Megaflow boilers

Annie1960

I'm wondering what to do about my boiler. It's four years old, but I don't like it.

The house I moved into recently has a floor-standing Worcester condensing boiler. There are two water tanks in the loft, both were picked up by the surveyor as needing to be replaced. Plumber is currently working on an estimate for these. I really hate the boiler, it's in the way in my kitchen, and I was thinking about replacing it with a combi (so I don't need to replace the tanks in the loft).

In my last place I had a combi boiler, which I much preferred to a condensing boiler.

I'm getting a fair bit of work done on my new house, and the builder was around this morning to quote for kitchen, bathroom and other work. He mentioned Megaflow boilers. I'm not really sure what these are. The advantage seems to be that I could get hot water from the tank with an electric fitting if the boiler was out of action.

The current property has 4 bedrooms, one bathroom at present, but I want to extend the downstairs WC to fit another shower.

Does anyone have any ideas which boiler is best? Also, what about running costs? I know my combi was fairly cost-efficient, but I'm not sure about Megaflows.

macman

A Megaflow is the tank, not the boiler. It supplies hot water at mains pressure.
The efficiency should be the same, since all domestic boilers are now condensing. But a Megaflow system will be more expensive to install. Combi's are no more or less efficient than any other type of boiler.
A combi is not suitable for simultaneously supplying two bath/shower rooms, if that's what you are planning. It also requires an adequate flow rate and gas supply pipe, which can only be ascertained by your chosen RGI doing a site survey.

Annie1960

Thanks, Macman.

So will a megaflow tank work with a normal old-fashioned boiler? Or, would I need to get the boiler replaced at the same time?

bluewater

Seems a shame to replace what seems to be a quality, relatively modern boiler. You say the location isn't great - is there a better place for a wall mounted boiler?

The tanks in the loft are probably - one to supply water to your hot water cylinder and an expansion tank for the central heating. If there's a problem with these they can be replaced fairly inexpensively.

If you wanted to do away with the tanks in the loft you could replace your hot water cylinder with a new unvented cylinder, Megaflow is one brand of cylinder but there are many others. The main advantage of an unvented cylinder is that hot and cold is provided at the same pressure (mains) which is ideal for showers.

I suggest you speak to a plumber to discuss the alternatives.

Annie1960

Thanks, Bluewater, I spoke to the builder today (who will be fitting my kitchen and bathroom) and he employs the plumber. He did explain things to me, but I'm not sure I took it all in, hence my question on this board.

The existing boiler is on the floor in the kitchen, it looks awful, and I don't understand why the previous owner didn't get one on the wall. Maybe there's a technical reason it can't go on the wall, or maybe they just had different taste.

I'm trying to work out whether it's worthwhile getting the tanks in the loft replaced or not, is it better to get a Megaflow or similar, and should I keep the old boiler.

At my old house it was simple, I had a combi and it was great. Seems it's more complex here.

SuzieSue

It really depends on whether you want to use 2 showers at the same time and whether you mind not having hot water if the boiler breaks down.

If the answer is no to both then go for a combi. You could always have an electric shower so that you can have a shower if the boiler breaks down, but I have heard that electric showers aren't great.

I personally would never have a combi as I don't want to be without hot water if the boiler breaks.

The following articles are worth reading:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/interiors/renovating/9791140/Do-I-need-to-install-a-new-boiler.html


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/advice/10138910/Jeff-Howell-should-I-get-a-combi-boiler.html


Btw, in your opening post you said :

In my last place I had a combi boiler, which I much preferred to a condensing boiler.

All boilers sold now have to be condensing (so combi boilers are condensing).

SuzieSue

And in answer to your question about Megaflow and similar cylinders - they are an alternative to a pump if your hot water pressure isn't great, but I believe they are much more expensive than a pump.

If you don't want a separate boiler, you can get something like this:

http://www.potterton.co.uk/promax-HE-store/


which is a combined boiler/hot water tank. You will then not need any tanks on the loft.

But I am not a plumber and am not sure if you can fit a combined system like this in all properties. I am also not sure if you can use this as an immersion heater if the boiler breaks.

Annie1960

SuzieSue wrote: »

Btw, in your opening post you said :

In my last place I had a combi boiler, which I much preferred to a condensing boiler.

All boilers sold now have to be condensing (so combi boilers are condensing).

So what do you call a boiler that's not a combi?

bridgedino

All new boilers are condensing boilers, both combi ones and system ones.

My tuppence worth...

You could get rid of your current boiler and tanks, replace with a decent combi boiler

Fit an electric shower in the extended WC therefor giving you piece of mind that if the boiler ever needs a repair then you're still left with a working shower

Large hot water storage tanks seem a bit unnessasary and expensive in houses with less than 2 bathrooms to be honest

Annie1960

bridgedino wrote: »

All new boilers are condensing boilers, both combi ones and system ones.

Ah, so they're called system boilers. Thanks.

My tuppence worth...

You could get rid of your current boiler and tanks, replace with a decent combi boiler

Fit an electric shower in the extended WC therefor giving you piece of mind that if the boiler ever needs a repair then you're still left with a working shower

This had been my original plan. However, I'm also having the kitchen done at the same time, and have my eye on a number of electrical appliances. There is a question mark over whether I have enough electricity coming into the house to have new kitchen appliances and an electric shower. Hence the discussion about Megaflow.

Large hot water storage tanks seem a bit unnessasary and expensive in houses with less than 2 bathrooms to be honest

Decisions, decisions ....

MX5huggy

I think you need to rewind a bit. You could be looking at spending thousands to fix a problem you don't have.

Firstly we're presuming you have mains gas is that right?

The survey has to be taken with a huge pinch of salt, it probably says things like the tanks in the loft are coming to the end of their useful life. This means they could last another 20 years.

Then if we understand your system you already have a hot water cylinder which will have or can be fitted with an immersion heater for backup.

The floor standing boiler is probably a high quality boiler you can build a cupboard round it leaving the prescribed space around and access for servicing. You could move it, inside or even to an outbuilding it would need frost protection.

You have enough electricity you possibly don't have enough space on a fuse board for some new circuits.

I think your being lead along to the the most expensive options.