New Boiler Replacement or stick with current boiler?

lknights1987

I am currently living in a 2-bed flat and have an Alpha CB24 combi boiler.

Since moving into the flat 6 years ago I've had British Gas boiler breakdown cover which includes parts labor and annual servicing which has been well worth it seeing as every year for the past 3 years a major part of the boiler breaks down.

Last week I turned the thermostat off at the wall and randomly during the night the heating turned itself on so I called British Gas to come out and take a look. The engineer came and advised a new heat exchanger was needed which he'd order and revisit. He came back today to replace it however after an hour of him leaving the boiler has broken down completely. There's no hot water and no heating. Before he left he advised we get a new boiler. I've called British Gas and they're coming back out tomorrow to take a look and hopefully get the boiler up and running again.

Would it be best to listen to the engineer's advice and get a new boiler or keep having the current one repaired? 

If new boiler which one do you recommend and where should we buy it from? 

NorfolkCanary

Aha a fellow Alpha owner (I inherited a CB28X (now 19 years post installation) after moving into my house), so far only had to replace the fan in 3 years. Chap who serviced mine suggested they're fairly reasonable, mine has some rusting though.

Have you got any flashing A or B lights on the front panel? Any particular sequence or numbers of flashes?
Does it try to fire when opening the hot water tap to max.?

In terms of replacement, if you've a fairly standard arrangement, you could try Boxt to gain some rough costs. I'd suggest a locally recommended independent installer over a chain though.
Vaillant, Worcester, tend to be often suggested, could also consider Ideal.

Ectophile

British Gas are notorious for claiming that old boilers can't be fixed, in cases when a local plumber would pop down to the plumbers' merchant and buy the bits off the shelf.

There is rarely any point in replacing a boiler that's working, or can easily be fixed.  The improvement in efficiency is likely to be too small to matter.

lknights1987

NorfolkCanary said:

Aha a fellow Alpha owner (I inherited a CB28X (now 19 years post installation) after moving into my house), so far only had to replace the fan in 3 years. Chap who serviced mine suggested they're fairly reasonable, mine has some rusting though.

Have you got any flashing A or B lights on the front panel? Any particular sequence or numbers of flashes?
Does it try to fire when opening the hot water tap to max.?

In terms of replacement, if you've a fairly standard arrangement, you could try Boxt to gain some rough costs. I'd suggest a locally recommended independent installer over a chain though.
Vaillant, Worcester, tend to be often suggested, could also consider Ideal.

The A light is flashing red. I have tried resetting the panel but nothing happens. When I turn the power off and back on then turn the hot water on fully the boiler fires up and then the gauge flickers over to the red zone followed by some strange noises like it's about to explode. I have bled the radiators and top up the water just above the green zone. 

Scot_39

Ectophile said:

British Gas are notorious for claiming that old boilers can't be fixed, in cases when a local plumber would pop down to the plumbers' merchant and buy the bits off the shelf.

There is rarely any point in replacing a boiler that's working, or can easily be fixed.  The improvement in efficiency is likely to be too small to matter.

It's currently not working - again - and the OP said has needed 3 major part replacements 3 years in a row  - surely isn't a good sign.

Might be cheaper to buy a new boiler from an independent - especially if can still get ones with 5 year warranty (comprehensive) included and drop the BG service plan for several years to help pay it off.

Hate to think what the callouts have done to the cost of OP's BG service care plan - they always seemed to penalise my mum / siters rate - charges going up after any call out - they even admitted doing so.  Understandable I suppose - akin to car no claims discounts.

NorfolkCanary

Just reading the servicing manual.....your comment about the red A flashing off/on following hot water usage sounds like the overheat protection has operated, which the manual suggests resetting (as you've tried).
Continuing from that, the manual suggests either:

• a replacement overheat thermostat (£ cheap to replace)
• air within or blockage in heat exchanger / pipework (up-to mid- hundreds £££)
• pump replacement (££ low hundreds to replace)

online part costs only

Are you able to ask family or friends if they know of a respectable local gas safe engineer? Could perhaps ask on local community FB group for recommendations? Would be good to have a second opinion.

I'd echo Ectophile's comments re. BG servicing plans and they tend to err on side of replacement rather than repair.

Though would also add (as far as I know) these models are standard non-condensing boilers, so there would likely some efficiency benefit, cost outlay vs recovery period I'm not sure.

In my case a like for like replacement would be around £3000 depending on replacement model. Would also need condensate pipework drilled from current location to outside stack pipe (through 2 solid walls).

lknights1987

Scot_39 said:

Ectophile said:

British Gas are notorious for claiming that old boilers can't be fixed, in cases when a local plumber would pop down to the plumbers' merchant and buy the bits off the shelf.

There is rarely any point in replacing a boiler that's working, or can easily be fixed.  The improvement in efficiency is likely to be too small to matter.

It's currently not working - again - and the OP said has needed 3 major part replacements 3 years in a row  - surely isn't a good sign.

Might be cheaper to buy a new boiler from an independent - especially if can still get ones with 5 year warranty (comprehensive) included and drop the BG service plan for several years to help pay it off.

Hate to think what the callouts have done to the cost of OP's BG service care plan - they always seemed to penalise my mum / siters rate - charges going up after any call out - they even admitted doing so.  Understandable I suppose - akin to car no claims discounts.

I started paying £35 per month when I first took out the service plan. I am now paying around £27 per month. Every year before the agreement ends I phone other companies and see what they are offering then call BG to negotiate. 

lknights1987

NorfolkCanary said:

Just reading the servicing manual.....your comment about the red A flashing off/on following hot water usage sounds like the overheat protection has operated, which the manual suggests resetting (as you've tried).
Continuing from that, the manual suggests either:

• a replacement overheat thermostat (£ cheap to replace)
• air within or blockage in heat exchanger / pipework (up-to mid- hundreds £££)
• pump replacement (££ low hundreds to replace)

Thanks for this. The BG engineer replaced the heat exchanger. Luckily the service plan that I have covers parts and labour.  

FreeBear

Scot_39 said: Might be cheaper to buy a new boiler from an independent - especially if can still get ones with 5 year warranty (comprehensive) included and drop the BG service plan for several years to help pay it off.

When I was shopping around for a new boiler early last year, the locals were quoting £5K or more. Didn't bother asking BG... Boxt/Heatable were coming in at around £2400 and came with a 10 year warranty, but my install wasn't a simple swap. For a like for like swap, depending on where you are in the country, there are adverts on ebay for £600 installs (plus the cost of the boiler).

Once you have a new boiler, you can drop the BG cover, and get an annual service for £60-80 to maintain the warranty. Over ten years, the savings from not lining BG's pockets will pay for the boiler.

If you do decide on a new boiler, it is worth looking at fitting larger radiators so that you can run at a lower flow temperature. Whilst it won't save a huge amount of energy, it will put you in a better position for the day when heat pumps are the only option.

markin

How would randomly coming on be related to a heat exchanger? Boilers have frost protection so it may turn on at 6c, 10c or any other setting.

As the heat exchanger was changed its probably an air lock now.

The heat exchanger is usually the most expensive part of a boiler so you may as well get your worth out of it, you could get another 20 years out of it.

lknights1987

markin said:

How would randomly coming on be related to a heat exchanger? Boilers have frost protection so it may turn on at 6c, 10c or any other setting.

As the heat exchanger was changed its probably an air lock now.

The heat exchanger is usually the most expensive part of a boiler so you may as well get your worth out of it, you could get another 20 years out of it.

Thanks Markin, What's the best way to remove the air lock? 

I checked the radiators last night to see if any air came out. No air was in them.