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Original poster

Really, really boring question about boilers. Anyone?

25 replies

Tinker · 07/07/2004 03:28

The hot water comes on but the heating doesn't (needed to dry some clothes pronto). It's not firing up when switch the heating on. Anyone know if this is easily fixable? Please don't anyone suggest I need a new boiler.

Thank you.

OP posts:

jmg1 · 07/07/2004 11:09

There are loads of things it could be. If the boiler is producing the hot water there is probably not a big problem or have you got a seperate electric water heater aswell?.
Is it a combination boiler?

foxinsocks · 07/07/2004 11:51

Have you tried turning your thermostat up? If its not up high enough (as its warm inside at the moment, you may have to jack it right up), the heating won't turn on as it is normally operated by temperature.

Marina · 07/07/2004 11:55

Hey Tinker, it could well be the valve that sends hot water round both parts of the system (ie when you need heating and hot water) has got stuck so that you're only getting hot water. We had this last year and it was very quick to fix - just a new valve. Not sure of the cost though, as we have 3* and it was covered under that.

unicorn · 07/07/2004 12:17

tinker.. we have the opposite problem.. the hot water comes on but so does the central heating - which means we have been baking in the sunny weather(it is only switched for hot water only)

do you have a clock on your system ? as I think ours must have broken or confused itself somehow.
Im worried about calling out a plumber or central heating engineer - as they charge exhorbitant prices for something that could be very small.

ps why does everything break down at the same time.. (washer/dryer has packed in and car is having problems too..ahhhhhh!!)

foxinsocks · 07/07/2004 12:30

unicorn, if your heating is controlled by a thermostat, just turn it down really low (as low as it will go) and that should stop the heating coming on (unless there's a problem with that!).

I know exactly what you mean though - in the midst of winter last year, dh went away and the dishwasher broke and flooded the kitchen, closely followed by the washing machine (just as I had finished mopping the floor). It's fate isn't it!

Original poster

Tinker · 07/07/2004 15:24

Oh, thanks everyone. Had tried the thermostat one - no difference.

It is a combi jmg

Like the sound of it just being a valve. Read up about it last night and read about the pump being the problem - sounds expensive

Obviously need to get someone in

OP posts:

jmg1 · 09/07/2004 13:44

Maybe you have sorted it now?
Anyway it could be that there is air in the system and the water pressure is now too low. There will be a meter on or near to the boiler, check the reading if it is too low you can top up the system, there will be an on/valve also near to the boiler, possibly with a small length flexible pipe attached. This can be used to top the system up. You would also need to bleed any air out of the system. If this is the problem the boiler would fire up and give some hot water but it would soon close itself down, cool down and reset itself.

unicorn · 09/07/2004 14:33

jmg1- do you know anything about megaflows'?
we seem to have some sort of air lock in the system (there is an awful noise when we flush the loo) and wonder if this is effecting the heating system too??

Original poster

Tinker · 09/07/2004 15:09

Thanks jmg. How do I bleed air out of the system if I can't get the radiators on? Presume there's another way? Thanks

OP posts:

jmg1 · 09/07/2004 15:19

Although ideally you would bleed the rads when the heating is on you can still bleed the system while it is off, make sure the radiators valves are turned on though.
Have you found the meter, if so what is the reading on it?

Original poster

Tinker · 09/07/2004 15:21

jmg - am not at my house atm but I have topped up the pressure a little already - still below the red line. Topped it up to about 1 - if that all makes sense.

OP posts:

jmg1 · 09/07/2004 15:25

unicorn, megaflo's have a good reputation, what do you think is wrong with it.
The central heating system is effectively sealed from the hot and cold water pipes.
The noise when you flush the loo could be to do with the way the pipes have been run in the property or it could be caused by a pipe or the waste stack moving and banging against something when you flush the wc. Can you be more specific about exactly when the noise occurs and where it is?

jmg1 · 09/07/2004 15:28

tinker, if the heating has 1.5 bar of pressure after you have bled the air out that should be sufficient.
If you leave a hot tap running for a long time does the water eventually go cold?

Janstar · 09/07/2004 15:51

I'm sorry to say that this does sound like the pump to me. If so you are going to need a proper engineer to fix it. If you look in the yellow pages you can often spot people who don't charge a call-out fee. When you phone them they will explain their charges to you and you can then decide whether to book them or not.

ponygirl · 09/07/2004 17:01

Unicorn, we've got a megaflo and recently our toilet started making a loud banging noise when flushing too. The solution (which I hope lasts) had nothing to do with the boiler though. It was something to do with the thing in the cistern that regulates the amount/rate of water refilling. Ours was too small and we had to have all the plastic innards replaced (about £15) and now it sounds like Niagara when it refills but the bangings stopped.

HTH. (I'm not a plumber, can you tell?)

jmg1 · 09/07/2004 17:46

That makes sense ponygirl, it could be that when the megaflo was installed the system was changed from cold water storage tank to mains fed and the flow restricter in the cistern needed to be changed to another size because the water pressure had increased. This could be what needs to be done in unicorns wc.
Tinkers problem could be the pump but it could be that the pressure was too low, worth a try anyway.
I am not a plumber either, just trying offer advice!

unicorn · 09/07/2004 23:58

cheers jmg1... could be exactly what it is... what bits need changing?
Can we do it or does an "expert" have to have a go?!

jmg1 · 10/07/2004 00:59

Unicorn the flow restrictor is normally a small spiral shaped piece of plastic but you will probably have to buy a new siphon (the plastic innards as ponygirl said). It is a fairly easy job, you will need to turn off the cold water supply to the wc, there may be a valve on the supply pipe which can be turned on/off with a small screwdriver. Hopefully if you buy the same siphon you can just use the flow restricter from the pack there is normally three supplied LP, MP and HP. Which one you use will depend on your water pressure.
Please bear in mind I have not seen your wc and it is difficult to explain exactly what you need to do.

Tinker how are you getting on?

Original poster

Tinker · 10/07/2004 02:48

Hi jmg - had to disappear for a while. Am back home and bled all the radiators but, alas, still no joy. So, like janstar says, think it might be the pump. It sounds like the boiler is trying to do something when switch on the heating but it's not firing up. Actually, problem has been going on for a while - if the heating was on (in the winter) and I ran a bath, the heating would shut down. Had to switch it off at the boiler and switch it back on again to make it work - connected? Expensive?

No, the water doesn't run cold though - thank God! Can live without heating for a few months yet..

OP posts:

unicorn · 10/07/2004 02:52

blimey jmg1 for someone who aint a plumber you're a bit good!!!..have you done a course, or are you naturally gifted?!!
btw- how many wc's have you seen?!!!!

jema · 10/07/2004 02:59

hi,
what make of combi?
if worcester bosch or baxi , or even chafetauux & m..., all have excellant help lines, also which county are you in as have 2 very good plumbers that are not cowboys or rip off merchants who work for the co I work for

Original poster

Tinker · 10/07/2004 03:02

It's a Vaillant (about 12 years old). I'm in the NW.

OP posts:

jema · 10/07/2004 03:16

01634 292392
technical dept valliant, I only know the basics mainly in the worcestor bosch combis, but the tech dept should based on what you telll them give you a specific trouble shooting routine- maybe in your hand book, they should also be able to give you a list of plumbers acredited by Valliant in the area, sorru to be -ve , but with that age of boiler you could really do with someone who specializes in that make, as they may canabalize old V boilers for bits, usually find some older chaps do this ( not ageist but just met a few like this ).... better finding that special someone ; who may cost a little extra ,... (eek hate to say this) most will tell you to scrap it at that age- we scrap anything over 5/ 6 at work as not viable to repair- sorry,
(I can tell you all the new trade prices on WB combis, if it gets to that stage- just so as some plumber cant rip you off- ordered a couple recently)

jema · 10/07/2004 03:18

meant to say our work is in hamps, so cant help on ref'ng plumbers - good luck

jmg1 · 10/07/2004 11:03

unicorn, depending on the type of fittings in your wc (siphon/float valve) you may be able to just buy a new float valve. These parts come in kits and are all relatively cheap anyway.

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