Category Archives: Blog

Viessmann Boilers

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Special Offer:

Get a free upgrade to a Ten Year Warranty when you have a Viessmann boiler installed by 31st December 2018!

 

About Viessmann

One of the biggest international manufacturers of commercial heating systems, German made Viessmann boilers have rapidly become the domestic boiler of choice around the world as well.  Viessmann, founded in 1917, has over 12,000 employees across the world.  They are truly international with presence in 12 countries with 23 production divisions, subsidiaries and representations in 74 countries, and 120 sales offices around the world.

These are premium, German engineered boilers boasting long term reliability and high efficiency.  What’s more, they are consistently regarded as one of the quietest boilers in their class, at noise emission levels of only 35dB, so you don’t hear the boiler humming when you’re trying to catch a warm, quiet night’s sleep.

What really makes Viessmann boilers stand out is the high performance, patented Stainless Steel Inox-Radial Heat Exchanger.  This is unique and exclusive to the Viessmann boiler range.  Stainless steel is highly resistant to corrosion in a wide range of pH levels, as well as ensuring a long service life and high heating output on a very small footprint.  This technology brings with it extremely high efficiency, as well as exceptional reliability during its long service life.  You simply cannot go wrong with choosing a Viessmann boiler.

 

Some features of Viessmann Boilers:

  • High quality Stainless Steel Inox-Radial Heat Exchanger
  • Long Term Reliability, Durability and High Energy Efficiency
  • High Efficiency – 94% and 98% and above on Vitodens 200-W
  • Combined PRV (Pressure Release Valve) and Condensate Pipe 
  • Compact design 
  • One of the quietest boilers on the market
  • Available in outputs from 4.7 to 35 kW
  • Class A rated for Energy Efficiency
  • Backlit LCD Touch Screen for Easy operation

 

Boiler trouble

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A cautionary tale….

We received a call today from a lovely woman (lets call her Anne), who was having trouble with her boiler.  Mary had a long chat with her on the phone and soon found out that this unfortunate woman was in a right pickle, and it was not of her own making.  In 2014 she got an RGI to install a new boiler for her.  It was a make of boiler that we do not install.  Now, three years later this boiler is cutting out a few seconds after she tries to start it.  She got on to the supplier here in Limerick where the boiler was purchased, and they said they would get the service engineer for that make of boiler to call to her.  He is not based in Limerick so she had to wait days for him to call. 

Eventually he did come out and said the boiler needed a small part, which he didn’t have with him, but he would get it and come back as soon as possible.  That, was THREE WEEKS ago.  Anne has tried phoning him and texting him, but to no avail.  She phoned us in the hope that we could help, but we don’t install or repair this particular make of boiler – mainly because it is hard to get parts for them.  And as Mary pointed out, the official service engineer had already called out to her, so he would be the expert on those boilers and as the boiler is only three years old, it would make sense to have it repaired by the manufacturer.

Our advice?

When we are asked by a customer to fit a new boiler for them, we always recommend certain boiler makes.  90% of the boilers we install are GlowWorm.  One of the main reasons is that IF there is ever a problem with your new boiler, the GlowWorm service agent is based in Limerick, so you will not have to wait too long for him to call to sort out the issue.  Another big plus is, all the parts are readily available here in Limerick – no waiting for parts to come from the UK!

So make sure to ask the right questions when you are considering a certain make of boiler.  Just because you see a boiler advertised locally, doesn’t mean the service agent will be local.  For some makes of boilers we know that parts are not carried by the local stockist here in Limerick, so you will have to wait for those parts to be ordered in for you.  We carry a wide range of parts for the  GlowWorm boiler we fit.  If we need something more unusual we can simply call to our supplier to pick it up – usually the same day!  So don’t be like Anne and find yourself without heat for over three weeks, just because you choose the wrong make of boiler.

 

Damaged flue

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This boiler is HOW old??

I was called out to replace this boiler today.  It is only SIX YEARS OLD!  As you can see from the photos, the flue is in a terrible state, completely corroded.  Unfortunately for the home owner, whoever installed this boiler didn't fit the flue correctly and over time, water has made its way along the flue and done all this damage.  Not only that, but there is a lot of damage inside the boiler too, especially the fan which is also badly corroded.

If this boiler had been serviced annually, the problem with the incorrectly fitted flue would have been picked up right from the start.  Also, the service engineer would have checked for any signs of water damage or corrosion inside the boiler.  Now the homeowner has had to bear the cost of replacing his boiler, when he should have been able to get many more years of use from it.  

So remember, it's always a good idea to get your boiler serviced!  

 

 

Why is it important to get boilers serviced annually?

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We all need a bit of TLC every now and then - your boiler is no different. Coming home to a broken boiler is never much fun.  At busy times of the year you might have to wait a day or two for the RGI to call.  Also, you might have to potentially pay an expensive repair bill!

An annual boiler check can also be a lifesaver in respect to certain types of boiler. Older boilers can produce carbon monoxide if not cleaned and checked regularly.  Carbon monoxide is odourless so you will not notice anything is wrong yourself, but a flue-gas analysis will be able to detect any dangerous emissions from your boiler.

By getting us to service your boiler, it will ensure it runs efficiently. This will potentially saving you lots of money on your heating bills. Regular servicing will also help ensure small issues with your heating system are spotted early, before they escalate into major, expensive issues!

Boiler manufacturers also recommend that you get your boiler serviced annually;  failure to do so may invalidate your warranty.

Who should service my gas Boiler?

It is illegal for anybody other than a Registered Gas Installer to service your boiler.

Your gas boiler should only be serviced by a Registered Gas Installer (RGI) as he/she will have the required competency and experience to deal with the servicing, repair and setup of gas appliances. The RGI will also check if the boiler is correctly installed and operating in a suitable environment.

Rental properties

By law, landlords are obligated to make sure that their let properties are safe to live in. Part of this obligation is arranging an annual service and safety check for all gas appliances in the homes they let. By law they must keep records of the steps they take to ensure gas safety in their properties, which is where the gas safety certificate comes in.