Looking for recomendation - Gas vs Electric heating

I've tried 3 local large-ish companies, but I'll find out the reason they couldn't do it. Maybe they thought the boxing in of the flue wasn't removable - I've no idea where it routes once past the ceiling it hits - could it be straight up the chimney route?
 
Where does that flue go then, what's up above it and how high does it go up? You mentioned you have 3 floors above you, is the space that the flue runs in just now accessible and where does it currently exit to the air?

It really should have to be accessible if for nothing else than to check the current flue.
 
Where does that flue go then, what's up above it and how high does it go up? You mentioned you have 3 floors above you, is the space that the flue runs in just now accessible and where does it currently exit to the air?

It really should have to be accessible if for nothing else than to check the current flue.

Thats a really good question, and I dont know the answer. On the building conversion plans (from 1988), the flat on the 3rd floor (the highest) says for their boiler (which is in the same rough position as mine and that of floor 2 "Wall mounted gas fired boiler with conventional flue through roof". But I cant see reference to it for other floors.
As per the video above, I cant see where it goes once it hits that boxing.

Here is where the boiler is in my flat.
boiler.PNG

EDIT: Just noticed on the plans, they actually have the boiler located where my water storage tank is! But the boiler is definitely in that bottom left corner (as is the boiler in the flat above me and the flat above that.
boiler2.PNG
 
The plans identify the boiler as a wall mounted gas boiler with a external, through the wall flue.

That would be a more sensible place to have the boiler and all the water hookups will be there at the moment if the hot water cylinder is there. Even then, space dependent, there could be a system boiler and the cylinder could be retained. Hard to be specific not being there of course. Only thing it may need is the gas run.

As far as your original query is concerned, I think it's a moot point, electrical heating, in any form, is a lot more expensive than gas.

As far as your current boiler goes, when was the last time it was serviced/checked? Given the type of boiler/flue you have , it's a little concerning that the flue may not been inspected, over it's full length, for quite a while.
 
Thats a really good question, and I dont know the answer. On the building conversion plans (from 1988), the flat on the 3rd floor (the highest) says for their boiler (which is in the same rough position as mine and that of floor 2 "Wall mounted gas fired boiler with conventional flue through roof". But I cant see reference to it for other floors.
As per the video above, I cant see where it goes once it hits that boxing.

Here is where the boiler is in my flat.
View attachment 221458

EDIT: Just noticed on the plans, they actually have the boiler located where my water storage tank is! But the boiler is definitely in that bottom left corner (as is the boiler in the flat above me and the flat above that.
View attachment 221460
those drawings say you have a wall mounted balanced flue boiler, you dont you have a floor mounted conventional flue boiler
 
those drawings say you have a wall mounted balanced flue boiler, you dont you have a floor mounted conventional flue boiler

Yes, you're right - the plans arent accurate in that respect. I guess that was their original intent, and for whatever reason changed their minds.
 
The plans identify the boiler as a wall mounted gas boiler with a external, through the wall flue.

That would be a more sensible place to have the boiler and all the water hookups will be there at the moment if the hot water cylinder is there. Even then, space dependent, there could be a system boiler and the cylinder could be retained. Hard to be specific not being there of course. Only thing it may need is the gas run.

As far as your original query is concerned, I think it's a moot point, electrical heating, in any form, is a lot more expensive than gas.

As far as your current boiler goes, when was the last time it was serviced/checked? Given the type of boiler/flue you have , it's a little concerning that the flue may not been inspected, over it's full length, for quite a while.


Yes, maybe I can get a new boiler placed where they noted it on the original plans. For what its worth here is that location in a video:
https://streamable.com/zu28ef
Hopefully the piping in place could support it in that position, i.e. from a regulations point of view and also a physical point of view.

Yes, the original query has pretty much been knocked on the head as wherever I decide to put a new boiler it sounds like even a Economy 7, storage heating solution, will cost more than a gas solution.
The gas boiler gets checked at least once every 2 years by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and bar the odd spare part has never been an issue with the engineers bar them saying a new one cant go there.
 
Why are you changing it ? really good boilers with very little to go wrong, if it is to save fuel costs , you will never recuperate the cost of installing a new boiler
 
Why are you changing it ? really good boilers with very little to go wrong, if it is to save fuel costs , you will never recuperate the cost of installing a new boiler

The main reasons are
- I cant get hot water on demand, only on the timer I set
- Engineers have said the spare parts are becoming increasingly difficult to get
- I would like a boiler that I can hook up to a smart app to control the schedule
- After 30 years I can tell this boiler is behaving differently and not quite as happy as it was, and would like to pre-empt it dying on me
 
I cant get hot water on demand, only on the timer I set
If you mean you want HW as you open a hot tap, then you need a combination boiler (combi)
You have an S plan sealed system, you can have individual control of CH and HW

I would like a boiler that I can hook up to a smart app to control the schedule
Nothing stopping you doing that with your existing system
 
once every 2 years by a Gas Safe registered engineer
Get it serviced ever calendar year, not every 2 years, especially to retain any warranty on a new boiler.
I cant get hot water on demand, only on the timer I set
Set the boiler to keep the cylinder's water hot (say twice a day, demand dependent).... then it's HW on demand, not instantaneous but just about?? I'd always choose a good cylinder (unvented) over a combi but it's what would suit your lifestyle best.
I would like a boiler that I can hook up to a smart app to control the schedule
as suggested, nothing to stop the current system from being smart, it's the controls that are smart, not the boiler.

Certainly no reason not to stick with what is there but certainly create a budget for a replacement. When was it last serviced and did they check the flue?
 
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