Replace the Heat Exchanger or new boiler?

[nsj9]

Hello,
I have a Servowarm Elite HE 80 condensing boiler which is 11 years old (fitted in Nov 1996). The house is an average size 4 bedroom, 2 reception room house.

My central heating insurance company engineer has just told me (during his annual service) that although the system is providing a good service of hot water and heat, the primary heat exchanger was leaking .... and this means it is beyond economical repair !!

I am reasonably DIY literate although I dont know too much about central heating so I wanted to know if:

a) 11 years is a reasonable lifetime for a condensing bolier?
b) Is it likely to be the part or the labour (or both) that makes this job not worthwhile?

Finally, If I am to replace my bolier, can anyone suggest a good, high-efficiency bolier brand/type I should consider?

Thank you to anyone who offers a reply.

 

[simond]

a) Yes. If you had a 1999 Baxi Potterton you might have had 2 years.

b) Both, as the part does not fit itself.

Your last question has been discussed ad infinitum on this forum and at the end of the day you will probably get the best application advice from your prospective installers.

We do four main boiler brands and when I am on site doing a quote there is normally one that stands out as the ideal solution, be it a matter of flueing options, width, depth, output, pump overrun, gas pipe sizing, interfacing with other components etc etc. We can't see all this on a forum.

 

[tryitandsee]

From a DIY point of view I don't think it should be such a problem to change the leaking heat exchanger. It's not rocket science to change.

If he has left it working for you and not condemned it there and then, it can't be that bad. If all other controls are fine, repair it. Get this engineer to quote for a new heat exchanger, supplied and fitted.


Try this link or Google it and find out the cost of the part, probably £120 plus reasonable labour, say £100 and you are up and running again, even if it is only for a few more years, it's got to be worth it.

www.hccfspares.co.uk

 

[gas4you]

I would always recommend getting rid of a Servowarm boiler.

The main boilers I would look at are Vaillant, Broag & Worcester.

 

[corgiman]

If its an elite plus its a malvern boiler and not a servowarm as such

not a bad boiler IMHO

 

[nsj9]

Thank you for all the replies.

The user manual does say its a Servowarm bolier .... but on the old hand written receipt, it says "Servowarm/Malvern".

I checked the website www.hccfspares.co.uk that was suggested by "tryitandsee" and I have emailed them ........ but it looks like its going to be difficult to get parts for Servowarm or Malvern.

Regards.

 

[corgiman]

try Malvern

I have found your part here

http://www.malvernboilers.co.uk/pdfs/sparesm7080.pdf
and its says your part is 157 quids

not bad

 

[nsj9]

try Malvern

I have found your part here

http://www.malvernboilers.co.uk/pdfs/sparesm7080.pdf
and its says your part is 157 quids

not bad

Excellent !! ...... thank you for your help.

 

[corgiman]

try Malvern

I have found your part here

http://www.malvernboilers.co.uk/pdfs/sparesm7080.pdf
and its says your part is 157 quids

not bad

Excellent !! ...... thank you for your help.

no worries glad to help

 

[Agile]

Are Malvern still making boilers or is it just a spares operation now?

Now looked at their site and their total cumulative sales are just 15,000 since 1991. Even Sime sell that number every year!

I have never seen one with their name on it.

Tony

 

[corgiman]

Are Malvern still making boilers or is it just a spares operation now?

Now looked at their site and their total cumulative sales are just 15,000 since 1991. Even Sime sell that number every year!

I have never seen one with their name on it.

Tony

Ihave only ever seen one malvern boiler with malvern on it, think they mostly made them for servowarm and now servowarm are owned by Npower who knows whether they will keep on installing them.