I don't suppose many of you have the old gas back boilers, but if you do....

Candy53

....does it have a built in thermostat?

We have a 70s gas fire with a Baxi Bermuda back boiler.

When we first used the heating, which was over 2 years ago, it suddenly cut out. I thought there was something wrong with it, but waited, and it kicked back in. The gas man set the orange knob at 3 and a half. We thought it might have had some kind of inbuilt thermostat, but, since then, it has never cut out.

We decided the other day to have the heating on for 2 hours at a time instead of the 1 and a half hours we usually do, but at nearly 2 hours I got so hot that I started to get a bad headache, and felt sick.

We turned it off and set the timer back to 1 and a half hours. We have no wall thermostat, and have to turn the heating on and off upstairs where the tank is.


Candy

penrhyn

Why on earth don't you have a room stat or TRVs fitted?
Who installed the system Jesse James?
The boiler thermostat regulates the boiler temperature, not the room temp.
PS A room stat would pay for itself quickly as it would cut the pump as soon as the desired temperature is reached.

diywhynot

Candy53 wrote: »

....does it have a built in thermostat?

We have a 70s gas fire with a Baxi Bermuda back boiler.

When we first used the heating, which was over 2 years ago, it suddenly cut out. I thought there was something wrong with it, but waited, and it kicked back in. The gas man set the orange knob at 3 and a half. We thought it might have had some kind of inbuilt thermostat, but, since then, it has never cut out.

When was the last service on the back boiler/fire?

We decided the other day to have the heating on for 2 hours at a time instead of the 1 and a half hours we usually do, but at nearly 2 hours I got so hot that I started to get a bad headache, and felt sick.

Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm?

macman

Room 'stats start from about £15...

penrhyn

Indeed, a Drayton RTS8, £14.99 from Screwfix, we just got a new store in Long Eaton. Friendly staff prompt service.

NowRetired

I started to get a bad headache, and felt sick.

are these not symptoms of CO poisoning?

penrhyn

NowRetired wrote: »

are these not symptoms of CO poisoning?

I think the phrase rhymes with Clucking bell.

OP have you got a CO monitor?

WestonDave

It will have a thermostat in it that stops the boiler overheating, boiling and then exploding under steam pressure, but it won't have anything that stops a central heating system circulating water at 50-60C heating the house beyond about 22C where it will start to feel uncomfortable for many.

It is however certainly "open to the room" so if its not burning properly it will be pumping carbon monoxide into the room which may be the cause of your symptoms rather than straight forward heat.

First port of call if you don't have one is a CO detector - like yesterday, second is get it serviced if it hasn't been for years (because of its open nature its essential to get it checked regularly) and thirdly get a thermostat fitted.

mum2one

Please get a Co dectector, - we use to have a back boiler, it didn't have the thermostat control, we use to have it on for an hr in morning and again at ngt, then if we had used all the hot water pop it back on.The only way we controlled the temp was the valves on the raidiator.

I would def get the CO side checked out, and esp arrange a service. x

Hasbeen

As in all suggestions above!!

This fire is in your sitting room?
You have double glazing/seals on external doors/no outside air getting in to save energy/etc

These fires were usually installed/upgraded to provide ventilation by having a vent usually above skirting board to provide outside air to room/fumes to escape?

Unfortunately some people board them, up as you do get a bit of a draft/cold air into room. Some houses these days are sealed tight by occupiers to save energy/heating etc

Do you have ventilation? have the previous owners sealed the vent? Could now be wallpapered over but should be visible as vent from outside?

As the other posters have said get a service and get advice .

macman

The symptoms described could equally be those caused by overheating-there is no way of knowing without a monitor.