Well once upon a time a good boiler would last for about 15 years and I know of two Vailant combis that are still going strong after 24 years, but nowadays you can expect them to last between 5 and 10 years.
I was never impressed with Potterton boilers though, and the one I had in my own house, I fitted somewhat reluctantly and my concerns about it proved to be well-founded.
"Hello Geordie Spark",
These comments apply to MOST Heating Boilers:
Most of the comments are for other readers - I know that You are fully aware of the details about Energy Efficiency - Corrosion Inhibitor etc.
I have a Potterton Netaheat Electronic Boiler in My Home that I installed about 26 Years ago which is still going strong.
And at approximately the same time period - 1987 / 1988 I installed 4 of these in the Homes of some of My Relations - 3 of those I know are still going strong - the other Home was sold so I don`t know about that any more - one of those has had a Gas Control Valve - after about 18 Years and another has had a `Control Box` [PCB & Spark Generator] after 20 Years.
Although obviously `Boiler Reliability` will usually be determined by whether internal components Fail / Malfunction - it is equally important to
ENSURE that the Heating System / Boiler is protected with the correct concentration of a good quality Corrosion Inhibitor -
to prevent Limescale Build-up within the Boiler and corrosion of the Radiators.
All of the Heating Systems had Corrosion Inhibitor added by Me when I installed them and have had replacement Inhibitor when Radiators have been replaced or moved / pipework altered - plus in between these tasks I have Drained the Heating Systems to renew the Corrosion Inhibitor - although Fernox do not state a `Replace By` Date I personally would renew the Inhibitor after 8 to 10 Years - this has been achieved on all of these Systems because of alterations to Radiator positions - Radiator additions for extensions etc.
These Netaheat Electronic Boilers have shown NO sign of `Kettleing` / Limescale Build-Up - even after 25 / 26 Years.
Just under 2 Years ago I purchased a Baxi [Baxi / Potterton] Solo HE to replace the Netaheat - this was ONLY because I wanted to carry out some alterations to My Kitchen which included removing a brick built `Larder` area where the Netaheat is installed - and either moving the Netaheat or replacing it with a New HE Boiler - in a completely new position.
Unfortunately because I suffered a severe Back Injury later that Year ALL of those plans have had to be put `On Hold` and
luckily the Netaheat is still going - although I had to replace the `Control Box` [PCB & Spark Generator] on the
21st of December -
Luckily it did not `Fail` on Christmas Day !
Although obviously I know that the Netaheat is not Energy Efficient compared to HE Boilers I have never before wanted to change it just because of that - because I will NEVER have another Boiler that would last 26 Years ! - including the Baxi / Potterton Solo HE !
From My experience of installing Heating Boilers and because over the Years I have known `Boiler Engineers` who spend all Day every Day repairing Boilers from what they have told Me I would suggest that Heating Boilers in general first became `less reliable` in the 1990`s when Boiler Manufacturers started to source more of the Boiler Components from places in the `Far East` / China etc.
Then in later Years as `Condensing Technology` was introduced for General Use in the late 1990`s / early 2000`s Boilers became `more complicated` in terms of the additional Condensing process / Electronic process / Components.
If We compare even JUST the Electronics of for example the Baxi [Baxi / Potterton] Solo HE to the Potterton Netaheat Electronic -
there are definitely more things that could go wrong.
Baxi / Potterton or any other Boiler Manufacturer would NOT agree that their `Electronics` / Controls / Components are `Less Reliable` than the ones in the Netaheat Electronic from the 1980`s.
BUT - YEARS / DECADES of Trouble Free operation with the Netaheat [1987] in My Home and MANY others that I installed in the 1980`s / 1990`s that I was Servicing for Years - and what I hear about `New / Condensing / HE Boilers from Boiler Engineers would suggest otherwise to Me.
OR it might just be that there are MORE `Electronics`/ Electronic Components to go wrong - as with Modern Cars and almost ALL `New Technology` - ?
When I do remove the Old Netaheat I will be scrapping what I regard to be one of the `Most Reliable Models of Boiler` EVER Manufactured !
I will strip off the Controls etc. to keep in case I can prolong the `Life` of the Netaheat`s for any of My [now very elderly] Relations.
Regards,
Chris - Heating Engineer / Heating - Plumbing & Gas Contractor