How reliable are condensing combi boilers?

[watervole]

We're looking into the possiblity of installing a combi condensing boiler in micavity's house.

If we have to replace the existing boiler, then it makes sense to consider installing central heating while we're at it - but only if he can afford the resulting rent increase.

When we worked it out, the cost of installation didn't send his rent totally through the roof, but the cost of annual maintainance was high.

The first quote I got was £75 annual maintenance or £192 for a complete maintenance contract.

THe complete maintenance contract adds a non-trivial sum per month.

So, who has a gas boiler of this kind? How reliable are they? Do you think I could get away with just the annual maintenance without ending up with too great a risk of paying a fortune for repairs?

Comments

[lexin.livejournal.com]

I have one, and have found it to be very reliable - I have an annual service from British Gas and genereally ignore the thing. I had it put in in 2002, and, it's never gone wrong yet (touch wood!)

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who has done quite a lot of research on these. He says they're not yet as reliable as ordinary combis, and the technology has been rolled out about 5 years too early :-(

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I had a condensing boiler installed two years ago. They said it would cut the bill by about a third, but if it did it was cancelled out by price rises. But they did give me a free maintenance contract for either two or three years - I'd better check that, since the anniversary's coming up soon - as part of the deal. The contract primarily consists of an annual service, though I also get free call-outs if there's a problem with it. I haven't had a problem with it so far, but previously, when I was paying for a maintenance contract and the old boiler was dying, I thought the call-out service was good.

[alex-holden.livejournal.com]

They vary - I've heard different people swear by them and swear at them. They are more complicated than a conventional boiler, so there's more to go wrong.