Advice please - whistling boiler. Is it safe to use?

The_Big_Goose

Our Worcester Greenstar Ri boiler started making a loud, constant whistling noise this morning and continues to do so even when I switch the boiler off, and the whole CH system. Its 2 years old.

Had a radiator changed Saturday, and there was no probs afterwards. There was an issue on Sunday morning, which I think was down to air trapped in the system, but I reset the boiler and it started again no problems. Ran it a couple of times during Sunday just to give it a good run-out. Worked fine on Monday, and all was OK until 45 mins after it clicked on this morning.

I checked the header tank, which was fine, but I topped up a bit more water just to be on the safe side. Ran the system again, and bleed the rads, but no air trapped. Everything seems to be working OK, its just this constant annoying high-pitch whistle ... which is rather worrying that it continues even after all power etc to it is switched off.

Any ideas what's going on - what else I can try? Is it safe to use?

The_Big_Goose

50 views, but no replies, sniff sniff If anyone has any ideas to suggest, please don't be shy.

I've had an eye watering 'quote' from Worcester to come out and have a look. :eek: BG aren't as bad, but depends on how long it would take to fix .... and a local chappy, which again, the price might sky-rocket.

Thanks

southcoastrgi

did your plumber bleed the heat exchanger on the boiler ?

The_Big_Goose

Hi, no, that wasn't done. One of my brothers, who is a plumber but not Gas Reg so we didn't touch the boiler, put the new rad on for me.

I've an update though - I switched the boiler off yesterday and just left it. Noise was still coming from it this morning when I went out on the school run - but when I came back, the noise had "moved" into our dining room chimney breast, where there used to be a back-boiler. The pipes in there were capped off.

So ... I fired up the boiler, and the noise has moved back to it. I'm thinking maybe that there some air trapped in the pipes?

I'm running the CH and going to bleed the rads again, in the hope that the air will get push round the system. Does this sound like a good idea, or a waste of time? Or any other ideas appreciated. Thanks

The_Big_Goose

Just to say I have bleed the rads again, and there was no air, but the whistle goes on.

Opened up one of the radiator drain off valves (I have 3 in total downstairs) and drained off some of the 'water'. But still the whistling goes on.

imho

Have a look here.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gas+boiler+whistling&oq=gas+boiler+whistling&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.6553j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

The_Big_Goose

imho wrote: »

Have a look here.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gas+boiler+whistling&oq=gas+boiler+whistling&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.6553j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

Thanks for the link - I will have a good read on those sites tomorrow and see what comes up.

Someone has suggested that there might be an issue with the automatic air vent - which does make sense, giving that the air went into the pipes where the old back-boiler was, then went back to the boiler when I fired it up this morning - I can only imagine it was drawn back in there, and no, can't be vented out of it? If it is that, I'll will have to book an engineer to come out - just hope it won't cost me too much (gulp, lol). Thanks