Urgent advice re bleeding combi boiler - Is Piglet John around please?

[Sallythedog]

Last night I thought the pressure on my boiler was low, so I opened the valves to add pressure. This morning I have no hot water. I discovered via the internet that if I bled the radiators this would reduce the pressure and all would be well.

I've been bleeding a radiator since for 3.5 hours and it's not making very much difference. It's gone from 4.1 to 3.1, and still won't work, as it has to be less than 3, and when it approaches 3, it seems to go back up again. I've tried bleeding with the whole boiler switched off, with the dial turned to 'off' and neither seems to be making any difference.

If there's anybody who could give me some advice, I would be incredibly grateful before I contact the gas engineer chappie who services my (almost new) boiler every year.

[Sallythedog]

Having spoken to my lovely gas engineer, I've called the manufacturer as the boiler is still under warranty, and they are sending an engineer tomorrow. Which I appreciate is really quick, and on a Saturday as well. However if there are any suggestions in the meantime as to how I can get the pressure down, I would be most grateful.

[PigletJohn]

You say the pressure still seems to go up. This suggests that you have not firmly closed the filling valves. If you have a flexible, braided filling loop, it should have a valve at each end, just in case one of them leaks.

[Sallythedog]

Thank you PJ. I have double checked, and both valves seem to be tightly closed.

Had to go out for a while, and now I'm back I may give the radiators another bleed. I'm unsure whether the boiler should be on (i.e. on the clock for heating, but constant hot water) or whether it should be switched off completely while I'm draining the system. I'd be grateful if you could advise.

Thanks

[PigletJohn]

Leave it turned off until fixed. It is possible for a running pump to interfere with bleeding.

[Sallythedog]

Thankyou. I'll wait for the expert tomorrow.