Changing oil fired boiler – best overall solution??

rosscouk

I have had a few plumbers around now and had good chats with both. I will definitely be replacing all the valves with new thermostatic valves (got a mixture now). I have a 5 or 6 double radiators which are doubles but no fins, so mulling over whether to change those, I have a couple of radiators which are undersized which we probably will replace.

In terms of boilers I have had a bit of a u-turn and we are being quoted for a conventional oil boiler which means I don't have to rip out our 2 year old water tank and largish pump for our shower. This means it should be a little cheaper as well.

Just waiting for quotes now.

G_M

If you can afford it, make the changes now. I was in a similar position 10 years ago and did piece by piece replacements over 10 years (insulation, a few rads here a few there, new boiler, etc etc).

I wish I'd just spent the cash, and had 10 years of cosy home and energy savings.

Boiler. The issue is not 'conventional' Vs Combi. Just changing to a modern condensing one of either type will make for energy efficiency.

The pros/cons of combis are different. How many people in the house? Does the current hot tank store enough hot water for baths for all 8 of you each night?
Do different people require hot water at same time? (eg washing up in kitchen, bath, dish washer. shower simultaneously - a combi will struggle)

But if you are considering paying for new boiler and replacing/upgrading rads too, you'd be mad not to seriously consider alternative heat sources. I am very sceptical about the economy of changing heat source where the current one is in place - but if you are effectively starting from scratch, then the extra costs associated with alternative heat sources start to look more realistic - and long term lets face it, fossil fuels are never going to get cheaper again.

For a few hundred quid you could even put your old rads on a south facing roof and use them to pre-heat your hot water cylinder! (oh, yes, get decent rads with convector fins as well as thermostats).

Insulate evrything. Insulation is so cheap nowadays (even free?) so put extra on the hot water cylinder, on the hot pipes under the floor, in the attic. Insulate the walls - if you have solid walls (ie cavity insulation impossible) you can still get insulation to paste on the internal walls and then paper/paint over it. Insulate round the cold water tank in the attic (but not under it!) and put an insulated cover on top.

Check your chimney. Do you use the fire regularly? If not, are you losing (a lot of?!) heat up the chimney? My biggest advance in warming my house was £5 spent at Oxfam when I saw a small heavy curtain that matched my living room - it now covers the fireplace when not in use and has had a remarkable effect!

rosscouk

Thanks for the reply G_M.

I have had a few quotes back now - so for 11 Rads, which is better a Worcester Danesmoor 18/25 or a Grant 15/21 oil conventional boiler? I can find lots of websites where they can be bought, but having trouble comparing between the two other than the Worcester being able to output 25kw and the Grant 21KW. Any thoughts?