Back Boiler - Ugly Gas Fire and non hideous alternatives?

[yawningbear]

We have moved recently to a house with a back boiler, I didn't even know that they existed until we moved in here. We are thinking of changing to a combi but may stick with the current boiler, just in the process of getting quotes. I am tempted to stick with what we have but that means we are also stuck with a hideous gold gilted fake coal gas fire.

I have had a look on google and can't seem to find anything less ugly to replace it with. If there was a better alternative I would definitely think that we should be sticking with the back boiler as there isn't anything wrong with it. Anyone have a back boiler with more attractive gas fire attached or know where I can source such a thing?

You'd need a gas engineer to change the fire, so it's worth asking one if they can source one and to come back with suggestions. If not, ask them to recommend a fireplace company they can work with.

Thanks for the reply Madmog. I have just done some more research and I think we actually have one of the least offensive options available already. I think we will have to have it all replaced, I can't face looking at it for the foreseeable future.

We're in the process of buying a house with the same issue. Having done a shed load of research there aren't many fire options, and there seem to be two main back boiler manufacturers, Baxi and Gloworm, and you can only use a fire made by the company that made the boiler.

The fires themselves vary between hideous and just about ok... But they are very expensive. The best one (still not great) for the Baxi Bermuda in the house we're buying is £1600. We've had a quote for a new wall mounted boiler of £2000.

We're changing the boiler.

Can't you get a lovely woodburner to go with a back boiler? Or am I just being incredibly thick? Whenever I have read about back boilers it has been in conjunction with woodburners.

Thanks Coola, that pretty much confirms my thinking after some more googling today. Minimalist, I stumbled across a link this afternoon for Back Boilers and Woodburners and nearly cheered out loud but my optimism did not last long. As far as I can see we would need to replace like with like, we have a Baxi Bermuda and we would need to replace the gas fire with one that is compatible from Baxi. Really, really hoping that I am wrong and someone will tell me this is not the case and I can put a lovely Woodburner in its place. I had a gorgeous Duck Woodburner in my last flat which is why the hideous thing we here is even harder to bear I think.

Same problem here. We decided we couldn't face the upheaval of having the whole lot replaced - unfortunately if you go for a new Baxi, for some unknown reason, the only fires they now do are electric (also fairly hideous) so you can't even replace the fire with a new gas one (what we wanted to do)!

I must say though, that looks apart, we are really impressed with the central heating boiler (fingers crossed it stays that way) and love the gas fire - if not it's looks. On the plus side everyone round here seems to be in the same boat so we are hoping no one will be put off when we come to sell.

Oh bother yawning! That is such a pain!!!!

Hi so glad ive just found this, we have just taken the frame off of the pipes etc which wasnt even connected to anything! Is this normal? Hubbys spray painting it right now with a metalic paint, we dont have the fire on its just there cos we have a back boiler I hope this is safe to do still?

A year on from the original post have you solved your problem?