We took out an old back boiler at a home in Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex and converted the heating to a Vaillant ecoTEC Plus 832 combi boiler fitted in the loft. It wasn’t a straight swap. The job also took in new pipework and loft boarding, a new flue through the roof, and new panel radiators throughout the property.
Project overview
The customer swapped an ageing back boiler for a modern combination boiler in the loft space, and that was only one part of a much longer list of work.
In full, the project covered removing the back boiler and converting the heating and hot water system. New pipework went in as well, the loft was prepared and boarded, and every radiator in the property was replaced with a new one.
The new Vaillant is an energy efficient combi, and putting it in the loft was part of freeing up the living space the customer wanted back.
The existing system
The property was heated by an ageing back boiler that sat behind the living room gas fire, with old imperial radiators running throughout the home. It was outdated.
The customer wanted to modernise their heating and hot water and make the system more efficient. They also wanted more living space. We talked it through with them and recommended a full conversion to a Vaillant combination boiler, fitted out of the way in the loft where it wouldn’t take up room in the house.
What our engineers did
Our engineers handled the whole installation from start to finish, and each part of the job is set out below under its own heading.
Removing the back boiler
We safely disconnected the old back boiler and took it out. The redundant parts that went with it came out too, which cleared the way for the new system.
Converting to a combi setup
The heating and hot water were converted to a combination boiler setup. A combi heats water on demand, which means the house doesn’t need a traditional hot water storage cylinder any more.
Fitting the Vaillant ecoTEC Plus 832
We supplied and installed a new Vaillant ecoTEC Plus 832 combination boiler in the loft. It’s there to give the home efficient central heating and hot water on demand.
Preparing and boarding the loft
The loft needed work first. We prepared the area and laid secure timber boarding to make a proper working platform. It gives safe, practical access to the boiler whenever it’s due for servicing or maintenance.
New pipework and insulation
Moving the boiler meant rerouting pipes. Heating and hot water pipework, along with the associated pipes, was installed and rerouted to suit the new boiler location. All of the new pipework in the loft is insulated to cut heat loss and to protect it against cold temperatures.
A new flue through the roof
The relocated boiler needed its own flue, so we installed a new one through the roof to suit the boiler’s new position in the loft.
New radiators and valves
Every imperial radiator came out. In their place we fitted new, modern panel radiators, each one with new thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) and lockshield valves. The TRVs improve temperature control, and they let the customer adjust the heating in each room on its own.
Filter and commissioning
A heating system filter now helps protect the new boiler and the central heating parts from circulating debris. Before we left, our engineers completed the necessary safety checks and system testing, then commissioned the boiler to make sure the new installation was working safely and efficiently.
Clearing away
We didn’t leave the old kit behind. The back boiler and the old radiators went with us, along with the other redundant heating parts, and the property was left tidy.
What the customer has now
The home runs on a Vaillant ecoTEC Plus 832 combi in a boarded loft. Its new pipework is insulated, and there are new panel radiators throughout the property. The new radiators look modern and heat better, and they give the customer more control over each room’s temperature than the old imperial ones did. There’s no back boiler behind the gas fire now.
Boiler conversions and heating upgrades
We specialise in complete boiler conversions and central heating installations. We also specialise in radiator replacements and heating system upgrades. If you’re replacing an outdated back boiler, or you’d like your boiler moved into the loft, our Gas Safe registered engineers can manage the project from start to finish.
Our pages on boiler installation in Bishop’s Stortford and boiler installation in Harlow cover new boilers in those towns. You’ll find radiator installs on our plumbing, gas and heating services list.
Planning a new boiler? Our guide to preparing your home for a new boiler covers the questions worth asking before the work starts. You can also read our other boiler and heating case studies.
Upgrading your heating system
Contact Timms Gas Services for a free quotation with no obligation. Call 07935 205813 or email info@timmsgasservices.co.uk, or send us a message through our contact page. We’re Gas Safe registered and a Vaillant approved installer.
