DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

We had central heating installed in our 3 bed semi around 1980,the boiler is a floorstanding Potteron CF situated in small shed attached to house and the hot water is gravity fed. I've replaced the thermocoupling, the pump and the ball valve to header tank over the years for a total outlay of around £100. The government scrappage scheme has persuaded us to look at investing in a new boiler [it seems that although our one is safe, it is uneconomical to run, is not planet friendly, and it goes on working for ever]. Estimates given so far range between £2800 and £3500, and consensus seems to point towards replacing with a Combi. If I leave the world behind before my wife, I would not like to think of her having to shell out for boiler repairs like PCBs, heat exchangers, diverter valves, fans etc. I would be grateful for advice as to which boiler, Combi or Other is best equipped to give maintainence free service over the next 15-20 years.

None the average combi life is 10 - 15 years.


htg

This is also very much depends on how its installed, as well, some are better than others. But to this date I have never known a combi to go more than 8 years without something needing replacing. Most do not see the 15 year mark, except well installed looked after systems (rare)

Thanks htg and Neil, but if I'm to believe what you say, and there's no reason not to, it seems the only thing economical about the new generation of boilers is the truth in manufactures literature.

[would not like to think of her having to shell out for boiler repairs like PCBs, heat exchangers, diverter valves, fans etc. I would be grateful for advice as to which boiler, Combi or Other is best equipped to give maintainence free service over the next 15-20 years.[/quote]

Several problems with older boilers; they are easy to repair, most spares are readily available and they last too long.

Do yourself a big favour and keep the one you've got.

Better for you, better for the environment

No matter what boiler you buy, there are no guarantees that it will not need any repairs whether it is one year old or 20!!! For better advice Google theses guys "heatingcentral.com"

jimhet wrote:We had central heating installed in our 3 bed semi around 1980,the boiler is a floorstanding Potteron CF situated in small shed attached to house and the hot water is gravity fed. I've replaced the thermocoupling, the pump and the ball valve to header tank over the years for a total outlay of around £100. The government scrappage scheme has persuaded us to look at investing in a new boiler [it seems that although our one is safe, it is uneconomical to run, is not planet friendly, and it goes on working for ever]. Estimates given so far range between £2800 and £3500, and consensus seems to point towards replacing with a Combi. If I leave the world behind before my wife, I would not like to think of her having to shell out for boiler repairs like PCBs, heat exchangers, diverter valves, fans etc. I would be grateful for advice as to which boiler, Combi or Other is best equipped to give maintainence free service over the next 15-20 years.

It's complicated :oops:

'Several problems with older boilers; they are easy to repair' and manufacturers are dis-continuing parts or drastically increasing prices of parts - yes to make people upgrade as old boilers are not efficient/environmentally friendly

'better for the environment'- not true, new A rated boilers are better for the environment


htg

Taking into account the energy used/needed to make, transport and fit a new boiler, is there really much to choose between fitting a new inefficient boiler with a balanced flue and no fan or pcb, lasting 25-30 years, [if they were still made] or an A rated state of the art energy efficient boiler, that, apart from the extra expense of the system needing a powerflush before fitting along with installing a magnaclean [which will probably leak] will also likely to need shed loads of money thrown at it within 7-10 years if not sooner and scrapped before its 12th birthday.

Sometimes boiler really have an issue, company always say it's 15-20 years guaranteed good quality performance (sales-talk :x ) but year after year you will see the problem.

thanks for sharing :)

[quote="jimhet"]Taking into account the energy used/needed to make, transport and fit a new boiler, is there really much to choose between fitting a new inefficient boiler with a balanced flue and no fan or pcb, lasting 25-30 years, [if they were still made] or an A rated state of the art energy efficient boiler, that, apart from the extra expense of the system needing a powerflush before fitting along with installing a magnaclean [which will probably leak] will also likely to need shed loads of money thrown at it within 7-10 years if not sooner and scrapped before its 12th birthday.[/quote]


Exactly correct same as car scrapage my 10 year old with30,000 miles will do another 30000 so replacing it would create far more pollution in manufacture than slightly higher emission of the old one would