Am i being told porkies

[judsjasper]

Hello all - new here and looking for some "impartial professional advice".

I have had a quote from a large installation company and have a query with what they have recommended.

I am having a new combi fitted and have been told this will be a "Baxi Neta Tec 24". I have concerns as the reviews I have read say this is suitable for a small house.

I will provide as much info as possible which I think may be relevant.

I live in a 4 Bed detached house and have 12 Rads, 1 Main bathroom (electric shower), 1 En Suite (Mixer Shower) and downstairs WC.

The water pressure is currenlty 20l/hr I beleive and i have been told this is likely to reduce with a new combi which is fine to an extent but will my mixer shower still work...?

British Gas have just been to give me an alternative quote and have said they advise a 33KW as a minimum and preferably a 37...but it's pbviously more expensive and money is tight...

Can anyone help or advise??

Thanks

 

[SafeGasInstall]

hi and welcome to the forum ,

Unfortunately large size combis are expensive , what was the old boiler type size ?

 

[diamondgas]

Hello all - new here and looking for some "impartial professional advice".

Can anyone help or advise??

Thanks

Personally judsjasper go for the larger output appliance and stay clear of the 'Landlord' boilers! 24Kw are the cheapest and usually suitable for around 7-11ltr/min IMHO .. However it sounds like you're unlikely to draw more than one tap at a time. If that's so then go for something 30kW thereabouts IMO ... guarantees you a decent hot water supply in the winter! Depends on your need to be honest ... STAY AWAY FROM ANYTHING 24kW 🙂

 

[Barry98]

And neta-tecs there only good as door stops

 

[judsjasper]

I currently have a 13 year old Potterton Suprima 30-80 (is that right) and a Santon 150l unvented cylinder.

The Cylinder is leaking and I need a replacement so with the quote for that coming out at £850 and considering the age of my boiler, i thought it would be best to get a combi.

Add to that I don't have £850 available, my "easiest" option was to get a new combi on finance and having been stung in the past by a local plumber - i wanted to use one of the reputable companies...

 

[Barry98]

To get stung bigger ?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

avoid using BG , if you do you could save hundreds if not thousands

 

[SafeGasInstall]

noooooooooo , replace cylinder and fit new system boiler

forget about bg prices , get a independent heating engineer to do it

it will cost you a lot less then BG

 

[judsjasper]

cheers everyone - sounds like my concerns were valid. I'll go back and ask for a "larger" version

 

[diamondgas]

I currently have a 13 year old Potterton Suprima 30-80 (is that right) and a Santon 150l unvented cylinder.

The Cylinder is leaking and I need a replacement so with the quote for that coming out at £850 and considering the age of my boiler, i thought it would be best to get a combi.

Add to that I don't have £850 available, my "easiest" option was to get a new combi on finance and having been stung in the past by a local plumber - i wanted to use one of the reputable companies...

You'll regret your decision IMHO .. a combi, specially 24kW will have you moving home and telling lies IMHO! Replace your boiler and cylinder at the same time! Or just the cylinder for that matter as your original boiler will heat it the same as will anything else ... How old is your central heating boiler?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

where in UK are you ?

 

[Barry98]

Where are you located

 

[Centralheatking]

Here we go again - combination boilers are only suitable for flats and small houses.

Any dwelling house with more than one bathroom is not suitable. Whatever the water pressure
or litres per min quoted by the boiler manu will not serve as water pressure/volume is rarely
up to the job (esp in summer or in London).

Often some outfits spec a combi boiler because they cannot do a system/conventional system
- a combi includes all the toys - pump+timer+ so its easy to stick one box on the wall and plug it in even when its unsuitable. Fixed many unsuitable combi instals.

Also there is so much more to go wrong with combis......pressure,diverter valves etc

CHK

 

[judsjasper]

I'm in Manchester - looking at these replies - i think i need to reconsider what i'm doing!!

 

[Barry98]

Which side

 

[diamondgas]

I'm in Manchester - looking at these replies - i think i need to reconsider what i'm doing!!

Too true! A move from unvented to a combi is like being use to a Porche and relying on a Skoda! Sozz to Skoda drivers, they'e relighable but don't deliver the same IMHO 🙂

 

[judsjasper]

BOD - Do you mean which side of Manchester??

 

[Gray0689]

I'm in Manchester - looking at these replies - i think i need to reconsider what i'm doing!!

If the boiler is working ok
First change cylinder

 

[Barry98]

Yeah I do fella

 

[Jimbob]

You have the best system already! Just replace boiler and cylinder. Will give the best performance by far and as you already have pipework and controls in place, you would be stupid to change to a combi. Most backwards step ever

 

[Pipes Plumbing]

As the others have said, I'd recommend changing your cylinder only (if the boiler is working well), and then replace that with a new system boiler when it eventually gives up.

Combis can struggle to provide a lot of hot water (especially when undersized and when the mains temp is low), I' be worried that you'll spend a lot more than your cylinder replacement on a system that might not work well.
Bear in mind that most new Stainless unvented cyl's will have a long manu's warranty up to 25 yrs....

 

[Rickster123]

Service the suprima and change the cylinder. Then take the mrs for a weekend away with the left over cash. Everyone's a winner!

 

[judsjasper]

BOD - North manchester (Failsworth)

Everyone else thanks for the advice - the boiler has been working fine so it does seem logical to get it serviced/maintained

I think i'll look at how i can get the cash for the new cylinder.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

and you all will have a money left for x mass

 

[julesverne]

where exactly is it leaking? and how old is the cylinder it might be easier to get it repaired. i'm happy to come and give you an opinion as my me and my father have a few houses in Failsworth and surrounding areas. but i wont be in the area till around first week of november.

and Neta Tecs are BAB

 

[julesverne]

post a picture up.

 

[Chalked]

Swap the cylinder!

Was it BG that told you the cylinder is leaking? Could be just the prv or a tapping in the side. You should get a plumber from here to have a look.

we are not on commission. Unlike BG engineers. :rant:

 

[Koogatubac]

Unvented is the best!

Your regret getting a combi if you have more than 1 hot tap running at the same time as the pressure will be pants when you run a 2nd/3rd hot tap!

 

[Ermintrude]

Any Baxi GA range boiler is suicide!! Don't ever get a neta tec. I would suggest an ideal logic 18kw system boiler and new cylinder!!

 

[happyflyer]

You'll regret your decision IMHO .. a combi, specially 24kW will have you moving home and telling lies IMHO! Replace your boiler and cylinder at the same time! Or just the cylinder for that matter as your original boiler will heat it the same as will anything else ... How old is your central heating boiler?

Now here is a man who talks some sense, why would anyone want to change from an un-vented system to a combi unless you need the cylinder cupboard
for a walk in shower and he never said that, take diamongas advice, boiler and cylinder, BTW don't buy a boiler with and internal pump or expansion vessel when it goes wrong it will cost you. Standard boiler with pump and vessel in the cylinder cupboard.

You never said what the costs were, so these good people can help, BG will be marked up no doubt

 

[AWheating]

i agree with others, get the cylinder fixed or replaced. good luck.

 

[Koogatubac]

Keep us in the link to what your decision is and how it goes 🙂

 

[Gas]

British Gas are notorious for this around my area, ripping out perfectly good boilers and unvented cylinders and swapping to bottom end combi boilers, normally massively over sized.

I am surprised they are not on Watchdog every week, it is scandalous.

 

[Barry98]

money talks

 

[Centralheatking]

I have been known to approach my scrap yard and offer to pay scrap price + a little for
a decent cylinder - most that come in are ok + ripped out by combination boiler fitters !it would be sold as seen but is a good way centralheatking

BOD - North manchester (Failsworth)

Everyone else thanks for the advice - the boiler has been working fine so it does seem logical to get it serviced/maintained

I think i'll look at how i can get the cash for the new cylinder.