When is the best time to get a new boiler

footyguy

PaulGates wrote: »

As your boiler has a habit of breaking down - it could be something has been fixed, then something else breaks, and on and on. Snag is - how much "repair" money do you throw at it until it becomes un-viable ?

I'd investigate the option of a new boiler - some places do monthly payment plans like £15 a month such as stl heating, so it needn't cost a fortune. It's up to you - but it's worth weighing up the costs.

Perhaps...

Do you know much about gas boilers especially of this age?

There really isn't too much that can go wrong.

A fan
An air pressure switch
The odd sensor or electrode (including safety cut-outs)
Injector
General wiring/connectors
A circuit board or two (if they fail they usually get replaced rather than repaired)

All of the above could be changed and it would still be a lot chaeper than getting a new boiler!

It's usually only when the heat exchanger is so badly corroded (or parts are no longer available) that is the death knell of a boiler.

Unless, of course, you know different.


My neighbour had a problem with his boiler. Said it kept cutting out.
It actually just needed a clean.
(He took the same view as me that if it's not broken, don't fix it. But a service, which included a clean as standard, was all that was needed)

footyguy

captainhindsight wrote: »

...Taking advice from an old plumber is always a bad idea, I would much prefer to take advice from a plumber who is a couple of years out of college and is on the ball on all new technologies etc.

Each to their own, but I would prefer to rely on the lifetime experience of a trusted engineer who's probably worked on more of these than you've had hot dinners, compared to a kid fresh out of college who was probably still in nappies when this boiler was made.

You can't get everything from a book (or the internet as todays youngters believe) and what is available there to a 20 year old is equally available to a 60 year old.

What isn't available to a 20 year old, however, is that 40 years of experience the 60 year old has.

espresso

captainhindsight wrote: »

To make the calculations easy stick to 4p/Kwh, for that 13500kWh (£540 pa) of gas going into a 60% efficient boiler only 8,100 kWh of heat are being produced. To produce that same amount of heat in a modern boiler 90% efficient I would only need to pay for 9,000kWh of gas (£360 pa) a £180 saving. Replace the boiler after 12-15 years that is £2160-£2700 saving over the life time which is more than the cost of a direct replacement. Also on top of that the savings will become higher and higher as every year prices increase. On top of that no money is required for any breakdowns if they are required if it breaks down due to waranty cover, more piece of mind knowing that if it does break down parts will be available off the shelf and be able to be fixed the same day etc etc etc

How ridiculous.

You have made the assumption that a modern boiler will achieve an efficiency of 90% all of the time that it is in use - it will not.

In practice this figure can only be achieved in optimum conditions in a lab environment are very rarely achieve under normal home conditions.

Any saving will be much less and offset by increased maintenance costs and expensive component replacement costs associated with a modern boiler.

Taking advice from an old plumber is always a bad idea, I would much prefer to take advice from a plumber who is a couple of years out of college and is on the ball on all new technologies etc.

I certainly would not take any advice from a young gullible with a lot to learn and a head full of rubbish like yourself!

.............

captainhindsight_2

footyguy wrote: »

Each to their own, but I would prefer to rely on the lifetime experience of a trusted engineer who's probably worked on more of these than you've had hot dinners, compared to a kid fresh out of college who was probably still in nappies when this boiler was made.

He may have worked on plenty of boilers, but not plenty of modern boilers. Technology changes, and so does the required skills. Many of these old plumbers are out of touch with todays technology.

You can't get everything from a book (or the internet as todays youngters believe) and what is available there to a 20 year old is equally available to a 60 year old.

What isn't available to a 20 year old, however, is that 40 years of experience the 60 year old has.

Maybe you didnt read what I said, I said a few years out of college.

This means that they would have a few years real life experience + be upto date with the latest technology.

An old plumber may have lots of experience but on technology which no longer exists, so pretty useless knowledge if you ask me.

Its like asking someone who has a life time of experience working with acorn computers, to give advice and help with a modern android smart phone. Useless.

footyguy

captainhindsight wrote: »

Maybe you didnt read what I said, I said a few years out of college.

This means that they would have a few years real life experience + be upto date with the latest technology.

An old plumber may have lots of experience but on technology which no longer exists, so pretty useless knowledge if you ask me.

Its like asking someone who has a life time of experience working with acorn computers, to give advice and help with a modern android smart phone. Useless.

So you think a few years experience will match a lifetime's?

And presumably you think no one learns anything past about the age of 23?

Oh dear... :cool:

But I know what you mean. What does Bill Gates know about computing today, eh?

captainhindsight_2

footyguy wrote: »

So you think a few years experience will match a lifetime's?

And presumably you think no one learns anything past about the age of 23?

Oh dear... :cool:

But I know what you mean. What does Bill Gates know about computing today, eh?

The point is it is a lifetimes experience on old technology, so it is no longer relevant.

longforgotten

OP mentioned letting out property.


I'd buy a new boiler, if you have too, once you've moved out and they've moved in. The cost of the boiler can then be related to your letting expenses, will reduce your net profit and therefore reduce the amount of tax payable on lettings............;)

jcrpage

That's quite the debate!

The failures have been a different part each time. And it seems that the parts are getting increasingly hard to find/are not routinely held. It took four days for this particular repair to be completed but two days of that was waiting for a part on order. I think in this instance it was some sort of pump but that is not on the list above. I would have to get the full history to find out what went wrong each time. I am frequently away so I haven't personally had to deal with any of this and family have stepped in but I think that is starting to grate and I am not sure I want tenants to have to deal with this annually.

Longforgotten - thanks for the tip on the tax aspects. Had completely forgotten about that!