It's Over. :-(

silverwhistle

This morning I put on the gas boiler for the domestic hot water for the first time since mid-March. I finished the last of my tank last night with a bath after football training and there doesn't look like any spare solar in prospect for today!

The good news is that the boiler came on first time at the flick of the switch and I was soon able to have a wash and then do the washing up which curiously got left last night..

Has anybody got any thoughts on boiler check-ups and maintenance under such a regime? I know some people don't bother at all, and as I'm not cycling my boiler all the time and burning inefficiently I thought every couple of years should be sufficient.

EricMears

silverwhistle wrote: »

Has anybody got any thoughts on boiler check-ups and maintenance under such a regime? I know some people don't bother at all, and as I'm not cycling my boiler all the time and burning inefficiently I thought every couple of years should be sufficient.

No thoughts on 'maintenance' I'm afraid (I'm one of the unbelievers) but I would urge you to run the boiler for ten minutes at least once a month during the summer. Sounds like you've got away with it this year but every October there's a surge of people finding that their pump - unused all summer - has seized up and probably needs to be replaced.

pinnks

Also no comments on the boiler. Just a thought but unless the GCH is on you may be better off topping up the hot water by boosting with your diverter. Every system is different but my experience is that if the boiler is on only for hot water I burn 6kWh per day (losses on pipes etc) while I get a tank of water with 2 to 3 kWh with the diverter. And if there is some sun you may need to top up less. Once the GCH is back on the sapping a bit or the heated water for DHW is the more efficient route.

zeupater

EricMears wrote: »

... run the boiler for ten minutes at least once a month during the summer. Sounds like you've got away with it this year but every October there's a surge of people finding that their pump - unused all summer - has seized up and probably needs to be replaced.

Hi

Our boiler (WB) automatically cycles the pump for a few seconds every day to prevent that happening ...

HTH
Z

wymondham

always get your boiler serviced in the summer....

silverwhistle

Thanks guys. I've had small top-ups from my diverter today and yesterday so will only need a quick burst of the boiler tomorrow (if at all). I just put it on constant manually for 15/20 minutes or so. GCH won't be on for ages yet as I have a wood-burner and that heats the nest that is my lounge, and most of the rest of the house on longer burns when the weather changes. (That reminds me, I need to source a few more pallets..).

zeupater wrote: »

Our boiler (WB) automatically cycles the pump for a few seconds every day to prevent that happening ... /QUOTE]

My system makes funny noises?:-) Does yours actually use any gas over the summer? If it doesn't perhaps this is what mine is doing as well.