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Original poster

Central Heating trouble

15 replies

LeonardoAcropolis · 16/10/2013 14:59

Hello, any experts about?

My central heating seems to be kaput. I had it on this morning, first time since May, for one hour and it was fine. I tried it again a moment ago and... nothing. We have a Honeywell dial thermostat and when nudged (which usually works), nothing! The boiler works (Glow Worm) as I put the hot water on, successfully, after discovering the heating was kaput.

Any ideas? anything I could 'twiddle' before I call the plumber out?

OP posts:
Original poster
LeonardoAcropolis · 17/10/2013 07:57

Bump

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 17/10/2013 07:59

If the thermostats not working properly leave it to cool down for a few hours and then turn the heating on again

PigletJohn · 17/10/2013 08:52

When you bleed the highest radiator in the house, does water squirt out forcefully?

Have you got a hot water cylinder?

PigletJohn · 17/10/2013 08:54

What are the settings on the timer?

Original poster
LeonardoAcropolis · 17/10/2013 09:50

Hello thanks for getting back me.

Unfortunately i can't find the radiator tool and Dh isn't around to ask.

I corrected the timer to put CH on now, and it fired up! And then died a minute later. We never use the timer, we put the heating on manually (as that is what we were used to doing in our old house with an ancient system).

Yes, we have a hot water cylinder.

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PigletJohn · 17/10/2013 10:01

How old is the house?

It may be worth you going to the shops and getting a couple of rad keys. You can put string through one and hang it on the boiler pipes.

Checking the water is a good first check.

It might be the pump or a sediment blockage.

If you recognise the pump, see if it is surprisingly hot.

Original poster
LeonardoAcropolis · 17/10/2013 10:09

Found the rad key! I just bled the highest radiator and only air came out, then a little water when it finished.

The pump feels ok. It was brand new last year, when we moved in the heating hardly worked. Previous owners had two 'power flushes' a couple of years ago. Our plumber believed that it was due to faulty pump and not a blockage. Could this have happened now?

House is about 25 years old.

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Madmog · 17/10/2013 10:10

It might be worth borrowing a radiator key from a neighbour - that way you can eliminate trapped air in a radiator which may prevent the flow in the system.

If it's coming on for less than a minute might be overheating or the pump could be jamming (they are well known for seizing up after lack of use in the summer). Our last boiler had this problem twice on putting on in autumn, once we needed a new pump and on the other occasion the engineer made an adjustment and got it going.

Madmog · 17/10/2013 10:14

Have you tried firing it up again now you've bleed the system? Forgot to say, don't know if you have a system which indicates error messages or pressure, but it's worth looking at the boiler and checking against the service manual. As I said we had problems with the pump twice on our last system - I think there was a two year gap between each problem. Either way, think you need an engineer.

Original poster
LeonardoAcropolis · 17/10/2013 10:24

Thank you Piglet John, still not working so will get the engineer out. Thank you for taking the time to help me.

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PigletJohn · 17/10/2013 10:26

If very little water came out and then it stopped, you probably have a sediment blockage in the feed and expansion pipe from the small tank in the loft. A competent plumber can check this with a magnet and, if so, cut out and replace the small section of pipe. The system would benefit from a chemical clean and a system filter to trap future sediment.

If the previous owners had two power flushes (if true) there is probably a leak or design flaw causing air or new water to be drawn in causing corrosion of the steel radiators. You could look at the small tank in the loft just to make sure the ball cock (like in an old WC cistern) has not jammed.

Don't waste hundreds of pounds on another power flush until the cause of the corrosion has been identified and corrected. The previous owners wasted their money.

Original poster
LeonardoAcropolis · 17/10/2013 10:45

I stopped the water by shutting the little valve, I don't know how much more might have come out.

They spent so much money on those power flushes (they left us the paper work). They had another done soon after, after claiming that the first one didn't work. They had two of those yet their engineer left a dodgy pump in place! Rubbish!

I just spoke to my engineer, he will come to look at my CH but he advised me to flick the little switch under a valve in the airing cupboard to put both heating and water on at the same time, when needed.

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PigletJohn · 17/10/2013 11:14

ah, so he thinks it is the 3-port valve.

hope that works.

Madmog · 17/10/2013 16:45

Let us know what your engineer says. Hope it doesn't cost too much.

Original poster
LeonardoAcropolis · 21/10/2013 14:10

Hello again, engineer has been and has diagnosed a fault with the 3-port valve. It is about 25 years old, like the house and said it had just worn out. He is coming back to fit a new one. A bit less that £200 Shock but once it's done, it's done. And it could be worse, I suppose. We do have heating in the meantime, only it can only run if we turn on the hot water! Thanks PigletJohn, again Flowers

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