GloWell Gas and Heating Services

05/04/2023

So the Which? Gas Boiler brand survey results are in, and no change with the order of things since last year, #1 Worcester, #2 Vaillant and #3 Viessmann. Ideal and Baxi came next with Biasi at the bottom for worst reliability.
Vaillant tops the engineer’s favourite list, but Which? Said there was a vast gulf between the best and worst brands when it came to customer satisfaction.
At some point the gas boiler will surely become a historic relic, but for the foreseeable future they are here to stay, and there are no laws or formal phase-out plans for domestic ownership if you already have one or need a new one.
62% of people surveyed said they are considering a gas boiler for their next heating system vs 73% in 2021. 28% are considering a heat pump. 25% are looking at an electric boiler. Oil and LPG fuel proponents have dropped from 19% to 13%, indicating off-grid/remote consumers are looking at alternatives.
From 2025 new build properties wont be fitted with gas or oil boilers.
A whole new generation of homeowners will regard home heating in very different terms. Heat pumps produce more units of heat than the energy they consume which makes them very attractive if your home is built to suit that technology - ie is very well insulated.
Installation costs remain high though, and the majority of old UK housing stock isn’t suited to this solution.

The best bit about the Which? report is the Boiler Cover section.
In short, ”The Costs Don’t Add Up”.
Long term costs of cover are punishing and it’s an expensive way to maintain your boiler.
You pay a monthly charge for ‘cover’ that won’t include the call out charge or for many of the main component costs. Added to which you may not have need to call anyone for year after year, so you’re paying £360-£450 every year for what equates to an annual service (which would cost you around £80.00).
Even if you opt for the call excess of £60, British Gas complete cover for example is still £312 per year.
Keep your boiler well maintained by having it serviced every year. Keep your service record so that in the event of a major part failure you will have your warranty intact. Save your ‘cover’ budget and just set a smaller amount aside each month in case of anything unforeseen (in effect, self-insure), and save ££££’s.
Finally, the survey said that independent gas engineers came top of the customer satisfaction score, with 86% and five stars.

If your boiler is under warranty, keep its service record up to date. Even if it’s not, the accumulated cost of annual cover is far greater than what the average repair cost would be. Your money would be far better spent saving for potential home repairs and then just paying an independent gas engineer to keep your boiler healthy and efficient.

24/02/2023

A little before and after photo on our small cloakroom…..

10/10/2021

A bit of a ‘busman’s holiday’ working on your own heating system, but after a few days graft it’s finally all in and running.
I knew the Kingspan Ultrasteel unvented cylinders had a good reputation for quality and efficiency and being UK made was a plus.
These aren’t for the DIY’er though - you must have a G3 certification to install, repair or service them, and they are notified,e to Building Control…..but if you have poor bathroom water pressure and loft header tanks, this is the way to go.
Now have mains hot water pressure in all the bathrooms, and a huge amount of loft space that I can fill with ‘stuff’!

This one is a single zone indirect, 180litre model. It’s heated by an Ideal Logic Heat 15, and was fully up to temperature within an hour of cold filling, which in my opinion is very quick and the spec’s show re-heat times are equally as good.

So, this only came about because an en-suite sits behind this airing cupboard space, and once stripped out I found Heating and water supply pipework runs under where the shower tray will go……so, to avoid any risk of having to rip out parts of the new bathroom in the event of having to replace the old cylinder later on, I decided to change the cylinder now, test all that pipework at pressure while the floor is up and it’s all exposed, then refit the en-suite…

Cold-water washing since Wednesday has not been a pleasant experience!

So onto the next phase, get on with the bathroom!

14/01/2020

It's - make sure you test your CO alarm today! http://ow.ly/NHNN50xQ592

30/10/2019

tomorrow - to avoid a real life fright make sure you have an annual gas safety check from a Gas Safe registered engineer and get an audible CO alarm. http://ow.ly/AXrR50wSgt1

19/08/2019

It's getting cooler now and autumn isn’t too far away - a good time to start thinking about getting your gas appliances checked! http://ow.ly/AgAV50vwaip

19/07/2019

Today sees the launch of our new campaign aiming to remind homebuyers of the importance of ensuring their new appliances are safe. You can find out more on our website: and look out for updates on our media activities throughout the day! http://ow.ly/IQJP50v4Cuk

28/06/2019

Brilliant - everyone should know this stuff

Do you know what to do in a gas emergency? Find details of the steps to take on our website: http://ow.ly/VXbg50uHTh1

14/06/2019

It’s surprising how many people DON’T ask to check engineer’s Registration Card. No reputable engineer will mind being asked.....

The UK weather being what it is we're never sure whether to get the BBQs or the raincoats out! Whatever the weather, summer is a good time to book your annual gas safety check with a Gas Safe registered engineer. Find your expert on our website: http://ow.ly/DIhA50ux2br

30/01/2019

Interesting fault on a Worcester 30Si this week. Lights indicated the ignition had ‘locked out’ and it just wouldn’t run at all. Initial checks showed no power at the gas valve, so no gas to the burner, but the main culprit was the Temperature Limiter.
This little button-sized thermostat simply presses into the lower exhaust connection piece.
The one in question had visible signs of rust and corrosion from condensate spilling so likely that caused it to fail.
The point of all this I guess is that sometimes those parts that look suspect or show signs of decay, are likely to be related to the problem so are always a good place to start with the old multi-meter, even if the symptom appears to be manifesting elsewhere.....