replacement combi boiler for 1 bed flat

googlekinggoogleking Posts: 15,006
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Hi

Need to replace my combi boiler as the reasonably trusty saunier duval sd623 fitted about 20 years ago had a bit of an episode the other day and went bang and dumped all the hot water all over the kitchen.

I say reasonably trusty because in the last 15 years I've lived here I've only had 2 reasonably quickly fixed issues with it, but I am aware from getting people round to service or fix it that this model or range doesn't have a good name with plumbers!

Given the age, size, poor efficiency by today's standards, local plumber dislike, and increasing cost / diminishing availability of spare parts I think it is time to bite the bullet and replace it rather than repair. Also I want to get a new kitchen in the next year or two so it makes sense to get the boiler replaced now rather than then.

It is a 1 bed flat, there are only four radiators of varying sizes, mixer tap shower, all fitted about 20 years ago, and the water that has come out when I've bled the radiators in the past or all the water that it dumped out over the kitchen this time has always been nice and clean, smells a bit metallic but definitely not the sludge I've seen coming out of friends' radiators when helping them with DIY stuff.

So a few questions
- is Worcester Bosch still the boiler make of choice?
- should I consider replacing the 20 year old radiators or should they still be OK? It will be pretty disruptive to replace radiators or pipework throughout the flat but I'll do it if recommended.
- would adding TRVs (if it could be done) be worth doing on a small 1 bed flat system like this?
- is a powerflush before fitting the new boiler really necessary given the water in the system was clean(ish).
- if it can turn out to be a straight boiler swap, could it be a 1-day job or is it common for something like this to take 2 days?

Thanks for any advice :D

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    I think quite a few of the boiler experts don't post very often. Suggest you bump this thread occasionaly
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,065
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    1. Worcester Bosch/Vaillant are your top brands but as I said in another post you get what you pay for.
    2. I'd imagine your rads would be fine, especially after a flush (which really does need doing on every new boiler installation, putting a new boiler into a dirty system isn't sound thinking and even if you think it's clean - it isn't!)
    3. TRV's. Yes. Definitely. And if the system is drained for the boiler it will only take minutes to install each TRV.
    4. One-day job barring anything unexpected cropping up.
  • soulboy77soulboy77 Posts: 24,396
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    I wouldn't bother with fitting TRVs in a one bed flat especially if the themostat is in the main living area.
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