Replace instead of repair a gas boiler.

gebbel

I have a glowworm micron boiler from 2005 in a 2 bed apartment. It's ran fine all these years but it broke down recently and it looks like a PCB or fan issue. Just wondering if now is the time to just replace it with a more efficient model? I know I'd need to raise a couple of grand but would do it if it really doesn't make sense to pump repair money into an old inefficient boiler. Ta.

pea be

I would consider how much to fix vs new boiler, and what is the expected difference in efficiency.
If a new boiler is 20% more efficient (which seems like a very large jump), then if your current gas bill is €1,000, you will save €200 per year. So if your installation cost for new boiler is €2,000, then it will take 10 years to justify thee cost. Obviously, if your annual gas bill is €2,000 then you would recover the cost in 5 years.
You need to take into account the cost to fix your current boiler, so a fan or pcb will cost something (maybe €100 to €150 at a guess).
Annual service costs should be the same for an old or new boiler.

I know for us a couple of years ago, the cost of replacing a fully functioning 20 year old burner for a new one was going to take 15 to 20 years to cost in.... so we put it off until the current burner is beyond reasonable repair, or more efficient units come down significantly in price. That was 5 years ago, and we have only had to service it each year so far!!

Guy:Incognito

pea be wrote: »

I would consider how much to fix vs new boiler, and what is the expected difference in efficiency.
If a new boiler is 20% more efficient (which seems like a very large jump), then if your current gas bill is €1,000, you will save €200 per year. So if your installation cost for new boiler is €2,000, then it will take 10 years to justify thee cost. Obviously, if your annual gas bill is €2,000 then you would recover the cost in 5 years.
You need to take into account the cost to fix your current boiler, so a fan or pcb will cost something (maybe €100 to €150 at a guess).
Annual service costs should be the same for an old or new boiler.

I know for us a couple of years ago, the cost of replacing a fully functioning 20 year old burner for a new one was going to take 15 to 20 years to cost in.... so we put it off until the current burner is beyond reasonable repair, or more efficient units come down significantly in price. That was 5 years ago, and we have only had to service it each year so far!!

That's assuming the old boiler lasts the time frame of the cost recoup. It could well needs more parts changed in the time or go completely.

gebbel

I have decided to replace the old boiler. The installer has advised me to go for an option I never knew existed. The complete removal of the water tank including the stuart turner negative head pressure pump and choosing an ideal vogue combination boiler. He said we will have hot water on demand from the taps and shower, it’s a 2 bed ground floor apartment with 1 bathroom. The shower is pumped.

This option means we could reclaim the hotpress, as it’s badly situated in one of the bedrooms and is a nuisance for whoever sleeps there when someone uses the taps\ bathroom. Just wondering what people think of this, so there will be no tank, no immersion backup, total reliance on mains pressure (which he says is more than adequate for all this to work) and supply.

The installer is highly regarded where I live. Does any of this plan raise a red flag before I commit to it? Will the shower be better, because it’s fine now but any less power wouldn’t be good. What about water for flushing the toilet that won’t be coming from a tank? Thanks.

antoinolachtnai

The problem is basically regulatory.

1. This is not allowed in the Dublin area (against the bye laws). You are supposed to have your own tank for flushing and washing.

2. It is problematic elsewhere (not really in line with the building regulations).

3. Your lease agreement with the management company (which regulates your building) may well forbid it. This is likely if the water doesn't actually come directly from the road, but goes via roof tanks (which is a common arrangement). The tanks are not sized to provide direct pressure for washing. You will put more demand on the roof tanks than your neighbours.

All that said, it can be done, and it will probably work.