Thinking of installing a 30kw Combi in Mil's Bungalow. A local Plumber has suggested a Glow Worm Ultimate, but I'm getting mixed reviews. Anyone here got any real world experience with these Combi's?
Cheers...........
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Plumbers always suggest the glow worm. I think they get special deals at the merchant.
Having said that, I have a Glowworm (not combi) , Its now 4 years old and threw its first wobbler this year, nothing serious just a burned out igniter (the igniter and thermocouple are combined) apart from that its been as good as gold.
I think the best ones are Worcester Bosch.
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Which? says that Worcester is the most reliable brand, followed by Vaillant.
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>> I think the best ones are Worcester Bosch.
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Agreed, that was the result of my research 5/7 years ago, they came highly recommended, however we now have a chap who does nothing but boiler servicing repair upgrades and replacements, he reckons our 21 year old Vaillant probably has many years still in it and he still rates them.
When we still had BG (never again will they see a penny of mine) doing the CH servicing we believed the lie that our boiler was on its last legs and replacement with a new one considered (@ £4+k mind but order now and £3.5k).
Finally saw the light and dumped them and found this chappie by recommendation, proof its still going great guns (touch wood) 5 to 7 years later.
He'll be replacing the current boiler for about £1500 all in when the time comes by the way.
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I had a Worcester Bosch combi fitted a couple of years ago, it has worked perfectly. As it was fitted by an approved installer it has a seven year warranty.
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Don't go for that one Johnny Ball advertises on the TV, he's back nearly every night having to install another one at the same address ;)
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We favour Worcester Bosch or Keston when we refurb flats. Certainly not Potterton - too many came out of the factory with the wrong circuit boards and caused no end of trouble. Not sure who 'own' Glowworm these days?
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Our plumber reckons that "Grant" are the dog's whatsit these days. Bosch Worcester's image suffered greatly in the last 4/5 years - their latest generation of bolers are not what they used to be according to a Worcester tech that used to service the old BW that was in our old place.
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>>When we still had BG (never again will they see a penny of mine)
Ditto!!!
For the last 24yrs the hovel has had it's heating and hot water supplied by a Myson Midas B combi, which has run tirelessly and faultlessly since it was installed (despite never having been serviced! ;-( ).
Only last month it had an "off" day, it seemed to be dead. I twiddled a few knobs to no avail and a B.G "engineer" was called via their "one off" call out repair sevice. He spent about an hour with it and diagnosed a blown main circuit board - abbout £350 quid if he could find one, since the boiler was so old.
Later that evening I had a brainwave! and decided to chech the fuse in the plug, it had blown! -10 mins later, fuse changed, all up an running!! Sometimes it pays to check the obvious!!
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We currently don't have any hot water...again....and it'll obviously be the boiler, which is an 18 year old Worcester oil fired combi that has seen some life.
I have a local well recommended plumber coming tomorrow morning (they've serviced it twice in 18 months) and on the last visit I enquired about the cost of a new one.
Their response was "between £2000 and £2500".
My mate, a builder, thought that was a bit steep, even for an oil one and is prepared for me to order one through his trade account and pay him back afterwards.
My own research (helped by madf's link above) suggests another Worcester Bosch and I've found a few on a Google product search that are between £870 and £994 depending on the DHW flow rate (whatever that is).
Have I missed anything?...and what is a reasonable price for the plumber to fit something I order (that I'd get the plumber to o.k. first)?
I'm not looking at being a total cheapskate and do a tradesman out of a decent price..but..neither am I prepared to pay far too much and have the plumber mark up the boiler and charge me the fitting.
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>>depending on
>> the DHW flow rate (whatever that is).
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>> Have I missed anything?
There is a "Boiler size" selection tool on the WB website. The DHW flow rate is important, this is the boilers Domestic Hot Water output and will depend on the number of bathrooms, showers etc. Get one too small and you will have the "under powered electric shower effect" in winter when the temperature of the incoming water supply drops. Almost any size of combi will handle the heating.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 23 Sep 13 at 19:05
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>> an 18 year old Worcester oil fired combi
We used to have an oil fired boiler that had previously converted to gas in the previous house. Massive thing that would not come on (or go off) when it was very cold. Boiler was in the cellar. Replaced by a huge gas fired boiler.
More than happy with the combi in this house. Reminds me we ought to get it serviced before the winter. Ta
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Missed the EDIT.
Our plumber recommended one size bigger (DHW) than required, no problems with shower temperature!
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>> I'm not looking at being a total cheapskate and do a tradesman out of a
>> decent price..but..neither am I prepared to pay far too much and have the plumber mark
>> up the boiler and charge me the fitting.
Cost of boiler +250 quid a day.
Boiler 900, two days (possibly) 500 quid, +vat. Deffo under two grand is nearer the mark.
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When we had a new oil boiler a couple of years ago it wasn't so much the boiler that cost, as all the "bringing up to regs" work on pipes and flues and vents and stuff that was needed, as the old installation had been there for goodness knows how long. Certainly more than 20 years.
We went for a Grant, and it's been faultless so far, but I think the final bill was about £3500 or so in the end.
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>> Boiler 900, two days (possibly) 500 quid, +vat. Deffo under two grand is nearer the
>> mark.
>>
I would agree, mine was £2500, but that included a boiler relocation, so lots of copper pipe. The small local company put two plumbers, an apprentice, and a sub contracted sparky on the job, and two (three with the sparky) vans. The job took almost two days.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 23 Sep 13 at 19:26
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>>
>> I would agree, mine was £2500, but that included a boiler relocation, so lots of
>> copper pipe. The small local company put two plumbers, an apprentice, and a sub contracted
>> sparky on the job, and two (three with the sparky) vans. The job took almost
>> two days.
>>
We had our living room back boiler replaced early last year. Two men and a lad removed it and installed the new Worcester combi in the airing cupboard upstairs, arrived at eight in the morning and job done by five.
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>> We had our living room back boiler replaced early last year. Two men and a
>> lad removed it and installed the new Worcester combi in the airing cupboard upstairs, arrived
>> at eight in the morning and job done by five.
>>
WB specify a chemical clean and then flush of the heating system followed by a fill with corrosion inhibitor as part of the commissioning of the boiler. Good quality installation takes time.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 23 Sep 13 at 22:00
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............and get a good filter on the system to collect all the gunge before it jams up the pump!
We have one of these - fitted last year.
www.adey.co.uk/magnaclean_professional.asp
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We have a 7 year old oil-fired Grant combi (not con-densing) which has been 100% reliable and it lives outside.
I have it serviced every year for 75 quid, I see that as insurance - just in case, he's a very good OFTEC reg engineer that we've known for 9 years.
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Have you seen those exterior oil boilers WP? I know one would release a lot of space in my kitchen.
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Combi boiler - Zero
