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[Jimbob]

My (80 year old) Dad has a 30ish year old Ideal Classic FF270.
This year Ive just discovered its not been working well for him.
Had it serviced, and apparently it cuts out every few minutes, no wonder its not working too well.
His 'heating man' had gas valve in bits, and said either new gas valve or PCB required.  Its had neither in 30 years, but has had a new fan.  He claimed not available, and new boiler required.
He quoted for neither......Reading between the lines a job my dad put him onto turned a bit sour due to many call backs due to user error (I know the person, and avoid them too)

So, 2 mins on google confirmed it was a well regarded boiler, and parts are available.

Another company has been provided with this info, and will come out and replace those parts for about £500, but have suggested a new boiler would be a better option (I'm less convinced, ill have to manage the change etc).  Plus that is relying on the other diagnostic, so may go up or down from there.

Thoughts and advice?

Fix or replace intitially.
If replace, what's a respected make these days? 
He is on his own in a 4 bed detatched, traditional water cylinder and rads. He likes a bath, not a shower.  Suspect he would be better with a replacement system boiler than a combi, but after the hive mind advice too.

Cheers

[Sir Tigger KC]

Parts for your Dad's boiler seem to be readily available, so if the gas guy claims otherwise and that he's trying sell your Dad a new boiler, find someone else. 

Gas Valve


PCB

Oops sorry, just re read your post and seen that you already know the parts are available. 

[Rangie]

We have an Ideal Logic boiler approximately  10 years old it was in the house when we moved in six years ago, it started cutting out so contacted our usual guy who examined the boiler but then explained that as long as it was registered when installed it may still be under guarantee so advised to contact Ideal correctly. I phoned them on the same day ( Friday afternoon)  they confirmed it was still under warranty and it was repaired on the Monday, several new parts were fitted the cost had we had to pay would have been approximately £800. My advice would be to contact Ideal with all the boiler details and see if they can advise/repair the boiler , I couldn't fault them, could work out a lot cheaper than a replacement.The guy that came out told me that they have spares ready available for the majority of all the boilers that they supply.

[Jimbob]

Parts for your Dad's boiler seem to be readily available, so if the gas guy claims otherwise and that he's trying sell your Dad a new boiler, find someone else. 

Gas Valve


PCB

Yes, plenty of genuine parts, think theres enough to build an entire one.  Thats the thing, he didnt quote, for anything.  Just walked.  He doesnt want any job for whatever reason, hence researching, and he's found another company.

Its more at 30 years old, do you sink £500ish, or cut losses.
Other factors being his age, and what the future brings, do you buy normal now, or have heat pump forced in a few years.
This one is basic, suits him, heating and or water on twice a day, one button to boost on or off if required, no messing about with awkward programmers etc

[Sir Tigger KC]

Good advice from Mick.

I had an Ideal boiler go wrong a few years ago and the letting agencies plumber phoned me up and told me I needed a new boiler.  £1400.

I phoned my usual plumber for a 2nd opinion, and he told me to phone Ideal as they do a fixed price repair service.  It was £300 (I think) for what ever needed doing and they came out the same day.   

Turned out it needed a new gas valve and expansion vessel which was a 2 man job (?) and so it cost £500. The tenant didn't give me the paperwork ( ), but I think they replaced some other bits and bobs as well. 

[Rangie]

Good advice from Mick.

I had an Ideal boiler go wrong a few years ago and the letting agencies plumber phoned me up and told me I needed a new boiler.  £1400.

I phoned my usual plumber for a 2nd opinion, and he told me to phone Ideal as they do a fixed price repair service.  It was £300 (I think) for what ever needed doing and they came out the same day.   

Turned out it needed a new gas valve and expansion vessel which was a 2 man job (?) and so it cost £500. The tenant didn't give me the paperwork ( ), but I think they replaced some other bits and bobs as well. 

The engineer that came out to us confirmed that the burner had failed but after a couple of cups of tea & some fruit cake said he might as well replace all the components, so was a real result. We now get them to do the annual service as well.

[YZ250]

……..
Thoughts and advice?

Fix or replace intitially.
If replace, what's a respected make these days? 
He is on his own in a 4 bed detatched, traditional water cylinder and rads. He likes a bath, not a shower.  Suspect he would be better with a replacement system boiler than a combi, but after the hive mind advice too.

Cheers

Might be worth checking first that his home insurance policy does or doesn’t cover the boiler/heating, as my sister has had numerous repairs to her boiler over the years, all covered by her home insurance policy. Mine isn’t so I have to pay. 
A decent old school heating engineer/plumber should be able to identify the faulty part by experience of the symptoms. Likewise with the Ideal engineer as already mentioned. It could be gas valve, pcb or even a simple air pressure sensor, all of which are capable of forcing a reset of the boiler. 

You mention Hive. We have the Hive system, is there anything in particular that you’d like to know. 

[ronnyd]

My house was built in the 80s when gas warm air was all the rage. Most of my part of the estate have gone over to conventional wet systems, but i stuck with it as i didn't want the hassle of fitting a complete new wet system in and the warm air serves us well. I had a new heating unit fitted in 2008 and it's been running well ever since. Unfortunately, the guy who installed it has had to retire due to ill health and getting someone with the correct certification (DAH1)  to service it is proving quite a challenge. Due to Gas Safe rules it's a case of 'no certificate, no touch'. It seems that it's getting more difficult to find reliable trades these days.

[Jimbob]

Cheers, love the hive comment, he deffo wont be going there!
Told him to ring Ideal, Hopefully they will do similar for older boilers, even if a bit dearer, sounds a good option.
We had Warm Air in our old house and replaced like for like, but the new one was never as reliable as the old.

[redelitev6]

So he gets it fixed because they can get the parts , but what about next year or 5 years ? there will come a time when parts are not available , how efficient is it ? boiler technology has moved on in the last 30 years , may be time to bite the bullet and get a new one ?

[YZ250]

…………
Fix or replace initially.
…………..

I just had a word with Starmer and Rachel from accounts and they suggested that your Dad buys a new boiler. They said that not only will it be more energy efficient for their quest for net zero, but as he’s a pensioner they’ll be coming for any money he has left over so he may as well spend it.   

[STEMO]

…………
Fix or replace initially.
…………..

I just had a word with Starmer and Rachel from accounts and they suggested that your Dad buys a new boiler. They said that not only will it be more energy efficient for their quest for net zero, but as he’s a pensioner they’ll be coming for any money he has left over so he may as well spend it.   

Plus they'll get a nice wedge of VAT 

[Kevin Wood]

It looks similar to mine (and same vintage) and all that needed was the dried out electrolytic capacitors on the control PCB replacing for 105 deg. C items and it's been fine since.

If it's the gas valve OR the PCB it sounds like diagnostics isn't the guy's strong point. Which one is it?

There would be a marginal increase in efficiency changing for a modern condensing boiler, which will then last 10 years instead of another 30, IMHO.

[Mr Skrunts]

Something to consider.

Old boiler efficiency verses new.

Plus the future of Hydrogen change over.

I had mine serviced in November and asked what the future plans were.

He said they have already started to introduce Hydrogen in to the system at 10% and would steadily increase it, this would allow time for people to upgrade or get their boilers re jetted.

My neighbor had a new boiler fitted 2/3 years ago and is Hydrogen ready, will just require the jets changed during a service.

[Doctor Gollum]

Something to consider.

Old boiler efficiency verses new.

Plus the future of Hydrogen change over.

I had mine serviced in November and asked what the future plans were.

He said they have already started to introduce Hydrogen in to the system at 10% and would steadily increase it, this would allow time for people to upgrade or get their boilers re jetted.

My neighbor had a new boiler fitted 2/3 years ago and is Hydrogen ready, will just require the jets changed during a service.

You have more chance of getting a V8 powered boiler fitted for free than hydrogen ever being a safe viable domestic fuel.