We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
🔔 Today's the final day to apply to become an MSE Forum Ambassador

Repair or Recycle Demon Boiler

Gorie
Gorie Posts: 140 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
This is a quickie...

I live in a house with a boiler (and family). Its an Alpha Combi Condensing boiler installed in 2009.

For the last three years it has needed repairing every year and now it needs a new expansion vessel.

Suffice to say the boiler and I aren't on good terms.

My question is do I get a new boiler?

I know the expansion vessel repair isn't a great expense (£150) but I'd just be wondering whats next... Furthermore my newer boiler (which would be either a Viessmann or Valiant) would be more gas efficient right?

Am I being wasteful? Maybe I practically have a new boiler anyway now?


Boiler History
  • First year it needed a new heat exchanger (2013 - covered by BG HomeCare)
  • Next year it needed a circuit board change / repair (2014 - covered by BG HomeCare - after which point they said they could no longer cover this boiler despite servicing)
  • This January it needs a new expansion vessel (cost to me £150 from local friend an independent gas engineer).

Comments

  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If it had a new expansion vessel fitted this January, why does it need replacing in July? If it does, and was done by an RGI, then both the part and the work should be covered under warranty. The RGI is a friend, so he should be your first port of call.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Gorie
    Gorie Posts: 140 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    I have not yet had the expansion vessel repaired, I took a quote from my friend and said I'd decide. At present I'm not using the heating and the hot water works fine with the broken expansion vessel. I figured I'd sort boiler now whilst the sun shines well ahead of winter.
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 27 July 2015 at 8:55AM
    Then it sounds like a faulty divertor valve if the hot water is working OK but not the heating side. This assumes that the pump is operating OK, which is easily checked.
    I think your friend is guessing rather than actually doing proper fault finding.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Gorie
    Gorie Posts: 140 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thats even more reason to have a new boiler I think?
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    No, it's reason to establish what is wrong with it and have it fixed by someone who can do proper diagnostics.
    A faulty divertor valve does not on it's own justify a new boiler-it's a minor repair and a relatively cheap component.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Gorie
    Gorie Posts: 140 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for your reply. The problem is each time I get one thing fixed 'another relatively cheap component becomes defective' and each job has been done by a different engineer. Furthermore there must be a reason BG won't touch the boiler anymore. Point is I'd rather buy a new boiler than slowly replace this boiler one part at a time... Its like triggers broom.
  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    2009 is only 6 years old...it must be an A rated boiler for efficiency already. I don't see the point replacing it.
    :footie:
    :p Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) :p Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. :p
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    But you haven't had it fixed, you had it supposedly diagnosed as faulty in January and have done nothing about it. BG are notorious for not wanting to fix boilers that are perfectly serviceable and have parts available via any competent RGI-yet BG will tell you that parts are unavailable.
    Your boiler is barely out of warranty, assuming it had a five year one.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Gorie
    Gorie Posts: 140 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    So here is the update - reviving an old thread...

    The current boiler (Alpha HE CB 25) is B rated for energy at 86.7% efficient.
    That said the new Viessmann boiler (Viessmann Vitodens 200-W 35) I was considering is A rated at 90.5% so no massive difference.

    After a little more research I decided that an external expansion vessel would benefit (not harm/impede) any new boiler, as would a Fernox TF1 Magnetic filter. So this weekend both have been installed and boiler works perfect again.

    So I can sit back, relax and wait for the next thing to break?

    Incidentally with a broken expansion vessel the hot water will almost always work perfectly as the expansion vessel is only utilised by the central heating part of the combi boiler system (as the water in the closed heating system heats it can expand in the expansion vessel - compressing the air in there behind the diaphragm). As water heats up in the mains hot water part of the combi central heating system it expands and escapes via the tap that has been turned on.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.8K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 241.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 618.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.9K Life & Family
  • 254.7K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.