Oil fired boiler recommendation

BumbleAbout · 25 May 2011, 08:54

Our old (think it dates from the 70's) oil boiler died this weekend with a hole in the boiler jacket and lots of water pouring out, but I'm hearing some horror stories about frequent parts replacement on many of the new condensing boilers - does anyone have a recommendation for a make that has been reliable for them please ?

Dr Doof · 25 May 2011, 09:28

Worcester Bosch are good and come with a warranty of up to 5 years. Grant boilers also have a good reputation.

BogMonster · 25 May 2011, 10:48

Anything that isn't a combi or a condensing boiler! I was going to say Worcester as well.

I'm going to have the same dilemma later in the year - almost everybody here uses bloody combi's and lots of them seem to only last a year or two then go all incontinent or (in one case literally) blow up (fire brigade job). I wouldn't have one if you gave it to me.

I like a gravity fed boiler with a header tank in the loft and a cylinder, Mother Nature's gravity doesn't go wrong that often and if it does you're gonna have bigger issues than hot water... anyway we don't have enough mains water pressure for a combi as we have our own storage tank.

BumbleAbout · 25 May 2011, 11:42

We are being forced to buy a condensing boiler (more efficient etc) by regulations - so I don't really have a choice there and anything which uses less oil would be good !

An oil burning combi is not great since they are much slower to respond than gas ones and I'm not sure they are available in 32kw versions anway. Agree that I would like to retain gravity feed rather than pressurise many old connections for radiators etc.

Grant boilers seem to be recommended by installers, but there are many internet complaints about very unreliable hardware requiring frequent replacements from users on boilerjuice.com which slightly worried me.

Worcester apparently use an aluminium rather than stainless steel heat exchanger which the acidic condensate then destroys (need to dig further though) - or am I being unrealistic expecting a new boiler to last 20-30 years ?

I'm now additionally trying to understand whether I should retain the conventional stainless lined vertical flue or change to a balanced flue which might be slightly more efficient (not sure that I like the idea of a horizontal flue facing the oil tank about a foot away though).

TIMO · 25 May 2011, 12:11

I fitted vaillant ecotec to my last three properties ( i buy and sell houses) and had no problems whatsoever ,

Erin · 25 May 2011, 14:20

I'm not entirely sure about UK regs, but can they really force you to install a condensing boiler?

You shouldn't have a balanced flue within 1800mm of an oil tank (or more correctly, your oil tank shouldn't be within 1800 of an opening into the property).

Gerry · 25 May 2011, 14:36

Also had a Valliant condensing gas boiler fitted in a previous house and very pleased with it (cut gas bills significantly compared with very old boiler it replaced) and no problems with it. Mind you, moved after 4 years so not a long term experience...

Related subject, has anyone looked into the latest air source heat pump systems to replace a gas/oil boiler? Some new systems now provide enough heat to directly run normal radiators (e.g. Daikin Altherma HT). They're supposed to be now getting competitive with off-grid applications like oil.

Gerry

creachan · 25 May 2011, 23:42

I went Grant, Printed boards have gone twice,
advice,Get a boiler that spares will be at hand.They always break when you need the heat. Maybe keep away from pcb's.

BogMonster · 26 May 2011, 01:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by BumbleAbout

am I being unrealistic expecting a new boiler to last 20-30 years ?

With modern disposable products you're probably being unrealistic to expect anything to last 20-30 years these days

Razorbill RIBs · 26 May 2011, 06:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by creachan

I went Grant, Printed boards have gone twice,
advice,Get a boiler that spares will be at hand.They always break when you need the heat. Maybe keep away from pcb's.

Re Grant - My experience too, ours is now 3 years old! PCB's have gone twice as well as pump and various other niggles.....usually fails at Christmas!

Also installed a cheapety cheap 'Firebird' in our rental property....no issues in two years!

Luck of the draw in my experience, but definately wouldn't buy another Grant in a hurry....meant to be a quality brand???? The customer service is badly wanting too IMO.

Leapy · 26 May 2011, 11:10

There are four Worcester Bosch combi-boilers in our complex, all now 12 years old and counting. They are serviced annually by WB themselves who occasionally change a part at no cost to us "just in case" but other than that, nothing to report. There's a 5th boiler - not a combi - which is a Valiant, also 12 years old. The owners of that one are on first name terms with the Service Engineer.

BumbleAbout · 27 May 2011, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerry

Related subject, has anyone looked into the latest air source heat pump systems to replace a gas/oil boiler? Some new systems now provide enough heat to directly run normal radiators (e.g. Daikin Altherma HT). They're supposed to be now getting competitive with off-grid applications like oil.
Gerry

The air source heat pumps seem to be very noisy (a neighbour has one) and not very efficient when compared to the ground source heat pumps - so I started to look at ground source heat pumps, but gave up because it would appear to cost over 10x the most expensive condensing oil boiler - so oil prices need to be a lot more expensive to justify the installation cost.

BumbleAbout · 27 May 2011, 15:35

So after a few more suggestions, I now have a shortlist of regular gravity fed oil burners:
Worcester Bosch
Potterton

The only thing that I haven't yet investigated is a possible repair of the current heat exchanger/ boiler jacket or replacement with a stainless steel heat exchanger.

spartacus · 28 May 2011, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by BumbleAbout

So after a few more suggestions, I now have a shortlist of regular gravity fed oil burners:
Worcester Bosch
Potterton

The only thing that I haven't yet investigated is a possible repair of the current heat exchanger/ boiler jacket or replacement with a stainless steel heat exchanger.

Our current oil-fired boiler is a Boulter. It's been in the property since it was built (1999), so now 12 years old. We're at the point that we're having to consider all options as oil-prices are going through the roof.

The annual maintenance has kept the boiler running, but we've still had problems. At one point it was smoking like an E-Class Frigate, and then died. That was Christmas Day a few years back. Think we've had water-pumps go, thermostat, etc.

We've considered solar panels, but we don't have enough roof space (due to Velux and dormers), besides it was going to cost £7k and all it would heat was the water.

Then we looked at a wood pellet burner. The automatic hopper ones start at £12k. Now we have someone coming on Monday to explain the benefits of switching to LPG. Absolutely no idea about how much they cost to run, but what I do know is there is a monthly tank rental, and that the tank has to be 3m from the house, boundary fence, etc. You can bury them of course. Don't think they're as fuel efficient as oil.

Kind of brings us back to oil-boilers. The new versions on the market will probably be more fuel efficient. Even although our current boiler is only 12 years old, and should theoretically last another 8 years, we've decided to replace it now with something that will save us long-term. We're looking at gravity fed oil-burners.

Anything with Bosch in the name gets my vote.

Pikey Dave · 04 June 2011, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by spartacus

Our current oil-fired boiler is a Boulter. It's been in the property since it was built (1999), so now 12 years old. We're at the point that we're having to consider all options as oil-prices are going through the roof.

The annual maintenance has kept the boiler running, but we've still had problems. At one point it was smoking like an E-Class Frigate, and then died. That was Christmas Day a few years back. Think we've had water-pumps go, thermostat, etc.

We've considered solar panels, but we don't have enough roof space (due to Velux and dormers), besides it was going to cost £7k and all it would heat was the water.

Then we looked at a wood pellet burner. The automatic hopper ones start at £12k. Now we have someone coming on Monday to explain the benefits of switching to LPG. Absolutely no idea about how much they cost to run, but what I do know is there is a monthly tank rental, and that the tank has to be 3m from the house, boundary fence, etc. You can bury them of course. Don't think they're as fuel efficient as oil.

Kind of brings us back to oil-boilers. The new versions on the market will probably be more fuel efficient. Even although our current boiler is only 12 years old, and should theoretically last another 8 years, we've decided to replace it now with something that will save us long-term. We're looking at gravity fed oil-burners.

Anything with Bosch in the name gets my vote.

If you think oil's expensive, brace yourself for LPG

At least with oil you don't pay rent on the tank & you can shop around. With LPG they have you by the danglies.
Re: oil boilers, look at Trianco, empire built in Sheffield like proverbial brick s****house, spares easy & cheap to come by & you don't have to sell a kidney to buy it in the first place.

spartacus · 04 June 2011, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

If you think oil's expensive, brace yourself for LPG

At least with oil you don't pay rent on the tank & you can shop around. With LPG they have you by the danglies.
Re: oil boilers, look at Trianco, empire built in Sheffield like proverbial brick s****house, spares easy & cheap to come by & you don't have to sell a kidney to buy it in the first place.

Had the sales representative from Calor around at the start of the week. Thought oil was expensive. Once we dig up the garden to bury the 2,000 litre LPG tank, and then pay their annual monthly rental - I'd be cheaper having a cocaine habit! No thanks.

willk · 04 June 2011, 21:45

Aye, and when the snow comes and they won't call because of H&S rules, try carrying a few jerry cans of LPG in the car....

BumbleAbout · 05 June 2011, 22:42

Thanks - the dead one is a Trianco from 1993 - I spent a few hours taking it apart today and the mild steel welded heat exchanger had rusted through (I was hoping that it might be a cast iron one). I have seen an equivalent Trianco Eurostar condensing oil burner which would fit into the same space, use the same lined vertical flue and nearly the same water connections - so I'm toying with just fitting the newer equivalent myself (oil pipe, 2 water connections, mains cable and cut out valve - so far from rocket science).

spartacus · 28 July 2011, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by BumbleAbout

Thanks - the dead one is a Trianco from 1993 - I spent a few hours taking it apart today and the mild steel welded heat exchanger had rusted through (I was hoping that it might be a cast iron one). I have seen an equivalent Trianco Eurostar condensing oil burner which would fit into the same space, use the same lined vertical flue and nearly the same water connections - so I'm toying with just fitting the newer equivalent myself (oil pipe, 2 water connections, mains cable and cut out valve - so far from rocket science).

Any update since you last posted?

I stopped by a local heating supplier today. All they sell are condensing boilers. The only makes they have are Worcester Bosch and Grants. Apparently Worcester Bosch bought Boulter (my existing boiler), so they're now part of the same group.

After a quick discussion with the salesman - (who seemed to be more interested in finishing an email than selling me anything) - he said the condensing boilers need to be hooked up to a waste outflow, whether a drain, etc. That's a big of a bu**er as the boiler is in the garage. I suppose it can be done - but I was hoping it would be a straight forward cut 'n' shut job of out with the old and in with the new.

No idea of true costs, but somewhere in the region of £1500 for the boiler using existing pipework, however there's the commissioning, waste-pipe, labour and not to mention VAT at 20%. Remind me why I live in the UK?

BumbleAbout · 28 July 2011, 22:22

Not yet - I've managed to spend all my time working, gradually sorting out the boat and out on the water - which all seemed more important (until the cold weather returns!).

Luckily there is a waste pipe nearby.