Gas boiler help please

Maz

Hi,

I am currently heating my c/h and hot water off a gas boiler that heats a tank full of water (sorry, don't know the technical term for these!) After a plumber inspected my set up, it appears that a valve somewhere in the depths of the airing cubpoard is faulty which is why, when I turn on hot water only function, the radiators are heating up and this is using more gas than it would normally. I was given an estimate of around £300 to investigate this and rectify.

In an attempt to keep my gas usage down, several people have told me that I would be better off installing a combi boiler and this would also bypass the faulty valve problem with the existing boiler.

At present, there are 6 radiators, heated towel rail (soon to be replaced with a rad) and a system fed over bath shower running off this system. There are two adults living in the property.

Can anyone advise me a) is it a good idea to replace the existing boiler with a combi b) if so, any recommendations as to make/expected cost etc

Thanks for any help given and hope this makes sense!

Canucklehead

Hi.

Make and model of boiler would help with an opinion.

Make of valve buried in cupboard also. (maybe a satchwell motor open motor close )

On the face of it I would say the repair cost is a bit high, and I can't see why anyone would want to suggest replacing a working boiler with a combi for the sake of a motorised valve.


GSR.

seraphina

We've had one of those valves fail on a CH/HW set up in a previous house - it certainly didn't cost £300 to fix. Fixing it will also be a darn sight cheaper than replacing the boiler, you'd be mad to replace the boiler for the sake of one valve.

Maz

Hi Canucklehead, thanks for your reply.

Boiler is a Baxi 350 PF. According to the plumber, the valve (which I don't know the name of, sorry) may be buried inside the airing cupboard or may be alongside the pump mechanism which is above the boiler in the kitchen, behind some plinth above the kitchen cupboards. Presumably, the cost of replacing the valve has been increased to reflect sourcing the valve and replacing any plinth etc if need be? I could remove the plinth myself and replace if need be, not that much of a job but the plumber was of the opnion that that's where the extra time would come into play, actually finding the valve. Thought it sounded a lot but that's all the information I have, hope it's of some use?

Yolina

See if you can locate the valve yourself that would probably save you quite a lot I'd guess the retail price for one is now probably around £40 to £50 so the £300 mentioned for the job is seriously :eek: I had one changed about 10 years ago and I most definitely wasn't charged anywhere near that amount.

Maz

Yolina wrote: »

See if you can locate the valve yourself that would probably save you quite a lot I'd guess the retail price for one is now probably around £40 to £50 so the £300 mentioned for the job is seriously :eek: I had one changed about 10 years ago and I most definitely wasn't charged anywhere near that amount.

I would if I knew what I was looking for and how to identify it!

Yolina

Most likely something similar to this:

Maz

That's great, thanks for that. Any idea what the valve is actually called? Got bog all do over Crimbo so looks like I'll be dismantling kitchen and bathroom to try and track it down. And arrange for a couple more estimates.

Yolina

Central heating motorised valve is I believe the correct term for it My system has got two of them: one near the boiler and one near the hot water tank.

Maz

I know, I'm pig ingorant! You're a star, thanks for your help.

Yolina

Well knowing what it looks like doesn't make me any less pig ignorant than you :rotfl: the only reason I know about it is because I had one fail, though mine are easily visible so no hunting required.