New hot water tank or new combi boiler?

[Mrs B]

Ive got a bit of a dilema, got a bit of everything going on with my heating, the rad's dont seem to get too hot downstairs, the overflow is leaking in the garden, and the cylinder tank appears to have a leaky issue. Im just pondering over what to do....do i replace the tank and get it all flushed out...or do i go for a combi boiler thingy? I really havent foggiest. Thanks for any tips xx

 

[Lunar Scorpion]

I don't know much about central heating but if the radiators aren't getting hot (especially if they're colder at the top) it may mean that there's trapped air in them and they need "bleeding". Maybe you knew that already, I dunno.

 

[Vault_girl]

Cost-wise combi will be cheaper if you have to replace everything. there is an amazing thing a plumber can put through the system which will fill any leaks though so might be worth enquiring about this before going for a complete rehaul. I would try bleeding the radiators too before anything else. (though usually when in need of bleeding they will have heat at the bottom only rather than just not being very warm. If they have cold spots it will be because the insides have corroded so much the water cant get into the middle. We've just had our boiler replaced (from a tank to a combi) and we had the whole system flushed (LOTS of black gunk came out) and then a filter put in to collect future gunk.

decision-wise a combi will mean you have hot water on demand (though depending on where the boiler is you may have to run the tap a while before it heats it off enough) tanks obviously offer instant hot water but in limited supply. One is not necessarily better than the other, it's personal choice. baxi or worster bosch (sp) should be the only makes you go for though (so I've been informed by decent plumbers)

 

[Gramaisc]

My aunt had a Vaillant boiler which caused no end of trouble for year after year.

If your downstairs rads are only warm - and warm at the top and bottom - then it may be a matter of an incorrect bias allowing the hot water to flow upstairs at the expense of the downstairs circuit. You may be able to restrict the upstairs flow by means of a gate valve somewhere. Or, if you have a three speed pump and are not on the top setting, then turn it up and see if it blows more hot water round the downstairs circuit..

Basically, just speak to Rikki..

 

[Rikki]

Vaillant are by far the best boilers right now IMO and I wouldn't ever recommend a baxi, Worcester are good aswell but I just prefer vallant as the build quality seems to be better to me. They also look incredibly easy to work on if anything should ever go wrong which can't be said for alot of boilers.

I have to say my views on baxi is only based on a couple of models that I seem to repair an awfull lot. The new ones look alright tbh.

 

[Mrs B]

Rikki, would you be able to come and have a look at some point please? i phoned you up the other day about it. Its straing to drive me mad, I cant think about anything else but this. x

 

[Rikki]

Are you about tomorrow?

 

[Mrs B]

yes, all bar the school runs

 

[Gramaisc]

Vaillant are by far the best boilers right now IMO

My aunt's Vaillant had repeated failures for several year's after it was installed, despite her being assured by everybody that it was the best thing available - there were dozens of visits from experts at the factory, who changed the entire innards several times over the years, but the failures never stopped, they just spread out more over time. It was never really resolved what was actually going on. It seems to have been a rogue situation. I'm not sure how electronicky these things are, but I wondered if it could be some outside interference - I know someone whose washing machine won't run through the spin cycle unless they turn their wireless router off...

 

[Mrs B]

Many thanks Rikki, you have put my mind at rest. Yet another satisfied customer