which boiler make choice?

[vulcancontinental]

The cash for grants has all been used up, but some companies are offering similar enticements, we've got BG coming sat PM to give us a quote, we'll be asking for Veissman, Valliant or Remeha boiler, should be interesting.........

If you meant the scrappage scheme, yes that's all gone and I'm not sure a Netaheat would qualify anyway.

I did hear that the WarmFront £300 was ending but when I looked at the site it was still offered there.

If the property occupant is on housing benefit, pension credit, incapacity benifit, pension credit etc she might get £3500 grant. You can apply online or they'll tell you on the phone.

She would have to chose from the list of heat only boilers on the scheme which at the moment are Ideal Icos, Baxi Solo, Worcester Greenstar or a Vaillant if she has a water softener fitted.

A Netaheat will probably last as long as your mum. check the seal, backplate and make sure the engineer doesn't disturb the asbestos when servicing.

 

[DIYedboy]

Unfortunately, mum is a typical english person that scrimped and saved all her life, she's not on any benefits and wouldn't be entitled to any.I looked on a gov't site (forgot which one, perhaps it was the scrappage one, I'll recheck).
To be honest, that old neataheat is a thing of beauty, it keeps chugging away, NEVER been serviced and NEVER goes wrong, who cares if it uses an eggcup more of gas, cos you've saved that and more on no callouts or parts....................perhaps I'll put it in me loft, then when me suprima blows up I'll get one of you whizzkids to lob that in for me

 

[simond]

Netaheat never been serviced?

Good boilers they were but from HSE figures, they are also one of the most common causes of CO poisoning.

They incorporate a design that pushes out combustion products into the room if the combustion chamber is not airtight. Most boilers are designed with a negative pressure in the chamber making them fail in a safer way.

In other words, you would be foolish not to have a Netaheat inspected once a year, because the statistics don't lie, you are more likely to be poisoned by one.

The gas registered chaps here would not be impressed by your boasting of no servicing, you should sort an inspection out for your mum immediately.

And the boiler.

 

[vulcancontinental]

I'm not aware of the actual statistics from HSE but respectfully and gently point out that the boiler itself is not responsible for CO poisoning - poor servicing is.

I cannot think of a good excuse for not fitting the boiler case back properly or inspecting the soundness of the case.

The Potterton seals were and remain of excellent quality and it is quite reasonable to make an admittedly poor argument that the lady's boiler is actually safer through not being serviced as there's no chance that the case is re-fitted badly by the engineer.

I don't suggest boilers should be left unserviced, they should be serviced annually and with more than a FGA into the terminal but it is inescapable that if the case and seal is good and sound it will probably remain that way if not touched. This is part of the reason BG started using FGAs; they were aware how often their operatives didn't ensure correct case seals (plus the fact that some manufacturers had seals so absolutely rubbish, to disturb them could make them fall apart) plus the exposure to asbestos.

While I'm at it I also think it is a little disingenuous to label only positive pressure boilers inherently dangerous in the FAQ. Certainly I would consider them more of a danger than a negative or balanced flue but less danger than an open-flued appliance which I feel sure, but cannot draw on any figures from statistics to prove, are responsible for far more incidents of CO poisoning.

I concede I may be wrong, and frequently am, but I'd like to see the numbers.

The thing to worry about I'm told with a Netaheat (I've never encountered it first hand) is the failure of the rear panel, that will lead to problems. Not sure about the other boilers on the list in the FAQ's except Fuelsavers, Apollos and Balmorals of which I used dozens with no problems which had rubberised seals not foam, case integrity excepted. But O/F appliances should be included there, thousands of them though there are.

Just my sixpennyworth and possibly not worth even that.

 

[transam]

Flueless gas fires , 15,000,000 installed world wide one recorded death ? which was in the U.K !!

 

[simond]

Vulcancontinental wrote;
I concede I may be wrong, and frequently am, but I'd like to see the numbers



They've been published a number of times by Corgi. Here is a report compiled nearly 10 years ago.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2002/crr02406a.pdf

 

[transam]

Neta heats I have found several over the years where the caseing seal is leaking \always found them with leak detection fluid ?? does any one else do this or is there a reason why this method should not be used ??

 

[Deleted member 105431]

Neta heats I have found several over the years where the caseing seal is leaking \always found them with leak detection fluid ?? does any one else do this or is there a reason why this method should not be used ??

Best to wedge a smoke bomb in the terminal air intake with fan running but gas off and check visually for smoke. A lit match is the official test but a testo 317-1 is a handy tool for this too.

 

[mickyg]

The Potterton seals were and remain of excellent quality and it is quite reasonable to make an admittedly poor argument that the lady's boiler is actually safer through not being serviced as there's no chance that the case is re-fitted badly by the engineer.

You obviously dont know the problem with netaheats then. Its not uncommon for a leak to develop on the pipework thats located on the back of the boiler. It can go unnoticed and as the water runs down it corrodes the back panel of the boiler. Hence why when servicing them its strongly advised that you prod the back panel with a screwdriver to make sure its sound. I've come across 2 in this situation. One was already holed, the other gave way under pressure.

 

[simond]

Thank you. I sometimes wonder about this forum. I thought everyone had seen a rusty Netaheat.

 

[adlplumbing]

simon no never seen neat heat yet
transam main are made baxi and potteton yes
but smaller numbers so the guys who build them have more time
they cost more to build but cost less to buy and the heat team don`t get many call out to them so yes i reccomend them until i know diffrent

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

you dont want too

 

[adlplumbing]

you dont want too

but i am not going fit another logic fit one repaired that one and seen one bad post on them in cc section so anyother ideas ideal jk

 

[vulcancontinental]

Thank you. I sometimes wonder about this forum. I thought everyone had seen a rusty Netaheat.

If I'd seen one I'd tell you. As I said, I have heard of it though. I look after the ones I put in and don't really touch any others other than a visual survey for one to be changed.

Always wary of how awkward the fittings are to get to after the boiler is fitted I made them in with Boss white and hemp good and tight.

 

[vulcancontinental]

Vulcancontinental wrote;
I concede I may be wrong, and frequently am, but I'd like to see the numbers



They've been published a number of times by Corgi. Here is a report compiled nearly 10 years ago.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2002/crr02406a.pdf[/QUOTE]

That's really interesting and a keeper though no numbers.

All the reportable incidents listed though were the result of unauthorised tampering or poor service procedure.

I reckon Netaheats were around in mid-late 70's though I'm blowed if I can remember when I saw the first one which means there can be MK I's 30 years old plus and opened up that many times if serviced properly.

This site is fascinating as when you work on your own installs and never see much outside that little world you don't realise what else goes on other when chatting to installers on a training day.

Really struggled with the concept of acceptable leakage and quantifying whether it was acceptable. I remember taking the thermostat knobs or test cover off a Trisave and feeling the draft through the holes in the front panel on brand new boilers.

I laughed at the ''Do not set fire to the boiler' warning - apparently setting fire to the boiler isn't a satisfactory testing procedure.