Is it worth putting in a Combi boiler to replace my system boiler

dermonte

We had system boiler that I hated so much. I come from work at night as I am night shift worker and my husband forgets to put hot water on. So decided to go with a combi. Instant hot water! My boiler never broke down in 3 years since we changed it either. Also 4 bedroom house with 2 bathroom, one with electric shower and other one boiler fed. Also got rid of old tank and use the space to store towels now.

Silver-Surfer_2

Alias_Omega wrote: »

I do love people like this who post and run away.....

Any suggestions? The main purpose was to remove a floor standing ideal mexico heat only boiler. As we lived in a Dormer Bungalow, the cold water tank and upstairs shower were at the same height which meant that it wasnt very good, and a noisy pump was required. Having 4/5 bedrooms in the house meant that any water within the hot cylinder was gone after 2-3 people and would cause many arguements.... so hey presto... new combi boiler, magnaclean, a nest and were away in the land of unlimited hot water...and a 7 year warranty...

So that boiler...what is it? How much is it, and how long will it last? Im sure in 7-10 years a new Ideal Logic 30+ will be £1200 to supply & fit, maybe cheaper....with another 7 yr warranty...

!!!! that's what it is.

HappyMJ

dermonte wrote: »

We had system boiler that I hated so much. I come from work at night as I am night shift worker and my husband forgets to put hot water on. So decided to go with a combi. Instant hot water! My boiler never broke down in 3 years since we changed it either. Also 4 bedroom house with 2 bathroom, one with electric shower and other one boiler fed. Also got rid of old tank and use the space to store towels now.

I have a conventional boiler with a hot water cylinder. The hot water is always on. The thermostat controls whether the boiler heats more water. When a shower/bath is run the cylinder cools the thermostat requests heat, the boiler fires and reheats the cylinder. By the time the person having said shower/bath is finished in the bathroom the hot water cylinder has almost reheated enough for another person to jump in and have another shower/bath. It takes 30 minutes to reheat the whole cylinder and a whole cylinder lasts for 2 baths or about 3 or 4 showers. If you're running out of hot water the cylinder is too small for the household's needs.

Why would anyone turn it off? With a properly well insulated cylinder it only saves pennies.

Alias_Omega

Silver-Surfer wrote: »

!!!! that's what it is.

I know what is !!!!, the Ravenheat in our Rental Property.

dominoman

If I stick with a new heat only boiler I think I need a new hot water cylinder too then, because mine is beaten up with no insulation except a poorly fitting red blanket that I wrapped around it myself.

But by the time I get a new cyclinder and diverter valve (mine is stuck) I will probably not be far off the cost of a new combi installation?

HappyMJ

dominoman wrote: »

If I stick with a new heat only boiler I think I need a new hot water cylinder too then, because mine is beaten up with no insulation except a poorly fitting red blanket that I wrapped around it myself.

But by the time I get a new cyclinder and diverter valve (mine is stuck) I will probably not be far off the cost of a new combi installation?

I've changed the diverter valves a few times in the property I let out and I've had the landlord change it once so far in the past year in the flat I rent. They can get stuck and require replacement but that can happen with the many parts in a combi boiler as well.

The cylinder doesn't "have" to be replaced that's just your choice.

roddydogs

If youve already got the pipework for conventional, it make no sense to change to a combi, yes you lose the HW tank, so room for something else, but not much more. Combis are expensive, and are far more likely to go wrong, although they are more efficient.

southcoastrgi

OP I have a couple of colleagues in London if you would like another quote give me a shout

davilown

I've literally just changed to a combi as I was fed up of emptying the tank with one shower (yes a power shower but it was there when I moved in).

I had quotes from loads of companies up to £4600 from British Gas. In the end I went with friends recommendations and went through a local single person company. £2400 with valves change, pressure clean etc and ended up with a Vailant 832. Took him 3.5 days (removing everything including all the old pipework.

All I can say is you won't regret a combi as long as its big enough for your house - the 838 should work perfectly.

Oh and think about where you want it positioned - I if I had thought properly about it, I would have located it in the redundant airing cupboard or the attic.

saverbuyer

I recently installed a megaflo to replace my small copper cylinder in my new house. Wasn't in long before I realized the small tank just wasn't up to the job. Now I can get a couple of baths and showers out of the new cylinder and system boiler. I'd never go back to combi again.


Was thinking about maybe adding solar thermal too.