Central Heating Query!

sist_si

sist_si

sist_si

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Joined
28 Nov 2004
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1,245
Location
Birmingham
Hi guys
The boiler in my house is playing up I think. It's a pretty standard central heating system. All the rad's work ok and warm up when its on but the water is a different story. The shower is getting unbearable and the taps are the same. It's just a tap mixer shower by the way.

Anyway, the water very gradually warms up then after about 10-20 secs of warm/hot water it goes cold, then warm, then cold..and repeat.
I wondered if anyone had an idea what was going on before i get a plumber out to look.
Simple fix or big expensive job. The boiler is about 12 years old now. I've not long had a part replaced that cost £260 as it was leaking all over the shop but that is fine now.

Thanks for any help. :cool:
 
Combi boiler? Sounds like the flow valve on the hot water isn't opening enough to keep the boiler running hence the water is going cold on you.
 
Might be an issue with the mixer. What type is it?

I recently had issues with mine not warming up or being scalding so I had to strip it, clean it up and replace all the seals. It now works a treat.

Edit: sorry, just re-read tap mixer.
 
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yep, combi.
hmm...the flow valve. that sounds familiar. The part we had replaced could have been that...its a big round copper thing with a valve on it...i'll try and get a pic...

*edit* actually - forget the above, I wouldn't have a clue if it was the flow valve...like I say, it was a big roundish copper part they had to replace as it was leaking.
I'm at work at the mo but I'll look up the make/model when I get home and post it.

Is what either of you have suggested an expensive job?
 
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Other people in the house using water? Washing machine? Dish washer? If the water pressure is changing due to these things the boiler will not deliver a steady flow of water at a steady temperature. Just a thought - if the water temperature is set too high on the boiler some kind of anti-scald device may be cutting in.
 
funnily enough i've been having a very similar issue. ours is also a combi boiler with a mixer shower. yesterday the boiler would fire up then stop fire up then stop fire up then stop - it wouldn't stay on consistently, therefore the water was cold!

there was a fault light on the boiler flashing, but when i came to have a shower this morning it was fine again. i think it just needs a service.

i guess it's a similar issue, do you have a local boiler guy you can use or have used before?
 
yea, i'm gonna give a guy a call but he's approx £60 just to look at it.

EffBee - No one else is using the water. It's first thing in the morn when trying to shower. I did turn up the temp on the water though so maybe I should drp it down a bit. I doubt the boiler is sophisticated enough to have an anti-scald device fitted though :)
 
Central heating sludge in domestic hot water heat exchanger is most common cause of hot/cold/hot/cold water..Could also be a thermister also.

If its only experienced on a thermostatic shower then it could be a sign of the cartridge needing replacing..

Best get someone qualified to sort it.

Mick
 
sist_si said:
yea, i'm gonna give a guy a call but he's approx £60 just to look at it.

EffBee - No one else is using the water. It's first thing in the morn when trying to shower. I did turn up the temp on the water though so maybe I should drp it down a bit. I doubt the boiler is sophisticated enough to have an anti-scald device fitted though :)
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What make of combi boiler is it.
I have a baxi combi and had the same problem last year.
Radiators were hot but water from hot water taps was cold.
I found out that the problem was caused by a hole or split in a rubber diaphram.
The new diaphram cost about £8 and very easy to fit,took me about twenty minutes.
 
I am learning plumbing come back in 8 months.

Could be the boiler thats kaput, they dont always last long, we replaced ours after 13 years and its running like a dream now.
 
Are the hot water taps having the same symptom? If not, then it's probably the shower and not the boiler.

Edit: If you tell me the exact model of the boiler then I can have a look on my laptop at the fault finding for you if you really want.
 
Hedge said:
Impressive, dunno how long youve been learning but you have the right idea for raking lots of money in from ripping people off haha. :D
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But a boiler is a piece of equipment that is working everyday, what is the gurantee that Worchester offer 2 maybe 5 years, its ok to say how much would you charge for a call out to a fix a said boiler.

and dont make sound like a cow boy, aint you going working for the Royal Mail during the day while you work cash in had thus being a tax thief.

I am learning a trade to better myself, found out today I passed first exam of thirteen.
 
cheets, the NVQ papers are easy :p . Just answer the first time as quick as you can (don't look anything up) and then you have ages to find the answers to the few you get wrong :) .

I passed my ACS last week :D .
 
Cheers for the input guys. I'm at home tonight so i'll post the make and model of the boiler. It is just the taps (the shower is one of those tap/shower mixers) where the water is cold. The rad's are fine as far as I can tell.
Expect an update later this eve! :)
 
St0rmer66 said:
cheets, the NVQ papers are easy :p . Just answer the first time as quick as you can (don't look anything up) and then you have ages to find the answers to the few you get wrong :) .

I passed my ACS last week :D .
Click to expand...

Grats mate, which ones did you do?

Ive got my CCN1. CEN1. WAT1, HTR1, CKR1 and DAH1
 
cheets64 said:
and dont make sound like a cow boy, aint you going working for the Royal Mail during the day while you work cash in had thus being a tax thief.
Click to expand...

And as for this, No, thats not the plan. My plan is to get a stable income from Royal mail. Then also register myself as self employed then declare any additional income I make outside of RM hours.

There isnt enough work going around to set up my own business. I have debts and I know people who are struggling to find enough jobs to keep themselves going right now. The fact that people arent building houses is killing lots of the trades.

And the fact that the trades are being swamped with Diluteys who do fast track courses is having a negative affect on it too.
 
Hi guys, does anyone know the make/model I've posted above?
It'd be cool to get some idea of what's goin on if poss.
 
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