Boiler ate Thermal Store Direct Replacement

replacingaboilermate.html

I have been reading the above article and found it very interesting and a few question relating to our system which is working. I have a Boilermate installed in the airing cupboard and a Potterton boiler downstairs at the rear of the house, gas mains at front of house, it's approximately 15 years old hot water flow is good but if run too fast it becomes cold quickly, slow run OK. This is for both hot water and radiator heating.

My questions,

Is the Thermal Store my best option or are there any alternatives?
Installation looks simple, what would be a fair installation time and what is the going hour rate for engineers, I'm guessing I should see some change from £1,500 to purchase and install these?

One option that has been considered is replacing both the boiler and Boilermate but due to the age of our installation the gas pipe size has changed and replacement gas pipe is needed. I do not fancy having new pipes all around the house to the boiler at the rear. Also the AA gas engineer ( not AA a sub contractor ) said that the Potterton was in good condition, the control board has already been replaced.

Is there anything I maybe missing?

What boiler mate.
Your link does not work.
Best to shop around for prices.
BM's are open vented. normally.
And mains pressure hot water.
Quite a lot of work to;
Remove a BM II or BM 2000 or what have you.
Fit and connect etc.
Could go down the unvented route.
Or even the combi route.
What have your neighbours done?
Mike

Sorry I wrongly assumed Boiler mates are all similar, it's a Boiler Mate II and it appears to have been manufactured 2000 that's the last test date.

The link doesn't work as the site doesn't allow new members to include URL links, but that is the page from this website.

Or neighbours have various things, a couple had complete systems replaced because their Boiler Mates failed, others are still going like ours is, I think we're in the lucky position of having time to do some research instead of reacting to a failure.

Not sure what the expected life span of a Boiler Mate is, but it's the flow rate of ours that concerns be, too fast and little hot water.

Well your unit and boiler are 14 years old.
So end of life is approaching.
Ref the page would help if you stated where to find it. Lots of pages and posts on here.
The life of anything depends on whom installed it, how and if done properly. Very often not.
BM II sounds like your internal DHW coil needs descaling.
Have you read through the posts for the BM II's?
It also helps if you state your area.
As there are engineers on here from various locations.
And offers of help etc may be more forth coming.
In my opinion I would not spend to much on your BM II.
It is a gamble now at 14 years. And if a leak occurs internally then it is game over.
I am in Norfolk and I charge £175:00 for a descale.
You could keep your old boiler for now and replace the BM II with a Boilermate BP unit.
It comes "bare" meaning you would need additional items. Programmer, Pump & valves, auto bypass, motorized valve /s (S plan or Y plan) pipe and fittings.
Cleaner & inhibitor.
£1500:00 might cover the materials. Depends on size of unit etc.
If a smallish house with one bathroom.
Best / cheapest option would be a combination boiler.
One unit instead of two. Lower flow rate for DHW though. But water meters less is good.
A decent combi comes with a 5 year parts & labour guarantee.
Chances are Gas would need upgrading.
Albion plus others do thermal stores.
Unvented is another choice.
But none will be at the price you thought. Supplied & fitted.
Mike

Thank you for such a detailed reply, hopefully this works, the website I was looking at and directed men here is :

<www>boilermate-repairs<co.uk>

and the pages were the ones relating to BoilerMate, I found them interesting reading.

I live just outside Bedford in Biggleswade, and I'll read up on the descaling option, my only concern is with the age of the Boiler Mate am I just delaying the inevitable. One though is to just keep going and if it does fail see how our AA heating maintenance handle the problem?