Newby Heating Problems.

GARYBAXTER_2

Hello,

I currently have a problem with my current convectional system- the heating kicks on and off okay, but if I switch both the heating and hot water on, everything shuts off. If I switch just the hot water on, nothing happens.

This wasn't a problem until a heating engineer just fitted a new motorised valve and pump, and it hasn't worked properly since! The system is old (20 years), and they recommended replacing it (and are claiming that as they recommended replacing it, they are not responisible and can't guarantee any work they did do) therefore them coming out to fix something that wasn't broke until they touched it is going to cost me.

I'm totally new to all this, so unsure if I'm being hosed, or if I'm expecting an unrealistic resolution.

Many questions!
Short term:
Is the problem likely to be the motorised valve or the on/off clock?

Long term:
What is a reasonable quote for fitting a replacement combi boiler and stripping out the old tanks, boiler etc?
Are combi boilers compatible with power showers?

General:
Is that standard practice for a company to indemnify themselves from work done, by stating "we recommended you to get a new one, so we're not responsible for what we did"?

I've just sponked £500 yesterday and am in a worse position than I started. I'm looking for a minimal cost to the short term problem as the whole thing is likely to be ripped out and replaced. Help!

moneysavingplumber

I guess my first question is, did you pay £500 for a replacement motorised valve and pump?

If you did, I'd say the whole thing sounds very iffy. If I considered that a system could not be repaired reliably, then I wouldn't carry out a repair on it. Whether or not the system is in need of update/overhaul/replacement is fairly irrelevant, if the new motorised valve isn't doing what it's supposed to, it means they haven't wired it correctly or it is faulty, and it's their responsibility to have made sure it was working correctly before they took your money and left.

A pump and a motorised valve together would cost no more than £100 to buy. In an average house and an average system I would expect changing them to take no more than 2-3 hours, assuming drain down and fill-up for the motorised valve was straightforward (and even then there's a good chance it's just the motor or head at fault, both of which can be changed without a drain-down usually). Even if I spent the whole day there on the job, and put fresh inhibitor in the system, and maybe even cleared a blocked cold-feed and vent in the process, I still couldn't manage to bill you £500!!

I would get a decent, recommended electrician to come round and check the wiring of the system, and I would guess the new motorised valve has not been wired correctly, or they have wired to already incorrect wiring and not checked the correct operation of it before they left your house.

Compatibility between pumped shower valves and use with a combi depend on the manufacturer of the shower, usually with most modern valves they are all universal, but with older ones you will need to check.

Cost of converting will depend on many factors. The system will need to be flushed, you will probably need new radiator valves throughout as you will be pressurising your old system, and location and pipe work will be a factor also. The price could vary between £1400 and as much as £2500 depending on the above factors and choice of boiler make and model, controls etc.