My Mums heating has packed in - cheapest way to get it working?

[Mark A]

Hi,

My Mums heating has completely packed up, the fire was condemned by British gas as he said the flame was too yellow and the boiler was not heating up the house with it on full blast, then it started making a bang when it fired up. She now has no heating at all and the house is freezing and she is off work due to a fractured back, so is getting virtually no money at the moment. So I'm just wondering what the cheapest option would be to get the heating working again, as I think I'm going to end up having to pay for it and I can't afford to spend too much.


The current heating system has a 20 year old Baxi gas boiler in the kitchen with a water storage tank in the bedroom above. I think the thermostat, timer and pump are also knackered and will need replacing as both the radiators and hot water come on at the same time even when just selecting just hot water (I replaced the motorised valve and it is still doing it). Plus there is a loud rumbling sound when using the hot water upstairs and very low hot water pressure (I tried cleaning the system by using Fernox, but its not made any difference).


Would it be cheaper to replace the boiler, pump etc and keep the original system in place, or go for a combi boiler and have the water tank removed? Any recommendation of a cheap, but reliable boiler and (pump, thermostat and timer) for 8 radiators in a 3 bed house would be great. Or would it be cheaper to just get a local fitter to supply everything?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mark A]

Unfortunately she doesn't qualify for a boiler grant. She has had two companies around and both told her she doesn't qualify. I'm not 100% sure why, so might get her to ring the CAB and see if they can help, but they have been pretty useless so far.

By gravity system, do you mean the header tank in the loft? If so then yes, it has one of them. There is a switch on the timer that allows you to use just the hot water, for the summer and a switch for hot water and heating for the winter. When you switch it to just hot water the radiators come on as well, which didnt happen before. So I replaced the motorized valve (£64) and it still does the same thing . Pretty sure it must be the timer unit is knackered as it must by 20 year old.

Its one of these, surprised they still make them

http://www.discountedheating.co.uk/...mmer_102_339008.html?language=en&currency=GBP

But like Nightglow said it might be better to just get a combiboiler fitted and have the tank ripped out, so no point replacing them.


My other concern is the really loud rumbling sound and low pressure when using the upstairs taps. What could be causing this? I tried forcing water through the system by bridging the hot and cold taps, but it made no difference. Will I need to pay £800 to have the system flushed?

If anyone could recommend a cheap but reliable combi, so I can get an idea of what price i'll be looking at it would be great. I assume it would be better to source the boiler myself?

Look into the new deal where you get the cost of the new boiler added to your energy bill so you wont notice the cost, i believe it guarantees you wont pay more under the deal, so worst case you pay the same in bills but get a new system etc

Thanks, she has a guy from British gas coming around tomorrow to give her some advice, so i'll get her to ask about that. It's just they gave us a price of like £4k last time, which seems way overpriced. If we could save a lot by going with a local fitter, then I wouldnt mind lending her the money and she can pay me back when she can afford it.

 

[Mark A]

British gas have given my mum a few prices.

Vailliant ecotec pro 28kw combi boiler = £1,049

1 year homecare 200
horrizontal flue
internal condensate connection
connect boiler electrics and test
install boiler filling loop
conventional to combi boiler replacement instalation = £1,944.93

Customization and compliance
Building work
Waste collection and disposal = £260.40 - The boiler is going in the same place, so not sure what this building work refers to...


System water treatment and powerflush = £354.59
Customer is not interested in green deal assessment
Vaillant VT50 electronic room thermostat


DISCOUNTS
Cash alternative to FREE HIVE active heating campaign offer = £150
HSA authorised discount = £150

Total price £3,308.92

That seems like a lot for the fitting, or is that the going rate for switching a regular system to a combi system? Bearing in mind I live in the North West.


The price for a regular boiler and replacing the regular boiler was not a big difference. £2,927.96 and they use a British gas potterton boiler. So will go combi I think.

 

[Mark A]

BG rip you off bigstyle, go for an indie.

They will get trade prices, even if they do put a bit on top it'll be cheaper than you can get it with a decent indie.

You'd be surprised with boilers, have a plumber come and look at it and see what needs mending, it could be as simple as a new pump and a sensor, a few hundred quid tops. Could just want a flush and a service, no use giving up on a boiler when it breaks down assuming the worst.

That's what I was thinking at first, but with it being over 20 years old and 65% efficiency rating I think it might be better to not spend any more money on it and buy a more efficient one instead.

I'll get a few prices from independent companies, but there are so many its a bit daunting. I have picked a few from the Vaillant website and think i'll get some for Worcester Bosch fitters as well, as they seem to also get good reviews.

We weren't applicable for any of the schemes but we went from out old back boiler to a brand new WB 28CDi for~2.5k, including, full new rad's a proper wireless stat and decent TRV's

That sounds like a very good price with the rads as well. Is that boiler a good one to go for? Did you go for a system flush and Magnaclean filter?

 

[Mark A]

Are Baxi combi boilers any good compared with Vaillient? Apparently my uncle has got a guy who does boilers on his house renovations to give my mum a price and he said £1700 or less, but I've asked for the model number so I can research it as I dont want to pay all that money and then its forever breaking down. (I'll update with the model number when I get it)

Price for a vaillent ecotec 831 was £2450 from a local firm I think (without rads). Worth paying the extra £750 for this boiler over the baxi and the 7 years warranty?

Getting really cold now so need to get it sorted, but half the firms we called didnt even bother to turn up, or even phone to apologise.

 

[Mark A]

Yeah, they supply and fit the boiler, I'm not sure if they would allow me to buy the boiler for them to fit, or if the price would be much different. They are also Veillant advanced fitters so it gets the 7 year warranty.

The boiler my uncles mate could get us is a Baxi Duo-tec HE 24kw with a Magnaclean filter thrown in for £1700 and he can fit it next thursday. He said there is a 7-10 year warranty on the Baxi as well.

My Mum really wants the Baxi, but she said its up to me as its my money.

EDIT I think he will need to add £100 to the price as the 24kw wont be enough, so £1800 or so for the 28kw version.

 

[Mark A]

Valiant all the way,£2000 will get you a good combi and a flush.

Can't seem to find anyone that cheap and that's in the Burnley and Pendle area. Lowest we have got is £2450, but they said it doesn't need a powerflush, they just flush it out normally, unless it's really bad.

Have Baxi gone downhill? I have always thought of them as a good brand and the current boiler is a 20 year old Baxi.

 

[Mark A]

Yeah, got the numbers from the vaillant website.

How many rads do you power from your 24kw boiler? There are 8 rads here, in a 3 bed semi. Just wondering if she could get away with a 24kw to lower the price a bit. The bath never gets used and she has an electric shower.

 

[Mark A]

Thanks for the help guys, sounds like a 24kw is the one to go for. It was the calculator on the Vaillant website that suggested a 28kw minimum.

Had a quick measure up:

1 x 1800mm x 500mm double convector
1 x 1500mm x 300mm double convector
2 x 1000mm x 300mm double convector
2 x 600mm x 600mm double convector
1 x 700mm x 500mm single convector
1 x 550mm x 1200mm towel warmer

Double glazing and loft insulation but no wall or floor insulation. The 300mm high rads might be swapped for 400mm at some point.