New Home 6 year old boiler - should I replace?

2»

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,940
    Forum Member
    Depends on your property.

    I'm in a ground floor flat. Water tanks were in the flat, not in an attic space so took up a lot of room. Add to that, the ones in there were pre-historic (and there was no central heating) and a combi was a no-brainer for me.

    Like I said earlier, not had a single problem with it in three years (I have an extended five year warranty on it). Shower is far better than an electric and heating works just great.

    If it does pack in, I guess I'll be having lukewarm baths for a day or two until it's fixed, but I still wouldn't go back to water tanks in my place ... :)
  • dave clarkedave clarke Posts: 1,037
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Potterton do a 40 kw boiler for less than a £1000 with a 7 year parts and labour guarantee that gives 16 litres of water at 35 degree rise iirc
    My tank fed bath tap gives 8 litres a minute
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,065
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Having a combi-boiler is effectively saying. We have two cars, but can definitely manage with just one.

    Then discovering how many times you have to boil the kettle to fill the bath...

    If you have to boil a kettle to fill a bath with a combi then you're not using it right.
  • morganb1611morganb1611 Posts: 458
    Forum Member
    Potterton do a 40 kw boiler for less than a £1000 with a 7 year parts and labour guarantee that gives 16 litres of water at 35 degree rise iirc
    My tank fed bath tap gives 8 litres a minute

    The problem with such a massive boiler is it will never modulate low enough to even match the heating load of the house, meaning decreased efficiency. The increasingly large combi's are just a lazy alternative to a proper boiler/unvented cylinder set up.
  • cosmic buttplugcosmic buttplug Posts: 873
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Andykel wrote: »
    If you have to boil a kettle to fill a bath with a combi then you're not using it right.

    What, the kettle or the combi? :confused:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,065
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    The problem with such a massive boiler is it will never modulate low enough to even match the heating load of the house, meaning decreased efficiency. The increasingly large combi's are just a lazy alternative to a proper boiler/unvented cylinder set up.

    Of course it would. Most 40kw combi's modulate to ~5kw. It only uses the 40kw when it's on hot water mode.
  • morganb1611morganb1611 Posts: 458
    Forum Member
    Andykel wrote: »
    Of course it would. Most 40kw combi's modulate to ~5kw. It only uses the 40kw when it's on hot water mode.

    The Potterton's modulate on a 4:1 ratio so the mimimum it can run at is ~10 kW. I only know of Vokera offering much higher ratios, most manufacturers don't because higher ratios increase electrical consumption, negating any saving made in burning less gas.
  • dave clarkedave clarke Posts: 1,037
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Checked the instructions and you are correct it is 12.1 kw minimum on heating but in the kind of house you are likely to fit a 40 kw boiler it is not likely to be a problem
    We are intending to zone up and downstairs with programable stats and fit one shower with instant electric shower for back up
    Most probs in my experience are with diverter valves scaling up
Sign In or Register to comment.