Should I replace my back boiler?

[Dysdera]

Hi

I have recently moved into a new property which we are doing a lot of work on and considering whether to take the opportunity to also replace the heating system.

There is currently a baxi bermuda 401 back boiler but only 4 radiators in the house. As it is a 3-bed house its going to be chilly come winter!

The back boiler has an Interpart sticker which says Assy box combustion B401, GC 183856. date: 24/10/07. Does this mean this has had a recent repair?

Before I start getting quotes on a new system please can I have some thoughts about keeping what I already have.

Am I able to add more radiators to the current system?
What life-expectancy is there on this type of back-boiler?
long-term is it more cost-effective to stick with the less energy efficient back-boiler or change to a condenser boilder?

thank you
Hannah

 

[Deleted member 105431]

these back boilers are very inefficent, not very safe and require a draughty air brick in the wall. Get a combi fitted in your airing cupboard and long term you'll save a fortune! I'd recommend a Vaillant (top quality but not cheap) or a glow worm (great value and good quality). Avoid the cheaper boilers and make sure the system is well flushed and a magnaclean installed.

 

[DP]

My suggestion would be to keep the present boiler BUT DO get annual checks carried out on it with service if it is needed. Service takes about an hour during which time heat exchanger is swept, burners and injectors cleaned, chimney checked and boiler performance verified. Some 'engineer' claim to be able to service these boilers in 10 minutes.

What you have is a bullet proof boiler. What does it matter if it is costing a little bit more on fuel (which can be addressed somewhat by fitting better controls and zoning the installation). Sit back and weigh that against a modern boiler heavily reliant on electronic and electrics, made for short service life (your Bermuda will easily outlast most condensing boilers), and lack of competent engineers who can successfully repair (often changing one part after another/ 'repairing by numbers and not proper though process) a standard boiler let alone a complicated steamer.

 

[cozzmic]

I'm with DP on that one, bullit proof boilers and cheepish parts just get it serviced regularly.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

a new combi would pay for itself in reduced gas bills and be better for the enviroment, be alot safer, you can never run out of hot water, free up space in the loft and airing cupboard (handy if you wanna convert the loft into an extra room), and you can still keep the gas fire or get a log burner in its place.

 

[chr15]

a new combi would pay for itself in reduced gas bills and be better for the enviroment, be alot safer, you can never run out of hot water, free up space in the loft and airing cupboard (handy if you wanna convert the loft into an extra room), and you can still keep the gas fire or get a log burner in its place.

You can run out of water if it breaks down or one of the many parts fail, these parts will cost a lot more than the standard boilers and definitley more than on a baxi bermuda.
When you are good and ready to change boilers then go ahead but as was previously mentioned, these baxi bermudas if serviced properly will give years and years of relatively trouble free service and will not cost an arm and a leg if a part does fail, unless it's the heat exchanger of course . Only my opinion.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

cheap combi's are crap i totally agree but not the top end stuff such as Vaillant.

 

[Dysdera]

thank you for your thoughts.

Will the current back boiler be able to cope if I increase the number of radiators from 4 to 6? I am assuming I will have to replace the pump if we do this.

Also does anyone know the regulations about fitting a fire surround to the gas fire connected to the back burner? my BG man said that there are rules about how high a wooden mantlepiece needs to be and how far it comes out but did not know exactly what they are. (there is no surround at the moment and its all been turned off for now).

ta
H

 

[mickyg]

6 rads should be fine. if its a normal size surround it would normally comply. Most surrounds come up round and about the same size. You can pretty much use a common sense approach to distances.

 

[namsag]

Your boiler is a 401 but the fire will also have a number . pull bottom trim off and should be a data plate on one of the fire sides.
Then look at www.partsarena.com/baxi and the instructions regars height of mantle and shelf projection will be there