Solid Fuel CH -to- Gas CH

[LeeUK]

Anyone ever had solid fuel (Parkray) CH changed for Gas CH? If so, what is the likely cost of this?

House is a standard 2 bedroom mid terraced house. Parkray solid fuel fire in living room and hot water cylinder upstairs and 6 rads.

I already have a gas supply to the property.

 

[Nightglow]

Get rid of the hot water cylinder, header tank,& fit a combination boiler in the cupboard, the flue can be vented through the wall or roof.

Combination boiler would be far more efficent, than a room gas fire.

 

[LeeUK]

Which ever way is lowest cost suits me.

 

[Nightglow]

Something like a Baxi Bermuda BBU HE boiler, a room heater with back boiler is around £1000, plus cost of metal flue liner, plumbing,etc, costs soon add up.
And Parkray G range is again around a £1000.

Can't think of any other back boiler fires, other than a multifuel boiler stove, better to change to gas.

Something like a Valliant ecoTEC Pro 24 around £700,has a 7 year warranty,look around google for boiler packs, you get flue,boiler timer & room stat from around £800, then there the cost of installation, a days work.

http://www.plumbnation.co.uk/site/vaillant-ecotec-pro-24-combi-boiler-packs/

http://www.vaillant.co.uk/products/domestic-boilers/combi-boilers/ecotec-pro/

 

[sports_brah]

Nothing to add, except to say that Nightglow you've got an immense amount of knowledge and your posts are always interesting to read. Thanks!

 

[Orionaut]

If it was me I would stick with the Parkray. I am curious, why are you wanting to change it?

 

[LeeUK]

Something like a Baxi Bermuda BBU HE boiler, a room heater with back boiler is around £1000, plus cost of metal flue liner, plumbing,etc, costs soon add up.

Can't think of any other back boiler fires, other than a multifuel boiler stove, better to change to gas.

Something like a Valliant ecoTEC Pro 24 around £700,has a 7 year warranty,look around google for boiler packs, you get flue,boiler timer & room stat from around £800, then there the cost of installation, a days work.

http://www.plumbnation.co.uk/site/vaillant-ecotec-pro-24-combi-boiler-packs/

http://www.vaillant.co.uk/products/domestic-boilers/combi-boilers/ecotec-pro/

Thanks for the advice. Reading it up now.

If it was me I would stick with the Parkray. I am curious, why are you wanting to change it?

Too much hassle with the Parkray. Buying the solid fuel, cleaning the Parkray out, the mess etc.

 

[Nightglow]

If it was me I would stick with the Parkray. I am curious, why are you wanting to change it?

Dirty,Dusty, Inefficient, enough said.

I myself would go with a combi boiler, then later stick a small multi fuel stove in the fireplace as a focal point.

Without a backboiler to heat the water,they are cheap to buy.

 

[Orionaut]

Too much hassle with the Parkray. Buying the solid fuel, cleaning the Parkray out, the mess etc.

Idleness then!

Dirty,Dusty, Inefficient, enough said.

Simple, reliable, easy to maintain, works in a power cut! Enough said!

It is of course horses for courses and down to personal choice. But If I already had a sold fuel system I would be inclined to keep it myself! Given that OP lives in a small mid terrace property I would be gobsmacked if fuel savings alone could realistically justify a change

 

[LeeUK]

Idleness then!



Simple, reliable, easy to maintain, works in a power cut! Enough said!

It is of course horses for courses and down to personal choice. But If I already had a sold fuel system I would be inclined to keep it myself! Given that OP lives in a small mid terrace property I would be gobsmacked if fuel savings alone could realistically justify a change

The pump needs power to pump the water around the rads so if power cut the system will boil over.

Already had an EPC and if comes out inefficient and poor.

 

[Nightglow]

Have looked at the free boiler grants, your energy supplier might do them,maybe be eligible?

 

[Orionaut]

The pump needs power to pump the water around the rads so if power cut the system will boil over.

Already had an EPC and if comes out inefficient and poor.

Solid fuel systems shouldn't rely on pumps for that very reason (Think Fukushima!)

How come yours has one? (I could envisage a partially pumped system but there must be a way for the system to dump heat if the pump fails)

Already had an EPC and if comes out inefficient and poor.

You will get that result for any system more than a couple of years old!

The question is HOW inefficient? and HOW much you can realistically save? Don't get sucked in by the political agenda!

If your current fuel bill is (Say) £500pa and you can (theoretically) knock off 30% by installing a more efficient system then how long will it be before you have paid for replacing the inefficient current system?

Will you even be able to do so within the life time of the new modern boiler? (they don't last so well as the old ones)

Just saying

 

[LeeUK]

Have looked at the free boiler grants, your energy supplier might do them,maybe be eligible?

Tried looking but everything I come across for free boilers only applies if you already have a gas boiler e.g. straight easy swap out. I don't claim any benefits either. No one wants to know unless you're on benefits apart from CSCO scheme but all they do is insulation which I took advantage of.

Solid fuel systems shouldn't rely on pumps for that very reason (Think Fukushima!)

How come yours has one? (I could envisage a partially pumped system but there must be a way for the system to dump heat if the pump fails)

If the pump is not on only the hot water cylinder and the 2 upstairs rads get hot. Downstairs don't and the Parkray starts making noises after a while until pump is switched on e.g. water starting to boil. To dump heat as you say would be to turn on the hot tap!

You will get that result for any system more than a couple of years old!

The question is HOW inefficient? and HOW much you can realistically save? Don't get sucked in by the political agenda!

If your current fuel bill is (Say) £500pa and you can (theoretically) knock off 30% by installing a more efficient system then how long will it be before you have paid for replacing the inefficient current system?

Will you even be able to do so within the life time of the new modern boiler? (they don't last so well as the old ones)

Just saying

I could easily use a 25kg bag of solid fuel a night which costs £8.30. I can make one last 2 nights. You'd have to be a millionaire to be able to run it 24/7.

Obviously I don't run it in summer. I have an immersion heater if I need hot water on the fly.

 

[Nightglow]

I could easily use a 25kg bag of solid fuel a night which costs £8.30. I can make one last 2 nights. You'd have to be a millionaire to be able to run it 24/7.

Obviously I don't run it in summer. I have an immersion heater if I need hot water on the fly.

Gas is the way to go, solid fuel isn't viable today for 24/7 use, & having to use the immersion heater in the summer, so expensive & old fashion now.