Gas Warm Air Heating replacement?

new2012

I have Johnson and Starley warm air heating and it is over 22 years old and it has been suggested by the BG gas engineer who came to fix it that it might be time to get it replaced.:eek:

It is in a cupboard in the kitchen which I had to remove the door from a few years ago because of the lack of ventilation.:(

Previous years a notice was put on the door saying keep closed when in use.

The flue/chimmney runs up to the attic and then to a vent in the middle of the roof.

There is a separate hot water heater in the warm air unit.

Both heating and hot water have their own pilot light, the heating one consumes about 6 kWh of gas a day and the hot water about 4 kWh a day, so 10 kWh of gas going to waste each day. At least in the summer when we don't need to heat the fabric of the house.

Before I start getting quotes for either a direct replacement warm air heating or go down the radiators and combi route a few questions.

Would a new warm air heating unit still have pilot lights and would it be installed in the same cupboard or is that now a no no?

If it cannot be in the cupboard where else could it be installed?

And is the flue/chimmney through the middle of the house a no no as well.

We do have a garage attached to the side of the house where some neighbours who have replaced their warm air units with radiators have the boiler, and the biggest moan has been the reduction of wall space taken up by the radiators and the longer time taken to heat up the house.

Also the heating coming on during the night because of the frost protection and there has not been much of a reduction in gas usage.

Warm air heating is practically instantaneous.

So what suggestions do people have so that I can make an informed decision as to what I can do with my heating?

The house is a semi detached, upstairs bedrooms.

molerat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2701513
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3692859
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/659805

A few warm air threads, worth a look ?

bengasman

new2012 wrote: »

Would a new warm air heating unit still have pilot lights

No.

new2012 wrote: »

and would it be installed in the same cupboard or is that now a no no?

Only site visit can determine that.

new2012 wrote: »

If it cannot be in the cupboard where else could it be installed?

Anywhere.

new2012 wrote: »

And is the flue/chimmney through the middle of the house a no no as well.

Only site visit can determine that.

new2012 wrote: »

So what suggestions do people have so that I can make an informed decision as to what I can do with my heating?

It's a matter of taste. I don't like them, others love them.
My two main objections are that they blow lots of dust around unless you keep the airducts meticulously clean ( virtually nobody does ) and that a crack in the heatexchanger ( which is known to happen ) will blow carbon monoxide into your home.

C_Mababejive

My boiler is about 30 years old but i have no qualms as to its continued safe operation.

What i would say to you is that if you are happy with the performance of your heating then keep it.

I would say that it is imperative that your heater is serviced annually by someone who is competent and knowledgeable as to the particular requirements of open flued warm air heaters.

I would also say that you should purchase a good quality CO detector (they are all made to the same british standards) ..READ the intructions and fit it accordingly.

Your pilot lights are not "wasted". The pilot on the water heater will be pre heating the hot water ensuring that less energy has to be supplied when the main burner fires. The pilot on the warm iar unit ? well its doing the same.

Relax...its a Johnson and Starley..not a Suggs Halcyon