Just replaced my boiler

[PJ]

Just out of interest I have just replaced my Gloworm boiler after 16 years service in favour of a combi. Just before I took it out I checked it over. The flame was nice and the inside of the combustion chamber exceptionally clean. In 16 years the boiler was serviced just once (end of first year - FOC!) and it's had one new thermo-couple. It has never let me down. Just proves that these annual services are sometimes a pure con and are not always necessary.

[Set Square]

In that case, why did you replace it - particularly with a COMBI ?!!!!

[Mike Mitchell]

But for peace of mind, it isn't a lot, is it? I have also had my very basic Servowarm boiler for over twenty years and the Servowarm bloke says it's so simple, there's very little that can go wrong with it. A couple of thermocouples was all it needed over the years.

Having said that, I expect it to blow up in the next half-hour!

MM

[Mike Mitchell]

Eh?!!!!! I thought combi boilers were the white heat of technology! What's wrong with them? I'm not disagreeing with you, just surprised at your comment. What else should I look for instead?

MM

[Set Square]

Have you not seen the recent thread on Combis vs Conventional Boilers - aka IMM vs the rest of the world?

Combis are ok in certain (very limited) circumstances - but having a supply of stored hot water has a lot of advantages.

Are you sure that you're not confusing Combi with Condensing? If you want to replace a conventional boiler (which supplies CH and stored DHW) and you want to be at the forefront of technology, replace it with a conventional condensing boiler - which will be a lot more fuel efficient than the old one but will retain all the other advantages.

[Lurch]

On Mon, 5 Jul 2004 09:31:53 +0100, "PJ" strung together this:

It doesn't prove anything, it's a pure fluke, it's just as likely to explode through lack of servicing, killing your entire family in the middle of the night, as it is to run without a problem.

[Lurch]

On Mon, 05 Jul 2004 11:39:39 +0100, Mike Mitchell strung together this:

Although they're quite handy, (I have just fitted a Worcester Greenstar 35HE so I can get a decent shower), I would prefer some stored, pressurised water, Most probably through a heat bank of some sort. If you plumb it in the right way you get continuous, mains pressure water, which is better than the reasonably pressurised water from a combi.

[Dave]

Maybe it's something about Gloworm. Ours is 18 years old, I've moved it once and occasionally cleaned it out but not one thing has gone wrong (although I think the Tstat is getting dodgy as it's sounded "bubbly" a couple of times recently). The only minor problem was kettling but this was fixed with additives.

However, it will be time to replace it soon as part of some extension work (still not started!) and I'm probably going to opt for a heat bank at the same time. I know there's one well-known person on this newsgroup who has used one, is there anyone else with stories or opinions?

Dave S

[Dave Plowman (News)]

My experience too. However, a regular safety check is still a good idea. But pulling it apart to 'service' it every year is to be avoided.

[Tony Bryer]

I would have thought that an unserviced room sealed boiler was highly unlikely to kill anyone. It might just die at the wrong moment or be costing the owner money due to running at reduced efficiency. Equally taking a perfectly working boiler to bits and putting it together again might well cause problems.

[Lurch]

On Mon, 05 Jul 2004 14:20:25 +0100, Tony Bryer strung together this:

Well, I was generalising a bit!

[StealthUK]

The cast iron boilers just keep going. I've just replaced one the other week with a combi. It only gave trouble once in the 8 years I've used it (had been installed 7 years before me). Flushed the CH system out every 3 years and added rust inhibitor. About twice I opened the body and cleaned out the crud from the burner. That was about it.

Nothing wrong in a combi, btw, eventhough some on this NG slate them to high heaven. I've got a proper working shower and no need to wait for the bloody water to heat!

[Andrew Gabriel]

Yes, my parents had one for 35 years, an Ideal Standard. It only gave trouble when serviced by the gas board (as was), who always managed to break a few of the ceramic jets getting the burner assembly out (whereas my father and I never broke a single one in ~30 years of servicing it). Also, the gas board failed to convert it to natural gas -- my father did it after they'd given up leaving it in pieces all over the kitchen and not come back.

The only reason it was eventually replaced was to recover the space it occupied.

[Tony Bryer]

Having gone combi a few months back I agree, though I guess that whether you hold this opinion depends on whether you are shower or bath person. And if you are a shower family with four teenage daughters you might find the loss of heating for an hour at a time in the winter a bit trying.

[Scott Mills]

Agreed, but so does a continuous supply of hot water.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You need to define 'continuous' and 'hot' though. My storage system will also supply continuous hot water.

[Ed Sirett]

Agreed, but I have also been to boilers that were much younger and full of soot.

[BillV]

Well, at least one Potterton Netaheat has killed its owner ...

[Scott Mills]

At what price?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It will obviously be less efficient than a direct heat boiler used in this way, but then it never is. Or rather rarely. But if you say come home from holiday, and it's been off, and want a shower, by the time the kettle has boiled for a cup of tea you can have as many showers as you want - albeit not piping hot.