What Advice on a good boiler

[gnougnoume]

I need a new combi boiler for a 4 bedroom house , 1 shower room and 1 bathroom. i have 10 radiators.Could you advise me on a good boiler? Not one which will break down after 6 months.
Worcester Bosh or Vaillant?

 

[ALEC1]

its not so much the boiler as the way it is used that makes a boiler reliable...

I know of condesning boilers that are doing fine after 12 years...but these boilers tend to be those installed with different controls promoted by the UK industry

My recomendation would be a boiler designed out side the UK with proprietary controls such as an atag, viessmann or vaillant. with a relatively large house I would opt for the use of an outdoor sensor such as the vaillant vrc470, or a viessman vitotronic 200

 

[gnougnoume]

Thanks, my surveyor who is doing work in my house is recommending a vaillant boiler, i do not know which one, but he quoted £750.

 

[ChrisR]

Most (all?) Vaillants const more than that to buy, the installation cost will be (much) more.
A lot of installers like Vaillants. A lot like Worcesters, Baxi/Pottertons, Vokeras... Lamborghini I've never seen, but you get a 10 year warranty!

Others have other favourites. If you have anything unusual, consider future service/maintainer issues. The grass is not always greener.
It's probably more important to get a good installer, he will only fit boilers he beleives in and cares about. And just avoid the makes known for being a problem, which changes every few years.

I don't know of any independent objective evidence about controls affecting the life of boilers generally.
There are large numbers of old style installations working without a hitch in 20-30 years, we see them all the time.
The first rash of condensing boilers was "mixed" in longevity to say the least. They seem to be generally a lot better now. They're all condensing now of course.
Architects work off specification sheets so have good knowledge at that end, installers look from a different perspective. Listen to everyone but check any claims are widespread.

Get three quotes!

 

[Agile]

If you want to use shower and bath at the same time you need a heat only boiler and storage cylinder. Unvented if your dynamic flow rate is adequate.

Until thats measured its not possible to consider what type of system is best. Only when thats done can you start thinking about boiler makers!

Tony Glazier

 

[ChrisR]

Only when thats done can you start thinking about boiler makers!

There are still a few I'd avoid!

But yes, they're separate issues.

 

[Agile]

There are some that I would avoid as well!

But the OP needs to find out what type of system is best first.

I might well choose a different make of combi compared with heat only.

For combi an Intergas in many cases but ONLY if the mains pressure is quite high as their Dhw coil is quite restrictive. Its also I suspect subject to the risk of lime scale deposition so a scale reducer is advisable too.

Tony

 

[Agile]

So OP find out what type of system is best for you.

 

[gnougnoume]

It has to be a combi boiler, i have at the moment which packed up after 10 years, it is beyond repair. and yes if i open the kitchen tap there is no hot water in the bathoom but we only want a combi boiler.I have been looking at the prices of the vaillant and and ecotec plus 837 costs around £1200 so i am wowwried of the vaillant boiler the surveyor chose,

 

[Agile]

I would be very surprised if I could not repair your boiler! What make and model is it? Why do you think it cannot be repaired?

But depending on what boiler then it might be a good solution to replace it but the installed cost will be about £1700 using a good quality boiler like Vaillant, Viesmann or Intergas.

But dont expect a significant improvement in hot water flow rate!

Tony Glazier

 

[ALEC1]

I'd bit Agile's hand off at that price for a vaillant, mind you it probably doesn't include a decent set of ebus controls or a permament filter...and no doubt at that price he has compromised something...

 

[gnougnoume]

I would be very surprised if I could not repair your boiler! What make and model is it? Why do you think it cannot be repaired?

But depending on what boiler then it might be a good solution to replace it but the installed cost will be about £1700 using a good quality boiler like Vaillant, Viesmann or Intergas.

But dont expect a significant improvement in hot water flow rate!

Tony Glazier

#

It is an ideal response 120, it has been repair i don't know how many times by british gas. Last time they cam ethey said it was time to change it.It must be leaking somewhere because the pressure keeps going to 0 and when it works i need to put the central heating on in order to get hot water.

 

[Agile]

If the main heat exchanger is leaking then they are probably no longer available. But they MIGHT be to BG.

But its not in their interest to repair it ! Some others here might know if they are still available to BG.

Usually BG say parts are not available when they still are to independents. The BG statement realy means " no longer kept in BG stores for us to use".

With that model unless you can get BG to repair it under cover then I agree its best replaced.

About £1700 would include cleaning the system but a mag filter would be extra ( not needed anyway when its properly cleaned! ) and would not include fancy controls.

Tony

 

[gnougnoume]

If the main heat exchanger is leaking then they are probably no longer available. But they MIGHT be to BG.

But its not in their interest to repair it ! Some others here might know if they are still available to BG.

Usually BG say parts are not available when they still are to independents. The BG statement realy means " no longer kept in BG stores for us to use".

With that model unless you can get BG to repair it undder cover then I agree its best replaced.

About £1700 would include cleaning the system but a mag filter would be extra ( not needed anyway when its properly cleaned! ) and would not include fancy controls.

Tony

The output of the ideal response is 23 and the ecotec pro 28 is 25, would i notice the difference or not?

 

[Agile]

The Ideal Response 120 has an output of about 35 kW to the hot water!

It would be unwise to fit a boiler with a lower hot water output !

So a Vaillant 837 or even better 937 if you must have a Vaillant.

A Viessmann has a five year warranty if fitted by an approved installer. Not when fitted by an unregistered builder though!

Tony