Is it worth upgrading old boiler to a condensing boiler

lukegriffen

Hi
Is it worth upgrading an old back boiler to a condensing boiler ?
The boiler is probably 20 odd years old (a Baxi Bermuda 552) & I'm in a 2 bed semi-d council house
In the last 2 years whenever I got the back boiler serviced I asked the guys servicing was it worth getting a new boiler & they said no, it would take years (& years) to recoup the savings, & they're more likely to cause trouble/ break down etc
(My current one has never broken down , touch wood).

I had a Bord Gais contractor over last week (he had to change the meter coz that was old as well!) & he said if I got something like a Glow Worm boiler, it could save 35%, which seems quite a bit.

Anyone on thoughts on this ? Should i just wait for the boiler to break down before replacing it, or are the savings as noticeable as 35%? Thanks in advance for any replies.

corkgsxr

Would be 20% max id say.

shane0007

corkgsxr wrote: »

Would be 20% max id say.

True.
Also try go for a system boiler rather than a BBU. Look at something better than a GW also.

corkgsxr

shane0007 wrote: »

True.
Also try go for a system boiler rather than a BBU. Look at something better than a GW also.

Always hated the savings estimates. "The service guy sed I would save about 40%"

Im sure he did but it wont happen. Personally I wouldn't change a boiler unless it breaks and is uneconomical to fix. Or the likes of the microgenus that keep breaking

Its like buying a new car to save 4 or 5 mpg. You'll feel better but wont save in the long term

shane0007

corkgsxr wrote: »

Personally I wouldn't change a boiler unless it breaks and is uneconomical to fix. Or the likes of the microgenus that keep breaking

I wouldn't go that far. Boilers with pilot lights can work for years & years with no trouble whatsoever, but it costs approx €150 per year to have the pilot lit.
Also older cast iron boilers are extremely slow to heat compared to modern gas boilers. Reaction times, modulation, manipulating the boiler parameters to suit a difficult/restrictive system are all deciding factors also.

corkgsxr

shane0007 wrote: »

I wouldn't go that far. Boilers with pilot lights can work for years & years with no trouble whatsoever, but it costs approx €150 per year to have the pilot lit.
Also older cast iron boilers are extremely slow to heat compared to modern gas boilers. Reaction times, modulation, manipulating the boiler parameters to suit a difficult/restrictive system are all deciding factors also.

Very true. Been a long time since I seen one of them

shane0007

Still a large number of them out there. I have replaced 2 of them in the last month & another to do in the coming weeks. Natural draught too. Efficiency goes out the window with them but good little work horses.

corkgsxr

Been about 2 years since I changed or seen a natural draught and about 4 for a pilot.

Donno why.

lukegriffen

Thanks for all the replies. Having the pilot light constantly on is a bit annoying, a constant hiss in the dining room, though I'd be horrified if it was costing 150 a year!!
I turned pilot light down to the very bare minimum, mainly to reduce the hiss when not in use, though the service guys tend to like to turn it to a higher flame, presumably coz of fear of it going out.

From end Apr to end Aug I used 596 kWh (actuals) @ 4.41c = total cost of €26 , if I remember right, I think May was cold so I'm sure I had heating on for at least several evenings.
I would have thought it was less than 30 euros per year on pilot, but I might check the usage just on pilot light, good point.

shane0007

lukegriffen wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. Having the pilot light constantly on is a bit annoying, a constant hiss in the dining room, though I'd be horrified if it was costing 150 a year!!
I turned pilot light down to the very bare minimum, mainly to reduce the hiss when not in use, though the service guys tend to like to turn it to a higher flame, presumably coz of fear of it going out.

From end Apr to end Aug I used 596 kWh (actuals) @ 4.41c = total cost of €26 , if I remember right, I think May was cold so I'm sure I had heating on for at least several evenings.
I would have thought it was less than 30 euros per year on pilot, but I might check the usage just on pilot light, good point.

You cannot adjust a pilot. It is on or off, not high or low.
Your gas is not costing 4.41c per kwh. You must add vat & carbon tax & levies. Most people's unit is 5.5c per kwh + the additions bringing to to 6.6c per kwh. Add the 2% increase in October & it will be 6.7c per kwh.

Therefore 596 kwh @ 6.7c = €39.93.
That was for 4 calendar months so €39.93 x 3 = €119.79. Your usage for a few evenings won't have a huge affect on your overall annual pilot. Even at that, it is a considerable sum just to have your pilot lit!

Egass13

I think a lot of the stats surrounding boiler efficiency are exaggerated . Taking a boiler of the wall and hanging a HE appliance isn't going to save you crazy money . However if you fit that boiler to a system that is correctly zoned and controlled , properly flushed , good quality radiators , With adequate insulation and efficient windows fitted around the house then you should see plenty of savings . In short , I think for a boiler to display it's maximum efficiency then the property it is fitted in has to be of an efficient standard .