Boiler service/breakdown referrals. 30 March 2013 at 9:07AM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Energy 10 replies 783 views

kazd

Hi

Got a fright this morning when I woke up and heating wasn't on, however I had just woken before it had turned on automatically. Got me thinking though about whether I should get a new boiler in the summer rather than risk it dying in the winter. The boiler is as old as the house (12 years in Oct).

To my knowledge we have only ever had to call an engineer out once to a boiler in the whole of our married lives but I am not sure if that was this or the previous house.

Having read a couple of threads I have come to the conclusion I should only replace it when it dies but should maybe have a decent breakdown/repair cover in place and get the boiler serviced at the same time.

Any recommendations please!

macman

Make and model would help.
When was it last serviced? Get that done annually by a local independent GSR RGI and it may have years of life yet. Why on earth would you replace a boiler that has been almost 100% reliable?

colbee

If you do decide to go for breakdown cover it would be a very good idea to avoid Scottish Power; I speak from bitter experience.
Best bet would be to find a local reliable specialist who would be able to readily source necessary parts locally rather than through the horribly bureaucratic and incompetent machinery used by the 'national' breakdown companies.

victor2

As already said, get it serviced annually and just keep it running. Ours is about 25 years old, non-condensing, has a pilot light and is probably not very efficient. Heats a hot water tank we rarely utilise through a gravity fed system, but keeps on working. Annual service costs less than £50 with a local independent.
Replacing it with something as reliable would cost thousands. Might reduce our gas bill but would never pay for itself.

kazd

It's an Ideal Classic FF270.

When was it last serviced, erm that would be never!

As I said only ever called a plumber out once in nearly 22 years of marriage and that may have been our old house.

I know that some of our neighbours have had to replace their boilers, I just don't want it to die in the middle of winter.

I agree though a service is probably the way to go.

Ken68

There was a survey done on this site a while back, consensus was to avoid repair plans and finance it yourself. You already have something like £500 saved from no boiler servicing so you're in credit.
Tip: to get a plumber 'quicker' ring their mobile number, they might well be in your area already and a quick tack on to regular work.

macman

A plumber can't service a gas boiler, you need a GSR RGI.

[Deleted User]

in our previous home the boiler when we moved out was about 25 years old,we had it serviced once and had one minor breakdown which cost less than £80 to fix

kazd

A service it is then, the least we can do for our hardworking boiler!

Fire_Fox

Agree just get it serviced every year.

diywhynot

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Agree just get it serviced every year.

and advise the RGI beforehand that your boiler has never been serviced.