Coal to Gas Conversion...need advice!!

[frozen]

Hi lovely plumbers,

I really am frozen and do need some advice!

Xmas 2010 our TRG 45 coal boiler was condemned and landed my mum in hospital with severe carbon monoxide poisoning, she has recovered now though.

Our problem is we are now without heating and hot water altogether and as my mum and dad are elderly this is not good especially with the really cold weather we are having.

We have applied for our gas connection and will be getting it soon. My question is what type of system to install?

The house is 3 storey's (basement, street level, 1st floor), solid walls (1930's), pipes are old, some is microbore, a little plastic, apprx 10 radiators, 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 WC.

We want to use existing pipe work as due to layout of house fitting new pipes would be a nightmare.

Current boiler is TRG 45 with tank.

Have had 3 plumbers who would'nt touch the conversion. One quote has come in for £9,000 and this is for fitting onto existing pipes, with in line Fernox filter, convential Worscter 40cdi and new tanks. The company have said installing a Combi is no good as the pressure could make existing pipes burst or leak. This morning a plumber came and said he'd install a Combi no problem, cheaper and no need for tanks and we are just awaiting a quote for that.

We are definitely not going back to solid fuel. So any advice would be greatly appreciated


thanks

 

[Toddyplumb]

Im sure there is a grant available for conversion from solid fuel to gas

 

[frozen]

thanks for reply,

there is a grant we have looked into from the scottish gov, but it only covers a 'standard' install with new pipes and up to £4,000. If we took the grant we'd have to move out have all floorings ripped up and pay in addition £11,000 towards grant

 

[Blackcatgas]

thanks for reply,

there is a grant we have looked into from the scottish gov, but it only covers a 'standard' install with new pipes and up to £4,000. If we took the grant we'd have to move out have all floorings ripped up and pay in addition £11,000 towards grant

I dont understand? youd have to pay 14 grand for a new heating install? are the pipes made out of gold? 5k tops for a Rolls Royce install nnew pipes new rads etc etc from scratch, done in a week without you having to move out.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

the only reason you could not have a combi is if your pipes are in concrete or not copper,40 kw baxi duotec is cheaper and a MUCH BETTER boiler than the worcester,and you have been quoted 9 grand by who dick turpin (no relation to our very own turnpin) LOL anyway as said under 3-4 grand perhaps less get more quotes



youd have to pay 14 grand for a new heating install? just read that bit where do you live????? Buckingham palace?????????

 

[frozen]

Yeh, Scottish Gas grant inline with energy grant would only give 4k towards install. Its a very old house, the pipes are copper ( apart from a sink and radiator in basemnt which are plastic). The pipes run straight up from basement to bedroom at top of house. Its not Buckingham palace lol, its not even a big house, its an ancient 2 bedroom house with a post war add on.

From the way most plumbers have spoken because the layout of the rooms is not convential its a pipe running nightmare.

Because the coal system has been in for years I've been told Combi pressure wouldnt be good for pipes system-could rupture or leak so convential with tanks might be the way to go. Age of pipes and radiators are probs over 30 years at least. Others have said the easiest option is to just fit onto the flow and return of exisiting boiler with Combi and it should be fine. So confused

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

dont see the problem but not looking at your house,could it be a steel house and some quoting to replace pipes still the price is way over the top

 

[frozen]

dont see the problem but not looking at your house,could it be a steel house and some quoting to replace pipes still the price is way over the top

No not quoted for replacing pipes at all !!! he has put in for one boiler, flue ext kit, clocks etc, 9 trv's and new fancy tanks to replace the primatic one (not sure of spelling) and 3 days labour.

As the customer it makes me question why one plumber has so much to install to do and one has so little! Up here a combi and 7 radiators to quote local newspaper is £1700. I was thinking for our house maybe 4k tops. But everybody tells me different as to what install to go for.

Should they pressure check a system before putting a combi in first?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

may not be practical to pressure test first,but all rad valves need replacing,system descaled ,and you need a 40 kw boiler by the sounds of it do you have good or poor incoming mains water pressure?

 

[Blackcatgas]

may not be practical to pressure test first,but all rad valves need replacing,system descaled ,and you need a 40 kw boiler by the sounds of it do you have good or poor incoming mains water pressure?

Need a 40kw boiler, is that a typo Dan?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Need a 40kw boiler, is that a typo Dan?

no op mentioned he needs a 40 kw dont know why?????????

 

[frozen]

thats one thing the quotes do agree on its got to be a boiler of 40kw.

yeh good mains water pressure

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

thats one thing the quotes do agree on its got to be a boiler of 40kw.

yeh good mains water pressure

dont see why you cant have a combi,why are they quoting for a 40 kw? expensive boiler in baxi or worcester

 

[frozen]

something to do with hot water flow rate, & the fact we need to put in a couple of extra radiators and shower for a disabled shower room later on.

I'm definitley going to get more quotes

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

and forget the Worcester this is the only 40 kw i would fit and would put in my own home
[DLMURL]http://www.discountedheating.co.uk/shop/acatalog/Baxi_Duo-Tec_40_HE_Condensing_Combi_Boiler.html[/DLMURL]

 

[frozen]

Yeh id been recommended Baxi or Worcester or even Valliant if i wanted to really splash the cash lol but nothing italian for some reason??

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

italian,ferroli =poo,ariston=poo um not going well baxi =british =the best,worcester bosch german/british hybrid=good but not perfect,vailent =german,complex need a degree in nuclear physics to under stand the time clock/roomstat

 

[Blackcatgas]

Iam not a fan of any combi requiring over 35kw. Add on a cooker and a gas fire and i can almost garentee that you will not be able to achieve the inlet pressure needed to safely operate the apliances at the same time, a sweeping statement, not true in every case, but based on prev exp, whats your flow rate at the taps, that could be less than what the 40kw boiler will give you anyway. Just my opinion, everybody please feel free to disagree with me.

 

[frozen]

LOL

Ok no probs,
I'll get more quotes and see how I get on. I'll repost to let you know.

thanks again

 

[Blackcatgas]

LOL

Ok no probs,
I'll get more quotes and see how I get on. I'll repost to let you know.

thanks again

Ask 10 plumbers, get 10 different answers, definately get more quotes though, your current ones have been silly.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

i will come from London to do it for 13k and I will cook your breakfast /lunch/and roast diner for 5 days until I finished the install and i promise will send you card for every X-mas till I die

 

[SafeGasInstall]

do not look else where I will be your best friend to

 

[Dannypipe]

Need a 40kw boiler, is that a typo Dan?

Not me mate, or is Gas Man another Dan??

 

[Blackcatgas]

Not me mate, or is Gas Man another Dan??

Ive been calling gas man, Dan for the last yr or so, its probably like the "Dave" scenario in only fools and horses.

 

[Dannypipe]

HA! Or maybe not, maybe he is a Dan and you lucked out.

Anyway, enough of this. Time for Zzzzzzzzzzzz's.