# Are Back Boilers Out of date



## nestor (8 Mar 2010)

Hi 

I was thinking i should get my boiler replaced using the SEI grant. It is about 15 years old I beleive.Its a baxi burner with a gas fire on the front of it.

Anyway I got a gas man around and he said that back boilers are a thing of the past and that I should install a new wall mounted boiler. Is that true ? It would require me having to do a bit of ripping in my house


If I did replace my old back burner with a new back burner could I get new controls and thermostats that the SEI recommend?


thanks


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## DGOBS (8 Mar 2010)

Back boiler units (BBU's) are not hi-efficiency boilers and do not condense, you would still be eligible for sei grant for the upgrade of controls (€500) but the boiler would not be any great improvement, only the controls would reduce the gas consumption


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## john martin (8 Mar 2010)

I believe that Baxi make a condensing HE back boiler which uses a condensate pump. You could check this out with Heatmerchants. I have no connection.


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## nestor (8 Mar 2010)

I got ads in the letter box promoting high efficiency baxi back boilers. I did a search and I found the following link.

[broken link removed]

DBOGS do you know if these boilers are efficient enough to qualify for the grant?

thanks


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## Caveat (9 Mar 2010)

Anecdotal, and I'm no expert, but I got the impression that during the last 20 years or so back boilers had been regarded as out of date but in recent years, there seems to be a move back towards dual systems e.g. back boiler + oil fired.


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## nestor (9 Mar 2010)

HI Caveat

that would be great as if I was to pull out my back boiler and put in a wall mounted one it would mean a lot of ripping up and laying new pipes. I would do it if that was the right thing to do but would rather avoid it if possible.


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## Caveat (9 Mar 2010)

Hi nestor

As I say, I'm no master of the zeitgeist - I'm only basing this on a few comments by engineers/plumbers etc over the last couple of years. They expressed mild surprise at our dual system and also mentioned how many of their customers regretted taking out their back boiler and how "10 years ago nobody wanted them and now they all want them again" - or words to that affect.


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## john martin (9 Mar 2010)

Is Caveat thinking about solid fuel back boilers rather than gas fired back boilers?


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## Caveat (9 Mar 2010)

I am indeed.  

I hadn't noticed that aspect. Sorry, forget about my 'word on the street' then.


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