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Discuss Long boiler warranties? Worth it? in the Boilers area at Plumbers Forums
I would prefer a 20 year wife warrantee ..I am on my 3rd and they seem to wear out every two decades ...but as my latest observed that as I am 61 she is safe, as who the hell is going to look at me aged 82 and I agreeI had an interesting chat a few years back with opne of the sales reps for a large maunfactuere. I remember two things:
But is a long warranty worth it? Hmmmmm.
- If they have to go out more than twice, under warranty, then they have lost money
- About 10% of warranties are lost each year becuase people have not had their annual service i.e 50% of 5 year old boilers have forfitted their warranties.
I would love a 10 year warranty on:
J
- mobile phone
- car
- toaster
- wife
- tv
- computer
- carpet
- tyres
- you get my point
Yes however we've also fitted budget boilers that have outlasted premium brands with very little repairs (Some by quite some way). Think it's luck of the draw. We've got one customer who has a CDI that's basically had a full new boiler in parts over 10 years, and another one that was fitted at the same time who's never had out go wrong, the latter never had it serviced in 10 years either . Luck.Interesting take on it but I’ve known people who have had these so called budget boilers fitted and through no fault of the installer the owners have had problem after problem with boiler faults and have had to wait days for the manufacturers repair in the depths of winter. It’s hassle factor which with some of the better brands you ought not to get in a good few years if properly maintained
From where I am, I have read your post, I am an experienced fella over the years with my boys done countless installs.So I had three Installers come out and quote, I called up five but two did not bother call back.
1) Small company with tens of reviews, the guy turned up 45 mins late, but spent 30-35 mins assessing where to move the boiler, said we couldn't move the boiler where we wanted to, have to place it in the kitchen. Explained what his three premium makes of boilers were but recommended one which was mid market but with a longer warranty. Cleansing the system depended on the quality of the water and they could decide doing that at the time of the install. Recommended a 30kw boiler.
2) Small company but lots of reviews, turned up on time, he assesed quickly and said we couldn't move the boiler where we wanted to, have to place it in the kitchen. Have to either pull up flooring or go through roof. Said they cleanse the system before any install but didnt mention how they do it. Was gone in 15 mins.
3)Independent fitter, no reviews online but found name from registered installers, turned up on time. Said we could move the boiler to where we wanted - all it required was an elbow in the flue after it exits from the property so it doesnt point towards a window. I did ask him a few times to confirm this. He talked about the boiler he would recommend and he mentioned be wary of these long warranties. He would quote for a 25kw boiler as he argued currently we have a 24kw and if that suits you no need to get a 30kw. Also he mentioned he cleanses the system the old way - takes the rads off the wall and cleans them outside.
Now I have not received actual written quotes back as yet but I am tending towards the third guy but I do have some reservations - the first two said I cannot relocate the boiler to where I want because the flue exit will be too close to an external down pipe, but the third guy said it wouldn't be an issue. I do like the fact that the third guy was not trying to upsell me a bigger boiler. Another downside? He is 62 so near retirement or can Gas fitters carry working past 65?
I mentioned to all three I am not looking just for an installer but someone who will service the boiler regularly.
Which one would you go for or shall I keep on looking?
Ask in your local plumbers merchant see who is taking loads of stuff and pays them on the nail every month like we do
thats my advice
2 out of 3 said NO.
You hear what you want to believe is the truth. I believe it's cognitive bias.
Still, the guy could be right
And 3 out of 5 calls turned up? That's pretty damn good.
Why not vertical flue it? Without seeing the installation inside to what you want to do it's hard to say, but my thoughts would have been if you can't flue it out the wall you can go out the roof.
If he's on about putting a 90 elbow on externally to bend it round, then no that's not right. You aren't allowed any white showing externally on the flue, so using flue elbows external isn't allowed. If he was going to use a plume kit to do this then it might be a different story....None of them mentioned going through the roof.
As long as what he proposes - the flue exits the property and then bends to the left - if that is within regulation then I am ok with that.
Does having bends in a flue cause issues?
If he's on about putting a 90 elbow on externally to bend it round, then no that's not right. You aren't allowed any white showing externally on the flue, so using flue elbows external isn't allowed. If he was going to use a plume kit to do this then it might be a different story..
Ask in your local plumbers merchant see who is taking loads of stuff and pays them on the nail every month like we do
thats my advice
Rob Foster aka centralheatking
Update - so the guy who said I could move it into the W/c said now he was unable to quote and is busy until September.
I really liked him, is this a kind way of saying he doesn't want the job?
So I had an installer call yesterday and he was the only one to suggest we could move the boiler into the w/c and go up through the roof. In the pic above you can just see the corner of the roof.
Now would this be a solution only for boilers that have their flue on top of the boiler?
Another option was using a plume kit. So not sure which is the better solution long term.
September is only 7/8 weeks away! Less than 2 months.
Do people think plumbers just sit around until they need us?
I'm relatively quiet at the moment and I'm mid- end of August.
Dead easy...call him ask him bite the bullet...but ask him when..its nice to have work booked in in advance helps one sleep the weekend. beforeMy point was, I do like the guy should I call him back and say I am willing to wait? Or was he politely declining the work.
My point was, I do like the guy should I call him back and say I am willing to wait? Or was he politely declining the work.
He could just be busy. Give him a call.My point was, I do like the guy should I call him back and say I am willing to wait? Or was he politely declining the work.