Boiler Recommendations

[bluestreak56]

Hi all,

Anyone have any boiler recommendations for me? I need 2 x new Combi boilers for my house that I am splitting into flats / maisonettes.

My builder suggests I should only go German.

Downstairs = 2 shower rooms, 2 double beds, kitchen and lounge (about 70m2)

Upstairs & loft = 3 shower rooms, 3 double bedrooms, kitchen and lounge (about 115m2)

I was thinking 24kw systems for each.. is that right?

Any potential links to good deals?

Thanks in advance :beer:

 

[Wildfire]

Just had a Valliant EcoTec fitted. 7 year warranty. That or a Worcester Bosch. My mate is a plumber and just fitted the Valliant for me. He said he would only fit Valliant or Worcester.

 

[mr wilks]

Just avoid the donkeys ( Ferroli , Heatline etc ) & just as important as the boiler make sure the installer is clued up

 

[PerryGunn]

If you're not sure of the boiler output, you should get someone to do the heat calcs for you - AIUI it's more important to correctly size condensing boilers than it used to be with the old-style non-condensing ones. Under-sized boilers won't heat the space and over-sized ones become more inefficient the more the outside temperature drops

 

[wildbeeste]

Just avoid the donkeys ( Ferroli , Heatline etc ) & just as important as the boiler make sure the installer is clued up

If you get a Worcester take their own service option - they know what they are doing whereas British Gas don't always
British Gas after 3 visits called Worcester out to sort out a minor problem

 

[Havard]

Depends on budget. Worcester Bosch or Vaillant are good bets but pricey.

There are decent boilers out there with 5 year guarantees. As a guy who has had 4 boilers in 14 years I don't take any chances anymore. As we are planning to move I went for a Biasi last Christmas as touch wood, it has been good. Still over 4 years left on the warranty too.

If we were staying I would have gone for a Worcester. Stay away from Gloworm, Ferroli, Ideal, Baxi, Keston etc.

 

[mr wilks]

Just avoid the donkeys ( Ferroli , Heatline etc ) & just as important as the boiler make sure the installer is clued up

If you get a Worcester take their own service option - they know what they are doing whereas British Gas don't always
British Gas after 3 visits called Worcester out to sort out a minor problem

Fortunately my son is a plumber/gas engineer so having master wilks in bedroom 3 on £25 a week board i opted for zero cover on our gas appliances & if i have a plumbing problem i knock on his door (or text him as that get's a quicker response )
He fitted our combi 4 years ago after just qualifying & as of tonight had zero trouble whatsoever , that's a Vaillant & was around £600 with filler & flue

 

[Havard]

Just avoid the donkeys ( Ferroli , Heatline etc ) & just as important as the boiler make sure the installer is clued up

If you get a Worcester take their own service option - they know what they are doing whereas British Gas don't always
British Gas after 3 visits called Worcester out to sort out a minor problem

Fortunately my son is a plumber/gas engineer so having master wilks in bedroom 3 on £25 a week board i opted for zero cover on our gas appliances & if i have a plumbing problem i knock on his door (or text him as that get's a quicker response )
He fitted our combi 4 years ago after just qualifying & as of tonight had zero trouble whatsoever , that's a Vaillant & was around £600 with filler & flue

That is cheap for a Vaillant. Although my Biasi was free as I have a mate who sells them.

 

[Geezah]

I fitted Viessmann boiler in my gaff a out 4 years ago. Simple, efficient and quiet. Recommended.

 

[Dewi]

My lad is a BG service engineer, he replaced our boiler early last year with a Vaillant. Fixing them for a living gives him a very fair a idea of what gives little trouble, spares availablity etc. Never had a problem with the Vaillant since it was installed. As already suggested, keep away from the cheap Mickey Mouse stuff and go for a good name - Worcester etc and you'll not go far wrong. He comes on here periodically so he may spot this and pop in.

 

[dr_john]

Just avoid the donkeys ( Ferroli , Heatline etc ) & just as important as the boiler make sure the installer is clued up

If you get a Worcester take their own service option - they know what they are doing whereas British Gas don't always
British Gas after 3 visits called Worcester out to sort out a minor problem

That's interesting, I have a BG service contract and they've been out to fix my Worcester Bosch boiler loads of times. They always get it going again for a while and then it develops another fault. It's usually inability to hold water pressure.

I thought it was maybe new boiler time but maybe not!

 

[Havard]

Just avoid the donkeys ( Ferroli , Heatline etc ) & just as important as the boiler make sure the installer is clued up

If you get a Worcester take their own service option - they know what they are doing whereas British Gas don't always
British Gas after 3 visits called Worcester out to sort out a minor problem

That's interesting, I have a BG service contract and they've been out to fix my Worcester Bosch boiler loads of times. They always get it going again for a while and then it develops another fault. It's usually inability to hold water pressure.

I thought it was maybe new boiler time but maybe not!

Your expansion vessel has lost it's gas pressure or you have a leak on the system/boiler. Do you have a mains fill near the boiler?

 

[dr_john]

Your expansion vessel has lost it's gas pressure or you have a leak on the system/boiler. Do you have a mains fill near the boiler?

Yep, I periodically repressurise with the mains valve on the boiler. It then holds the pressure for a few weeks but gradually declines. BG have pumped up the air side on the expansion tank and changed the air valve but it still leaks somewhere in the system I suspect.

I went round the whole house yesterday bleeding all the rads and pressurising the system, seems fine right now, wait and see!

 

[mr wilks]

Your expansion vessel has lost it's gas pressure or you have a leak on the system/boiler. Do you have a mains fill near the boiler?

Yep, I periodically repressurise with the mains valve on the boiler. It then holds the pressure for a few weeks but gradually declines. BG have pumped up the air side on the expansion tank and changed the air valve but it still leaks somewhere in the system I suspect.

I went round the whole house yesterday bleeding all the rads and pressurising the system, seems fine right now, wait and see!

If it is found to be the expansion vessel there is no need to condem the boiler , these can be fitted externally relatively easily

 

[cj10jeeper]

Another big +1 for Worcester Bosch. Fitted a condenser version (Greenstar) when I enlarged the house a few years back. Heats more space and half the gas usage of an old style Potterton.

As mentioned above the right output is as important as anything...

 

[simonlpearce]

Another big +1 for Worcester Bosch. Fitted a condenser version (Greenstar) when I enlarged the house a few years back. Heats more space and half the gas usage of an old style Potterton.

As mentioned above the right output is as important as anything...

I will just quote this again as its more or less exactly what i was going to say. Had a pal fit mine as he works for BG, he also fitted one into his own home.

Another thing that is very important is where you position the thermostat, and having heater control valves on all of the rads. If the stat is in a naturally cold part of the house then other rooms will heat up quicker and potentially get too hot until the stat gets to the right temp, so its important to get the balance correct.

 

[Dewi]

Just avoid the donkeys ( Ferroli , Heatline etc ) & just as important as the boiler make sure the installer is clued up

If you get a Worcester take their own service option - they know what they are doing whereas British Gas don't always
British Gas after 3 visits called Worcester out to sort out a minor problem

That's interesting, I have a BG service contract and they've been out to fix my Worcester Bosch boiler loads of times. They always get it going again for a while and then it develops another fault. It's usually inability to hold water pressure.

I thought it was maybe new boiler time but maybe not!

That's because BG encourage their service engineers to cobble things up rather then fit new parts when they're needed. The guys get penalised if they fit too many new parts so instead of fitting say a new fan, they'll give it a squirt of oil knowing it'll go noisy again and another visit will be needed. Eventually someone will fit a new one and get his ear chewed for doing so. It's all about making money and maximising profit with them now, customers are just an expensive inconvenience.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Another big +1 for Worcester Bosch. Fitted a condenser version (Greenstar) when I enlarged the house a few years back. Heats more space and half the gas usage of an old style Potterton.

As mentioned above the right output is as important as anything...

I will just quote this again as its more or less exactly what i was going to say. Had a pal fit mine as he works for BG, he also fitted one into his own home.

Another thing that is very important is where you position the thermostat, and having heater control valves on all of the rads. If the stat is in a naturally cold part of the house then other rooms will heat up quicker and potentially get too hot until the stat gets to the right temp, so its important to get the balance correct.

Without doubt the fitting of other technologies is as important as the boiler. Individual rad stats and the likes of 'Hive' to control the temperature and timings massively reduces wasted heating.

 

[ekimj10]

Big recommendation for Worcester Bosch, ours now 5 years old and inspected/serviced every year by the local installer for £30 and its been totally trouble free.
Don't expect it to last for 30 years like our previous Potterton boiler, even after that length of time it was still working OK but we needed it moving off the kitchen wall, hence the Worcester.

 

[dr_john]

If it is found to be the expansion vessel there is no need to condem the boiler , these can be fitted externally relatively easily

OK thanks for the info Mr W, didn't know that