Boiler issue, house not warming but gas usage v high

Mr_Ted

As an adendum, I did once find one of these boilers with a heat exchanger still 80% full of solid casting sand?
3 years old? so much for the previous 3 service visits and the engineers that serviced it at those times? SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!
Unlikely to be this though after all this time?

pinkteapot

Probably not limescale then, sorry... Still well worth getting it serviced and the engineer would notice if it was scaled up at all anyway.

Mickygg

Hello all as an update I have done the following:

Service
Replace pump
Replace valve as I thought water may be heated with the heating all the time.
Drain down system to add sludge remover
Drain down again to add descaler
Gas provider won't check meter
Insulation in loft to 270mm thick


Boiler still overheats, but now it's not so cold I can get to 18 degrees!! I'll probably look at the heat exchanger next. Thereafter I am at a total loss. Gas usage still crazy, so only answer may be a new boiler.
I had a quote for a new boiler and the guy said new ones often go wrong due to the technology in them!!
Head all over the place. Roll on spring!!

Martyn_H

Having a similar problem myself with overheating. Ted's replies concur with what my gas fitter tells me.

You might want to invest in a new boiler rather than spend money on an expensive new heat exchanger.

If you do decide to have a new boiler, (I've been recommended a Vaillant Ecotec), make sure you haven't got a one-pipe system, as new boilers will struggle to operate reliably. Also, new boilers often come with a 2 or 3 year warranty, after which you can take out a service plan with the likes of BG.

LeeThePlumber777

BG are not the only company that offers a service plan. I'm not sure I'm allowed to say what I think of BG but if you want my advice get 3 quotes from local independent and preferably recommended Gas Safe Registered engineers for a boiler upgrade

LeeThePlumber777

If you for example find an installer who is Worcester Accredited they can offer a 7 year warranty

southcoastrgi

& still no one has asked what temp the rads get to ?

Mickygg

The temp on the rads get hot. They only get very hot when the boiler overheats. I'm getting a temp gauge to see just how hot the rads and boiler get.

diywhynot

Martyn_H wrote: »

If you do decide to have a new boiler, (I've been recommended a Vaillant Ecotec), make sure you haven't got a one-pipe system, as new boilers will struggle to operate reliably. Also, new boilers often come with a 2 or 3 year warranty, after which you can take out a service plan with the likes of BG.

If you're getting Vaillant, a free 7 warranty is available if the installer is Vaillant Advance.

greyteam1959

southcoastrgi wrote: »

& still no one has asked what temp the rads get to ?

First thing I would have asked !!!!
Have the rads got TRV's ???
What is the temperature of the return pipe ??