HELPHELPHELP! My radiators won't come on!

[QuimReaper]

Of all the fucking times!

Yesterday I put the heating on but nothing happened. The pressure was low so I repressurised it, and still nothing. At one point the boiler was flashing "3,3 bar" which Google seemed to think was a high pressure warning but I restarted the boiler and that went away, and now it's just showing the temperature. Hot water is fine. The thermostat on the wall is on.

Am I missing anything stupid? God of all the times for this to happen!

Okay - it'll be fine. Sounds like your boiler is working but something has been reset. How do you usually control the heating? Is it through the thermostat? Is it possibly something as simple as the times for the timer being reset so it is not clicking on as usual? Is it possible to set it to manual to see if comes on?

Not through the thermostat, no, we never touch that - there's only one downstairs (which was remodelled), there aren't any upstairs. It's on manual so we just switch it on and off as and when (whereas the water is on the timer setting).

Thank you so much for replying!

Could be the pump tats failed, sounds like the boiler is working fine if the water is heating ok. Heating engineers are still working for emergencies like having no heating.

What timing!

I did assume there'd be some emergency plumbers around, people who have no hot water or sewage bubbling up in their bathroom can't really just make do and mend...

Where’s Piglet John when you need him. - hope he’s OK

Oh God what do you know? Is Piglet sick?

Do you have the boiler manual around? If not, you should be able to google it online. There may be a setting which turns off the radiator function which needs to be turned on.

Next thing to try is to bleed the radiators as it may be a air pocket in the system but that is usually a specific radiator rather than all.

My neighbours boiler did the same this week. The engineer is here fitting a new one right now. It's actually easier to get an emergency plumber at the moment as they aren't bogged down with routine stuff.

They'll probably want to put it through the books too, rather than cash!

Have you got a wireless thermostat or timer?

What does the pressure gauge now read?

Does the hot water work?

Do you have a combi boiler? If not, then the most likely issue, is that your zone valve is not working. You need to look for one of these www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/motorised-valves/cat831028
Once you find it, turn your boiler on to fire and then go back to your valve. On one side will be a little slide lever, you need to see if there is resistance on it when you push it towards the man side. If there is resistance, push it slowly over then lift up or down slightly and allow to nestle back into the holding point. Then go and check that your boiler is firing. If that doesn't get it firing, let us know on here and there are other things to take you through before you go through the worry of having to get someone out

Hi all!

Have you got a wireless thermostat or timer?

There's a thermostat downstairs but not upstairs; the boiler is downstairs but there is a megaflo upstairs with the filling loop and the wall display where we manually control the hot water and water. Does that help?

What does the pressure gauge now read?

I've attached pics of the filling loop gauge and the message which is flashing on the boiler (Vaillant ecotec 624 if that helps anyone)

Does the hot water work?

Seems to be working fine (thank god)

Do you have a combi boiler?

We have a megaflo storage cylinder so I don't think so?

I love Mumsnet

Oh hello Piglet! Just seen that's you, glad you're not sick after all!

I'm just trying to find the manual online, thanks

@Muchlywrong would that be on the boiler or the filling loop? Thank you

Your pressure is high, but your pressure relief valve will open and let out any water if it gets too high. Try the zone valve first, as this is the most common fault

The zone valve is likely to be on some pipework near the hot water tank or the boiler. You will probably have two, one to open and close to the hw cylinder and one to do the same for the heating

I cannot find the sodding thing ANYWHERE

MrQuim reckons bleeding the radiators is worth trying, although I'm with Boopear that that wouldn't stop all of them in their tracks - they're literally just not responding at all, and normally when you turn the heating on, the megaflo starts to make some noise, whereas it's just not doing anything at all now.

Does anyone have any ideas about the flashing sign on the boiler?

Have a look near your circulating pump, if you know where that is?

That is mine if it gives you an idea

Muchly YES! I found it!

...but I did what you said and nothing happened.

To be clear: I pressed the flame button on the boiler ( ); I pushed the lever gently over to the "man" side, and wiggled it, and let it settle; then went back to the boiler... and it was still flashing the error message (although it now says "3,2 bar" instead of "3,3 bar" - progress?). I repeated the whole thing, tried turning it off and on again, and no joy.

I cannot thank you enough for so generously helping me with this

Oh God what do you know? Is Piglet sick?

FFS - get a grip.

Er... what?

So the boiler is not firing at all? Have you set it on to fire from your wall controls and the thermostat?

The hot water is working so it must be firing, it's just not responding when we turn the heating on.

...when you said "firing" did you mean I should hit the flame button...?

Sorry, that was my bad at describing correctly. I mean, when the boiler is due to ignite and heat up the radiators/hot water. If you set your timer to do this, then try opening the aforementioned valve and see whether you start to get heat on the pipe on both sides of the valve