Should we change our boiler

Poppy9

Since we moved in our house 20 years we have had money put one side to replace the Baxi back boiler which we were told was old when we had it first serviced.

To date it's never broken down but we know if it does it's a replacement job (probably!). It's serviced annually.

I have a large 4 bed 1950s semi. Unfilled cavity walls but loft well insulated. 1 bathroom and currently 8 radiators.

We are looking to put in 2/3 extra radiators.

We have microbore system with TRV on all radiators.

Currently back boiler is on a inside wall, hot water tank in airing cupboard on landing (all inside walls) and water tank in loft.

1 bathroom with bath and shower cubicle (electric shower) and downstairs bathroom.

Mainly just 2 adults living her but DD comes home from Uni.

So now come my questions:

• What type of boiler should we go for? Is Combi the only real choice?
• Does it have to go on outside wall? If so can I put in a larder cabinet in fitted kitchen?
• Can it go in my airing cupboard - no outside walls?
• If it goes upstairs is it noisy?

We have a budget of £5k for all the work - is this sufficient.

PheoUK

Is there anything wrong with the current setup?

dyrniboy

Hi, If it has been serviced regularly with no problems reported I would probably spend some of your budget of £5,000 on installing cavity insulation, increasing loft insulation and having a good look around and sealing any points which might be causing draughts. Good insulating and draught proofing can make any boiler more efficient !.

Poppy9

We will not be going for Cavity Wall insulation. Our house is seaside and exposed on side to wind and rain. Our attached neighbour who is not exposed as us did have CWI and is now battling damp and mould.

Loft is double level insulation. All windows/doors have modern double glazing. Bay windows are the cold spots (1 in sitting and 1 bedroom both about 12 foot span) but have curved radiators beneath.

Current set up is okay but kitchen and dining room cold, I would say kitchen is feezing. We are refitting kitchen and increasing size and moving radiator. Dining room, smallest bedroom and downstairs loo have no radiator. Dining room okay as it's SW facing and gets solar gain and is generally not a freezing room. Smallest bedroom is study and again not really cold unless weather is bitter.

We have issues with curved lounge radiator not attaining full heat if you use TRV on certain radiators. Had hallway radiator replaced as it was cold and old and full of gunge so that works okay now.

System can be noisy at times and have to use bleed valve quite a bit in airing cupboard.

Bills about £100 per month in winter for GCH. Heating on in morning and evening, except weekends when it's on through day if necessary. In summer we just put Hot Water once a day as we don't tend to bath, but use electric shower and we have dishwasher so minimal hot water needed for washing hands etc.

When we refurbish our kitchen considering internal wall insulation to the external walls and maybe to the solid concrete floor and re-plastering walls. Remainder of the downstairs have solid oak flooring.

PheoUK

So from what you've said I believe you could replace with a vented / regular boiler. It would replace the back boiler with what is basically a simple swap out (it's doing the same thing essentially. Going combi would allow you to get rid of hot & cold tanks but tbh I'm not a big fan (complicated & break down plus you need a huge one for decent hot water!)

As for siting the boiler, you need to be able to get gas to it, condensate drain out (can be pumped), and obviously the flu needs to exit the building safely (there are max runs etc). Probably more work (more money) though.

Can be put inside larder provided it meets the manufacturers specifications regarding any venting and space. Not all of them need venting.

A regular boiler is smaller than a combi, because it doesn't need to on demand heat hot water. So may fit better.

Not a plumber, but just what I've learnt investigating replacing my own!

gmgmgm

Auto bleed valves are a tenner on Amazon/ebay- useful things.

If it's not broken, I'd keep just leave it alone and relish the reliability. Your average modern boiler might not last 5 years, let alone 20. The older ones are much tougher.