BOXT - any good ?

MouldyOldDough

BOXT charge £199 for a "MagnaCleanse Flush with Fernox F8 Power Cleaner"

or virtually £500 for a "Powerflush"

Both of these seem excessive - but are they worth it ?

As part of the installation package includes a "Furnox water treatment" and "magnetic filter"....

victor2

Often a flush is a requirement to get the full warranty.  A powerflush is the more powerful and a bit more aggressive.  It will reveal if you've got any "end of life" radiators or pipework, as it will leak afterwards!
Chemical flushes take longer to be effective.

MouldyOldDough

What would happen, if during a boiler installation - a radiator was found to be leaking ?

Would BOXT carry on regardless or would they be able to replace a radiator - at what cost ?

I have asked them - but  so far - no reply !!

Kiran

Why do you suspect a radiator will start leaking now? All boiler installs need a flush before install to maintain the warranty, what they don't specify is powerflush, magnacleanse or chemical flush etc. If you are concerned about it leaking ask them to do a chemical flush (it's not as good but mitigates the chances of leaks).

If you have a leak on a rad and it isn't a simple case of tightening fittings then you will get charged a material and labour cost. You can obviously ask them to quote for it first but that leaves you longer without a heating system that works. It'll probably be in the region of £100-200 plus rad cost depending on size etc.

MouldyOldDough

They have told me, (rather vaguely, I feel) that any radiators will need ordering (and paying for) prior to the installation visit - so how do I know whether a radiator will be fine or not ?

Kiran

Does your current system hold pressure? 

FreeBear

MouldyOldDough said:

They have told me, (rather vaguely, I feel) that any radiators will need ordering (and paying for) prior to the installation visit - so how do I know whether a radiator will be fine or not ?

You have the choice of examining the existing radiators and making a decision based on how much rust is visible or waiting for the boiler to be installed and see if any leak.

You could preempt the "we will need to order" by getting some from the likes of Screwfix or Toolstation. If the radiators end up not being needed, they can be returned within 30 days for a full refund. Boxt won't like it (if they found out) as they lose the mark up, and it might fall outside the contract the engineer has with them.

MouldyOldDough

The current system holds pressure but one of the rads won't hold water

This sounds strange - but pre 2023 it was fine - we had an extension built last year with 2 small rads in it (fed from a T taken off the main feed, close to the boiler in the kichen) - since then, the hallway rad won't hold water - it drops down to virtually zero

No idea where the water goes - It is not a leak - since the rest of the system (another 9 rads, including the 2 new ones) are fine, they hold water and never need topping up.

I am thinking of getting the hallway rad replaced with a double rad by BOXT anyway.

Explain that if you can...

MouldyOldDough

One of the bedroom rads is 3 feet wide - seems a bit odd - because it is not a pre 70's model

This will need replacing by what size ?

bedroom 3 feet width * 52cm wide

Hallway – width 62 * 75cm height

 

FreeBear

MouldyOldDough said:

One of the bedroom rads is 3 feet wide - seems a bit odd - because it is not a pre 70's model

This will need replacing by what size ?

bedroom 3 feet width * 52cm wide

Hallway – width 62 * 75cm height

3ft is near as damit 900mm, so a 900x500 would be the nearest standard metric size. I'd go for a type 21 (double panel, single row of fins) as it isn't much bigger than a type 11, and not as intrusive as a type 22.

For the hallway, 600x700 would be the nearest "off the shelf" size - If the hallway is noticeably colder than the rest of the house, it may pay to put a longer one in if there is space. Perhaps going for a type 11, but certainly not a type 22 - The latter would encroach in what is already (for many homes) a narrow space too much.

As for one radiator constantly losing water without a corresponding drop in pressure - That one has me stumped. It shouldn't be possible.