Combi v conventional boiler

Butitwasabargain · 22 October 2019 at 7:41PM

Looking for advice please on whether to change to a Combi or buy a new conventional boiler. House was built in the late 1980’s and has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 9 radiators 2 heated towel rails. We’re a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) - no plans to extend house or family!

We currently have a Potterton boiler (kitchen utility) with hot water cylinder (landing airing cupboard) and water tanks in loft. It’s all 30+ years old. It’s recently become temperamental so felt time to renew. We were in the process of getting quotes when there was a leak in the airing cupboard. It’s been diagnosed that the pump has cracks in it, so turned off heating and using immersion for hot water.

We’ve been told we can get a new pump (£200+ for pump and fitting) but won’t need it if changing to Combi boiler.

Had a couple of quotes from established central heating company’s and they came out fairly similar;

Conventional boiler incl new hot water cylinder, pump, chemical clean & flush, system inhibitor, hive/nest - circa £4000

Combi boiler incl chemical clean & flush, system inhibitor, hive/nest - circa £4200

We did have a quote for a Combi still doing all the same work by a gas engineer but not via a registered company for £1.5k less but assume not the same warranties/insurance etc so not sure wise or not?

So firstly Combi or Conventional? Secondly is £4k reasonable (East Of England region)?

Thanks for any help.

RelievedSheff · 23 October 2019 at 10:30AM

We had a conventional system in our old house (also a Potterton) and have got a combi in our new house.

We have found that the combi is far more suited to us as we are not heating a huge tank of water twice a day that is not needed. This summer the combi has saved us a fortune on gas already.

mksysb · 23 October 2019 at 7:04PM

I prefer a conventional. As you have discovered, if there are any problems you can use the immersion heater to get hot water. With a combi it'll be cold water only until it is fixed.

ukjoel · 26 October 2019 at 5:24PM

We had similar decision to make but 7 bedrooms 2 bathrooms and went combi.

One of the showers has an electric shower so if boiler goes we still have hot water for a shower.

We went for a top end vailent and it came with a 7 year warranty and is handling it all really well.

Our bills for gas our definitely a lot lower as the hot water tank struggled with so many people so used to run the hot water for hours at a time and now its on demand and used a lot less.

southcoastrgi · 27 October 2019 at 11:48PM

What is a gas engineer but not a registered company ?
He has to be gas safe registered

jackieblack · 6 December 2019 at 8:57PM

mksysb wrote: »

I prefer a conventional. As you have discovered, if there are any problems you can use the immersion heater to get hot water. With a combi it'll be cold water only until it is fixed.

I agree. Having just been without heating for over two weeks (due to boiler breakdown) it was made much more manageable by still being able to have hot water.
Unfortunately, my immersion blew 2 days before my boiler was repaired and those last two days were exponentially more miserable than the preceding 2 weeks.

I would never voluntarily have a combi boiler for this reason alone.

Combi v conventional boiler

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