Can we use the heating when the waters off?

[user1479289699]

We have a leak and the plumber can't get here till tomorrow so we've turned the water off - from the stop tap. But can we use the heating? We have a combi boiler. So cold!

I don't think so. Doesn't your water supply feed into the heating system? Do you not have any other source of heating? Gas fire? Convection heater?

depends where the leak is I suppose

if it's the water pipes to a tap then I would think you should be okay, but if it is a radiator pipe that's leaking or the boiler itself then definitely no!

I think you can. I know that my boiler only takes water in when I need to increase the pressure.

I thought maybe there'd be some water in the boiler already somehow! No other heating source - just blankets!

Why not ring plumber back and ask. A google is saying you CAN but under certain conditions so I wouldn't take that as given. e.g. if your leak is a radiator then the answer is probably no.

Do you not have a secondary source of heating of some sort?? Just heat the one room and use hotties for bed.

Do you have a header tank in your loft?

I thought maybe there'd be some water in the boiler already somehow

The water is constantly stored in the radiators and is circulated through the boiler.

Plumber isn't answering anymore

Nothing in the loft no. The leak is coming from the pipes that deal with the heating we think! We've only just moved in and getting work done so everything's new to us!

i wouldn't risk it then

we had a combi boiler once, it was the worst thing ever...bastard thing kept breaking down

my parents moved into a brand new house in 2002, and she is already on her THIRD combi boiler

I'd never choose one without some alternative means of getting at least a hot shower....so an electric shower installed somewhere.

Check the pressure in the heating system. If it is above 1 bar then it is unlikely the leak was on the heating system and you are ok to use your boiler.

If the leak was on the heating system, the main stop cock wouldn't prevent further leaks anyway and you would have had a massive puddle by now.

Sorry don’t know about a combi but with an ordinary boiler you can.

We turn water off & leave heating on when going away for 3 weeks in winter. Was advised by plumber it was ok to do this for up to a year at a time - presumably because there is water in the header tank.

The pressure was below 1 and plumber has since been and said it was that. but also said it would leak more when the heating is off . He's fixed it now and i'll ask him what to do in the future!