New boiler - old one is "kettling"

diywhynot

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

Well it is an "ideal" brand boiler, probably about 14 years old. It kettles when it is heating up the hot water tank. I don't know if it does it when it heats the radiators, but I expect it does.

What would I need to check in the header tank? Somebody has written "Fernox added 2007" on it if that helps?

The boiler does look a bit old and crusty but I'm not sure if it actually need replacing. The ballcock in the header tank had a thin flim of sludge on it.

I'm not sure what else to say... Is there anything else that would help to know?

When was the boiler/central heating last serviced? If it hasn't been in the last year, that is where to start.

DVardysShadow

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

Well it is an "ideal" brand boiler, probably about 14 years old. It kettles when it is heating up the hot water tank. I don't know if it does it when it heats the radiators, but I expect it does.

What would I need to check in the header tank? Somebody has written "Fernox added 2007" on it if that helps?

The boiler does look a bit old and crusty but I'm not sure if it actually need replacing. The ballcock in the header tank had a thin flim of sludge on it.

I'm not sure what else to say... Is there anything else that would help to know?

Possibly the hot water cylinder is un pumped - 'gravity' circulation. kettling in these circumstances is not a surprise.

Mr_Thrifty

diywhynot wrote: »

When was the boiler/central heating last serviced? If it hasn't been in the last year, that is where to start.

About 2 days ago... I was hoping the service might fix it. Sadly, I seem to know more about boilers than the plumber that serviced it.

Mr_Thrifty

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Possibly the hot water cylinder is un pumped - 'gravity' circulation. kettling in these circumstances is not a surprise.

There is a small pump up in the loft, connected to the hot water cylinder, but it doesn't look like a very good one.

The hot water pressure throughout the house (for taps) isn't great but is OK.

Do you think upgrading the pump might help? Or adding some chemicals? Or is it time just to get a new boiler? If time for a new boiler, would you go for a combi or replace with a similar one (which has a hot water tank and 50 gallon water tank in the loft).

diywhynot

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

About 2 days ago... I was hoping the service might fix it. Sadly, I seem to know more about boilers than the plumber that serviced it.

What did your 'plumber' say about the kettling two days ago? (I'm assuming he/she is an RGI and was recommended to you)

southcoastrgi

kettling is normally caused by a layer of scale within the heat exchanger which will require a de-scale this can be done insitu using a powerflush machine, however as the chemicals are acidick this could cause a leak in a heat exchanger of that age.

gibson123

I had a similar problem with my central heating, advice on these boards said I should go for a local firm and I found a gas engineer living two streets away. Anyway result was that the engineer gave it a thorough service and advised against replacement, now it works perfectly - bill £120 and lots of recommendations to friends and family. I had been getting my central heating service, the local guy asked me a lot of questions about the service and whether this bit was taken off and if the engineer had done this and that. Seems the services I had been getting for 3 years were little more than a hoover out and a bit of smoke up the flue.

Mr_Thrifty

diywhynot wrote: »

What did your 'plumber' say about the kettling two days ago? (I'm assuming he/she is an RGI and was recommended to you)

Oh he mostly huffed and puffed and got all huffy because the boiler wouldn't re-start after he put it back together (the half-wit forgot to turn it on at the mains isolation) then proceeded to reprogram my thermostat timer settings and broke the ballcock in my cold water tank by leaning on it. Basically I wouldn't trust a word of his about anything. He seemed to talk knowledgeably on some matters, yet on others was worse than an amateur. Also said various things about a powerfulsh and how he can do his own for free.

Mr_Thrifty

gibson123 wrote: »

I had a similar problem with my central heating, advice on these boards said I should go for a local firm and I found a gas engineer living two streets away. Anyway result was that the engineer gave it a thorough service and advised against replacement, now it works perfectly - bill £120 and lots of recommendations to friends and family. I had been getting my central heating service, the local guy asked me a lot of questions about the service and whether this bit was taken off and if the engineer had done this and that. Seems the services I had been getting for 3 years were little more than a hoover out and a bit of smoke up the flue.

I'm very skeptical of "services" in general. I want to know what they actually DO during the so-called "service". As far as I can tell, they just give it a visual inspection and blow out the cobwebs - which any old idiot could do.

diywhynot

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

I'm very skeptical of "services" in general. I want to know what they actually DO during the so-called "service". As far as I can tell, they just give it a visual inspection and blow out the cobwebs - which any old idiot could do.

The boiler installation manual will provide an answer....if you don't have it it should be available online. Who gave you this guy's name? One less on the Christmas card list;)