CH System / Tank replacement

[Spice_Weasel]

We've been in our house for 3 years and are gradually getting round our 5 year plan / 'to do' list. The house is 40 years old and as we live in a rural spot with no gas supply, we have an oil-fired boiler for hot water and central heating. The boiler itself is fine, was a new unit fitted a few years before we moved in and we have it serviced annually. My concern is that the original system, a header tank in the loft and a copper cylinder in the airing cupboard (which itself is in the main bathroom), is showing its age and really should be replaced.

What are my options for replacing them? Do I opt for another vented system and replace like-for-like or is it better to opt for an unvented system? Can anyone advise on a rough budget?

TIA

[Esseesse]

I have a slightly older house than you with probably a similar setup (except I'm on gas). I think I'm going for an unvented system boiler with a Megaflow tank. A combi is another option and ditch the tank but seems more suited to smaller houses with less people demanding hot water at once.

[8-P]

Interesting, similar issue here. Mine is mainly that I want better pressure upstairs, so unvented would solve this. The problem is I cannot find any article online to say if my current boiler is suitable. Do you have to have a particular boiler type to work with an unvented system? Im not hi-jacking as clearly like you Id be reluctant to bin off a nearly new boiler!

[anonymous-user]

Being rural I would check your incoming water mains supply pressure and flow, as unvented cylinders have minimum requirements.

[Pickled Piper]

Hi we have an old system boiler. Some years ago we got rid of the copper tank and replaced it with an unvented cylinder (Oso). This was all part of some refurbishment work. We have excellent water pressure (we got rid of the shower pump as it was no longer required).

In answer to your questions; No you don't need a particular type of boiler to use an unvented cylinder and yes it will give you good pressure providing you have an adequate mains supply.

We paid about £1500, more than ten years ago for supply and fit of the tank, plus relocation from airing cupboard to loft.

Hope that helps. It's nothing a competent plumber can't do or advise you on.

[mondayo]

We have a very old house and a maze of pipes all over the place. We had to buy a new boiler last year and decided that for us, keeping the current vented system was best....particularly as we have multiple bathrooms/showers. Plus the existing pipe work is such a mess, trying to change probably would have been a nightmare.
I'm not disagreeing with any other comments but I'm sure we had to buy a specific boiler, for our system...just because you don't get a combi boiler, doesn't mean it can't be efficient or condensing. Also, with our set up, we can have multiple sources drawing how water, with no issues regarding pressure or the system running cold, like we had in our last house, with its combi boiler.
This guide may help....other boilers are available
https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/products/boilers...

[Spice_Weasel]

Thanks for the views so far. The company that services the boiler has put me in touch with a couple of plumbers that they trust so I will get some advice and estimates but you've given me a few things to consider and discuss.

[8-P]

Pickled Piper said:

Hi we have an old system boiler. Some years ago we got rid of the copper tank and replaced it with an unvented cylinder (Oso). This was all part of some refurbishment work. We have excellent water pressure (we got rid of the shower pump as it was no longer required).

In answer to your questions; No you don't need a particular type of boiler to use an unvented cylinder and yes it will give you good pressure providing you have an adequate mains supply.

We paid about £1500, more than ten years ago for supply and fit of the tank, plus relocation from airing cupboard to loft.

Hope that helps. It's nothing a competent plumber can't do or advise you on.

Music to my ears. I think Id keep my airing cupboard otherwise Id need to re do my bathroom at the same time!

My other option is to get a more manly pump such as a Stuart Turner, plug the other bathroom into it but I dont like pumps, they are noisy and these seems like a short term answer and not that cheap.