Hi all,
apologies for the non descriptive header - but can't really think of a better way as this a question with so many facets!
I'd really appreciate some advice from those who know on my current situation.
My wife and I moved house September last year. When we moved, we knew that the central heating system was old and would need replacing sooner rather than later. We felt it needed replacing partly because of it's age and inefficiency and partly because the previous owner has made it ridiculously over complicated.
What we currently have is a Potterton Kingfisher 2 - 23.5 Kw. Around 20+ years old. This is split into three "zones" controlled by Honeywell CM61NG wireless controllers. Without question, the system could do with a powerflush - we have lots of hot spot problems on the rads and it takes an age to heat up. And certainly our first winter has shown that efficiency wise, we need to do something - the boiler is constantly (and I really do mean constantly) on and our gas bills are ....err...interesting. To add fuel to the fire, the controllers are mad. They don't seem to do what you want at all....the heating comes on when it wants, it won't come on if you want it to and some radiators will heat up when others (in the same zone!) won't.
So. Clearly a need to replace longer term - but we had decided initially to hold off as we hope to extend in a year or two and would like to relocate the central heating if we do.
However, last week, whilst running a bath for my year old daughter, the hot water failed. At the same time, the central heating has failed for all three zones - although there is SOME heat going to one of the zones. We had a plumber round yesterday who didn't really seem confident of the answer, but suggested a powerflush - £400 cash for approx 12 rad system. He confirmed the pump was still working and the controllers for the fly by wire units are also still ok.
Given the lack of confidence he's given us, this caused us to question - and here is where I'd appreciate knowledgable input.
A) We had been told previously you are not allowed to re-locate a boiler now. I.e. if we bought a replacement boiler (new) and swapped out the kingfisher, if/when we extend, we'd have to buy another NEW boiler - we couldn't simply move the first new one. Plumber yesterday tells me this is cobblers?
B) Is the quoted cost for powerflush reasonable? interweb research seems to show it being a bit on the costly side, but I just don't know.
C) If the answer to (A) is that it IS re-locatable, then we think we're probably going to replace now, given the possessedness of the existing system coupled with enormous gas bills. With possibility of extension in mind - any recommendations as to what to go for boiler wise? I do understand if we replace the boiler we'd have to flush system anyway....but as noted earlier, I think it needs it regardless.
D) If we replace boiler - ANY ideas on what I'd need to budget? I did find one plumber near me that has a "boiler replacement calculator" on his website - this indicated around £1600 for a Worcester Bosch with Honeywell controllers and basic flush. Being suspicious, that seems low to me and sounds like we're going to get a whole load of "tssssssssssk, well you didn't mention it was in a house,...that's another £5k please"
Many thanks all
apologies for the non descriptive header - but can't really think of a better way as this a question with so many facets!
I'd really appreciate some advice from those who know on my current situation.
My wife and I moved house September last year. When we moved, we knew that the central heating system was old and would need replacing sooner rather than later. We felt it needed replacing partly because of it's age and inefficiency and partly because the previous owner has made it ridiculously over complicated.
What we currently have is a Potterton Kingfisher 2 - 23.5 Kw. Around 20+ years old. This is split into three "zones" controlled by Honeywell CM61NG wireless controllers. Without question, the system could do with a powerflush - we have lots of hot spot problems on the rads and it takes an age to heat up. And certainly our first winter has shown that efficiency wise, we need to do something - the boiler is constantly (and I really do mean constantly) on and our gas bills are ....err...interesting. To add fuel to the fire, the controllers are mad. They don't seem to do what you want at all....the heating comes on when it wants, it won't come on if you want it to and some radiators will heat up when others (in the same zone!) won't.
So. Clearly a need to replace longer term - but we had decided initially to hold off as we hope to extend in a year or two and would like to relocate the central heating if we do.
However, last week, whilst running a bath for my year old daughter, the hot water failed. At the same time, the central heating has failed for all three zones - although there is SOME heat going to one of the zones. We had a plumber round yesterday who didn't really seem confident of the answer, but suggested a powerflush - £400 cash for approx 12 rad system. He confirmed the pump was still working and the controllers for the fly by wire units are also still ok.
Given the lack of confidence he's given us, this caused us to question - and here is where I'd appreciate knowledgable input.
A) We had been told previously you are not allowed to re-locate a boiler now. I.e. if we bought a replacement boiler (new) and swapped out the kingfisher, if/when we extend, we'd have to buy another NEW boiler - we couldn't simply move the first new one. Plumber yesterday tells me this is cobblers?
B) Is the quoted cost for powerflush reasonable? interweb research seems to show it being a bit on the costly side, but I just don't know.
C) If the answer to (A) is that it IS re-locatable, then we think we're probably going to replace now, given the possessedness of the existing system coupled with enormous gas bills. With possibility of extension in mind - any recommendations as to what to go for boiler wise? I do understand if we replace the boiler we'd have to flush system anyway....but as noted earlier, I think it needs it regardless.
D) If we replace boiler - ANY ideas on what I'd need to budget? I did find one plumber near me that has a "boiler replacement calculator" on his website - this indicated around £1600 for a Worcester Bosch with Honeywell controllers and basic flush. Being suspicious, that seems low to me and sounds like we're going to get a whole load of "tssssssssssk, well you didn't mention it was in a house,...that's another £5k please"
Many thanks all
