Boiler replacement

[dfen5]

My new (old) house has a floor standing boiler flu'd directly up the chimney above it. so far one local and one British Gas plumber have gone, ooh, you'll need a combi, take that out and fit a combi in the downstairs loo.

Now I don't really want the boiler in the downstairs loo and I've nothing else to fit in the chimney space the old boiler would vacate (decided not to put a multi-fuel in the hole).

So why doesn't it seem possible for someone to just replace the floor stander with a more modern one?

Edited by dfen5 on Tuesday 16th February 22:25

[havoc]

Was having a chat to our plumber about boilers when he did the service last month, and he was talking about all the regs they now have to comply with...which may well be part of the problem.

If you want a 3rd opinion PM me and I'll try and dig his details out for you.

[Simpo Two]

1980s: Endowment mortgages
1990s: Technology stocks
2000s: Combi boilers

[dfen5]

Simpo Two said:

1980s: Endowment mortgages
1990s: Technology stocks
2000s: Combi boilers

Exactly. The floor standing condensating replacement for mine is over 90% efficient, lowest emissions and it's only a few hundred more than a combi (and without all the fans to go wrong, hot water lag, lack of a tank etc.)

[Deva Link]

dfen5 said:

Exactly. The floor standing condensating replacement for mine is over 90% efficient, lowest emissions and it's only a few hundred more than a combi (and without all the fans to go wrong, hot water lag, lack of a tank etc.)

Which boiler is that, please?

[dfen5]

Deva Link said:

dfen5 said:

Exactly. The floor standing condensating replacement for mine is over 90% efficient, lowest emissions and it's only a few hundred more than a combi (and without all the fans to go wrong, hot water lag, lack of a tank etc.)

Which boiler is that, please?

http://www.cheapboilers.com/gas/conventional/floor/worcester/greenstar-30-cdi.htm

or http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/product...

[dfen5]

Posible answer here - it is to do with the system being gravity fed. Switching it to a pumped system sems to be the answer.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10198...

[Ferg]

Why does the position of the boiler dictate the way that the domestic hot water is heated?

The people advising you are morons. Tell them to fk off.....quickly.

[motco]

Ferg said:

Why does the position of the boiler dictate the way that the domestic hot water is heated?

The people advising you are morons. Tell them to fk off.....quickly.

I have an old Potterton floor standing boiler and it's connected to a flue that's now contained within the house - extension surrounds it. Is there a non-combi, condensing direct replacement for this? It sounds like the same problem as the OP

[Ferg]

The Worcester boiler mentioned above will do the job, but firstly, you'll need to line the flue and second, the system must be fully pumped, not gravity hot-water.

[motco]

Ferg said:

The Worcester boiler mentioned above will do the job, but firstly, you'll need to line the flue and second, the system must be fully pumped, not gravity hot-water.

Thanks Ferg. As far as I can tell it's already lined with a stainless steel 'concertina' sort of tube and, yes it is gravity right now, but changing that would be easy. Sounds like an option compared with the £3-4k I have been quoted to move the location across the room and fit a wall-mounted Vaillant. I like Vaillants as my son's flat has one and it's been reliable for a long time, but that's just too much dosh.

[Ferg]

The flue liner MUST be changed when a boiler is changed..
However, in this case it really is a must as the liner is different to the old type to cope with the condensate.

[Ferg]

Incidentally....
I have had to sort out warranty calls to 4 Vaillants in the last couple of months......

[motco]

Ferg said:

Incidentally....
I have had to sort out warranty calls to 4 Vaillants in the last couple of months......

Ah, that's not what I expected as I have read/heard good things about Vaillants in the past - even on here. I take the point about the new liner - thanks again. You're not in the South Bucks area are you? No, probably not...

[dfen5]

Thanks for the replies Ferg. I'll try a couple more locals and be a bit specific in what I want doing. Any idea what it would cost to convert a system from gravity to pumped and replace a floor stander with a new one inc' doing the flue?

Edited by dfen5 on Wednesday 17th February 21:14

[Ferg]

dfen5 said:

Thanks for the replies Ferg. I'll try a couple more locals and be a bit specific in what I want doing. Any idea what it would cost to convert a system from gravity to pumped and replace a floor stander with a new one inc' doing the flue?

All depends. The cheapest will be on an outside wall and near to a waste pipe and the airing cupboard. As you move away from these it will get dearer. Bear in mind that a vertical balanced flue isn't that expensive up through the roof if you can't get to an outside wall.

[dfen5]

Ferg said:

dfen5 said:

Thanks for the replies Ferg. I'll try a couple more locals and be a bit specific in what I want doing. Any idea what it would cost to convert a system from gravity to pumped and replace a floor stander with a new one inc' doing the flue?

All depends. The cheapest will be on an outside wall and near to a waste pipe and the airing cupboard. As you move away from these it will get dearer. Bear in mind that a vertical balanced flue isn't that expensive up through the roof if you can't get to an outside wall.

The flue will (hopefully) just go up the chimney above the existing boiler, replacing the existing one.