Boiler from Hell!!

just_looking_2

Any advice please- moved into house, boiler is an absolute nightmare and causes me a different problem every week., 4 weeks ago was first pouring water out of the side of the house through over flow, I left this as i didn't think it was doing any damage. 3 weeks ago-the pump started squealing at an unbelievable volume- called out British Gas, and after an argument about my having to pay as they hadn't done their inspection visit ( in 2 months), the engineer did fix it. (was a blockage/ build up of sludge in a joint apparently). 2- weeks ago- now no hot water! Using the immersion heater, most uneconomical and a pain in the !!!!!!. This week- now the boiler doesn't want to turn itself off!!! Radiators cool down as per timer instructions but the pump is constantly running, and the only way to turn it off is by flicking switch that turns electricity supply to it, but then in the moring there is no heat!! So the alternative is to try to sleep through the noise of the pump in the airing cupboard next to bedroom! This is the most irritating problem yet! What can i do?? Is it easily fixable? Is there a switch on tank/pump i have accidentally flicked? There's a dial on pump with a 1 2 3 on, if i turn it down to 1 the noise is less, but i don't know if i should be doing this? BGas still haven't done their 1st inspection, I don't want to call them again, and even if I did I'd have to wait till saturday because of work committments, and the noise is driving me mad, unfortunately I need silence to sleep, so I'm getting none!

moneysavingplumber

So I'm assuming that the overflow problem was in part due to the system pumping over because of the likely blocked cold-feed/vent. I'd be interested to know if BG did a full cleansing of the system, or did they just remove the immediate blockage?

With regards to your current problem, I would be interested to know which boiler you have and what kind of system you have. A common cause of pump running on often happens on boilers like the Potterton Profile when it has been converted for use with gravity hot water and pumped heating by way of an injector disc. There is a common mistake electricians make (can't remember what it is precisely) that causes this. If it turns out that you are running a gravity hot water/pumped heating system then I would imagine the hot water problem may be caused by a simple airlock (or further sludge blockage) somewhere near the coil of the cylinder, which may be the result of the refilling after the blockage was cleared. If the hot water is controlled by a seperate zone valve this also may be at fault, or a cylinder stat.

I might be way off track with this as it's just educated guesswork without more specific details and there are other possibles depending on your circumstances but this is my initial hunch.

If the pump is upstairs then it's actually more likely you have a fully pumped system, especially as it was pumping over. The hot water problem may still be zone valve related, which could in some circumstances cause the pump to run on. The pump shouldn't be that noisy if installed and purged correctly, unless the bearings are on the way out or there's more sludge and debris in the impeller.

just_looking_2

Wow- you know your stuff!! BG engineer just undid one of the pipes and poked his screwdriver down it to push stuff away- apparently their cover doesn't cover a powerflush!! Guessing that there must be a further blockage or air lock somewhere then, don't know what i'll do about that! It was clear after he'd been that there was water being pumped to areas that hadn't had water before, coz it took ages. Pump isn't really noisy- just really noticeable when you are trying to sleep through it and the boiler keeps firing up, even when the settings are turned to off! Its a glo-worm by the way (semi open flue- if that helps?). Apparently it is also illegal as there is no air brick or ventilation in the room??!!

moneysavingplumber

Semi open flue? If it is open flued and a Corgi registered person has commented that there is no ventilation at all then they should have taken action and asked your permission to turn the appliance off and label it as unsafe, at which point it would obviously be sensible to ask the engineer to provide the appropriate ventilation for the appliance, or to contract somebody else to do so.

If the cold feed/vent joint was that badly blocked then the system will need flushing without a doubt.

just_looking_2

moneysavingplumber wrote:

Semi open flue? If it is open flued and a Corgi registered person has commented that there is no ventilation at all then they should have taken action and asked your permission to turn the appliance off and label it as unsafe, at which point it would obviously be sensible to ask the engineer to provide the appropriate ventilation for the appliance, or to contract somebody else to do so.

If the cold feed/vent joint was that badly blocked then the system will need flushing without a doubt.

Nope-- all news to me! Got a fella coming round to put a hole in my wall on monday which will apparently stop it being a problem in terms of ventilation, still no further forward with my lack of hot water, although the pump has somehow stopped itself from firing up as it pleases, perhaps its tired and having a rest? and i still have heating?!! To be fair the fella stuck a sticker on the boiler about it being in a cupboard, but just told me it should have ventilation in the room? How much is a power flush then?

moneysavingplumber

Costs of powerflushes vary, anything from £150 upwards. Phone around and get a few quotes before committing to anything.

The ventilation supplied for the boiler should be purposed designed for the job with the correct amount of 'free-air' flow for the size of appliance, and it should be ducted through any cavity and preferably baffled to minimise draughts.