Confused about what system is best!

[Raji]

Hello , I have a terraced property which I rent out to 5 or 6 students. Basically all the rooms are used as bedrooms. Installed is a 10 year old Ravenheat Combi boiler which has been so unreliable I am about to chuck it in the skip. What should I replace it with. There is an upstairs bathroom and a downstairs shower room currently running off the combi. Can any Combi out there serve these two with adequate flow? Is it better to get a system store boiler like the Glow worm Ultrapower? I understand something like this with its inbuilt tank will give enough flow and quantity to serve two bathroom/shower rooms at once and it has a backup immersion heater. Or should I just get a basic combi and let the students suck it up lol! Advise appreciated! Cheers Raj

 

[Dotty]

You need someone in to give you a quote. best to get 2 or 3,

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[Raji]

HiI have already obtained two quotes and the plumbers have both said 24kw combis, one said Valliant Ecotec Pro and the other said Ideal Logic +. I am not sure how these combis will serve that type of household. Everything I have read seems to go against it so wondering why the plumbers suggested that?

 

[Dotty]

Based on what you've said, and knowing what students are like, I think you'd be better going for a system boiler/unvented cylinder combination.

 

[kay-jay]

why dont you ask the students what they think of the current system (when it is working) this will tell you wether a combi is suitable for how the house is used.

if you actually want to give them decent performance, then a storage combi would be better but avoid the glowworm. but obviously such a system will incur more cost

 

[anz]

A 24 KW combi, stands absolutely no chance.

I think your best option would be to have a boiler and unvented system or if you don't want to spend the money, a large power store combi.

 

[Raji]

So you mean a system boiler with an unvented cylinder? If I were to go for a large power store what options are there apart form the Gloworm out there?

 

[nickelarsed]

24kw sounds small, are you sure that the showers are not electric? I do quite a lot of maintenance on student accommodation and quite often they have a combi for taps and electric showers.

 

[Raji]

No at the moment both showers (one in the upstairs bathroom and another downstairs) are fed directly of the combi using thermostatic shower mixer units. I suppose another option is to get an electric shower downstairs and have the combi for the upstairs bathroom and the sink taps.

 

[Roger Welton]

Vailant and Viesmann also do storeage combi's

 

[Simon F]

the plumbers that quoted you may have been working on the premise that as its a rented property the work and cost would be the minimum required???
a bigger combi would give a reasonable flow, but might involve the gas pipe needing to be replaced??
the other options mentioned before would give better performance than what you have been quoted for,
but come at an increased cost, financial and possibly an issue with available space??

 

[lame plumber]

students would kill a combi as you have already seen, decent sized cyl and system boiler, your making enough money from that property already I suspect to be able to afford it.

 

[AMGasServices]

Any house with two bathroom/ shower rooms a system boiler with an unvented cylinder works a treat. It is very cost effective too in the long run.

 

[Raji]

Thanks for all the info guys. I am getting the plumber out again to discuss these other options. Do storage boiler like the Gloworm ultrapower, Viesmann, valiant ecotec plus 937 need a 28mm gas pipe feed from the meter in all cases?

 

[stevetheplumber]

Thanks for all the info guys. I am getting the plumber out again to discuss these other options. Do storage boiler like the Gloworm ultrapower, Viesmann, valiant ecotec plus 937 need a 28mm gas pipe feed from the meter in all cases?

it depends on distance and route from meter but minimum 22