Moving into a new home and boiler system is 17 years old

[alanmcm]

My daughter bought her first home and was hoping to convert to gas but its not available in the area, so thinking a boiler upgrade is the better way to go.

Just after some advice and rough costs involved, is it worth getting a pressurised system installed and a new boiler and oil pump? Heating hasnt been on for a around a year or so since the last tenants left the property and its tempremental at the minute, turned on and started heating all the rooms straight away but now it wont do anything, possibly an airlock as the pump does kick in outside.

I will be hiring a professional to do the work and just after options. Its a 3 bed semi with 3 bathrooms and 9 radiators, some are double radiators. Not sure about the pipework but think its in the walls rather than under the floor if that makes any diffference?

Could be the current setup is fine, but think its just kicking the problem down the road which would lead to more issues. Not sure of the current system as yet, havent checked it out.

TIA Alan

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tbh it all depends on the system and rads / pipework best speak to a local oil engineer and before anything maybe get it serviced / checked

 

[alanmcm]

Tbh it all depends on the system and rads / pipework best speak to a local oil engineer and before anything maybe get it serviced / checked

Perfect, thanks. Think thats the best option, shes not moving in for a while until its decorated so theres time to get it all sorted, nearly summer as well so wont need any heat.

 

[alanmcm]

Quick follow up hoping for some advice, so it is a pressurised system and when she went up this morning the gauge was at 0 or just above it and the heating wont fire up. Ive directed her to the filling loop and now the pressure is just under 2bar but still have the same issue. Shes also tried opening the bleed valve on the oil pump to check for airlocks and still wont stay on longer than say 30-45 seconds before cutting out. Plenty of oil in the tank as well, are we missing anything? We cant get anyone round until next Wednesday and she wants to stay the weekend and decorate so if anyone has any advice that would be great.

Left it with me telling her to switch the heating off at the controls and leave it for a while and try in an hour and see what happens.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I would leave it till an oil engineer looks at it providing the heating pump is running and the system is full eg it wasn’t drained for the sale so check rads are full etc

 

[alanmcm]

I would leave it till an oil engineer looks at it providing the heating pump is running and the system is full eg it wasn’t drained for the sale so check rads are full etc

Fair enough thought there might be a simple thing we are missing. When we first went up and switched it on, all the radiators starting heating up fine for about an hour and then nothing. We didnt check the pressure or anything before hand so could be a possible leak in the system causing the issues. Think we will just wait and see what the engineer says, having the pressurised system is a bonus.

 

[alanmcm]

Just to throw an update in, so got an engineer out to it and gave it a clean and tested it, 84.9% efficiency on the boiler, which is great news.

Next question is, what is the best wireless controller for water and heating with 2 seperate zone thermostats in the house?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Just to throw an update in, so got an engineer out to it and gave it a clean and tested it, 84.9% efficiency on the boiler, which is great news.

Next question is, what is the best wireless controller for water and heating with 2 seperate zone thermostats in the house?

Did you find what was wrong

Have a look at the eph brand

 

[alanmcm]

Did you find what was wrong

Have a look at the eph brand

Turned out to be a dirty flame eye inside the boiler unit, cleaned it and it fired up. Issue after that was the black smoke from the boiler that was killing the neighbours so we got the engineer out and he serviced it. Replaced the hearth, eye, oil feed and he gave it a good hoover and its been great since then. Few rads in the house not fully heating at the bottom so will get the guy back out again to flush the system and clean it allas I doubt its been done. £120 for coming out to do it and said it probably needs a couple of hundred spent to get it back to optimal again but would rather save the money for a new unit upgrade, seen a guy selling used units only a year or two old for around 1/2 the price of new so think thats the better route to go if it packs in.

Thanks for the recommendation ill check it out, she wants to be able to control it wirelessly, doing gas wireless is easy enough, need to have a look at the wiring for the oil and suss it out.