Boiler help please!

[boilerquestion]

Sorry shamelessly posting for traffic

I have a coverplan on my boiler (it's a system, not a combi one, installed in 2010)

About 2 years ago I had about £400 worth of work done on it. Last year it needed a £300 part (replacement pump I think) so I took out the cover as that got the part replaced and was only £300 for the year.

I've now had it go wrong again, no heating and we're absolutely freezing - the engineer took great delight in saying the part (a 2 port valve?) isn't included in my cover - company can' t comment as they won't have his report until Monday.

I think it is included from my reading of the cover, but also I'm pretty sure I paid for this part to be replaced 2 years ago! Now having to go through all my records to see if I have anything about it.

I've just called a local plumber who said I'm looking at £400 to replace Not ideal right before Christmas.

Anyone have any ideas? Boiler is Worcester Bosch btw.

You’re throwing good money after bad, our plumber says modern boilers have a life span of approximately 10 years and yours is past that point

Did they not make you aware that fixing is going to cost more than replacement given your previous repairs? You’ve already spent half of the cost of a new boiler fixing it

What PP said. You could spend £££ on parts every year, what you need is a new boiler. I speak from very recent experience unfortunately!

I was told a new boiler was £1500-2000, so it seemed worth it spending the £400 2 years ago - and the coverplan was £300 over 12 months so seemed a good investment. Oh and I've spent £200 powerflushing the system too.

I wasn't expecting to have to pay another £400.

I also thought the boiler would last longer, in previous houses I've inherited boilers that were 20+ years old and with each I spent no more than £300 over 5 years - and they still worked fine.

Yep you need a new boiler sadly.

I just haven't got 2k to spend on a boiler a month before Christmas.

We don't pay for boiler cover and just pay for repairs as and when necessary. We've saved a small fortune over the years by this.

It's disgraceful that modern boilers have such a short life. We've just replaced one from the 1970s (still functioning) with a new one and I expect at least 20 years out of it.

You can do them on finance to pay monthly. Better than paying £400 and then it breaks again soon. Which it will because its old etc. Doesn't sound like claiming in the insurance thingy you took out will get you anywhere sadly.

2 port valves are usually on or near the cylinder not the boiler so it would make sense for it not to be covered if the cover is boiler only.

The part is about £65 but there's probably quite a bit of labour in fitting it
www.xpresscylinderspares.co.uk/worcester-bosch-greenstore-sc-two-port-valve.html

I don't think your current issue is anything to do with the boiler - it's a valve on or near your cylinder so I think you should ignore all the uninformed "get a new boiler" comments as it won't solve the problem.

Our boiler is 20+ years old - a Worcester one so old it is before Bosch even got involved. It has been repaired a few times - but the trick is finding someone who knows what they are doing.

@boilerquestion

I just haven't got 2k to spend on a boiler a month before Christmas.

British Gas have an offer on at the mo. It says two years interest free credit on the website, but we got five years interest free. Got a new Worcester Bosch, with a magnetic filter, five year guarantee, and one years free radiator cover, and it’s only costing £15 more a month than we were paying for boiler cover previously.

@Elphame - yes in my last house I had one from the 1960s I think, it was ancient and sat on the floor rather than the wall but worked great. When we bought this house the boiler was also from the 1970s (I know because my parents had the same one in their house which was installed in 1977) - I only replaced it because it wasn't very energy efficient plus we needed a bigger one as we were adding more radiators etc.

I've been repairing this one since it was 8 years old.

I honestly could cry. I'm trying to save up for Christmas and to get some essential jobs done in the house, now I'll have to spend it all (and get finance on top) for another boiler.

[quote daimbarsatemydogsbone]2 port valves are usually on or near the cylinder not the boiler so it would make sense for it not to be covered if the cover is boiler only.

The part is about £65 but there's probably quite a bit of labour in fitting it
www.xpresscylinderspares.co.uk/worcester-bosch-greenstore-sc-two-port-valve.html[/quote]
Ah thank you! If that is the part £65 doesn't seem too bad - I suppose I'd have to work out if its the right part or not, maybe the engineers report will say (crossed fingers) - even if not if they're all around that price then it suggests the £400 figure I was quoted might have been a bit exaggerated.

Thanks also to those who said it's not actually a boiler part, this is a really good point which in my upset I'd missed - so I'd still have to pay this, new boiler or not!

I've just had a look and the way our system is, the part is sitting just above my hot water cylinder so doesn't look too difficult for someone to replace (nothing to take apart to access it etc). Will try and ring around and get some more quotes I think.

You can buy a boiler on finance.

We got ours through British Gas and pay just over £100 a month.

If it's the two port valve it will be motorised. If the fault is down to a motor failure then you can often manually operate these with a lever in the motor servo housing.
This might get your heating functioning again.
Get the model No. and YouTube might give you a video.

See this pic with the over ride lever.

I don't know why people think she needs a new boiler. None of the parts mentioned (pump and 2-port valve) are part of the boiler, they're elsewhere in the system.

The only actual boiler repair she may have had was the first £400 mentioned, but she later thinks she has had a 2-port valve done two years ago, if that was what the £400 was for then actually her boiler has needed no repairs so far.

My strategy for many years was to have no insurance, when something went wrong I'd book a repair with British Gas taking the option to pay a fixed price to get the repair done and get one years breakdown cover. The cost was £99 up-front payment, which would increase to the order of £300 if more than a couple of hours work needed doing, which I correctly always assumed it would.

It looks like a slightly different option now exists. You can sign up for £25 a month cover for one year, and get your repair done free. So, as long as you cancel when the year is up, a total cost of £300 to get any repair done.

www.britishgas.co.uk/home-services/boilers-and-heating/fix-for-free.html?source=OnDemand-Google&cid=PPC&gclid=CjwKCAiAqIKNBhAIEiwAu_ZLDpL4wOqD2ZT3QusmmVpljO3u3Q4y8xEpYDigFxuM_AzNWcSB2qLcAhoCm_sQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

@saleorbouy

If it's the two port valve it will be motorised. If the fault is down to a motor failure then you can often manually operate these with a lever in the motor servo housing. This might get your heating functioning again. Get the model No. and YouTube might give you a video.

Thank you - I'd actually gone and wiggled the lever around before reading your post and it seems to have worked, the heating is back on for now at least!

Still looking for any paperwork, am certain though I paid for this valve in the 2019 repair. Unfortunately I was going through a bad break up at the time so my memory is not as good as it should be.

The pump that went last year was integral to the boiler, I had a local guy out who was really nice and didn't charge me, and told me to get the cover instead as it would be £300 for the whole year and cover any other faults or I'd be paying him the best part of £300 as a one off. I kept the cover going because it seemed better - I didn't have it prior to last year.

I had my boiler installed 25+ years ago, had a problem with it about 12 years ago, fully expected to have to replace it. New engineer (after a bunch of useless dollops that turned up three-handed, asked for the instruction manual and invariably bunked off to the suppliers) - no need to replace, maintenance contracts are an expensive rip off. He's been 4-5 times since, nothing major, still maintains no need to replace or come for preventative maintenance.

Last invoice was less than £100 - he's brilliant

You can buy a replacement power head for a two port valve. There is no need to drain the system. An electrician can change it over.

@Tomnooktoldmeto

You’re throwing good money after bad, our plumber says modern boilers have a life span of approximately 10 years and yours is past that point

Did they not make you aware that fixing is going to cost more than replacement given your previous repairs? You’ve already spent half of the cost of a new boiler fixing it

We have been told this too.

Just had our old boiler replaced, it was 23 years old. Heating engineer who fitted the new one said we should not expect new boilers to last that long.

On the plus side the new boiler should be much more efficient than the new boiler which, given the rising cost of fuel, can only be a good thing.

New boiler comes with 10 year guarantee But only if we have it serviced annually

@rslsys

You can buy a replacement power head for a two port valve. There is no need to drain the system. An electrician can change it over.

Ah it's good news an electrician can possibly do it. I have one coming in soon to replace some lights for me, I will message him and ask about this.

Most central heating/boiler engineers have one or two makes that they 'feel comfortable' with. It's a good idea to find an engineer with a good reputation who 'believes' in the one you happen to have or, even better, do this when you have a new boiler fitted and then have them service it every couple of years or so.

I've never taken out a boiler protection plan, but this policy has served me well as I've spent very little on servicing and repairs over the years.