Central Heating boiler replacement.

[4square]

Our current boiler is 1990 Glowworm Hideaway, CF60, chimney flue, which may need replacing in near future. It is installed in kitchen, using the original as-built lined brick chimney. There are no convenient outside walls on which to fit a wall-hung, balanced-flue boiler, nor drains for outlet from a condensing boiler. I understand, Glowworm do not make this or a similar model any longer, and I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for a suitable replacement, in the same location. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

[John]

Could a flue be installed down the chimney? Most manf show flue specs on the installer web pages. (Mine can be up to 23 metres long)

Condensate should be possible somehow in a kitchen - have you considered every possible solution?

Have you considered locating it in roofspace?

[John Rumm]

Condensate pumps can fix the latter problem usually, and the existing flue route ought to be reusable. There is however a legitimate route for installing a non condenser in some circumstances. Details described here:

[Andy Champ]

Why? If it's working, leave it alone. If it isn't - well you'd wouldn't be talking about "near future".

It's unlikely that you'll get payback on a replacement boiler. And spares are probably available.

Andy

[Terry Fields]

My old cast-iron Glowworm back boiler was 30 years old when we moved. In that time it had never broken down. Last year's winter quarter took £200 of gas, 40 percent of the annual total.

To replace it made no economic sense, and no practical sense either, as the space it left could not be used for anything else, and finding space for a new boiler in a small semi would have been problematic.

I suggest you determine the availability of spare parts for your current boiler and consider keeping it, having it serviced by someone who, unlike BG, will not persuade you to have it changed.

A possible replacement could be the Baxi condensing back-boiler, the flue for which would run up your current chimney, but I've no experience of these.

TF

[4square]

Thank-you all for replies and advice. It seems, that any replacement would be balanced flue, as CF no longer made, which would be a problem, due to distance from outside walls. I think I shall get it serviced soon by local heating engineer, see what his opinion is.

[Doctor Drivel]

Thank-you all for replies and advice. It seems, that any replacement would be balanced flue, as CF no longer made, which would be a problem, due to distance from outside walls. I think I shall get it serviced soon by local heating engineer, see what his opinion is.

[Bob Minchin]

I have figured and a modern boiler makes no economic sense

40% off my gas bill might be £250 pa. Knock annual service costs of modern boilers and it will take longer than that new boiler will last to break even. 30 year old cast iron for me until such time as I can no longer buy the odd parts it needs such as a thermocouple every few years.

Bob

[Doctor Drivel]

What tripe. Modern quality boilers do not cost any more to service. If anything less. Your old clunker needs more attention and also needs a once a year service as well. Some have no service interval, just a flue check on the products of combustion outlet.

Energy had gone up 114% since 2004. And it is rising.