In praise (faint) of combi boilers

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asterix

Comrade Member
Location
Limoges or York
Late 2009 I asked several fitters for quotes most of which were in the same galaxy except for B/Gas who were in another universe. Mind you they did send 2 representatives one of whom was a salesman with a really SOTA laptop and software and the other a financial adviser who desperately wanted me to take out a bank loan. They also rubbished suggestions made by other fitters.

WRT to wasted lukearn water, I have had an idea that the system should send the water round in a loop until it reaches the desired temp at which point it would emerge from the tap. Obviously you would turn the tap on and there would be an interlude. Music could be played pending supply, e.g. Handel's Water Music or Appalachian Spring.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Go and ask about your boiler on DIYnot.com. Be sure to tell them the make and type of system though or they'll slaughter you.
 

krushavik

New Member
I got BG to give me a quote for new combi boiler as my old one was giving up after 27 yrs service Priced quoted £3850. Local gas engineer £1250 for same boiler 5yrs guarantee with with 1st service free. Job sorted house dead warm.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
British Airways have the same pricing policy - fool people into thinking you're the best then charge them more to prove it.
 
We're putting off the day we have to change to a combi. A few friends have had it done and though most love it there's a couple who have told us about problems including unexpectedly increased bills.

At the moment our gas engineer who services our back boiler every year says it's got a good while left in it yet. Not allowed to install them any more, apparently, so when it goes we will have to follow the combi route. Hopefully the technology will be getting better and better in the meantime.
 

darthpaul

Well-Known Member
Location
Bristol
I loved mine until the condensing pipe froze for the 3rd time last night and now I have to try and defrost it today otherwise I will have a very cold 5 year old and pregnant wife :sad:
 
[QUOTE 1263008"]
I believe you don't have to have a combi boiler but it has to be condensing. You can still get the old type with a hot water tank.

Our very trustworthy gas man always advised us not to change our old style boiler until we had to. This year we had to.
[/quote]

That's what our guy says. He says people with back boilers are trying to stick with them as long as possible!
 
We had a condensing combiboiler fitted last winter. Worked OK until the rather prolonged icy spells this year. Bloody thing has a hissy fit and freezes the outside condensation outflow pipe at regular (short) intervals (especially when it comes on before I wake/get up in the morning). This requires boiling multiple kettles of water to pour over the frozen pipe at 5am and sometime after 8pm to jog the dammn thing into action. At least the old back boiler system didn't have regular mardy moods.
 
I loved mine until the condensing pipe froze for the 3rd time last night and now I have to try and defrost it today otherwise I will have a very cold 5 year old and pregnant wife :sad:

I had this problem a few times last year, I got round it by cutting the pipe before it goes outside and placed a bowl underneath pipe to catch drips. Empty bowl every couple of weeks and will repair the plastic pipe after winter again. No problems since.
 
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