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Combi boiler packing up, best route for finance replacement ?

Acidforums
Acidforums Posts: 16 Forumite
First Post
Hi

my combi boiler of 15-20 years (assuming as it was there before i moved in)_has started to be temperamental as of the last two years despite servicing and the extra visit

In terms of when it is finally due to be replace, what is the options people have used to finance (rather not pay it all in one go) 

I have EON as my energy provider but they recommend a heat pump option where i can see boilers can be bought via British Gas etc 

Any tips or suggesitions  welcome,

I am happy to move to a new provider if that is necessary to add in boiler options too  

Comments

  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,297 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Heatable, Boxt, etc, will all do finance. But before getting another gas boiler, I'd recommend exploring the option of having a heat pump - Octopus are doing some very competitive quotes, and you don't need to be a customer.
    If you do end up going for another gas boiler, it is well worth increasing the size of all the radiators - That would allow you to run at a lower flow temperature and get greater efficiency out of a boiler.
    Any language construct that forces such insanity in this case should be abandoned without regrets. –
    Erik Aronesty, 2014

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • Gerry1
    Gerry1 Posts: 10,849 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Don't buy a boiler from British Gas !  Likely to be very uncompetitive on price.
    Try a well established local supplier with a reputation to protect.  Others such as Boxt may be worth considering.
  • Acidforums
    Acidforums Posts: 16 Forumite
    First Post
    FreeBear said:
    Heatable, Boxt, etc, will all do finance. But before getting another gas boiler, I'd recommend exploring the option of having a heat pump - Octopus are doing some very competitive quotes, and you don't need to be a customer.
    If you do end up going for another gas boiler, it is well worth increasing the size of all the radiators - That would allow you to run at a lower flow temperature and get greater efficiency out of a boiler.


    interesting didnt think about increasing, i thought they ask based on the rate of boiler that can be offered (utilised vs underutilised etc)  
  • Acidforums
    Acidforums Posts: 16 Forumite
    First Post
    Are boxt really that good? 
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 18,687 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Are boxt really that good? 
    They're a useful benchmark, and (unlike a local one-man band) you have someone to complain to if it goes pear-shaped.
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 34 MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
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  • Olinda99
    Olinda99 Posts: 2,042 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    another vote for contacting Octopus re a heat pump
  • sammyjammy
    sammyjammy Posts: 7,968 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Heat pumps aren't suitable for many homes so may not be an option. I got my boiler on Interest free credit for three years from British Gas, definitely not the cheapest but I thought it was reasonable, was done within a few weeks of me contacting them, Really good positive service.
    "You've been reading SOS when it's just your clock reading 5:05 "
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,297 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 11 March at 2:51AM
    sammyjammy said: Heat pumps aren't suitable for many homes so may not be an option.
    Some properties are not suitable for a heat pump - Sometimes due to a lack of space for the outdoor unit, or planning restrictions.
    Some claim that heat pumps can only be used in a well insulated property - Wrong. It is just an alternative source of heat.

    FreeBear said:
    Heatable, Boxt, etc, will all do finance. But before getting another gas boiler, I'd recommend exploring the option of having a heat pump - Octopus are doing some very competitive quotes, and you don't need to be a customer.
    If you do end up going for another gas boiler, it is well worth increasing the size of all the radiators - That would allow you to run at a lower flow temperature and get greater efficiency out of a boiler.


    interesting didnt think about increasing, i thought they ask based on the rate of boiler that can be offered (utilised vs underutilised etc)  
    Depending on how long ago your heating system was originally installed, the radiators could have been sized with a flow temperature of 70°C or even 80°C. New complete installations today require a flow temperature of just 50°C. This is all in the name of increasing boiler efficiency and reducing emissions. One side effect of running at lower temperature is corrosion is greatly reduced, so less build up of sludge.
    Unfortunately, replacing the boiler doesn't trigger a requirement to fit larger radiators... But if you have the space (and funds), it is worth doing. That said, if you have micro-bore plumbing, there is a limit on how big a radiator can be fitted.

    Should you decide to go for a gas boiler, do have a look at the power output range (modulation range). Budget boilers may only modulate down to 8kW or even 6kW. Better ones (and more expensive) can go down to 3.2kW. Should you use a smart thermostat that can "talk" to the boiler, as the house heats up, the thermostat will instruct the boiler to turn down the power. If the boiler can not go down low enough, it starts to short cycle which is bad for efficiency and increases wear & tear on the internals.
    I had a Viessmann 050 combi fitted in 2023 along with radiators that were some 50% larger than required. Much of the boiler will tick over at 4kW (have a bunch of sensors to record energy produced). On really cold days, it might produce 10kW for the first 10-15 mins before dropping down to 5kW. Most days, I'm running at 40-50°C and getting 94-96% efficiency (on really cold days, I might run at 60°C).
    Any language construct that forces such insanity in this case should be abandoned without regrets. –
    Erik Aronesty, 2014

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
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