replacement boiler

[davebew1]

It's been recommended that i have my current boiler replaced due to its age and poor reliablity. Two replacements have been suggested, the worcester greenstar 18RI and the Baxi Solo 18. I have also been told that when the boiler is replaced that all radiators will have to be fitted with thermostatic valves.
Could anyone give me guidance regarding choice and steer me regarding the valves issue.
For information the area that I live in has very "hard" water.
Many thanks

 

[bengasman]

trv is arguable if it is a must, but it is a good idea anyway; gives more comfort and saves you money.
i always change the valves anyway, unless they are still very good, when i replace a boiler and they are only a few quid more than a standard valve

 

[gas4you]

Avoid the baxi. I don't like WB but it is the best choice here.

I would suggest though that you consider changing to a sealed system and have a system boiler fitted such as the Vaillant Ecotec 618.

 

[muggles]

Of the two I'd go for the Worcester but in truth if it was me doing the job I wouldn't fit either. TRVs and an electronic room thermostat must be fitted in order to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations, which relates to energy efficiency. It'll cost you initially but should save you money on fuel bills.

 

[D_Hailsham]

TRVs and an electronic room thermostat must be fitted in order to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations.

1. There is no requirement to fit an electronic thermostat. The Domestic Heating Compliance Guide just says: "room thermostats or programmable room thermostats". Mechanical stats are still acceptable.

2. The "rules" on TRVs are more complex. In a completely new heating system a house under 150m² has to be controlled as at least two zones with independent temperature control in each zone, usually the living room and the rest of the house, with a room stat in the main zone and TRVs in the other zones. Over 150m² the system has to be divided into two zones with separate time and temperature control for each zone.

If a boiler is being replaced and the system is currently all one zone, there is no requirement to divide the system into separate zones. This could be taken to mean that, if TRVs are not already fitted, there is no requirement to fit TRVs.

 

[muggles]

TRVs and an electronic room thermostat must be fitted in order to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations.

1. There is no requirement to fit an electronic thermostat. The Domestic Heating Compliance Guide just says: "room thermostats or programmable room thermostats". Mechanical stats are still acceptable

Picky, but yes, point taken, mechanical stats are acceptable

If a boiler is being replaced and the system is currently all one zone, there is no requirement to divide the system into separate zones. This could be taken to mean that, if TRVs are not already fitted, there is no requirement to fit TRVs

What rubbish, TRVs don't create a zone, they create control. If adding a TRV created a zone then every room would be classed as an individual zone, and it isn't. I agree that there is no requirement to zone existing systems, but TRVs should still be fitted on a boiler change.

 

[D_Hailsham]

If a boiler is being replaced and the system is currently all one zone, there is no requirement to divide the system into separate zones. This could be taken to mean that, if TRVs are not already fitted, there is no requirement to fit TRVs

What rubbish, TRVs don't create a zone, they create control. If adding a TRV created a zone then every room would be classed as an individual zone, and it isn't. I agree that there is no requirement to zone existing systems, but TRVs should still be fitted on a boiler change.

Have you read the Domestic Heating Compliance Guide? To quote:

Dwellings with a total usable floor area up to 150m² should be divided into at least two space heating zones with independent temperature control, one of which should be assigned to the living area.

Dwellings with a total usable floor area greater than 150m² should be provided with at least two space heating zones, each having separate timing and temperature controls.

Separate temperature control of zones within a dwelling should be provided using:
i) room thermostats or programmable thermostats in all zones; or
ii) a room thermostat or programmable room thermostat in the main zone and individual radiator controls such as TRVs on all radiators in the other zones; or
iii) a combination of (i) and (ii).

This makes it clear that a house can still be considered as having two zones, one controlled by a room stat and the other with TRVs on all the rads in the zone. The exemption granted when just the boiler is being replaced says that there is no need to divide the house into zones, if it has not already been done. This can therefore be read as meaning there is no compulsion to fit TRVs in areas not directly controlled by the room stat.

Whether it is a sensible thing to fit TRVs is another matter entirely.

 

[robertito]

If your existing boiler works reasonably well most of the time, I would stay with it. Modern boilers are often troublesome, as the posts on this site indicate.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

If your existing boiler works reasonably well most of the time, I would stay with it. Modern boilers are often troublesome, as the posts on this site indicate.

not all modern boilers are troublesome! Cheap and badly installed ones on dirty systems yes but a properly fitted boiler of good quality on a clean system I would disagree. Insulating the loft and cavity walls is a must too and pays for itself.

 

[gavinda]

robertito - he did say poor reliability.

 

[bengasman]

If your existing boiler works reasonably well most of the time, I would stay with it. Modern boilers are often troublesome, as the posts on this site indicate.

modern boilers are not troublesome per se. cheap modern boilers installed by cowboys are troublesome.
from all the steamers i have installed, i have had 3 breakdowns, including electronics fried by lightning and a frozen condensate pipe.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

If your existing boiler works reasonably well most of the time, I would stay with it. Modern boilers are often troublesome, as the posts on this site indicate.

modern boilers are not troublesome per se. cheap modern boilers installed by cowboys are troublesome.
from all the steamers i have installed, i have had 3 breakdowns, including electronics fried by lightning and a frozen condensate pipe.

From that I can assume you haven't fitted any ideal icos/isar's then.

 

[gavinda]

5'll give ya 10

 

[bengasman]

i have only ever installed 1 ideal, and vowed it would be my last.
before i could hand it over to the owner, i had them out 3 times to fix the piece of junk.
as if it was not bad enough, the property was empty so it was i glorious who was wasting his time waiting for them.
this was before the steamers were common place, at least over here, and from all i have heard the newer ones are even worse.
so, NO, I will NOT install that junk

 

[bengasman]

ooohhhh, that feels better