need a new boiler

[Merguez]

Oil-fired central heating and hot water.

Anyone had one installed recently that they would recommend?

How much did you pay?

We have largish old stone farmhouse, 5 bedrooms, quite hard to heat.

Thanks.

anyone?

Would you consider gas? LPG? Solar? Or do you want oil again?

I tried this question some time ago, also got no answers!

Gas presumably not an option due to location.
LPG more expensive per therm and ties you into one supplier. Can't be nicked though.
solar is a supplement in the UK, not a total system.

I'm getting quotes for a new boiler and some additional bits (valves, powerflush etc) of around the £2700 mark. You do need the powerflush to get the guarantee, which Worcester are currently offering for 7 years free.

Thanks for responses Geordie and Special!

You are right, gas is not an option as we are off grid. Hate having oil, but think at the moment it's the only practical option. Eventually would like to move to biomass housed in an external building with solar on the roof, but can't afford anything like that at the moment.

Boiler is on its last legs so do need to get it sorted before winter.

Your quote doesn't sound too unreasonable Special, especially as I spent £600 getting boiler patched up 2 winters ago and know that a new condensing one will be more energy efficient. What is powerflush?

Powerflush is flushing all the dirt out the radiators. Some companies fit a magnetic type filter instead.

one of our companies is going to do both the flush and the filter. The other one didn't mention the filter, this is one of the questions I need to ask when he gets back from hols next week. Our system is elderly and from some initial works it is clearly very gunged up. Small pipes too.

our elderly boiler is probably less than 60% efficient. New ones are over 90%. The exercise should pay for itself within five years, even if oil prices don't go up. Which they will.

oil is not actually that much more expensive per unit of heat than gas. You do at least have the chance to buy when it is cheaper (such as now). Of course you need to look to the insulation of your house too - good windows, thick curtains, draught proofing, loft insulation and possibly wall insulation either inside or outside.