Advice on replacing ancient boiler

Raxiel

Cardew wrote: »

Saving 40% gas consumption is a lot - many on MSE report around a 20% saving when a very old boiler is replaced. Most 1980's boilers have a SEDUK efficiency around 65% and whilst modern boilers claim 90% efficiency, that is theoretical and not achieved in practice.

Even so 7,000kWh should cost around £200. Thus if you have a 10 year warranty you may well have saved enough to pay for the boiler.

It's certainly more of a reduction than I was expecting, but that's what the meter said.

I don't know what the actual efficiency of the new boiler is, but we do run it with weather and load compensation switched on which supposedly improves efficiency by keeping a near continuous flow of warm water rather than cycling on and off at high temperature. AIUI that means the return water should be almost always cool enough to condense the flue gasses.

It's also hard to determine exactly how much of that reduction is like-for-like usage on the new and old boilers, because the new system allowed us to change our usage.

We have an open gas fire (likely even less efficient than the old boiler) in the living room that we used to use in the winter sometimes because that room would get chilly and turning up the CH took forever to get it comfortable, whereas with the new system being on all the time it never gets that cold and we haven't lit the fire for over a year.

Perhaps a better thermostat on the old boiler would have yielded a modest saving, but we wanted a new boiler anyway because I wanted it relocated to facilitate future refurbishment of the kitchen and bathroom and removal of the loft & airing cupboard tanks (insulating the section of loft the tanks came out of probably helped too). The saving on bills was just a bonus but if i'd known how much it would be I'd have done it sooner.

oldman9954

I have had an Ideal Combi Boiler which I have had for 9 years and had some problems with it. I feel it is time to renew it but to be honest trying to decide on a replacement that would not give me problems is like walking in a minefield as every guy that comes in states something different and different opinions on boilers i.e Valiant is best and quiet others are noisy, we then get a guy comes and says Worcester and Atag are the best and quiet. They are more efficient/ they are not more efficient and so on. Any advice / suggestions will be welcome.
Thanks

napu2400

I got some appreciation for the old boiler from this thread, but I still don't like the tanks in the airing cupboard and in the loft. I will get some quotes from heating engineers and see what is worth doing.

macman

Sounds like it just needs a descaling treatment. When was it last serviced?

Cardew

oldman9954 wrote: »

I have had an Ideal Combi Boiler which I have had for 9 years and had some problems with it. I feel it is time to renew it but to be honest trying to decide on a replacement that would not give me problems is like walking in a minefield as every guy that comes in states something different and different opinions on boilers i.e Valiant is best and quiet others are noisy, we then get a guy comes and says Worcester and Atag are the best and quiet. They are more efficient/ they are not more efficient and so on. Any advice / suggestions will be welcome.
Thanks

Welcome to the forum.

A 9 year old boiler shouldn't need replacement. However if you intend to get a new boiler you should invest £1 on a copy of the latest WHICH report(of visit a library)

The highest rated by WHICH are Worcester-Bosch and Viessmann.

I had a new Viessman main boiler and Combi for an annex fitted last year each with a manufacturers 10 year warranty. They are both extremely quiet.

The problem is that many installers are familiar with a particular make, and doubtless get them at a reduced price for fitting xx boilers per year.

newman02

I have been using a glow worm boiler since 1985 which has now stopped working because it seems that the gas valve needs replacing, which is no longer manufactured. Any suggestions for how to find a, possibly used, spare part?

Rubidium

newman02 wrote: »

I have been using a glow worm boiler since 1985 which has now stopped working because it seems that the gas valve needs replacing, which is no longer manufactured. Any suggestions for how to find a, possibly used, spare part?

If you mean that Glow worm can no longer supply the part then that is not surprising as they obviously want you to buy a new modern condensing boiler.

Glow worm never made gas valves but you should be able to find a part number on the valve somewhere or get it from the boilers installation manual and then search online for the part. e.g. V4600A 393-659

Many different boilers used a standard gas valve made by Honeywell.

Cardew

newman02 wrote: »

I have been using a glow worm boiler since 1985 which has now stopped working because it seems that the gas valve needs replacing, which is no longer manufactured. Any suggestions for how to find a, possibly used, spare part?

Welcome to the forum.

The fact that a boiler part is not manufactured does not mean the parts are not widely available. It is a standard 'ruse' by some firms(particularly BG) to get you to buy a new boiler.

If you 'Google' the boiler model number you will find hundreds of websites offering spares for Glow Worm gas boilers;
However bear in mind that apart from the cost of the gas valve, the fitting cost by a gas registered fitter will need to be considered.
(if you can get one to undertake the job)

Donegal_Paul

Hmm we are in the market for a new boiler too, got a british gas guy coming to the house tomorrow in fact to have a chat.

we've been in the house with the same system for about 20 years now, it's a Glowworm economy plus, weve a tank in the airing cupboard and a couple of tanks in the loft and thats all we know.

Shower pressure is rubbish (non electric) and we have the British gas servicing thing every year, im tempted by a combi to get some extra room in the house and believe it would give us better shower pressure too. so hoping for some decent information tomorrow.

System

I am also struggling to get any installer to quote. My short list is down to Viessmann, Atag and Intergas boilers. All work with an Opentherm connection. As others have said, installers have their preferred manufacturer and as far as I can see are fearful of doing anything out of the ordinary. What I find interesting is that what I am seeking is standard in Europe (and I believe mandatory in The Netherlands) but completely misunderstood in the U.K. The irony is that Opentherm protocol was first developed this side of the North Sea.