Boiler Problems - Any Plumbers here?

Gimpymoo · 31 Jan 2006 at 22:39

Boiler Problems Glow Worm 24ci - Any Plumbers here?

Hope some of you may be able to point me in the right direction.

This morning, while filling the basin with hot water to have a shave, the water suddenly went cold followed by a loud "gurgling" noise from the boiler???

I checked the boiler and it had no error LED's but the pressure had gone down a little to 0.4 so increased pressure to 0.8 and tried again... still the same noises with the same outcome.

The Central Heating is working as normal so it appears the issue is relating only to the hot water supply.

The boiler was newly installed 3 years ago. For about 18 months we have had issues with loosing pressure if the central heating is left on for prolonged periods of time and the heating switches off, but manually increasing the pressure by letting in more water as fixed the problem.

Call it dumbness on my behalf, but the boiler has not been serviced since it was installed.

Im too scared to call a plumber incase:

A. I get a cowboy (Dont know any reputable plumbers)
B. Its knackered

Just after some advice so can at least be prepared for the worse.

If anyone can give ideas, very much appreciated.

Can give further info to help with diags.

Many thanks to anyone who can help.

Gimp.

EDIT: Boiler = Glow Worm 24ci

UPDATE:

Ive noticed an unusual high amount of water being omitted from the overflow pipe from the boiler going outside... any ideas what would cause this?

Gimpymoo · 31 Jan 2006 at 22:48

Although I cant be 100% sure, im almost certain there is not a leak as weve had the problem for 18 months and if a leak was present, im sure we would know about it by now, id think.

Gimpymoo · 31 Jan 2006 at 22:54

Thanks for the above.

Any ideas on how much it cost in total to repair, presuming mine is a similiar issue?

Gimpymoo · 31 Jan 2006 at 22:57

Cool, thanks for the info anyway

A problem with a boiler is worse than going to the dentist :eek:

Now I know how none tech folks feel when their PC goes up the chuff.

Gimpymoo · 1 Feb 2006 at 00:32

dannyjo22 said:
If you have lived with it for that long what I would do is join a heating insurance plan for a year. I pay £12 a month for total heating plumbing/hot water support. To make sure they dont get hot with existing faults you have to wait a month for your first claim. Wait a month then get them out to fix it.

Also In the summer in the price you get a service which would cost you around £60 anyway.

Problem solved.

Thats what I was thinking of doing...

Any company in paticular?

The free service sounds good

EDIT: Found it.. Not who I would have thought for that price, very cheap.

£144 for a year is a BARGAIN.

Google is everyones friend, but in the T&C's, it says I cant join if my boiler is allready faulty

Nevermind

Gimpymoo · 1 Feb 2006 at 17:40

Retsef said:
First one is that your losing water. This is usually from the central heating side, which is related to the drop in pressure. You have a leak

Is there nothing else which can cause a loss in pressure?

Gimpymoo · 2 Feb 2006 at 22:34

UPDATE:

Ive noticed an unusual high amount of water being omitted from the overflow pipe from the boiler going outside... any ideas what would cause this?

Gimpymoo · 2 Feb 2006 at 22:49

It has been increased... only to 1.5 bar though.

Gimpymoo · 3 Feb 2006 at 08:07

magpie said:
Is it a sealed system or open system

The reason there is water going outside is because the preassure release valve has opened, this you can replace yourself if your handy with a spanner.

When the heating is on does the preassure stay around 2- 2.5 or does it keep rising, I suspect it keeps rising hence the reason the preassure release opened.

If it's a sealed system the reason for this would be that the preassure vessel has failed. Not to expensive to get replaced.

Go to the link Snash gave, the peep's there will sort you out

Thanks for the help. It is a sealed system.

If the pressure vessel had failed, could this explain the constant loss of pressure, assuming there are no leaks?

lordedmond said:
The flexecon expansion tank has gone its itternal to the boiler useualy fitted at the back and red you wil have a smaller one grapefruit size on the hot water.

They are a tanl with a diaphram one side has about 2 bar nitrogen the other has the water the nitogen acts like a spring.

Thanks for the above... A great help.

Will post back if more info needed. Will keep thread updated. Many Thanks.

Gimpymoo · 5 Feb 2006 at 20:01

Well.. Decided to go with British Gas.

£25 a month for a year.. £300 total.

They will repair the initial fault and any faults which occure after that.

£300 doesnt seem too bad.. not having to pay all in one go is a bonus as well.

Thanks for everyones help.

Gimpymoo · 5 Feb 2006 at 21:10

Naah, not sure if theyve changed policies, but because its allready broken, they said the premium is higher.. which makes sense.

The Plumber was booked on the same call and didnt have to wait 24 hours.

Will get the contracts and see what im covered for.

They could send an engineer TOMORROW if I needed.. EXCELLENT service.