New boiler

bullinn1

Hi chaps, along with all the other pressures today it looks like our 12 year old boiler might need replacing. Anyone have any advice on how to research this please ? it looks like a minefield !

[Deleted User]

https://www.theheatinghub.co.uk/boiler

Leebobs

These really are a mature and efficient technology now, I would stick to a good brand name with a long warranty period because they will be making spare parts for years.

I’d recommend Worcester Bosch and using their website to find the boiler for your property:

https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/products/boilers/find-a-new-boiler

tacpot12

Other good makes to look at are Viessman, Vaillant, and Intergas. 

12 years is a bit yong for a bpiler to need replacing. You need to be careful because some engineers think they make more money from installing a new boiler than they do fixing an old one, so condem them before their time.  What has gone wrong with the boiler you have and what make and model is it?

MuckChucker

I just paid the deposit for a new Veissmann to replace our 30yr old monster (which is working fine but needs to go before kitchen refurb). Needless to say it's a substantial job and not cheap 

bullinn1

Thanks chaps, I should have said, it’s a glow worm ultracom 38 cxi, we’ve been having issues, more down to poor engineers I think, one says it will go on forever the other says cheaper to replace … I’m looking at further opinions … good of you all to give me some advice, it really helps with the thought process and the research, we’re in our early 70s so the kids are going to inherit the issue, I suggested to them that they invested in the new boiler, you can imagine their response … tight little things !

nadsat

If it's a system boiler (driving a hot water tank and central heating) almost any modern condensing boiler will do. Our 20 year old Valliant failed last year and rather than fix it (it had many new parts over the years) we got a new condensing Valliant and has I think a 10 year guarantee if regularly serviced. Valliant is a good brand but you can pay less say for an Ideal, which our installer said he sees no issues with and he specialises in both Ideal and Valliant. 

One issue you may have is the size of the gas supply pipe - ours is only 18mm and runs under the kitchen so we didn't want to dig it up. This does limit the capacity of the boiler so to be on the safe side we went down to a 18kW model from 24kW but it is much more efficient so makes little difference. Pipes that run combis and larger system boilers should be 22mm I think. 

[Deleted User]

Leebobs said:

These really are a mature and efficient technology now, I would stick to a good brand name with a long warranty period because they will be making spare parts for years.

I’d recommend Worcester Bosch and using their website to find the boiler for your property:

https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/products/boilers/find-a-new-boiler

Each to their own. I wouldn’t recommend WB. My new WB boiler which has had its heat exchanger; fan and syphon replaced within the first two years. If I was choosing a boiler today I would look at Intergas or Atag. The former is a boiler of choice by many Councils as it has very few components; in service, it is reliable, and it is very easy to service. Both Atag and Intergas boilers are 100% compatible with the Opentherm control protocol which is mandatory in The Netherlands.

BUFF

rogertb said:

Thanks chaps, I should have said, it’s a glow worm ultracom 38 cxi, we’ve been having issues, more down to poor engineers I think, one says it will go on forever the other says cheaper to replace … I’m looking at further opinions … good of you all to give me some advice, it really helps with the thought process and the research, we’re in our early 70s so the kids are going to inherit the issue, I suggested to them that they invested in the new boiler, you can imagine their response … tight little things !

Given the forthcoming prices for gas you would think that they would want the most efficient system possible & whilst 12 is "young" for a boiler replacement it wouldn't go on indefinitely anyway.
If you do replace then depending upon what you already have, you will probably have to upgrade your controls to a "Boiler Plus" level (basically room stat+programmer+load/weather compensation).

No mass market product is perfect - if you make enough there will always be 1 ... To counter Dolor's experience my WB condensing is now in it's 14th heating season & has been faultless despite being neglected.