Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

New Boiler Needed

8 replies

Seriousquestion09 · 20/10/2018 14:54

Hello
Need some practical advice...
I’m looking to install a new boiler and really want a system that keeps a constant temperature in house. I live in a larger style Victorian terrace with high ceilings and beautiful but rattle sash windows that have been “refurbished”.

Can’t afford new DG sashes and will likely sell in next few years but want to upgrade boiler with a thermostat. I have 3 new colour radiators on ground floor and older panel radiators in bedrooms upstairs.

Does anyone have any practical advice on how and where to start looking!
TIA!

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 20/10/2018 15:34

Have you got a hot-water cylinder? What colour?

What boiler do you currently have? Why do you want to change it?

to "keep a regular temperature" is much more down to the controls and the radiator size. What timer, programmer, thermostat(s) and TRVs do you currently have? Are the radiators big enough to heat each room sufficiently when they are fully hot and it is freezing outside? Do you have an open-plan house or keep the doors open?

Seriousquestion09 · 20/10/2018 15:55

Thanks Piglet!
I have an old feroli boiler and when I had plumbers round to install new radiator he mentioned changing boiler and pipes.
The boiler hasn’t really given me any issues and I’ve never done a service.
I have a basic timer in the boiler and I don’t believe I even have a thermostat. I have old TRVs on the boilers but don’t know what they are set to. The house is tall rather than spread out with dining room and living room adjoining with a opened up wall. When the radiators are on they do heat the rooms/spaces well especially the column radiators.
Appreciate the help!

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 20/10/2018 16:26

What about the cylinder?

PigletJohn · 20/10/2018 16:43

Ferioli is possibly the worst boiler brand on the market. If yours is still working that's great.

I'd suggest that you start by having a Programmable Room Thermostat fitted, and TRVs on any radiators that don't currently have one that works. Usually setting "3" is about right. If working, you will find that each will turn off once that room is up to temperature, and turn back on if it cools a bit.

That will improve comfort and/or economy.

It's unusual for pipes to need changing unless they are certain types of plastic or plated steel, or were installed so badly that they leak.

If cost is not a concern, by all means change to one of the top three boiler brands, and have a Powerflush (I am assuming your heating system is old and neglected) and a system filter at the same time or sooner if you have radiators that are cold in the middle or at the bottom. If you do need your pipework improved, this is the time to do it. Have a look on the manufacturer's website for their approved installers in your area. We are now approaching winter, so any decent gasmen will be very busy mending and replacing systems that were neglected until cold weather arrives.

Ask around for personal recommendations as well as looking at the manufacturers' websites. I would advise against advertising websites where the traders pay to be listed and can censor unfavourable reviews, even if the site name suggests it is a recommendations site.

An experienced independent local installer with a good reputation is more likely to do the work himself. Some larger firms employ a proportion of unqualified people whose work needs to be signed off by someone else.

In summer you will find it easier to make appointments and may see better prices. Also it won't matter if your heating is out of order for a week or so while being renewed.

I'm not keen on wireless controls because they are more likely to go wrong.

Seriousquestion09 · 20/10/2018 17:17

Wow so much useful info
Sorry I don’t have a water cylinder
Also will a new thermostat and TRV be compatible with my old boiler?
May I ask what are the top 3 brands... I will probably go with new boiler, thermostat, TRVs and the power flush then.
Also roughly what are costs like?
Yes I will be doing this next summer taking in a lodger from January to find it.
Thanks again,

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 20/10/2018 17:26

Yes

Vaillant, Viessmann and Worcester-Bosch, says "Which"

Several thousand

Seriousquestion09 · 20/10/2018 17:30

Ok
I’ve had a brief look and realise I have a wired thermostat that turns boiler “on” and “off” manually.

I’m after something that I can program that keeps the house at a set temperature i.e. turns the boiler on and off to keep temperature at certain level.

Also do you mean several few thousand- I was budgeting 1-2.
Thanks

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 20/10/2018 19:39

"I’m after something that I can program that keeps the house at a set temperature i.e. turns the boiler on and off to keep temperature at certain level. "

Yes, that's what a thermostat does. You set it and leave it.
For example this one. Cheap, simple, reliable, does the job.

Some also have a timer that may allow you to set different temperatures at different times of day or days of the week. That's useful. For example this one. Very good. Price dropped because it is not the latest model
.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread