Condensing boilers

M

mildew

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I am looking to get my heating system replaced. I currently have an apollo fanfare gas boiler which is about 18 years old and is starting to give a lot of problems.
Can anyone here give me a ball park figure please of the cost of installing a condensing boiler and replacing about five rads. The reason to replace the rads is that a plumber I had out recently said that they were an old type. i.e. no convector fans on back of rads and inefficient.
The plumber gave me a figure of roughly €2700 for boiler alone. Does this seem reasonable?

Also could you advise me on which brand of boiler is the most reliable? I have read a few posts on this forum and others and Vokera brand seems to come up alot with problems. Does anyone have positive or negative experiences with this make?

Thanks for reading this.
 
I am just after putting in a condensing boiler at the start of jan. I got a Grant 50 / 90 BTU one and costed me around the €1800 complete with balanced flue kit. I am heating 17 rads off this and a 300ltr hot water cylinder. I am finding it more efficient that my last oil fired boiler
 
hi, got same as you but having trouble heating all the rads, had plumber back to balnce but still a few of them are almost cold. what pump did u install. i am in bungalow, with 14 rads, barlow round top, and 5 solos and 1 solo kicker.

noah
 
2700 for boiler is expensive, ring any plumbing supplier to get an idea of actually price. Vokera main problem is its heat exchanger, they are made of aluminum and scale up alot. Know someone who has to get there's changed 3 times in six years. although treating the system water with inhibitor would reduce this. However i wouldn't bother with them. ask for prices on Vailliant boilers, very trouble free. With regard to noah's problem, check your pump, sounds like its set at low speed or is knackered. if you can hear it thats a bad sign, they should be silent. look at your pump you will have three settings, try turning it up if its low.
 
Sorry, I have not been clear on the price, €2700 is the price for supply and fit. Does that sound more plausable?
 
the prices of boilers vary from 1000euro upwards, the Vokera, condensing model is about 1500euro inc vat, that leaves 1200 euro, this includes labour, any additional materials and probably 13.5% vat (or maybe not). boiler changes should take no longer then a day. if the boiler is going in the same place, any adjustment to pipes is localised and straight forward.. however a new extra pipe will have to be ran to a drain, this gets rid of the condenstation in the boiler, it will trickle water constantly when on. also,the price depends on where you are in the country.
 
Vokera, bad, Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Viesmmann, good. These boilers generate few warranty service calls and will see me in the poor house.
 
Thanks for the help people!
Got a few more quotes from established companies and all seem to be around the same.

One, who shall remain nameless, was actually promoting Vokera as a good reliable brand.
 
Hi,
I've got a Ferolli boiler which is only a year old and has had little use as we only moved in just before Christmas. Anyway, it broke down and was fixed last week (something to do with the computerised bit in the front) but is dripping water constantly when on. Is this a major problem? I don't think Ferolli are a good make going on my experience - am I wrong? Would it be the installation that's at fault?
Thanks,Beefs
 
Beefs said:
Hi,
I've got a Ferolli boiler which is only a year old and has had little use as we only moved in just before Christmas. Anyway, it broke down and was fixed last week (something to do with the computerised bit in the front) but is dripping water constantly when on. Is this a major problem? I don't think Ferolli are a good make going on my experience - am I wrong? Would it be the installation that's at fault?
Thanks,Beefs
Click to expand...


Beefs, afik condenser boilers do drip water constantly when on. Well this is what I have been told by the plumber.
 
I've received two quotes for supply and fit of a condensing boiler.
Both for €2,600, South Dublin.
Dunno about rads.
 
Just got a firebird 90/120 C35 condensing boiler in last week. Had an internal boiler and it smelled a bit. 1450 for the boiler 750 to fit including some changes to the pipework around the hot tank(was overcomplicated). Plumber had initially quoted 2000 for a 1200 quid boiler including fitting. Got him down after a bit of bargaining. 2700 sounds on the high side compared to this.
 
Folks,

Think you're paying way over the odds on labour. I have the following quote from a v good plumber in the North East:

€2800 incl VAT for

All 1st & 2nd fix plumbing for a new build, including laying UFH pipes (insulation & polythene also) for a 2600 sq ft ground floor, leaving provision for rads in attic, fitting a high efficiency condensing boiler, fitting a stove with back boiler, gas fire, 3 towel rads, pressurised system etc. etc. €2700 sounds v high in my opnion.
 
This information from Sedbuk is worth reviewing before buying. It rates Grant condensing boilers as one of the highest efficiencies
 
Hi there,
Can you help me with the following.
My 90/120 firebird packed in this week. Its roughly a 2500 square foot house with 18 rads both big and small. Grant themselves said the 50/90 condenser vortex is the boiler for me now and a work colleague who has done the boiler course says they recommend sizing down so as to get better efficiency. I have purchased the 50/90 but a bit unsure of I have done right.
Thanks
 
this is a very old post!! You really need a good plumber who knows the grant vortex they are very good boilers and its a good company. If they recommended the 50-90 you must have given them quite a bit of information, ie size of rooms, size of rads etc. With this you can calculate the BTU's required to heat house and get appropriate boiler. The new boiler will be a lot better than the firebird but get a good installer. A good plumber will have a gadget that measures the BTU's required. Your boiler will be outside and one tip make sure flue is high up as possible.
 
Brakes said:
they recommend sizing down so as to get better efficiency.
Click to expand...

You achieve better efficiency if the boiler is cycling less often.

NOAH said:
A good plumber will have a gadget that measures the BTU's required.
Click to expand...

There isn't a gadget that will do this, there are guidelines a good engineer will know, and online calculators that you can use to get a rough idea, but details such as occupancy patters, window sizes and orientations, ventilation, insulation, the temperature you're comfortable at, etc., will all play a role.

Brakes, if you have your gas bills going back over a few years and can provide the supplier with details such as your typical heating patterns (someone home all day, heating only used in evenings...), they'll be able to advise. How is the system operating now? From cold does the house heat quickly, do you hear the boiler kicking in and out often? Does the house retain heat well after the boiler is switched off?
 
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