I fear the time has come to replace our boiler with one of these newfangled, super-efficient, short-life condensing boilers. The boiler we had fitted in 1992 is on its last legs and I don’t think we'll see another winter out of it. Correction,my wife doesn’t want to chance another winter with it! It’s a 'heat only' boiler, not a system boiler, not a combi and just over a year ago we had the whole system (apart from the boiler) upgraded in advance of the boiler replacement. We had the tanks removed from the loft and had it converted to a sealed system plus an unvented hot water cylinder fitted to give us mains pressure hot water - whenever our daughter stayed over, she always commented that having a shower at ours was like being spat on! At the same time the controller and room stat was upgraded to a digital setup, the zone valves were replaced and the system had a power flush. The only part untouched was the pump as I had replaced that not too long before the conversion.

Trying to get a recommendation of a boiler is akin to someone asking on here what car is the best! There’ll always be someone who has had a particular car for years with no bother whilst for someone else, it will have been the worse car they’ve ever had?

Just how do you chose a boiler? I suspect that installers will just install the easiest and most profitable one for them to fit so I’d like to have enough information be able to say which boiler I want fitted.

I'm doing a straw poll and asking end users of their experience. Has anyone on here had a boiler installed in the last 5 years and if so, which make and how has it performed? Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Choose one without aluminium in it, brass copper or stainless steel heat exchanger and expansion tank. You have steel radiators copper pipes and possibly a stainless steel pressurised tank adding aluminium alloys creates a disposable anode no matter what any salesperson says. Mine is a Biasi and apart from a diverter valve ( which you won't have as a heat only boiler) no problems with the actual boiler mechanics, though had a couple of starter PCB's fail in 13 years, bought from B&Q for £400 28kW now make a 32kW combi, https://www.screwfix.com/p/biasi-advance-p...iler/77676 my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Steve, are we talking gas or oil? 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel

Or old ? I have an old boiler she's doing a bit of gardening just now.

Worms wrote:

Steve, are we talking gas or oil?

Ideal logic + we (local authorities ) moved to Ideal around 5 year ago and never regretted it it's very rare to have a problem with any of them. We are going to trial a couple of Naviean boilers as on paper they seem ok

Valiant or Worcester Bosch . They are the top of the food chain in boiler technology . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Full of plastic valves ... utter tosh, mass produced crap, a bit like Karcher, make a name with a quality product then mass produce it with inferior cheap parts.

Ideal logic + that’s all we fit now 7 years warranty. Had mine ideal now 10 years never missed a beat. Freelander2 GS TD4 Manual in Lago Grey .Roof Mount DVD 9.2''Screen~Window Tints~Parrot CK3100 Bluetooth~Retro Fit Sony Satnav~iPhone Dashmount~Side Steps~Woodco Armrest~Mudflaps~Land Rover Sunglass Holder~LED Interior Lights~Private Plate.Evoque Collected 17th Sept 2012.


Also Audi TT Roadster.

I’ve so far narrowed it down to between Worcester Bosch, ideal, Baxi and Vaillant. Only thing I’m concerned about is the heat exchanger. Apparently aluminium ones appear to have a relatively short life. As far as I can determine, only Vaillant have stainless steel heat exchangers. Is my thinking on that correct? One things for sure, I’m not going to get 26 years out of my next boiler. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Last edited by Steve D on 8th Apr 2018 5:45 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Intergas. My plumber and friend only fits these. Never had a fault with any since he's been fitting them for the last 5 years. Installed mine 3 years ago, been perfect. MY13 TD4 Black and White manual - Gone
MY14 TD4 XS manual - Gone
MY13 SD4 HSE Lux

I have heard that make suggested elsewhere. I contacted their customer care line telling them what boiler and system I had and asked them what boiler(s) in their range would be a suitable replacement for my system. I contacted them twice. Never had a reply so I’ve discounted them as if they can’t reply to a potential sales enquiry, I’m wondering how are they going to be after they’ve got my money if I had a problem? Contrast this with WB who got back to me within the hour on a Saturday morning with some very useful advice on possible replacements. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Just a tip Steve . If you don’t already have a magnetic filter , get one fitted while you are doing the job . It won’t add a lot to the overall cost and they are a good bit of preventative maintenance kit if the rest of your system is getting on a bit . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Don't dissmiss a boiler because it has a aliluminium heat exchange there are 10's of thousands out there just make sure you put inhibitor in the system and a magnetic filter and you will be fine

Yeah thanks. When I had the system converted I asked about a mag filter and they said there was no need at the time with the type of boiler I had and they said only to fit one when I have a new boiler fitted so I know that’ll be needed. Also a condensate pipe will be needed and that may involve a long run as boiler is in the loft. This is turning out harder than choosing a new car! Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.