Leaking hot water cylinder - replace or combi?

fluffybunny_2

Hi all.... I wonder if there's anyone here who can help me

My father has a leak from his hot water cylinder. I've looked underneath it and there's a large section of corrosion and its dripping. We realised this when it dripped into the kitchen below.
The green corrosion must be at least 12 inches across. We thought if it was leaking from one of the pipes coming from/going to it we could fix it but its clear that the corrosion is quite bad.

Ok....I just rang our plumber. He's also a friend and I don't think he'd rip us off.

He said it would cost about £400-£500 for the cylinder by the time you factor in the new cylinder, pipework and labour. But, he said that a new Baxi combi boiler with a 10 year guarantee would be about £1000. I think it would probably end up more than that as my father would have to get a different shower as its a gravity feed system and his cold water (going to the shower) comes from the header tank.

What do you guys think?

TIA

Browntoa

combi boilers are not the best for hot water pressure especially if someone else turns a tap on when you are in the shower !!

I have electric showers

fluffybunny_2

I have an electric shower and a combi myself and I havent experienced cold water when someone turns the tap on?

I_have_spoken

What do you guys think?

I'd replace the tank, although £400 sounds on the high-side to me. But you would get one with bonded-foam insulation which are more efficient than those with a tie-wrap jacket.

The problem with installing a Combi is that the heat-exchanger plate is likely to get knackered with sediment unless you also pay for a power-flush. In fact most manufactures won't honour their guarantee unless you powerflush and install a magnaclean type unit too when retrofitting to an existing system.

To comply with new make-work laws, you'll likely need a new flue for the combi and end up with one of the daft arrangements sticking 2m above the ridge tile.

Plus you'll need to change all the pipe runs, scrapping the C/H pump, 3-way valve and controller and cap off all the pipes leading to header and expansion tanks in the loft. You may also need a new thermostat.

Doubt there would be much change from £5,000 and it'll be far less reliable than any existing open-flue boiler.

SailorSam

I have a Combi but as already been said an electric shower is better so i've got one of those as well.
When we did away with the old tank, it was in the bathroom in the airing cupboard. The Combi is downstairs in the kitchen. So once the boiler was gone we decided instead of an empty airing cupboard it was time to change the bathroom around and in that corner we fitted a shower cubicle.

daveyjp

You can't buy and fit a combi boiler and undo all the work from the current set up for £1,000.

fluffybunny_2

daveyjp wrote: »

You can't buy and fit a combi boiler and undo all the work from the current set up for £1,000.

I'm guessing its plus labour? I'll talk to him again later

macman

Which makes quite a difference...is this plumber friend GSR?

fluffybunny_2

macman wrote: »

Which makes quite a difference...is this plumber friend GSR?

yes, he is a plumber with a plumbing and heating business . he's calling around later on