Boiler has broken. What's the best way forward?

Andrew_Ryan_89

Hi guys, I have a Potterton Performa 24 HE Eco and I keep getting a Flame failure. We started getting this a few weeks ago and simply turning it off and on again worked but now it's not working at all and we have gone 2 days without hot water.

I have searched Google and haven't found any fixes that I can carry out myself. I called customer service and they said they can send someone out tomorrow and put me on a plan (around £36 per month). I wanted to know whether it was worth calling around and seeing if someone can get it fixed or if going on the plan was the better option?

Kind regards,

Stevie_Palimo

Look at what you can budget here if the boiler is not that old does having a care package amounting to over £400.00 a year warrant paying out or is it an older model that may need replacing soon.

I'd weigh this up first and then work out if it would be worth while fixing.

Andrew_Ryan_89

Stevie_Palimo wrote: »

Look at what you can budget here if the boiler is not that old does having a care package amounting to over £400.00 a year warrant paying out or is it an older model that may need replacing soon.

I'd weigh this up first and then work out if it would be worth while fixing.

Thank you, that's a good point. Not too sure on the exact age but I found a spares part invoice (we recently moved in) dated 2007 so it's at least 10 years.

Just checked the below website. I had no idea the cost could be so much! Great timing, getting married this week and money is at a all time low. Looks like anything I do get as a monetary gift will go on this damn boiler!

http://www.theheatinghub.co.uk/boiler-guides/guide-to-boiler-installation-costs

stator

Get an independent engineer to try and repair it. If you call a company they will probably tell you it's not worth fixing and try to sell you a new one.
The manufacturer has probably stopped making spares but it might still be possible to get them second hand or from other suppliers.

JohnB47

I googled your boiler name and came up with this site that appears to have loads of spares - there are probably other sites. A good local engineer should be able to determine the problem and fit a replacement part for you:


http://www.boilersparesdirect.co.uk/parts-online/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=3528&cat=Potterton+PERFORMA+24+ECO+HE

Andrew_Ryan_89

Thanks for the help all. I looked at replacement boilers and labour and it looks like it's going to cost me £3k+. The manufacture are sending around an engineer tomorrow. They said for £30 a month, for 12 months, they'll fix it throughout the year. I decided to go for this option and on the side save up for a new boiler.

I also spoke to an professional who said it would cost at the very least around £120 to fix it (not including parts) but could be much more depending on the problem, so I thought the above option of £30 was not too bad.

Chanes

3k to replace a boiler? A straight one out and one in? That seems very expensive!

Andrew_Ryan_89

Well, looks like I got lucky. Engineer came round to look at the boiler but could do anything because of the housing it was in had to be taken apart. He told me it was most likley a pressure problem and I just had to twist a valve. He left than I took a look and noticed I could take the boiler housing apart.

Twisted a few valves, got the pressure up and now it's working without me having to pay anything.

Le_Kirk

Hmm sounds like you had an in-depth training course there!! Despite the (possibly obvious) sarcasm there is a serious point to be made. What pressure did you increase? Gas, Water, Air? If it was gas, did you check that the flame was burning correctly and consuming all the gas or was it leaving some CO or CO2? I would be inclined to get someone in with a gas safe registration and have it checked.

Chanes

Poking around inside a gas boiler and moving valves about sounds like madness to me! I would get someone Gas Safe registered to check it.

teddysmum

Messing with a gas appliance is illegal if you aren't qualified.


I'm glad/hope I don't live near you and worry about the safety of your neighbours.