problems with heating/ hot water system noise etc

Legacy_user

I know nothing about central heating systems and have come to rely on the folk who service the boiler. I suspect the system isn't running properly, but no fault has been found. Please try to bear with me (should you need to know, the boiler, 8 years old, is a Worcester Bosch Greenstar condensing boiler and the system is open vented).

Since we've begun to run the heating again in the evenings now autumn approaches, noise (like a kettle on the boil) has increased in the airing cupboard where our hot water cylinder and the heating pump are housed upstairs. Also the rads tend to be colder at the bottom than the top.

Given that, what seems really odd is that the pump now appears to be running even when the central heating is not (we don't have the heating coming on in the mornings - it's not cold enough for that yet). The pump at this time becomes fairly hot, as do the pipes in that area, which to a complete know-nothing like me seemed odd; hopefully someone will correct my stupidity:o. The pump does turn itself off (that is, stops humming/ gurgling) when the timer clicks off, though, so it's not a timer issue. Should the pump run when the central heating is not on?

I'm assuming the gurgling, bubbling sounds are down to air in the system (the main thermostat seems fine as when the house temperature reaches warm the system switches off, as I'd expect).

As the service provider seems to think there's nothing wrong with the system, and that, despite the noise, it's "not going to blow up" :eek:(not sure I'm reassured by that remark) should I just shut up and put up?

wrightk

stupid question; have you bled all your rads?

i presume you have gch which i dont i have a solid fuel central heating system but similar to that of yours

is the heating/rad temp upstairs cooler than downstairs.you might have an airlock in the pump

System

Thanks for replying; yes, but only hot water is released, which I suppose is not surprising, given the rads are hot at the top....

There is no major difference between radiator heat upstairs/ downstairs. When the engineer visited one cold rad upstairs was sorted, in that it's now warmer than it had been - he turned up all the rad valves - hm; could have done that myself.

Le_Kirk

All radiators tend to be warmer/hotter at the top (hot water rises) - it's a question of degree, are they cold at the bottom or just not as hot as the top? It's when they are warm at the bottom and cold at the top which means they need bleeding. Let's assume that when the heating is on the hot water is off, which eliminates that from the problem. If the pump stops when the thermostat calls for no more heat, that is normal. Actually the pump will run on until the water temperature is below the setting on the boiler. If the pump is running when the CH is off, is the HW on at this time?


It could well be an airlock but one assumes you have been using your HW during the summer, so it presumably is only in the CH side. I often have to force my system to go to all radiators at the end of the summer by turning off all rads except one and when that gets hot, gradually turning on all the others.

System

uselessaver wrote: »

what seems really odd is that the pump now appears to be running even when the central heating is not (we don't have the heating coming on in the mornings - it's not cold enough for that yet). The pump at this time becomes fairly hot, as do the pipes in that area, which to a complete know-nothing like me seemed odd; hopefully someone will correct my stupidity:o. The pump does turn itself off (that is, stops humming/ gurgling) when the timer clicks off, though, so it's not a timer issue. Should the pump run when the central heating is not on?

Forgive repetition above of part of my first message...
In answer to your question, Le Kirk, yes, the hot water only is on in the morning, but the pump seems to be working, too, thence my last question above. As said before, I'm probably just being stupid...

Le_Kirk

I would assume that the pump will run whenever the boiler is calling for heat, whether it be for the HW or for the CH.