Will need new gas boiler: Recommendations?

[richi]

My rental property has a 20-year-old gas boiler (S-plan). Looks like I'm going to need to replace it.

 

What should I get? What should I avoid?

 

I don't know what the current boiler is (I'm not at the house right now). But I'm pretty sure it's not a condensing, due to its age.  House is a smallish 3-bed end-terrace, about 10 or 12 rads, from memory.

Edited January 15, 2018 by richi
more info

[Nickfromwales]

You changing to a combi? It would be madness to keep the hot water via a copper cylinder. Unless it's already an uvc I'd go for a combi. 

Thoughts?

[richi]

This might be a distress purchase, so might not be able to convert pipework, etc.

[Nickfromwales]

Ok. If it's a rental and you want to 'economise' then go for an Ideal. For the money they're a great little boiler and we've done loads with zero comebacks, mostly budget private or landlords. ?

 

Are you replacing a wall hung boiler or back boiler with firefront?

 

Assuming the former. 

[richi]

Yeah, wall-hung.

[Nickfromwales]

50 minutes ago, richi said:

Yeah, wall-hung.

Can't really argue with this for the money TBH. And much as they used to be overpriced bags of ?, these newer ones are far better now. 

Most system boilers are around the £1k mark so maybe if you're not doing the full conversion ( which I think is not the best decision sorry ) it's better to spend a couple of hindered more on the better boiler. 

Is the existing system sealed and pressurised, with a pressure gauge and filling loop, or gravity aka open pipe with tanks in the attic ?

[richi]

Thanks again. It's gravity. If I were to convert to combi, what kit would you recommend? 

[Nickfromwales]

Baxi Duotech 28kw. Absolutely brilliant bit of kit for the money. Fit and forget. 

If you don't convert I think you'll be spending good money after bad TBH and the rest of the system will be on borrowed time too. 

[Nickfromwales]

8 minutes ago, richi said:

Thanks again. It's gravity.

Ok. It would be a 'heat only' boiler then and not a system boiler as I linked. 

[RichS]

19 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Baxi Duotech 28kw. Absolutely brilliant bit of kit for the money. Fit and forget. 

If you don't convert I think you'll be spending good money after bad TBH and the rest of the system will be on borrowed time too. 

 

I thought you were a Vailant man, have you jumped ship??

[richi]

So a "Worcester Greenstar 12Ri Compact (ErP) Regular Boiler" or an "Ideal Logic 12 (ErP) Heat Boiler"?

[Nickfromwales]

For the difference I'd go Worcester. 

http://www.discountheating.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=ri 12&PN=Worcester-Greenstar-12-Ri-Conventional-Boiler.html#a5417

 

Just grinds my gears that it costs more than a good combi. . 

[Roger440]

7 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Baxi Duotech 28kw. Absolutely brilliant bit of kit for the money. Fit and forget. 

If you don't convert I think you'll be spending good money after bad TBH and the rest of the system will be on borrowed time too. 

 

This thread is like groundhog day..................................

 

Do what Nick says!

[richi]

Just, um, closing the loop on this thread: My Gas Safe guy finally found the fault, which turned out to be a Baxi PCB -- £177+VAT for the replacement part! 

 

But this would be the same PCB that he replaced 10 months ago, so the distributor refunded it. 

 

Any thoughts? I hesitate to rip out what is now a "perfectly good" boiler, but the tenant is worried I've left him with an unreliable system.

[Nickfromwales]

On 30/01/2018 at 14:53, richi said:

Just, um, closing the loop on this thread: My Gas Safe guy finally found the fault, which turned out to be a Baxi PCB -- £177+VAT for the replacement part! 

 

But this would be the same PCB that he replaced 10 months ago, so the distributor refunded it. 

 

Any thoughts? I hesitate to rip out what is now a "perfectly good" boiler, but the tenant is worried I've left him with an unreliable system.

Tell the tenant to enjoy life, and to worry about things when they break, not if theyll break.  

[richi]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

Tell the tenant to enjoy life, and to worry about things when they break, not if theyll break.  

 

Easier said than done when the weather forecast was as it was back then!

[Nickfromwales]

[Ferdinand]

If you now have time, then take time to look around after you have found out what is involved, and avoid the distress purchase.

 

If your T is on LHA then they may qualify for a funded replacement given that your current one came over with the Visigoths (nearly).  There was an RLA one with a non-means tested pot of money from one of the Green Funders available recently. No idea of the current status.

 

There is currently a scheme with a £400 rebate on replacement boilers running.

 

And finally look out for 10 year guarantees that are on offer from time to time at no extra cost. if you let your plumber choose his schedule at some time in the next 3 months, and get the T to agree to it being done when somebody else cancels with a phone call at say 8am or the night before, you may get a reduction in labour.

 

The last 2 I have had installed have been a Worcester Bosch Greenstar (my default) and an Ideal Vogue.

 

If it is all that old, then perhaps you need a powerflush or new rads (not necessarily pipework).

 

Ferdinand

 

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2018 by Ferdinand