How long should a combi boiler last?
Discussion
I've got a Vaillant ecomax 835/2e which is showing all the signs of impending death. It won't generate anything more than tepid water when a tap is turned on (burner goes initially full then back to part throttle with status code S53) and the diverter and secondary heat exchanger have been replaced. The CH isn't working properly either, sometimes the rads get warm (not hot) but often some of the feed pipes get warm but the rads don't even if I turn the pump up to maximum - it's never been great since I moved in last year though.
It has been suggested (by Vaillant, and by the plumber that replaced the secondary heat exchanger) that this all means the main heat exchanger is clogged up so not able to deliver water fast enough and the boiler goes into part power mode. The price of this part is so expensive that I might as well just spend a bit more and get another boiler. Six years does not seem a reasonable working life for something like this
Anyway, what's a good make to replace it with? Something like the now 25 year old non-combi, non-condensing, non-breaking down Gloworm that I helped my Dad fit at my parents house in the 1980s (good old days when you could work on gas and electrics yourself) would be good.
It has been suggested (by Vaillant, and by the plumber that replaced the secondary heat exchanger) that this all means the main heat exchanger is clogged up so not able to deliver water fast enough and the boiler goes into part power mode. The price of this part is so expensive that I might as well just spend a bit more and get another boiler. Six years does not seem a reasonable working life for something like this
Anyway, what's a good make to replace it with? Something like the now 25 year old non-combi, non-condensing, non-breaking down Gloworm that I helped my Dad fit at my parents house in the 1980s (good old days when you could work on gas and electrics yourself) would be good.
This is a post I posted a few weeks back, the fault to your boiler appears to be similar to the fault I had with an aging Worcester boiler. Do Vaillant offer a similar service, repair contract to what Worcester offered me?
“About 6 months ago I purchased a property with a Worcester combi boiler installed. When the tenant/s were using the shower, the boiler would stop producing hot water. My regular boiler engineer recommended a possible new heat exchanger and a power flush, but was recommended to try the power flush first.
The power flush failed to correct the problem with the hot water system, the engineer suggested a new heat exchanger costing 700.00 to supply and install, with no guarantee that this might work.
I phoned Worcester direct, it was suggested I take out an annual maintenance contract costing 23.00 per month, this I did @ 10.30 am, at 11.30 a phone call from a Worcester engineer confirmed he would be with me within the hour. By the afternoon of that same day, Worcester had replaced the heat exchanger and another part (possibly second heat exchanger), and the boiler has functioned correctly ever since.”
“About 6 months ago I purchased a property with a Worcester combi boiler installed. When the tenant/s were using the shower, the boiler would stop producing hot water. My regular boiler engineer recommended a possible new heat exchanger and a power flush, but was recommended to try the power flush first.
The power flush failed to correct the problem with the hot water system, the engineer suggested a new heat exchanger costing 700.00 to supply and install, with no guarantee that this might work.
I phoned Worcester direct, it was suggested I take out an annual maintenance contract costing 23.00 per month, this I did @ 10.30 am, at 11.30 a phone call from a Worcester engineer confirmed he would be with me within the hour. By the afternoon of that same day, Worcester had replaced the heat exchanger and another part (possibly second heat exchanger), and the boiler has functioned correctly ever since.”
My Potterton was installed in 1996, it is still producing good HW & CH but has been repaired on many occasions and has needed new parts. I reckon on a couple of more years and that will be it. I hope it lasts until I move! Fortunately I have been able to fix its faults myself, as I type the fan is making horrible noises, the bearings are shot, this will need a strip down soon I expect.
I have had to fix something every year, I now leave the front casing off for easy access and a bowl underneath for when it springs another leak.
I have had to fix something every year, I now leave the front casing off for easy access and a bowl underneath for when it springs another leak.
My cheapo Ravenheat combi is up to 8 years.
New fan fitted by myself and a very minor leak in the heat exchanger (which fixed itself after a year)
Old boiler lasted 30 years before it rusted away. The Ravenheat is saving about 25% on my Gas bills so will just about pay for itself and fitting after 8 years. Might try a better brand if it dies but they cost twice as much so I'd expect 16 years at least!
New fan fitted by myself and a very minor leak in the heat exchanger (which fixed itself after a year)
Old boiler lasted 30 years before it rusted away. The Ravenheat is saving about 25% on my Gas bills so will just about pay for itself and fitting after 8 years. Might try a better brand if it dies but they cost twice as much so I'd expect 16 years at least!
I'd imagine condensing boilers won't last as long an non-condensing items. Quite a lot of debris ends up in the condensate trap which I believe is the inside of the main heat exchanger wearing away.
My personal record is removing a 2 year old Halstead boiler and replacing it with a Worcester Bosch 35 CDI Combi. The Halstead had broken down 27 times.
A dirty heating system can prematurely kill a boiler, a magnetic filter on the heating return is a worthwhile investment.
My personal record is removing a 2 year old Halstead boiler and replacing it with a Worcester Bosch 35 CDI Combi. The Halstead had broken down 27 times.
A dirty heating system can prematurely kill a boiler, a magnetic filter on the heating return is a worthwhile investment.
Rickyy said:
I'd imagine condensing boilers won't last as long an non-condensing items. Quite a lot of debris ends up in the condensate trap which I believe is the inside of the main heat exchanger wearing away.
My personal record is removing a 2 year old Halstead boiler and replacing it with a Worcester Bosch 35 CDI Combi. The Halstead had broken down 27 times.
A dirty heating system can prematurely kill a boiler, a magnetic filter on the heating return is a worthwhile investment.
Glad you said that. I'm just having a WB 35CDI fitted with a Magnaclean on the return...My personal record is removing a 2 year old Halstead boiler and replacing it with a Worcester Bosch 35 CDI Combi. The Halstead had broken down 27 times.
A dirty heating system can prematurely kill a boiler, a magnetic filter on the heating return is a worthwhile investment.
vanman said:
Tonsko said:
They will last around 10 years.
Based upon what exactly?I visit many boilers a week that are over 10 years old and still going strong.
We had a Worcester Bosch 37CDI fitted 4 years ago. V few problems and all resolved by W/B engineers who are brilliant. We have it serviced every year regular and this is essential. We also have fitted a Salamander trap and a magnetic iron deposit trap which, when serviced last month had no deposits on it at all. It runs very well and heats up quickly. The reason we had a large boiler was to get the flow to more than one tap at a time whic it does well. So service regularly and dont spare costs on that activity.
chopper602 said:
10 year lifespan (to me anyway) seems a little short for such an expensive appliance.
I don't think it's that bad given the stop/start nature of its operation. I would expect 15 years tops, but they are expensive to repair and I'd sooner replace a faulty one with a new one. As above, have it serviced annually and a flush/inhibitor added on the first or second service - plumber mate tells me this makes a lot of difference.gericb said:
We had a Worcester Bosch 37CDI fitted 4 years ago. V few problems and all resolved by W/B engineers who are brilliant. We have it serviced every year regular and this is essential. We also have fitted a Salamander trap and a magnetic iron deposit trap which, when serviced last month had no deposits on it at all. It runs very well and heats up quickly. The reason we had a large boiler was to get the flow to more than one tap at a time whic it does well. So service regularly and dont spare costs on that activity.
You created a post and dragged up a thread that's 4 years old to tell us that?Thanks. I think.
So, do you enjoy working for Worcester Bosch?
We have a Worcester 350. It was fitted when we first moved into this house and is 23 years old now.
Apart from a fan replacement, its giving us our first niggle now.
The hot water goes hot and then cold and repeats. It's because the boiler flames up and then cuts out over and over again unless you get the hot tap to a certain level of flow. (about 1/4 flow).
I think it is the water to water heat exchanger gunged up.
Bit of a bugger really.
Apart from a fan replacement, its giving us our first niggle now.
The hot water goes hot and then cold and repeats. It's because the boiler flames up and then cuts out over and over again unless you get the hot tap to a certain level of flow. (about 1/4 flow).
I think it is the water to water heat exchanger gunged up.
Bit of a bugger really.
This was my topic I just realised, the problem with the boiler was that the water pipes through the primary heat exchanger were clogged with gunk. I ended up fixing it for £15 by running a bottle of X800 through the system with all the CH turned off apart from the closest radiator so it ran in a short(ish) loop. It took about a fortnight, but it started working properly again, so I drained all the (by then very black) water and refilled using an inhibitor. It has been fine ever since.
With the small pipes inside the main heat exchanger clogged the boiler couldn't modulate the flame to maintain the temperature as the flow was to slow, so during high demand (e.g. a shower, when it first failed) it cut out due to overheating of the water. You could hear it "kettling" as the water boiled internally.
With the small pipes inside the main heat exchanger clogged the boiler couldn't modulate the flame to maintain the temperature as the flow was to slow, so during high demand (e.g. a shower, when it first failed) it cut out due to overheating of the water. You could hear it "kettling" as the water boiled internally.
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