Do we really need to install limescale prevention system in our combi boiler?

[Stagiaire]

Just wondering if anyone has had any problems with their combi-boiler breaking down due to build up of limescale? We have the British Gas Homecare insurance but it doesn't cover breakdowns due to limescale and they want to sell us a limescale prevention system (Hydroflow) for £150. Apparently boilers around 10 years old can be prone to this type of failure (which is the age of ours). Need some help deciding whether spending this money is really necessary!

Do you live in a hard water area? If not, no. If yes, and depending how often you have to descale your kettle and shower head, yes.

I lived in a very soft water area in the UK, used dishwasher salt once a year, never descaled kettle. Now am abroad in very hard water area and spend a fortune on dishwasher salt and descaler. Best investment so far, a Brita Water filter, kettle descaling once a quarter now.

I would say BG are yet again being very good salesmen! Get a second thought on this. It doesn't sound right to me, your boiler should last longer than this.

We live in a very hard water area and have a boiler easily over 10 yrs old. We get it serviced every year and have sometimes had to shell out for new parts, but we have never been told that the parts failed due to limescale buildup.

so I also reckon it's just good sales patter.

Do you know what else? I've just looked up the Which? report on boiler servicing and it says that the cost of paying for regular services and replacing parts as and when you need them is cheaper than the cheapest boiler servicing contract they could find. So I don't know if that kind of package is the thing you have, but it sounds like it's not worth having. (And it is reassuring for us.)

I really should go to bed but I do enjoy digging around on the web regarding questions like this.

i would if you live in a hard water area - we had one installed and it wasnt on recommendation of BG but the plumber who intsalled it.

agree with once that insurance plans are a waste of money though.

nah
we live in hard water area ,have never had a problem with build up of limescale
we have british gas homecare,have had for yrs, old boiler never had a breakdown due to build up was 16 yrs old, new boiler (4yrs) same.

it was always the thermocoupler that went with our old boiler