Heating stopped working

honeypop

I know you can't really tell what the problem is without looking, but maybe there's something obvious someone can tell me to try...

Our heating isn't working. It's set on a timer to come on half hour in morning and half hour in afternoon, same as the water heating (they're on the same timer), but for a week or so it sometimes wasn't coming on at one of those specified times but was doing the other one (water was still doing both).
Also, there's a button to make it come for an hour then go off again, sometimes this would work but sometimes it wouldn't do anything. I only discovered that this past couple of days when trying to put the heating on to dry washing.

Now, it won't come on at all, but water heating is still working as normal. Don't really want to pay for a plumber to come out if it's something simple to try and fix it.

Anything anyone can suggest please?

I know it's summer and we don't need it on, but I have a toddler and 4month old with a sick bug and have so much washing to get through and can't put it outside and don't have a tumble dryer - I need to get this washing dried as we are fast running out of clean bedding and clothes! Plus it will still need fixing at some point anyway.

ormus

older ch/boiler systems have a motorised valve. they often stick.
move the manual lever at the side. that may cure it. or replace the valve if faulty.

honeypop

Where might I find this thing? We have a back boiler behing an old gas fire, and some bits (cylinder, some pipes and the control panel) in an airing cupboard.

muckybutt

In the airing cupboard near to the hot water cylinder, it could also be the programmer thats gone faulty.

honeypop

Thanks will go and have a look. Could it still be the programmer if the water heating is working ok from the same programmer, and when the central heating should be on the light still comes on (as if it is working normally)?

cajef

Room thermostat???

Enterprise_1701C

I was going to say the same, check the thermostat - we're finding the temperature in the house does not go much below 75 unless we have the windows wide open, temperature in the lounge tends to stay around 80 given half a chance.

Just a tip for drying the bedding, I find it dries quickest draped over the banisters - apologies if you already know this though! (or if you don't have a banister).

Good luck with the kids.

honeypop

Could be that I suppose, but I've never used it in the 5 years I've lived here. There's one on the wall, but it didn't seem to do anything when we first tried it when we moved in, so always controlled the temperature using a twisty thing on the actual boiler. That is at the temp it usually is, so checked that.

ziggyman99

If it's an old system it's probably gravity hot water and pumped central heating. I think your pumps gone. Does your boiler fire up when you turn the heating on? It probably does but cuts out very quickly. Find were the pump is, screw off the cover in the middle and see if it's spinning. There will be a bit of water coming out when you unscrew this. If you can't see the end of the shaft, stick a screwdriver in it. It will make a loud clattering noise if it's spinning.