Our local B&Q warehouse are selling off their Ravenheat boilers at reduced prices.
For example, the bottom of the range combi is now £299.
Ideal for anyone who is doing up a property to sell on etc.
Dunno if it's a nationwide thing or just local.
sponix
Best to buy two and fit them in.
Presumably non-condensing
and who's going to cowboy fit them :-)
so ?
discounted boilers = cowboys ?
c',mon, lets see your workings out.
They had a condensor at £299
Don't you feel ashamed defending cowboys?
feels national seismic rumble of every plumber rushing to B&Q
/calls brother in law .......
Out of interest - I was chatting to my favourite CORGI last week, and he said his firm was rushed off their feet at the moment fitting new boilers, which he reckoned was due to the demise of cowboy fitters since the new regs and associated paperwork came in.
Having said that, I see there's still plenty of non-condensing boilers on sale everywhere, and I'm sure they aren't all destined for the minority of locations for which a condensing model is inappropriate...
David
I was talking the man in Wickes. He said the non-condensing combi sell more than the condensing, even in branches that don't have many flats around them.
The old wives tale that condensers are unreliable still holds.
There's a limited set of circumstances in which it's still legal to fit=20 non-condensing boilers.
You didn't really expect old wive's tales to all change overnight, did you?
Probably a good idea to call first as A) I dunno if the offer is local or national and B) They were flying out the door.
sponix
But condensors must be more unrealiable, almost by definition. They are more complicated, therefore more to go wrong.
sponix
The upside is £300-600 (relative to a premium model).
The downside is
1) Illegal 2) No paperwork. 3) More gas used. 4) More expensive spares. 5) Possibly less reliable. 6) Possibly no guarantee (Benchmark book cannot filled in.)The installer is in one of four classes. DIY You could argue competency implies doing thing right by law...
1) Unlikely to be enforced. 2) Not likely to be a problem. 3-6) No your problem if selling.Legit CORGI.
1-6 Do nothing to enhance your reputation or business plan.Dodgy CORGI.
1) Doesn't care. 2-6) Not his problem. Won't yet get checked up on since CORGI don't know he installed it. I have no idea what happens when/if CORGI do find out. The result is not likely to be getting struck off but it could wipe out the profits from several jobs. CORGI may insist the installer redoes the job properly at his own expense.Cowboy. As previous. Except that CORGI if/when they find out will probably make sure the book gets thrown at the installer in court - the fine will likely run to a few thousand. Only likely to come to light if there is a safety issue arising from the matter.
This needs to be looked at in context.
It is possible to manufacture a non condensing boiler using simple components and controls, no fan, a fixed pilot light etc. and it may well be reliable for a long time. However, it will be at the bottom of the efficiency range of even a few years ago and in the case of a lot of designs it was not possible to meet minimum requirements without the addition of a fan and pilotless electronic ignition.
Early UK attempts at making condensing boilers adapted these inappropriate designs without changing the materials used and essentially bolting bits on. Hence the reputation of these models.
Manufacturers in Germany and Holland did a proper design exercise and were able to produce good quality condensing designs at least 15 years ago.
If one takes a recent design non condensing boiler that met more recent efficiency requirements, it typically has a fan flue, electronic ignition and control and a large heat exchanger.
A condensing boiler has all of these plus a condensate trap and drain. That's about it.
So to say that a condensing boiler is unreliable in comparison to a recent non condensing design really doesn't hold up.
... and they can work out who the Dr. Drib^h^h^h^h^h^h^h cowboy is!
Jeez!
It is still legal to fit noncondensing boilers in a fairly large number of applications. In fact in some applications you can't fit anything else! Have you actually read the rules?
Our local B&Q have a range of boilers at various prices, all discounted and obviously you select one that fits your own application rather than one that doesn't. If you want a condensing one then you buy a condensing one.
The boilers on offer are:
Why does a boiler being on special offer indicate a cowboy or non legit plumber? Do you always buy your DIY stuff from the most expensive supplier? If you do then you are an idiot.
All I'm trying to do is point out a selection of very competitively priced boilers which might just help one or two people out.
I thought the whole idea of this ng was to help other people out?
sponix
No, but a recent non-condeser will always be more reliable that a comparable condenser.
sponix
.............. wot ee said, 100% agreement.
I respect ed sirret as a good un, very knowledgeable, he ought to allow for the undeniable fact that he's not alone ... up there.
OK, so show me where in the "rules" that it states it illegal to buy a non-condensing boiler?
Also, take another look at my first post and read it this time. Where did I advicate buying and installing a non-condensor illegally?
All I did was point out that B&Q are selling off all their Ravenheat boilers and that the cheapest (Non condensor) was £299.
sponix
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