Scrappage scheme for Old Boilers

Smokin Joe

Mrs Smokin Joe isn't too happy about it, but as I said, "If the chancellor says you've got to go to make way for a younger model, what can I do?"

And the £400 bonus is handy too, I can get a water bed installed and probably have enough left for some sexy underwear for her replacement. All this talk about the government being past their sell by date, as far as I'm concerned they they have some pretty forward thinking ideas. Can't wait for the go ahead on this, I'll just have to decide on blonde or brunette first.

Scrumple

My boiler broke down this morning.




I just gave her a hug....

-spider-

With the amount I pay, I think my boiler heats the neighbourhood. How can I get this checked?

solsurf

typical isn't it, paid £2800 to have a new boiler recently. :roll:

Could have used that £400 on a bike related product.

andy162

-spider- wrote:

With the amount I pay, I think my boiler heats the neighbourhood. How can I get this checked?

Many reasons why you could be paying too much...

Have your boiler & system checked out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, avoid British Gas( in/out 30min max then either try flogging you a new boiler or a system Power Flush @ £600)

Is your house well insulated? Especially loft space.

Your system could simply be inefficient, a 20 yr old boiler is about 70/5% efficient, a new condensing boiler can be 95% or a touch more.

If you have a reasonably modern system with a room thermostat & thermostatic radiator valves etc & boiler that is reasonably new there could be problem with your meter. To have this checked contact your gas supplier & request a D.O.T.I test. If the meter is found to be accurate you will have to pay for the test.

Are your bills estimated? Always give a reading.

disgruntledgoat

The ANtiques Road show is in Wigan and a gentlemen of that town has queued up all day with his item. He finally gets to meet Henry Sandon and says "So what is it?"

"Well, have you had it long?" Asks Henry

"It's been on the loft abaht twenty years, I just sort of forgot it was there" Replies our Pie-Eater

"I see. Tell me, have you had it insured?"

"Why is it worth summat?"

"No it's your water heater"

I'm here all week.

Pross

Getting a new condensing boiler installed today - completely free through Warm Front scheme. Nice to see my taxes being used in a decent way and may be able to hear the TV without the sound like a jumbo jet taking off

Bronzie

Smokin Joe wrote:

Mrs Smokin Joe isn't too happy about it, but as I said, "If the chancellor says you've got to go to make way for a younger model, what can I do?"

Call me old fashioned, but ditching an old boiler that has given you years of dedicated service seems foolhardy.

Sure, the newer models give off fewer noxious emissions, are probably a bit quieter running (my old boiler makes a high pitch whining noise every now and then, but I just tend to turn the telly up) and are nicer to look at................but the downside is that they can be very unreliable if not operated exactly as per the manufacturer's instructions with a habit of going out on you just when you need them most. Believe me, once the fire in your new boiler gets temperamental, you'll wish you had the old one back.

My advice to you is to treat your old boiler to a very thorough service. Start by stripping off the casing, slowly but methodically (you don’t want to lose a screw early into the service). Then, starting at the top, gradually work your way down to the flue. This is almost always the source of problems with older models.

If you haven’t used the flue for a while (ie over the summer months) it’s possible that it has become blocked with debris. A quick visual inspection followed by gently blowing into the flue should work wonders. If you still have trouble achieving a flame, a vigorously applied wire brush to the inside of the flue is bound to get things warming up nicely!

Chip \'oyler

Pross wrote:

Getting a new condensing boiler installed today - completely free through Warm Front scheme. Nice to see my taxes being used in a decent way and may be able to hear the TV without the sound like a jumbo jet taking off

Bloody Warm Front - we've had a very bad experience with one of their recommended fitters

andy162

Chip \'oyler wrote:

Pross wrote:

Getting a new condensing boiler installed today - completely free through Warm Front scheme. Nice to see my taxes being used in a decent way and may be able to hear the TV without the sound like a jumbo jet taking off

Bloody Warm Front - we've had a very bad experience with one of their recommended fitters

Keep hearing very mixed reviews regarding Warm Front fitters. They have a tendency to fit Ideal Icos or Isar boilers too....scrap in a white case hung from yr wall tbh.

rake

its time we had a scrappege scheme for useless mp's.

dgstewart

andy162 wrote:

Your system could simply be inefficient, a 20 yr old boiler is about 70/5% efficient, a new condensing boiler can be 95% or a touch more.

I got a new boiler a few months ago and I have been quite surprised (pleasantly) by the improvement. Our gas consumption has gone down by 50%. Our old boiler was over 25 years old, and clearly a heap of crap. I knew it was bad, but didn't realise how bad!