Boiler Recommendations

[wiggydiggy]

Our 12 year old BG branded boiler failed its annual service check and was tagged "unsafe do not use" a few weeks ago. Failed seal at the back. Contractor said most companies would condem and recommend new boiler. But BG carry spares and he was back the next day. Full strip down, seal replaced, other bits and bobs sorted in the process. Took over 1/2 day

Zero cost. All covered by BG annual cover.

It's definitely a service I want to buy, especially if I'm now buying a new boiler.

Ihadhome emergency cover on my insurance, absolutely useless as I called once and got cut off after 45 mins, the 2nd time was over an hour and cutoff again.

This was from Admiral Insurance who i would not now recommend at all, I'll be calling Monday to request a refund and to cancel as the service was abysmal.

 

[slowmotion]

Vaillant or Worcester Bosch.
Installers/specifiers tend to steer you towards a particular manufacturer because they get "points" every time they buy their boilers. The "points" can be traded for holidays, shopping vouchers etc.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Vaillant or Worcester Bosch.
Installers/specifiers tend to steer you towards a particular manufacturer because they get "points" every time they buy their boilers. The "points" can be traded for holidays, shopping vouchers etc.

Both of whom the guy that is coming has not recommended, though that be because of a loyalty scheme like you say.

 

[slowmotion]

Both of whom the guy that is coming has not recommended, though that be because of a loyalty scheme like you say.

Some people call it a loyalty scheme, some people call it a bribe.....

 

[wiggydiggy]

Some people call it a loyalty scheme, some people call it a bribe.....

I'm actually OK with the idea, we have loyalty cards when we go shopping for food so why not boilers too😁

 

[gbb]

Worth checking what finance deals can be done if short term financial are an issue.
BG for instance ( I know everyone hates them but they do only generally install reliable boilers...bearing in mind they also do aftercare...and they don't fit rubbish boilers that will end up costing them money if they're unreliable) do a 4 year interest free plan.

As an idea of cost, ours (veissman boiler and new HW tank) was £3300, kinda mates rates. My son said had BG fitted it, probably £5.5k, maybe a bit more. The mates rates deal..if the guy had fitted it to general public, it would have probably been £5k

it all seems expensive for a boiler that cost less than £2k , add on a tank, powerflush which can take the best part of a day, sundries, chemicals, Installation time etc.
Up posts is questioning plumbers recommendations...being a cynic, I wouldn't take what they say at face value, they have their preferences for their reasons too.
We went veissman because
A . recommended as good by my son (BG engineer)
B . Did the homework, they come out very well in reviews by owners and the industry, plus one of the only manufacturers to have a stainless steel heat exchanger, alloy exchangers failing will condemn a boiler generally...and they do fail, the alloy eventually gives out to to continual expansion / contraction. Mind, how stainless actually fares seems to be an unknown...yet the industry seem to think it will be better.
C. I don't personally try to do stuff cheap, there's a reason stuff is cheap.

 

[presta]

My BW boiler started leaking shortly after the 5yr warranty

5years? My Worcester Bosch (installed June 2017) is guaranteed for 10.

 

[I like Skol]

5years? My Worcester Bosch (installed June 2017) is guaranteed for 10.

Mine was fitted end of 2012. I think the warranty got extended shortly after that .

 

[wiggydiggy]

Worth checking what finance deals can be done if short term financial are an issue.
BG for instance ( I know everyone hates them but they do only generally install reliable boilers...bearing in mind they also do aftercare...and they don't fit rubbish boilers that will end up costing them money if they're unreliable) do a 4 year interest free plan.

As an idea of cost, ours (veissman boiler and new HW tank) was £3300, kinda mates rates. My son said had BG fitted it, probably £5.5k, maybe a bit more. The mates rates deal..if the guy had fitted it to general public, it would have probably been £5k

it all seems expensive for a boiler that cost less than £2k , add on a tank, powerflush which can take the best part of a day, sundries, chemicals, Installation time etc.
Up posts is questioning plumbers recommendations...being a cynic, I wouldn't take what they say at face value, they have their preferences for their reasons too.
We went veissman because
A . recommended as good by my son (BG engineer)
B . Did the homework, they come out very well in reviews by owners and the industry, plus one of the only manufacturers to have a stainless steel heat exchanger, alloy exchangers failing will condemn a boiler generally...and they do fail, the alloy eventually gives out to to continual expansion / contraction. Mind, how stainless actually fares seems to be an unknown...yet the industry seem to think it will be better.
C. I don't personally try to do stuff cheap, there's a reason stuff is cheap.

Luckily I'm getting some family help on it, I have savings though those would be wiped out if I used them for this. It's a straight replacement, no tank involved. I'd have preferred to do this next year and move the boiler into the loft (I live in a bungalow and the current boiler takes up a big space in the kitchen) but for now just replacing is the priority.


My quote is for £2.5k which I understand is about average for what I want. Recent life events have meant I've not been at home so much and might have found out it needed replacing earlier but we don't get to choose when bad stuff happens.

 

[Jameshow]

It's definitely a service I want to buy, especially if I'm now buying a new boiler.

Ihadhome emergency cover on my insurance, absolutely useless as I called once and got cut off after 45 mins, the 2nd time was over an hour and cutoff again.

This was from Admiral Insurance who i would not now recommend at all, I'll be calling Monday to request a refund and to cancel as the service was abysmal.

Ideal got funny with us and wouldn't honour the guarantee because one service was 3months out. ( New baby iirc!)

 

[Electric_Andy]

Just came across this thread, as my combi boiler has just been inspected and they said it needs a new expansion valve, but they are unwilling to fit one becasue my boiler is quite old and was rubbish to begin with.

So I'm getting some quotes for a new one; but I can't seem to find anywhere that explains just how important the Kw output is? I'm guessing bigger is better but that doesn't apply to car engines for example. Looks like it's going to be Veissmann becasue they had the best Which? efficiency rating and have 10 year guarantee. Foairly pricey at arounf £1500 but I want a good one.

It's a 3 bed semi-with only one shower. There are 2 tiny rads upstairs, one heated towel rail, and one medium sized rad downstairs which to be honest is new but pretty shite, it's the only heater downstairs and in winter it's only just warm to the touch when on full. All rads have been flushed, purged, balanced so I can only assume it's my old boiler that can't keep up with demand?

 

[MichaelW2]

My 2015 Alfa Intec 26C worked OK until this year. First the valve for heating/hot water failed. A few months later the main PCB failed. Eng said they were not his first choice but were adequate.
Are all controls through remote these days. My wife cant use the timer thermostat remote unit. She like rotary clock controls.

 

[Electric_Andy]

My 2015 Alfa Intec 26C worked OK until this year. First the valve for heating/hot water failed. A few months later the main PCB failed. Eng said they were not his first choice but were adequate.
Are all controls through remote these days. My wife cant use the timer thermostat remote unit. She like rotary clock controls.

I think all the mid-higher range ones are remote compatible, but I don't care about that. I just want hot stuff to come out of the thingy, and not have the shower go cold every 30 seconds, and for it not to cost a fortune to run

 

[rogerzilla]

Vaillant are said to be best. I can definitely advise you to avoid Potterton from personal experience. The 15HE we had used to eat circuit boards, gas valves and once stank out the whole downstairs when it tried to self-immolate.

I have had 100% reliable service from Ideal (and Stelrad Ideal before that) in two houses over 12 years, but they are not much liked by British Gas. I would buy one again, though.

In terms of power, a 15kW system boiler will do a modern 4-bed house, the radiator size being the main limit on how much heat can be supplied (radiators are rarely big enough). A bigger one will cycle more, and be inefficient. Combi boilers are much more powerful because of the instantaneous water heating requirement, and I don't know how they are sized. Most combis, and many bigger system boilers, seem to need a 28mm gas pipe from the meter, which could add to the cost.

 

[slowmotion]

As a manufacturer, Worcester Bosch has an excellent reputation. Our WB boiler hasn't missed a beat in fifteen years but it isn't a combi.