I've just discovered how to fix my boiler.

[caringcarer]

I'm feeling ridiculously pleased with myself. I've had no heating all day except for a very small plug in oil filled radiator. DH is working on a house 150 miles away. He suggested it might be a pressure issue and he'd fix it when he got home. It felt like I was living in the North Pole. I felt like I couldn't wait. I hunted about on YouTube and found a clip explaining how to top up the pressure on an Ideal boiler and it only took 5 minutes and my central heating is now back on. I'm not good with practical DIY so I'm feeling very smug and snug now too. DH will be 😯.

Well done OP. That's a real achievement. I would love to do more practical things and not be dependent on calling out plumbers etc.

Congratulations!!

Such a good feeling 😊

Was it the cold feed OP?

Well done OP! YouTube is great for DIY stuff

Well done OP.
i took the filter out of my washing machine and emptied it today following a youtube video because it stopped draining and a clogged filter was the most likely suspect. Not sure if it’s fixed it or not yet as i have a load going, but i felt tremendously proud of myself for getting it done. Go us!

Re-pressuring a boiler is hardly DIY, it's turning a switch.

I mean, obviously it is DIY in the literal sense but it's not up there with painting a ceiling!

Don't be so rude and dismissive @PamelaParis! If you don't know how to do something, but find a way to learn about it, and then do it successfully, it's a real achievement.

Nobody knows everything, why put someone down for a little win?

There's always one

Well done!

What a wank comment. Absolutely no need. Well done OP!

That’s a good start, but do you know how to turn off your water supply when you have a leak?
Where is the stop cock?

Do you know how to turn off gas at the main?

Do you understand your electric consumer box switches?

One time I had to deal with a screaming (water utility company) customer who had water pouring through her kitchen ceiling. Kids were hysterical.

She had no idea how to turn off her water supply at the main.

It’s always a good idea for householders to know how things work. So many don’t but you’ve made a start. Well done. Every day’s a school day. 😳

For someone that is NOT familiar with DIY in any shape or form, I would say that's a Big Achievement.

Sometimes it is just a switch, but on ours it's opening/closing a series of valves buried within all the pipework, and not on the boiler itself at all.

It's one of those simple things that plumbers (mostly men) like to keep to themselves to make them feel superior and ensure that they're wanted, so they can keep coming out to charge for simple things, yet they make a big deal out of it, make it sound/look harder than it really is, etc.

YouTube is absolutely brilliant for showing just how simple things can be and improving the confidence/capabilities of "normal" people.

After years of suffering with successions of "dodgy" tradespeople (even those from larger/proper firms), OH started doing loads of things himself, either by trial and error, or watching lots of YouTube videos, and we barely need tradesmen anymore, especially now OH has build up a garage load of tools and spare components.

Having seen how much he can now do, I started following his lead and doing loads of things myself too, again by watching YouTube, etc. I've just replaced the old manky shower screen which a brand shiny new glass one, which involved drilling new holes in the tile covered walls, levelling it, setting it at exactly the right height for the rubber seal at the bottom, sourcing screw caps to match, etc. The sense of achievement is absolutely amazing, even moreso that the last time it was replaced, we had a "professional" plumber who charged £250 for labour only and it wasn't even level!!

That is brilliant! Mine was not working yesterday, figured out the condenser pipe needed to be thawed and managed it. Unfortunately it has broken again today and I cant fix it, but yesterday I felt very proud!

Painting a ceiling is a lot easier the re-pressurising some boilers.

Editing your post @PamelaParis doesn't make it any less ridiculous.

... you could have just apologised?

@PamelaParis

Wow - you know how to top up the pressure on every type of boiler that exists?

Well done you.

No, but if you dont know how and then you learn, it does feel great!

I'm in my 30's and loads of my friends dont know how to sort the pressure out in their boilers, or sort the washing machine out when the hose gets blocked ect. It does feel good to be able to do it yourself 🙌

That's good OP, but you need to address why it's happening. If the pressure has dropped, it is possible you've a leak.

I don't think @PamelaParis was being particularly mean. It is great to figure something practical out yourself so well done on that, but it's also reasonable to say that it's straightforward in DIY terms.

I’m with you, I feel inordinately pleased with myself when I fix our dishwasher or washing machine etc on my own. YouTube is a wonderful thing!

Things are only easy once you know how to do them......it takes lots of courage to conquer the unknown.

@EarringsandLipstick things are only straightforward when you know how to do them! And it was mean as it was so dismissive of the OP.

You stalking me BIWI...?!!