Which boiler?

Hi ROTF, question is what fuel
I'm gas so can only speak from what I know about that
The old boiler said we needed a new domestic water & heat burner, So we looked around.

Condensing is a must, I think its hard not to get one as standard these days
Look for models with variable kW outputs - as most seem to be again these days - they start on full throttle, then back off, saving mucho dosh.
How quiet, does it fit the space etc..

Glow-worm are top rated by "Which?" - as are Grant Vortex, Potterton & Vaillant
Their top rated "Best Buy" is Glow-worm Ultracom 24 hxi & at 5/25kW seems to tick your box

Worcester Bosch

I've got a Worcester Bosch and I've never had a moments trouble with it but I heard from a heating engineer that Valliant are the ones to get.

Yes Vailiant do have a good name

Worcester Bosch. No problems in 5 years unlike our previous Potterton which was consistently unreliable.

We changed to a Grant oil-fired condensing boiler about three years ago and it's excellent - it's a top "Which?" Best Buy, and by quite a margin.

Very efficient and quiet.

Do keep in mind that in this day and age these technology filled boilers will not give the length of service that your previous workhorse possibly has. They are not expected to last more than 7 to 10 years

With a condensing boiler remember to lag the outlet pipe, because in a very cold spell the condensed water can freeze and a plug of ice build up, causing the boiler will stop working.

Top-Tip - Make sure you install radiator coolant inhibitor & get a magnetic ferrous filter (particulate catcher) & service annually

My old 8 year old boiler gave up the ghost due to heat exchanger internal rust
It took a day to flush out the rust & copper sludge with a professional flush pump
I now clean the new magnetic filter annually; its now 3 years installed and more or less spotless, that is an indication that no new rust degradation has started. Plus a chance to inspect water colour & the indication that the copper pipes are not oxidizing. Plus I top up the inhibitor at the same time.

Fernox and Sentinal are the top inhibitors to put in the system although I prefer fernox MB1 having said that it will depend on what your heat exchanger is made of. The black sludge is caused by all the different metals in the system attacking each other ( electrolytic action or dezincification ) and it is the inihbitor that stops this occurring

Anything but a bunny boiler

Many thanks for all the replies so far - it would have to use gas.

Vailiant EcoTec range !

How about using air?

quote:

Originally posted by Mike-B:
Top-Tip - Make sure you install radiator coolant inhibitor & get a magnetic ferrous filter (particulate catcher) & service annually

My old 8 year old boiler gave up the ghost due to heat exchanger internal rust
It took a day to flush out the rust & copper sludge with a professional flush pump
I now clean the new magnetic filter annually; its now 3 years installed and more or less spotless, that is an indication that no new rust degradation has started. Plus a chance to inspect water colour & the indication that the copper pipes are not oxidizing. Plus I top up the inhibitor at the same time.

I'll always remember at Uni when our mains water started coming out of our taps brown. I think our radiator and drinking waters were not as separate as they might have been. Now I'm no plumber but...that shouldn't happen, right? Good old Mr Dulai.

I have a Worcester Bosch, very pleased, no problems.

quote:

How about using air?

Dust all over the house plus ducting plus expense = bad idea all round.
Unless it is better filtered than it used to be and more compact units

quote:

I'll always remember at Uni when our mains water started coming out of our taps brown. I think our radiator and drinking waters were not as separate as they might have been. Now I'm no plumber but...that shouldn't happen, right? Good old Mr Dulai.

This can only happen if the mains cold water service has been worked on and not cleaned properly

quote:

Originally posted by deadlifter:

quote:

How about using air?

Dust all over the house plus ducting plus expense = bad idea all round.
Unless it is better filtered than it used to be and more compact units

Well you obviously read the link and understand what you are on about - not.
Air source heat pump technology uses outside AIR to produce heat for indoors <rolleyes>
May I suggest you read before posting remarks like you have above?
The technology is not new - but it is a growing way to work in the UK. Depending on house construction, age and how well insulated the property is truly remarkable savings are to be had over gas or oil. I use it in my office as heating and cooling - and it works very well. I am uncertain as to if it could be used in my current house due to its construction and age - but I certainly would look at it, especially at the rate gas prices are increasing. It also attracts a nice subsididy at present I believe - or at least it did.
You also radically reduce your CO2 footprint - so no more feeling guilty about leaving your kit on 24/7...

Following on from Steve's post about "air heat transfer" I know one forum member who uses it as low level heating on a traditionally built house, and he is very pleased with it.

Still runs a wood burner for heating the living room, but it does keep the whole house pleasantly warm, if not madly hot. No doubt that there are modern systems that would do more, but it also has the advantage of being able to cool as well as heat the house.

Saves money, and saves the environment over conventional oil or gas boilers at least.

ATB from George

You don't have to have a condenser if the system is considered unsuitable. Push not to have one and get either Worcester Bosch or Vailliant. If you have to have a condenser then insist the drain is run inside the house. Stops all the nonsense with freezing pipes. Both friends with condensers have frozen this winter. One needed a whole new boiler as the stupid thing wrecked its insides freezing up. The others that had a brand new boiler a couple of years ago have had nothing but trouble with it and it leaves them cold every single winter. It was an expensive one too.

A lifespan of 7-10 years is poor when normal non condensing boilers last 15-20. This is not environmentally friendly!!

quote:

Well you obviously read the link and understand what you are on about - not.
Air source heat pump technology uses outside AIR to produce heat for indoors <rolleyes>
May I suggest you read before posting remarks like you have above?
The technology is not new - but it is a growing way to work in the UK. Depending on house construction, age and how well insulated the property is truly remarkable savings are to be had over gas or oil. I use it in my office as heating and cooling - and it works very well. I am uncertain as to if it could be used in my current house due to its construction and age - but I certainly would look at it, especially at the rate gas prices are increasing. It also attracts a nice subsididy at present I believe - or at least it did.
You also radically reduce your CO2 footprint - so no more feeling guilty about leaving your kit on 24/7..

I must confess that i did not read the link thinking back to my apprentice days that you meant air blowers that were monstrous in size and needed ducting all over the house. Had you put the proper term AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP i would have replied good idea as well as GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP and not replied the way that i did

It can be very difficult not to have to have a condenser fitted as this criteria is determined by the sighting of the condensing drain pipe [ there is a maximum length of the pipe run ] and i`m not quite sure if the pluming issue counts against having one either , i think that there may be a points system to determine whether you can get away without one but not being up to date on gas regs this would have to be discussed with your heating engineer

Just remembered that Saniflow and other manufacturers produce pumps that collect the condensate and then pump the waste some distance to a suitable drain so that would kick that excuse into touch