Help me to choose a boiler

[Anne]

Hi,

I need some unbiased advice from professionals regarding the replacement of my central heating boiler.
I have a small 2 bedrommed terraced house with 7 radiators. The pipework and radiators are fine but the boiler needs replacing as it has started to cut out and loose pressure quite often.
I need a combi boiler and believe that a condenser boiler is the most efficient. Having spoken to 2 plumbers I have been advised to buy 2 different makes as they have both assured me that their particular choice is the best available.
Please help, I would like to know, from your experience, what make is the best. I really need to make the right decision.
Many thanks,
Anne

 

[Dave]

I'm not a plumber anne but a lot of plumbers i know like BAXI....

 

[leakylea]

hi Ann, the simple truth is boilers are like a plumbers wife!. for no real reason every plumber has their own ideas what makes a good one, The cost, the availiability , the position its going in ,what he gets free with it. if he fitted it before? was there any comebacks.etc etc
You really do get what you pay for to an extent, i have not fitted every kind of boiler so i will not slag any particular brand.
Always buy the top end of what you can reasonably afford, sometimes a cheaper boiler will suffer from not having easyily availiable spares etc if you want piece of mind The manufacturer Ferrolli have a condensing combi model with 5 years parts and labour cover free. My own preference is to install Worcester boilers,at the bigining it was for a certain quality of boiler that i wanted to fit, now though its because ive grown to know them, they go in fast. even ease of use for yourself, i,m sure you dont want all the bells and whistles, just reliablity good luck!

 

[PipeStrangler]

Mostly all new boilers have to be condensing boilers nowadays. Like leakylea said each Corgi gas fitter will have his own preference based on a variety of criteria; quality, availability, service backup, familiarity, cost, etc. You certainly do get what you pay for.

One thing I have learned over the years I have fitted condensing boilers - condensate is mildly acidic, and not all boiler heat exchangers are resistant to it's effects. I have known some to need major surgery (new heat exchanger) after only 18/24 months.

With this in mind I advise the use of a boiler with a stainless steel heat exchanger - being more resistant to the effects of the condensate.

There are a number on the market - personally I have used Vaillant, however I am considering the Broag Remeha (dutch make) on my next job.

See here...
[DLMURL="http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantaplus.com%2Findex.php%3Fcontent%3D24s"]Domestic gas boiler system: Avanta 24s wall hung compact gas boiler from Avanta Plus, UK domestic boilers[/DLMURL]

Hope this helps.

 

[stevetheplumber]

think its generally accepted that the top 2 boiler makes are vaillant and worcester personally i always go for vaillant but recent problems contacting vaillant for anything is making me think about my choice in future

 

[DEVON GAS]

I have fitted a few different boiler manufactures over the years and,
i fit the worcestor where possible but alot of the time the alfa boiler,
try new new alfa boiler,
alfa are the only boiler manufacture that offers a 5 year warranty across all its ranges and has won alot of awards, they now have the new gas / energy save system that uses the heat from the flue to part heat the heating return pipe from the heating system, buy coiling it around the flue before hading back to the boiler, saving the boiler working to hard.

 

[yaesuman]

Every Plumber has there own preference my personally is the Baxi Duo-Tec 28 which magazine boiler of the year 2008 (2 year warranty Conditions apply) have been using Baxi (105E, for past 5 years and now Duo-Tec last 12 months) with no major problems.

 

[BrianL]

Worcestor, baxi, Vaillant, Vokera all good buys.

Brian

 

[Aqua Mechanica]

I saw a Worcester Junior Combi Boiler installed at the weekend, very quick and easy. Plumb centre are doing a deal on heat packs too which it is included in.

Just make sure you get the right size as there are two juniors.

 

[fatoftheland]

I am not a fan of Worcesers heat exchangers but I love the build quality of Vaillants. I am of the mind that if I supply and install a top quality boiler I know that I will not be called out to fix the thing withing my guarerntee period. Vaillant now own Glowworm and the new generation glowworms are good

 

[mrgas]

ive worked with a few installers,but they all say if you can afford it buy VAILANT i have installed 3 ferroli's a 28-30kw around £549 from city pluming 5yr warranty if serviced every year,the same size kw in a VAILANT would be the better part of a £1000.

 

[CharterGAS]

Don't bother with anything else except ATAG

if size is an issue then use Broag
if you had to, go for a vaillant

 

[unguided1]

worcesters and valliants tend to be the top end of the market and I used to recommend them but in the last 6 months I must fitted about 25 Glowworms with no problems and I find them reasonable in price too.
what I would say, which is more important, is find an engineer who has been recommended to you by a friend, family, colleague or someone you trust. so that you can see their work and you can trust their prices.

 

[migoplumber]

i used to install vailants, recently there technical services dept has gone to pot, you can be on hold for an hour, i have also favored worcester which is a good manufacturer, with good back up, however, ive been turing to the broag since ive swallowed my pride and learnt a thing or to about them, the technicians are great, the spares are reasonable.

shaun

STRESS AGAIN NOT A VAILLANT IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO AN AFTER SALES TECHNICIAN.

 

[Jay_1981]

Vaillant, good quality boiler, easy to get parts for plus some of the parts are universal on the new ranges (easier to obtain), very reliable, agree with migoplumber regards to aftersales tech help dunno whats going on their as I have had the same problems (+glow worms helpline to) but thats our problem and nothing that should bother you.

 

[HTB]

Try approaching PTS if you are thinking of buying an Alpha, they have some promotions on at the moment, get your Gas Fitter to hassle and you might get a good deal. They are not bad value.

 

[JULIED444]

My husband always installs Alpha boilers - at the moment, buy an Alpha with a Jig and get 5 years labour warranty and 10 years parts warranty - if boiler offers that sort of warranty then you know the are reliable. Don't go for the cheapest boiler as they contain cheap parts. Good luck!

 

[migoplumber]

vailants are great, until you do have a problem with them, and need assistance from their technicians, i have spent up to 45 mins on hold with them, not impressed and wont be installing anymore.

shaun

 

[HTB]

PTS now doing special offer on Vokeras, worth a look.

 

[plumbnuts]

HTB
Volkeras are even worse. The customer/installer support is terrible and they now charge £5 (Paid by card) before they will give any information on non current boilers. Most people that I know are boycotting them.
Steve

 

[migoplumber]

volkeras, charging us for support???
i shall ring them 2mrw to check, but if thats right, they need to sort there brains out
never heard of such tosh. how dare they.
shaun

 

[Bernie2]

I would suggest looking at what BG recommend if you are thinking of buying one of their gas maintenance policies later on. Many people do but usually the smaller installer can't afford to run a service like theirs at the prices they charge. But then do you need a policy like BG's, which in the past went up every time you renewed the policy and the older the system got.

But BG don't usually like foreign makes, simply because its hard to get the spares.
That is pretty important in the middle of Winter when your boiler breaks down.

Valliant are good boilers, but very much a techi's boiler. Their after sales service doesn't seem to have improved either since I worked on them nearly 15 years ago. I don't care what they say, we had loads of breakdowns with Valliant's. I imagine they have improved their reliability by now though.

The French boilers Chatffeux (I could never remember how to spell it right and still can't) where always a problem as well.

Although you may be recommended a condensing boiler, they are said to be more efficient, a lot relies on the systems temperature drop for them to work properly. And as yours is a small house they may not be the best for you.

I must admit I like Baxi, but they where having money problems the last I heard. If they go bust there may not be anybody to take them over and eventually all the spares will dry up.

So what to do?

Seems to me Glow Worm are about the best, not perhaps technically, but for the ease of getting parts. And as most house wives will tell you "I want a boiler that works and keeps us warm, not a super duper high tech one, although I would like the one I fit to be as green and efficient as possible!"`

 

[feltham]

at work we are fitting broag-remeha 28kw combi boilers there quite good cheep and they come with a 5 year parts and labour warntry. i think they cost £589 +vat.
im about to install one in my house so i rate them.

have a look at there website

Broag-Remeha Avanta Range - Combi Boilers

 

[danieltaylor06]

I've read several reviews about different boilers and I've found out that Vaillant and Worcester are the two most reliable known brands. But Baxi is also a good one.
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plumbing

 

[bazworthy]

Vaillant may be the best quality but I would get a Worcester because they are good value for money. I moved into my property with a worcester junior combi and it hasnt let me down in 2 year now.