New boiler , combi or system?

mark1231

Hi All,

I've moved into a new property and i've had a look at the boiler. It was made in 2002 and i reckon its roughly 10-15 years old. The property is a 2 bed / 1 bathroom.
What would be the best choice of boiler?

Currently i have a system boiler, where hot water is stored in a cylinder and i heat it up once or twice a day. The only reason i'm looking to change is because of how old the boiler is and the radiators don't become very hot, which makes me think the system is full of sludge or the boiler is so inefficient now.

I know combi's are the go to but i know its going to cost alot more to install one as pipe work is going to have to be rerouted from the hot water cylinder etc, i'm not ruling these out.

what do people think? Does anyone run a more up to date system boiler on a 2 bed house?

Thanks, 

Mark.

Lorian

whats the make and model of the boiler

Talldave

It could be as simple as a motorised valve not opening fully, so a reduced flow of water around the radiators; although as you say, they could be full of sludge.  When either HW or CH are on, are the pipes around the valve(s) getting really hot - depending on whether one or both are on you should be able to feel where the hot water is going (take care the pipes will be very hot!).  It might be worth checking that any TRVs fitted to the radiators are working.

I would never replace a system boiler with a combi, but that's just my personal choice having rented a few places with combis.  All that clicking on and off every time you turn a tap on and the indeterminable wait for hot water to appear - I loathe them.  When we had a system boiler in a 2 bed flat replaced with a combi, the gas bill went down, but the water bill rocketed - the net cost of bills increased.

mark1231

Lorian said:

whats the make and model of the boiler

Its a Worchester 15sbi.

Talldave said:

It could be as simple as a motorised valve not opening fully, so a reduced flow of water around the radiators; although as you say, they could be full of sludge.  When either HW or CH are on, are the pipes around the valve(s) getting really hot - depending on whether one or both are on you should be able to feel where the hot water is going (take care the pipes will be very hot!).  It might be worth checking that any TRVs fitted to the radiators are working.

I would never replace a system boiler with a combi, but that's just my personal choice having rented a few places with combis.  All that clicking on and off every time you turn a tap on and the indeterminable wait for hot water to appear - I loathe them.  When we had a system boiler in a 2 bed flat replaced with a combi, the gas bill went down, but the water bill rocketed - the net cost of bills increased.

How did you find the water and heating? did it improve? I'm from scotland so we don't pay for water its all included in our council tax. The Pipes are very warm exiting and returning from the boiler.

Talldave

When the combi was fitted in the flat heating was no change, hot water was a nightmare running taps forever to get hot water. There was meant to be a preheat function but it never appeared to work.
How about the temperature of the pipes where they split between CH and HW? With heating only on, CH pipes should be scalding and HW pipes cool. 

RelievedSheff

We have gone from a two bed semi with a separate tank too a three bed detached with a combi.

I have to say that our preference is the combi. Our Bill's have vastly reduced largely I suspect due to the modern boiler (our old one was over 25 years old) and new build insulation but also as we now dont heat a full tank of hot water twice a day just to wash the pots! It was a mad set up when we had an electric shower as well. Our summer gas bill is next to nothing now.

Retiredin2009

If I had the choice, after going from a gas heated hot water tank with an immersion to a combi I would go back to the hot water tank with an immersion because my combi boiler was faulty and I had no hot water, so no showers, for 2 days.

Ectophile

A boiler that old should not be inefficient.  Get a local qualified plumber to have a good look at it, and give it a service.  That is likely to cost a fraction of the price of a new system.  If you get a new boiler, it will take many years of efficiency savings to get your money back.

Worcester are a good make.  I have one of a similar vintage, and my local plumber can still get parts for it.