Intergas boilers

libra10

We are having a new gas boiler installed and the fitter recommends Intergas.

He says that he has fitted many of these boilers, and recommends highly.

We hadn't heard this brand name before, and before deciding would appreciate any comments regarding these boilers or any others which you would recommend.

Thank you

[Deleted User]

Intergas boilers are used a lot in social housing. Why - because they are very reliable and have very few parts. They also have very good heat exchangers. If you can, you should control the boiler using an Opentherm controller such as Nest. Intergas boilers have been built with this control system in mind.

The analogy used to describe Opentherm control is one of traffic lights in a city. Conventional boiler controls are very hit and miss and if you were driving through the city you would hit red and green lights. With Opentherm, the controls and the boiler communicate, the aim  being to drive through the city at a steady speed with all the lights on green. Boiler cycling is reduced which reduces boiler component wear.


https://theevohomeshop.co.uk/content/21-What-is-OpenTherm-and-why-use-Honeywell-evohome-with-it

libra10

@[Deleted User] Thank you for your very helpful and useful information.  

Would you recommend this combi boiler?  We checked at Which? website, and it seems to be rated in the mid 50s.  Brands such as Vaillant and Bosch Worcester take pride of place, rating around 80%.

Our current Baxi Solo condensor boiler has lasted almost 30 years, and hardly ever let us down.  We don't want to make a mistake when choosing our next one.

Thanks once again.

tacpot12

I have an Intergas boiler, and am very pleased with it. It has only been installed for a couple of years, but I specifically asked the installer to supply and fit an Intergas boiler. I had heard that they were well regarded by heating engineers and that their combi boilers were simpler than other designs - I'v since learned that they don't have a diverter valve and only have one heat exchanger, so less to go wrong. 

OpenTherm is well worth having and Honeywell OpenTherm thermostats, like the Lyric T6, work well with Intergas boilers.  

libra10

Thank you @tacpot12 for your helpful information.

We're still undecided, someone my son was speaking to has had nothing but trouble with an Intergas.  She had said that almost every part has had to be replaced, and it's made me a little concerned.

When it's such a big outlay of money, you don't want to get it wrong.

[Deleted User]

libra10 said:

Thank you @tacpot12 for your helpful information.

We're still undecided, someone my son was speaking to has had nothing but trouble with an Intergas.  She had said that almost every part has had to be replaced, and it's made me a little concerned.

When it's such a big outlay of money, you don't want to get it wrong.

Don’t believe just one report of a rogue boiler. If every part had to be replaced, it would have been cheaper to fit a brand new boiler.  A lot of the issues can be down to poor installation: read on. I have a Worcester Bosch in a new build. In 3 years, it has had a new heat exchanger; fan and syphon trap - all covered by warranty.

If you are going to fit a modern condensing boiler onto an existing system then it is vital that the existing radiator system is flushed to remove all the accumulated debris. This debris gets disturbed when a new boiler is fitted and loose debris can block the heat exchanger. This is not covered by warranty.

It is also important that the installer rebalances the radiator system as condensing boilers work at a lower flow temperature. Condensing ( the bit that gives the efficiency improvement) only kicks in when the return flow temperature is less than 56C. The lower that the return flow temperature is, the greater the boiler efficiency. 

As to boiler life. My guess is that most modern boilers will need replacing within 10 to 15 years as they do not have a cast iron heat exchanger. It is worth looking at warranties. This is what the Intergas website states:

The warranty period on the Eco RF and Xclusive range is ten years, the Xtreme and HRE range come with a seven year warranty, the Rapid Plus a six year warranty and the Rapid boiler a three year warranty. The warranty period on the heat exchanger is seven years on the Rapid boilers and ten years across the rest of the range.

To get the extended warranty your installer must be approved by Intergas. Finally, if I was replacing my boiler today, I would go for either the Eco RF or one from the Xclusive range.

libra10

@[Deleted User]  Thank you for your valued information and input.

The fitter is quoting for the Intergas Eco RF 30kw combi boiler.  
He states that a system filter will be fitted to cleanse the system and it will be flushed with chemicals.  So it sounds in line with what you are saying.

He is recommended locally and says that he has fitted many of this type of boiler and never had to go back to one of them.

I think we will take your advice and accept the quotation, you've given us lots of perspective on this.

Thank you very much for taking the time to reassure us.

Much appreciated.

[Deleted User]

libra10 said:

@[Deleted User]  Thank you for your valued information and input.

The fitter is quoting for the Intergas Eco RF 30kw combi boiler.  
He states that a system filter will be fitted to cleanse the system and it will be flushed with chemicals.  So it sounds in line with what you are saying.

He is recommended locally and says that he has fitted many of this type of boiler and never had to go back to one of them.

I think we will take your advice and accept the quotation, you've given us lots of perspective on this.

Thank you very much for taking the time to reassure us.

Much appreciated.

Check with Intergas that your proposed installer is on its approved installer list.

By the sound of it you have a very old heating system. The simple act of air mixing with water causes the build up of rust within the system. When I had a new boiler installed in my old home 5 years ago, I elected for a power rather than a chemical flush. This article explains the pros and cons.

https://heatable.co.uk/boiler-advice/what-is-a-power-flush

The advantage of a power wash is that it cleans out all the piping and radiators. It is a bit like power washing your patio rather than just hosing it down. Putting one's faith in a filter might leave you with a blocked heat exchanger.

Another_Level

Intergas are good boilers, when living in their home country have seen their combination gas boilers over 20 years of age and loads of them. Installer's being loyal to their country & local manufacture.

Warranty is often talked about, if intergas do their own warranty work that is advantageous. Rather than farming the warranty work out to a third party insurance based  service company.

Intergas are quite rare in the Uk, not every gas service technician has had their hands on them. Knowledgeable servicing is needed.
Can your installer do the annual servicing ? 

Like any new gas boiler the system its fitted to has to be exceptionally clean 

There good boilers  Highly recommend them.

libra10

The engineer is listed is listed as an approved installer on the Intergas website.

From what the engineer says, he has fitted many Intergas boilers in our area, with no complaints, and can do annual servicing.

Thanks everyone for your input and recommendations.  No-one has stated anything negative about these boilers, they sound like a good investment.

Much appreciated.

[Deleted User]

libra10 said:

The engineer is listed is listed as an approved installer on the Intergas website.

From what the engineer says, he has fitted many Intergas boilers in our area, with no complaints, and can do annual servicing.

Thanks everyone for your input and recommendations.  No-one has stated anything negative about these boilers, they sound like a good investment.

Much appreciated.

From the Intergas Warranty Terms and Conditions (which are similar to those of other boiler manufacturers):

9. The system must be flushed and cleansed in accordance with BS7593.

10. If any failure is caused by contaminated water in the system the engineer visit becomes chargeable.

11. All installation, non boiler or external system faults calls will be charged to the home owner/occupier.