Halstead Ace High- new heat exchanger/flush or new boiler?

[jonnyguitar21]

Hi all,

We've had a problem over the past 12 months with our hot water sometimes going cold- usually whilst having a shower, it happens maybe one in 10 uses so not all the time but my wife is very irritated by it.

We've had SWALEC around on insurance many times but they now say that the heat exchanger must need replacing- they are quoting us £450 to renew this and recommend a flush at £580!- to be fair they say we could get it done privately much more cheaply.

I'm wondering how to proceed- the boiler is probably over 5 years old- could I just renew the HE and not flush?, would I just be better off getting a new boiler- how much would this realistically cost these days?

I appreciate any opinions, cheers Jon

 

[Agile]

If its intermittent then its not a heat exchanger blockage but something else!

Thast the problem with the calibre of the contractors those cheap insurance schemes employ.

Try getting a competent independent engineer! Whilst they vary they have to be better otherwise they dont get many customers.

But you do need someone who specialises in repairs and diagnosis rather than just installing boilers.

Tony

 

[Jordon]

Sounds more like the ntcs or diverter prob, as said get a second opinion! Halstead are bags though so if you repair it save to get a new unit as main parts on these will chew your wallet quick.

 

[jonnyguitar21]

Thanks for the replies guys, regarding second opinions, we must have had at least 7 different engineers out, some of which were apparently senior technical people, I'm surprised that you say its not the exchanger, that's depressing!

JG

 

[Jordon]

Problem with halstead I'm sorry to say is it's a boiler that can have various intermitant faults and engineers dont like them for the parts are dear and if you get it wrong cost abit that's why you need a good engineer that can fault find, intermitant faults are are worst enemy IMO as a client you want it sorted and as a engineer we want it done on a one hit, halsteads seem to hate being repaired. Does the boiler lock out and need reseting? as it maybe the shower?

 

[Agile]

Thanks for the replies guys, regarding second opinions, we must have had at least 7 different engineers out, some of which were apparently senior technical people, I'm surprised that you say its not the exchanger, that's depressing!

JG

Although called a senior technical person thats a function rather than a capability in those sorts of firms! They cannot afford to pay for good people.

Two firms have gone bust in the last few months and another is advertising for an experienced breakdown engineer at a salary of £18,000.

 

[jonnyguitar21]

Again thanks for the responses, I must say I do wonder about some of these guys, often they sit in their vans outside for up to half hour after they've left the house!, some seem genuinely good.

But my dilemma is- do I really want to be paying out for a new HE and maybe flushing when they might not be a problem? and do I want to be paying yet another engineer of unknown quality to come and diagnose or misdiagnose the fault again? What's my next move?

Oh and the boiler rarely locks out, just goes cold now and again on both shower and bath.

 

[Agile]

I was called out to someone in exactly your situation who doubted their diagnosis.

It was a very simple fault and the company easily agreed to reimburse my Diagnostic and repair fee of around £100.

Tony