Ideal Istor HE260

What can I say!

The boiler was recommended to us 5 years ago by the engineer who fitted the Gas heating system when we renovated our home. The first couple of years it was ok but since then it has broken down at an alarming rate. Major part after major part needed replace. Leaks sprung up everywhere. Ceiling damaged on two occasions (would have been more If I had been quicker at replacing the damaged areas).

Even going back to the installation of the boiler; the control panel had to be replaced because the one on the boiler didn't work; the Ideal engineer had to be called because the boiler kept cutting out. Why? becuase they installed the thermostat the wrong way round!

I contacted Ideal asking for a "goodwill Gesture" of a replacement header tank (had rusted after only 4 years) and they offered me a £300 a year service contract! Can get it for just over 1/2 the price elsewhere if if i can find someone to take it on. 3 companies so far (including their own sub-contracted company) have refused to take it on. Bet you didn't know that metal objects such as header tanks will rust when they come into contact with water... IT IS WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD!!!

Boiler is clearly not fit for puropse and as a result the company should offer either a full refund or a free replacemnt (fully installed and on a maintenance programme)

If every home had one of these then there would not be a recession as the cost of repairing them would keep gas engineers across the country in business.

We moved into our new house on a small development 7 years ago, where all the houses had the Ideal Istor fitted. nearly everyone on our small development of 13 properties have had them ripped out and replaced, they were so bad. We had our boiler replaced after 18 months, when it broke down and ruined the ceiling. It kep breaking down, even after another was fitted, and it was gutted out a third time and continued to break down.

It broke down again a couple of days ago, we have had many weeks during the last 7 years without heating and hot water. We have finally given up, even though we have boilercover, and had it ripped out and replaced with a Worcester Bosch 29Cdi. They had the tmerity to offer me another Ideal Boiler at a good price after the engineere admitted they were actually crap...tell us something we didn't know. I would not have an ideal Boiler ever again, even as a gift.

*** AVOID AN IDEAL BOILER LIKE THE PLAGUE*****COMPLETE AND UTTER RUBBISH

I bought and had the ISTOR boiler and installed it, 3 years ago.

I wished I had read the comments on these blogs. This boiler came recommended.

Having now requested a maintenace contract from IDEAL through their maintenance contractor Homeserve, I am told they will not cover or maintain the boiler. NO wonder if the boilers keep breaking down.

From a major company this is not the way forward.

The boiler upto know is working fine but I am very disappointed with the non commital advvise from homeservre and the Ideal Perormance

Can you advise if you got a company to maintain the boiler.

Mike

We moved into our home seven years ago, and our Ideal Boiler has gone wrong almost every year since! Pretty much everything has been replaced two, three, four and more times. Each time we are left without hot water and heating, the longest spell was for two weeks, on one of the occassions we were told to drink plenty of hot tea and wrap up in blankets to keep warm!! We have also been left with a gas leak. It is the most hopeless boiler we have had the misfortune to come across. Customer services are very polite but hopeless. When I asked for a list of everything that had gone wrong with the boiler over the years, Ideal wanted to charge me £10 per letter per item that had gone wrong, it would have been cheaper to buy a new boiler! They have made it as difficult as possible to gather information to make a proper complaint. I am now writing to the Managing Director as the boiler has just gone wrong again.

i MOVED INTO A NEW BUILD 6 YEARS AGO AND HAVE NEVER HAD A WHOLE YEAR WHERE THE BOILER HAS WORKED . IT HAS HAD EVERY PART REPLACED , IT LEAKS AND RUINED THE FLOOR IN MY TOILET DOWNSTAIRS AND FINALLY ON FR 17 FEB THE ENGINEER WROTE IT OFF AND AM CURRENTLY AWAITING A NEW ONE TO BE FITTED . IT IS THE BIGGEST HEAP OF JUNK EVER AND HAVE BEEN SO UPSET AND FRUSTRATED WITH IT OVER THE LAST 6 YEARS , IT WAS SUCH A RELIEF WHEN HE AGREED TO WRITE IT OFF . I WAS TOLD ALSO THAT IT IS FOR A 4 + BEDROOM HOUSE AND MINE IS ONLY A SMALL 2 BED SO THE LOUSY BUILDERS WHO BUILT MY HOUSE SHOULD NEVER HAVE PUT IT IN THERE ANYWAY !!! NEVER EVER THINK ITS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE ONE OF THESE !!!

Like many others, the Ideal Istor boiler was already installed in our new build home. We've been here three years and, touch wood, we haven't had any problems, BUT two neighbours have replaced the entire boiler after ongoing reliability issues. To top it off, I phoned Corgi Homeserve today to take out a service contract. Guess which is the only Ideal boiler model they will not cover....the Istor.

I think that says it all!

AVOID!

Sadly like many we had no choice with this boiler and every home on our estate has one. had countless problem with the boiler, repairs atleast every 3 months.

Last Novemeber it got even worst, with BG engineers replacing parts again and again. Everything has now been changed. PCB, tanks, cables, even the digitial display. We have supply of fan heater which are just in the house.

Currently awaiting the replacement of a new boiler.

Mien hasnt been very unreliable but it does seem to be prone to leaks. teh main problem is I cant find anyone who will service it. Ideals own service (Homeserve) was useless and failed to turn up to appointments and didnt fix it when they did bother to turn up. Major companies like Southern Electric refuce to take these boilers onto their service contracts and none of my local plumbers will touch it.

This is the boiler from hell.

We moved into a newly built property a year ago and the boiler broke during our second week. Since then, it's broken roughly every two months. You name it... we've had it. Faulty fan and valves. Leaks. The control panel replaced. An immersion that has never worked.

Worse things happen at sea but regularly spending days (or weeks!), in the middle of winter, without heating and hot water is no laughing matter.

Buy ANY boiler, but don't buy this.

Moved into a hous where one of these boilers was installed by the previous owner (Don't know what they were thinking installing this piece of junk).

Had numerous problems with it resulting in it finally being written off by British Gas.

List of problem and part:

New PCB (and it has blown this one as well)

New User Control Unit

New Ignition Electrode

Leak on the heat Exchanger

One of the Expansion Vessels Broken (Boiler not holding pressure)

Numberous Minor Leaks

MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO AVOID THIS BOILER AT ALL COSTS. IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE CHANGE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THIS BOILER IS ABSOLUTE RUBBISH!!!!!!!