Not-so-automatic central heating

[llareggub]

This probably isn't the end of the world, but it is a problem that is driving me batty. Our central heating has an auto setting which enables it to come whenever. It is set correctly, however, I can't get the switch to flick to "auto." As a result, I can only use the function to put the heating on for an hour at a time.

Ideally I'd like the heating to come on and off in the morning, to avoid the freezing cold dash to turn on the heating.

Any ideas, or do I need to call someone out? It works in every other way. I've tried randomly pressing buttons but nothing happens.

Did it used to work, but now doesn't? Or has it never worked? And does anything happen when you randomly hit buttons, or does it just not seem to do anything at all?

If it used to work, or nothing happens when you hit buttons, it probably needs an engineer. But if you just don't know which combination of buttons to hit, it might be do-able.

It definitely used to work. I can set the on and off times, and day and evening. I just can't it to switch to auto, or for that matter "on" either. I can only use the on for an hour setting.

It definitely worked last winter, and I seem to remember it being fairly easy to set, so I think something must be up.

Sounds like its broken then - I don't think there's anything in these controllers which an ordinary person would be able to fix, so it's probably an engineer and a replacement one.

Bother!

Is it something that you think can wait (say until after christmas!) or is it one of things that need to get sorted pronto? To be honest we can probably manage with switching it on for an hour at a time, and I'm guessing that might save us money as I had it on nearly all last winter.

Thank you for your help.

It won't be hurting the boiler any, so if you can live with it then you can leave it till you can afford it. If the front of it seems to come off, you could take a look to see if it's just the switch sticking, or a bit gritty. But it's more likely something in the wiring stopped working.