a combi are good showers and saving space by taking out your cylinder, and not having hot water sitting in said cylinder, no water in your roof space.
Cost......(overriding factor!)

Take your £1500-£1800 and add about £600-£700 for a combi This is made up of the increased cost of a combi ( Worcester) and additional time in converting the system.
PS Location....Planet Thanet!!
PPS I might think of more later tired now!

Thanks, will deffo consider a combi system for future costs.

I have been doing more research into the traditional system we have, and I see that the The Greenstar Ri range of regular boilers I was originally going on about are designed for connection to a fully pumped heating and hot water system i.e. Y or S plan. I have been told my existing heating system may be of a single pipe design so it will be necessary to convert it to a two pipe system if I decided that I wanted that boiler, and not to go for a combi system. The more I look into things, the more there is to consider, and I am also tired from getting my head around all this stuff, hehe. Looks like a combi might be the way to go, but I wanna look at all the possibilities before I part with the money that I don't have right now, hehe.

Canucklehead

Good morning: Very unusual to have a one pipe system in a 1990s 2 bed semi.
We've found it to be more effective and efficient if our queries stay in one thread.
Good luck

Capt_Slog

I realise that canucklehead is the expert on this, but I'd just like to add my tuppence worth as a user.

My three bed semi has two boilers, much to the disgust of my friendly corgi installer. One does only the the central heating and the other is an instantaneous water heater (multipoint?) which has a permanent pilot light.
This is the second house I've rigged this way.

I'm prepared to be corrected, but I think that the cost of these two is around the cost of a combi.

The advantage is that if there is ever a power cut, I have hot water. Ok, we don't get power cuts very often, but I remember when we were off for nearly a week one year and could still give the kids hot baths when a lot of others were boiling water on the hob just to wash.

If you are going to have to replumb the whole house, it might be worth thinking about.

Canucklehead

Good morning: Interesting idea, Capt Slog. We've just finished renovating our 2 bed semi-detached bungalow...removed a Baxi Bermuda back boiler as well as an instantaneous water heater (Chaffoteaux Britonny) located in the kitchen and replaced with a Glow-worm Flexicom 30CX condensing combi. We chose this set up for the following reasons:
1. Able to modify existing pipework
2. New boiler is Band A and has good flow rate.
3. Have good mains pressure
4. Takes up less space/frees up space in kitchen

A heat only boiler and instantaneous water heater would cost more for parts and installation: also running costs would be greater....but as you say the water heating facility would be handy in a power cut (as would a solar panel!)

Best bet: Get at least 3 fully itemized quotes from CORGI registered installers, preferably ones recommended by friends, family or colleagues.

delluver

With the present boiler you can't just have the heating on without having the hot water on. The controls won't allow it, but would the system allow it with a new boiler without alteration to the system?