Gas Boiler Question (Grant Query)

Double C

I'm looking for some advice in regards to my gas boiler. I moved into a new house in Febuary and there was an issue with the Potterton boiler, the issue being it didnt work. So I got someone in to look at it and they said the problem was with the PCB so I had that replaced. The plumber recommended that I apply for a grant. He said some additional work would have to be done in order to qualify for it, like installing a new timer on the boiler and the immersion. Long story short I've been waiting on a quote from this guy for months, everytime I call him he mentions something extra that'l have to be done and that all adds up to more cost and I just get the idea that hes making it up as he goes along so I thought I'd look for some help here instead!

So far I've had the PCB replaced and thats working fine. From what I've read myself I think I do need a new timer on the boiler and also a safety value of some sort to qualify for the grant. I'm just looking to see if it is worth my while getting the extra work done to get the grant or am I better off leaving it as is? Ive already spent around €250 on it and I understand the grant is for €400 to update the heating controls. What would it cost to have whatever other work I need done? I cant really afford to splash out any extra cash on it at the moment.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

DGOBS

There is no grant for replacing your dud PCB board!

There is grants for upgrading your heating controls, and further more for together doing this and upgrading your boiler to an A rated appliance

www.seai.ie for all your research, they are your grant supplier

maddragon

The grant in some respects is a distraction. If you replace an old 65% efficient gas boiler with a 92% efficient condensing boiler and save another 15% by having proper time and temperature zone control, you will save a fortune in heating bills. That is the main benefit.

I am hearing more stories of people just getting jobs done for cash with good plumbers and saving more than they would get by going for the grant. Obviously I don't agree with this and it does me out of business as a BER assessor but I can see why people might do it.

DGOBS

I agree with most of what you said, with the exception of BER, as I believe BER is a crock, as it amounts to a best guess on efficiency

I sat through a BER in a customers house where the oil boiler was rated at 70% efficient, with my flue gas analyzer in hand reading an 83.1% efficiency (and no the return wasn't cold, boiler & house were reaching temp at this point) even if you subtract 3% for loss through the boiler casing etc, it was still 80% (and the boiler was in a kitchen so any casing loss was added to the household eitherway

The big issue is the vast majority of BER assessors have little or no technical or constructional knowledge (most estate agents are BER assessors!!) and offer no advise to customers on best courses of action to improve the energy efficient of their homes, they just get a 'thats how it is' answer in my experience

Rant over, not casting a shadow on you personally, you maybe a fully qualified heating, construction engineer for all I know, but BER is so awash with untechnical people it's very hard to trust them