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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to replace very old boiler?

65 replies

Amibeingdaft81 · 18/06/2019 06:04

Sorry Boring!

12 year old Combi boiler.
No problems. Works fine. However it’s so old!

Are boilers one of those things that even if working well - from a safety perspective you don’t keep one going indefinitely?

If replace, any recommendations please?

OP posts:
cochineal7 · 18/06/2019 06:05

That’s not too old for a good boiler.

TapasForTwo · 18/06/2019 06:08

Agree with cochineal. If it ain't broken etc. As long as it is serviced every year.

Frenchfancy · 18/06/2019 06:18

12 years isn't old. Leave it alone if it works. Service once a year.

Thingsthatgo · 18/06/2019 06:32

Mine is about the same age. Each year, when I get it serviced, I ask if it needs replacing.
Apparently they are a bit like cars... of ten they can keep going (safely) for many years and you can just replace the bits that need it.

supersop60 · 18/06/2019 06:37

Ours is 15 years old. We have it serviced annually. It's fine.

Fairylea · 18/06/2019 06:38

That isn’t old for a boiler. I thought you were going to say 20 years plus!

megrichardson · 18/06/2019 06:40

I think it is quite old, and sod's law, if you leave it, it will wait till there's snow on the ground and then choose to break down.

Andonandonan · 18/06/2019 06:47

12 years isn’t that old for a boiler. If it’s still working, leave it. Keep getting it serviced regularly etc so it’s in the best condition possible and it could last a lot longer. No need to replace something that works fine just because it’s ‘old’.

Ffsnosexallowed · 18/06/2019 06:49

The only reason I'd consider replacing it is if it is very inefficient.

dementedpixie · 18/06/2019 06:49

Mine is 20 years old. It's on my list for getting replaced in the next year, mainly because you can't get parts for it now. Is very inefficient too

maggienolia · 18/06/2019 06:50

My mum's boiler is over 30 years old and keeps going , if it isn't broken don't change it.
We have always had Worcester Bosch and been happy with them.

Roussette · 18/06/2019 06:50

12 year old Combi boiler.
No problems. Works fine. However it’s so old!

You're joking!

Ours is 22 years old. Regularly serviced. Asked boiler servicing company if we should get a new one... answer was... absolutely not. This boiler was built to last, don't even think about changing it.

speakout · 18/06/2019 06:51

As long as it is serviced every year I don't see a problem.

maggienolia · 18/06/2019 06:52

As an aside I go into a lot of sheltered housing and they have Valiant boilers - they seem to need repairing a lot.

Whackaguacamole · 18/06/2019 07:02

You're reminded me mine needs a service, also 10+, so thanks OP.

Reacting some of the zero net emission target news - getting more efficient boilers seems like it will be quite important and it talks about how will the govt incentivise people, so I'm hoping there'll be some grants etc in time

DontCallMeShitley · 18/06/2019 07:33

I would keep it, I don't replace things that still work.

Re: the comment about Vaillant boilers above, we had to replace the old boiler when we bought this house as it really did give up and a Vaillant is one of the better ones, so that is what we have. It has only needed attention when it has been serviced twice, and one of those times it just needed the vessel recharging. I would still keep an old and working boiler though, and research the durability of new ones before paying out a lot of money.

LoubyLou1234 · 18/06/2019 07:37

We moved to a house and our boiler is 2005. It's been serviced it's fine. Boiler guy said it's a simple boiler that could last years. So I'm happy to keep it going. Saves us money!

TwoleftUggs · 18/06/2019 07:40

12 years is not old for a good boiler. Our Worcester boiler is 15 and at the last annual service I asked the BG engineer if I should think about changing it. He laughed me out the house, said it has years to go.
I wouldn’t feel so comfortable without an annual service though. I think we are conditioned to think that old equals unreliable so it puts my mind at rest.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 18/06/2019 07:41

Our Potterton is 25 years old and serviced annually. The service people are generally very polite about it and comment that modern boilers are not built as well.

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 18/06/2019 07:43

Boilers have a shelf life of 20- 25 years...

As long as it’s serviced annually then you will be fine.

pilates · 18/06/2019 07:44

I would keep it if you have it serviced regularly. It will not be as efficient as newer boilers though.

LIZS · 18/06/2019 07:44

We only recently replaced 20+ yo boiler.

Chasingsquirrels · 18/06/2019 07:47

I replaced a 15yo boiler after 13 years in the house. We had problems with it from the start and it had a lot of new parts in those 13 years. Eventually it broke down for good.

I'm pretty sure that my neighbours haven't replaced theirs - 2 houses built together which are now 20 years old.

My parents still have the original, 80s, boiler in their house - so coming up for 40 years.

I would say that my new boiler is a lot more efficient in oil use than the old one, but it would take quite a long period of fuel efficiency to recoup the initial outlay.

BlueJava · 18/06/2019 08:57

12 years isnt old - 20+ years would be.

Geekster1963 · 18/06/2019 09:09

As long as you get it serviced annually it's fine. The boiler in the house we bought 18 months ago is around 12 years old. We got it serviced a year ago and it hadn't been done in years! He said it was close to packing up but has been fine since it was serviced and had a good clean, way more efficient now too.

We had a new boiler put in in the house we used to live in and it was a pain from the off, kept losing pressure and switching off. Turned out it was faulty from the start! So we are leaving this one well alone.