What boiler would be best for a small 2 bed bungalow with 3 radiators??

Kimberley01

hi all,
my boiler has just broken... nice timing with the freezing weather!
I need some advice on what type and make and generally any help/advice I can get!! I live in a small, detached, 2 bed bungalow with only 3 radiators... which is best?

I look forward to any help u can give!

Thanks

HappyMJ

Kimberley01 wrote: »

hi all,
my boiler has just broken... nice timing with the freezing weather!
I need some advice on what type and make and generally any help/advice I can get!! I live in a small, detached, 2 bed bungalow with only 3 radiators... which is best?

I look forward to any help u can give!

Thanks

There is no "best" as such. If you must have a new boiler then get the smallest one possible unless you want to take this opportunity to expand the system and put some more radiators in.

What boiler do you currently have?

SHIPSHAPE

Worcester do compact boilers, search online, as do other makes no doubt.

I've always had worcester boilers with no probs.

jalexa

Kimberley01 wrote: »

my boiler has just broken...

How do you know it is beyond economic repair?

Is it a combi boiler? If not, do you want to "go combi" or retain your hot water cylinder? That is the single biggest issue regarding what "size" of boiler to select.

Anyway assuming the existing boiler is beyond economic repair, and you are not going to DIY:(, you need to get quotes from several approved installers. If you want to give us a laugh in the forum also get a quote from a "major" energy utility such as E.ON or British Gas:D.

taffy056

Can I just say that there are grants available for boilers if you are on certain benefits, you don't say where you are, so here are a couple of links

England
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Energyandwatersaving/Energygrants/DG_10018661
Wales
http://nestwales.org.uk/

spinningsheep

Hi Kimberley01, as other have said are you 100% sure the boiler is totally beyond economic repair? My parents feared the worst when their 10 year old Glowworm Ultimate died last week, but a £10 thermocouple and a £70 service and fitting later, good as new. It would be very unlikely that he boiler is totally beyond repairs, even extensive ones would be more than likely less that the outlay of a new boiler. Get a few quotes and see. If you definately do need to go down the new boiler route, avoid cheap DIY shop ones like Biasi and Heatline. Total waste of money. Worcester are the Rolls Royce of boilers but parts are expensive once out of warranty. We have a Baxi DuoTech HE 28kw running 10 radiators and a towel rail, I know they do a 24kw version too. Very economical and been 100% reliable so far

unclebulgaria

Kimberley01 wrote: »

hi all,
my boiler has just broken... nice timing with the freezing weather!
I need some advice on what type and make and generally any help/advice I can get!! I live in a small, detached, 2 bed bungalow with only 3 radiators... which is best?

I look forward to any help u can give!

Thanks

Hi Kimberley.
A little more info would be helpful, do you have a hot water cylinder (un-vented or vented, doesn't matter which). If you do then you have a conventional heat only boiler that may heat your hot water cylinder as well as radiators. If you dont have a hot water cylinder and your boiler heats your tap water instantly its a combi.
Now the complicated bit is if you have a conventional one and want to swap to combi then your replacement costs are going to be higher, if you have a combi then it can be swapped like for like which wont be so expensive, if you have a conventional boiler and want to keep your hot water cylinder then that can also be swapped like for like.
Get lots of WRITTEN estimates not verbal ones.
Its not generally how many radiators you have that denotes the boiler size, more how many hot water draw off points you have (showers, hot taps etc), standing and working flow rates of incoming mains water are important when it comes to combi boilers as well as standing and working pressures.
You should estimate something like 80% of your boilers capacity when you choose a size otherwise you have paid for more boiler than you need or use.
If this is goobledeegook I'll gladly explain in more detail.
I'm a gas engineer/plumber by the way so I'm not reading from a book.
Don't be tempted to dive in with your first estimate.

unclebulgaria

spinningsheep wrote: »

Hi Kimberley01, as other have said are you 100% sure the boiler is totally beyond economic repair? My parents feared the worst when their 10 year old Glowworm Ultimate died last week, but a £10 thermocouple and a £70 service and fitting later, good as new. It would be very unlikely that he boiler is totally beyond repairs, even extensive ones would be more than likely less that the outlay of a new boiler. Get a few quotes and see. If you definately do need to go down the new boiler route, avoid cheap DIY shop ones like Biasi and Heatline. Total waste of money. Worcester are the Rolls Royce of boilers but parts are expensive once out of warranty. We have a Baxi DuoTech HE 28kw running 10 radiators and a towel rail, I know they do a 24kw version too. Very economical and been 100% reliable so far

Dont mean to be negative about anything you posted but Biasi are not a good long lasting boiler, I'm repairing them on a regular basis. Biasi, Feroli, Ravenheat are boilers I actually refuse to fit. Glowworm are THE most expensive boiler to repair, invariably twice the cost in repairs.
Worcester, Vaillant (Vaillant are part of the same group that service Glowworm) are expensive but quality.
Baxi, Potterton, Remeha, Main are the same parent company now and middle of the road price and reliable with a good after sales/service team.
Glowworm are middling in price to buy but ridiculously expensive to repair.
Biasi, Ravenheat, Ferroli, Heatline and other not so well known makes are lower end and I suppose preference comes into play here.
Excellent point about possible repair before throwing away though.

Mr_Ted

Whatever you decide to do dont get estimates, as an estimate is just that, and you could find your then subject to additional charges, get FIXED QUOTES!!!

SShar

Mr_Ted wrote: »

Whatever you decide to do dont get estimates, as an estimate is just that, and you could find your then subject to additional charges, get FIXED QUOTES!!!

I agree, I'd get around 3 fixed quotes and then compare what's being offered - keep in mind the cheapest may not be the best!

Though you'll probably get 50+ different recommendations, I'd personally say go for Vaillant. I've had mine for years and not had any problems with it

spinningsheep

Thats right unclebulgaria, I agree Biasi are terrible thats what I said in my post, having had one before, it was downright shoddy