Boiler/Heating Megathread - Advice & Recommendations, No Jobs/Quotes/Advertising

[Danny_Boy 10]

What make/model of boiler is it? Do you have an un-vented cylinder?

 

It's an Ideal Logic heat 15, no idea re the cylinder thingy.

[corgigasman 10]

It's an Ideal Logic heat 15, no idea re the cylinder thingy.

 

A regular (vented) cylinder is usually about three and a half foot high with an insulated outer. An un-vented cylinder is at least five foot tall, often white, has writing printed next to all the connections on the cylinder and has an addition basketball sized expansion cylinder mounted above it. If you have the second un-vented type then you need a gas engineer with additional un-vented qualifications to check the cylinder too to be fully covered

[Danny_Boy 10]

A regular (vented) cylinder is usually about three and a half foot high with an insulated outer. An un-vented cylinder is at least five foot tall, often white, has writing printed next to all the connections on the cylinder and has an addition basketball sized expansion cylinder mounted above it. If you have the second un-vented type then you need a gas engineer with additional un-vented qualifications to check the cylinder too to be fully covered

 

Thanks for the information, based on those descriptions I'd guess mine is a vented cylinder as it's not massive and definitely doesn't have anything else mounted on top.

[Marx 10]

I have an alpha HE CB25 that is suddenly refusing to work. There is no clue from the red or green lights, it just doesn't do anything. It did make a few odd pipe sounds, the usual gas burner noise when it turns on and the water pressure dial flunctuated when I first tried to reset it by opening the hot tap fully and then nothing.

 

Edit: I left it alone and it started working again.

Edited February 22, 2017 by Marx

[bethanywalke 10]

What is the general feeling about warranties from the bigger installers - are they worth going for? I've seen everything from a 5 year to a 10 year warranty and you can probably find even longer ones.

 

There seems to be lots of independent installers in this thread, are you able to compete on the warranties or just price/service?

[corgigasman 10]

What is the general feeling about warranties from the bigger installers - are they worth going for? I've seen everything from a 5 year to a 10 year warranty and you can probably find even longer ones.

 

There seems to be lots of independent installers in this thread, are you able to compete on the warranties or just price/service?

 

A warranty is usually backed by the manufacturer, so you can get boilers installed with 2,3,5,7,10yr manufacturer warranties. These all require the boiler to be serviced annually BUT they all, in one phrase or another ALSO require the heating system to be 'adequately maintained'. If the system is not adequately maintained then you are potentially leaving manufacturers a loophole to get out of any warranty. Best way to assure this is by fitting a magnetic filter, if the system is adequately cleaned during your boilers installation (installers are obliged to ensure this) then by cleaning out the filter annually and topping up your inhibitor then I would argue that your system IS adequately maintained, and you are fully covered. Whilst working as a contractor manufacturers would actually extent a basic warranty from 2 to 5yrs simply because we had used their recommended chemicals and fitted a filter.

Obviously the above is different from on-going 'service plans'....here a company 'maintains' your EXISTING boiler for a set monthly fee. In this case I would say BUYER BEWARE. These plans generally only mean that you have a boiler serviced annually (costing between £40-£100) but your monthly plan may cost several hundreds over a year. I recently attended a customer who pays £24/month for such a plan (about £300/yr). The company recently attended to 'service' her boiler, they explained her boiler required a new expansion vessel and PRV(pressure release valve) and went on to say that because these faults were due to dirt in the system (questionable) then it would not be covered in the service contract, and she would have to pay over £400. Luckily she asked me for a second opinion. I found the boiler DID indeed require these parts, however the boiler obviously had NOT been serviced correctly as the condense trap was almost completely blocked with debris. I was able to fit the new parts PLUS a magnetic filter for considerably less than the price the service company had quoted. On other similar plans I have found it common place for BiG companies to offer cover over several years (at great total cost over time), only for the customer to be told that, during a break-down, the parts for this boiler are obsolete.....so you need a new boiler any way.

Don't mean to put a downer on the subject but you really need to understand what you are getting with any warranty or service plan, cheers, Steve

[Marx 10]

I am wanting someone to come and look at my boiler. It has restricted flow or needs a new pump.

[corgigasman 10]

I am wanting someone to come and look at my boiler. It has restricted flow or needs a new pump.

 

How have you come to this conclusion? Is it a combi? Have you had an engineer out ? Happy to assist, cheers, Steve

[Mac_Plas 10]

Just after a little advice.

 

I have just viewed a property that has a back boiler, what are very rough estimates in fitting a combi.

 

Can the pipe work be left and the new system flushed.

 

Thank you.

 

Chris

 

---------- Post added 28-02-2017 at 17:32 ----------

 

I won't be holding anyone to a price, I'd like to know if it's just a case of fitting and hooking a new boiler up or would we be talking ripping out pipe work

[corgigasman 10]

Pipework in the wall at side of BB is usually left in place, USUALLY two are circs (that may become redundant) and two are live central heating pipes, boiler can be decommissioned and fire left working OR both appliances totally removed. First obstacle is to find a location for new boiler and sort new pipe runs, gas in particular. Expect quotes of £2000-£2500 for a boiler with 7-10yr warranty. Happy to survey property, discuss install and provide a written quote, cheers, Steve

[Mac_Plas 10]

Thank you and I'll keep your number in case we are successful.

 

Chris

[NigelFargate 10]

Boiler problems seem to be a recurring feature of home ownership. I know that I have had my share of them in the past. However, after having years of trouble with a dodgy boiler and dodgy gas fitters (I was really ripped off by one some years ago) I decided to have a new one fitted and also sign up to a regular maintenance contract. The company I chose was Flamecare, which have been really good (no this is not an advert, I have been genuinely impressed by them).