Boiler and heating beyond repair?

polkadot100

Hi all! We have an old Baxi Bermuda back boiler which we have had repaired several times over the years. It has once again ceased working (pilot light on but will not fire up) and the central heating pump has also gone. It has got the point where it is so old that nobody wants to bother fixing it. The guy that came out confirmed we needed a new pump and wouldn't even look at the boiler but announced it would cost several hundred to repair and was not worth doing.

Problem is we are skint and there's no way we can afford a new boiler let alone a whole new heating system (we have been told our old and leaky rads won't cope with pressure of a new boiler). So we face the winter with no heating/baths.

Do you think it is really beyond repair just to get us by another year or so? Does anyone have any ideas what might be the problem with the boiler? Are there any cheaper alternatives to a new system to get us through the winter if it is beyond repair?

Thank you!

Alex1983

It could be a valve in the airing cupboard not opening which would stop the pump from running and will not pass power to the boiler to allow it to fire.

Do you have a diverter valve in the airing cupboard?

polkadot100

Hi, I'm not sure but plumber did say pump had ceased when he tapped it. What does diverted look like, I will check? Ta

FreeBear

Well, a pump isn't too expensive (they can be had for about £70) and is fairly easy to fit yourself.

The boiler not firing up could be as simple as a faulty themostat (usually in the hall) or a fault on the central heating timer/control box - I had to replace mine earlier in the year at the great expense of £35.

I also have a Baxi Bermuda, and have no incentive to replace it - Yes, a modern condensing boiler would be more efficient, but the savings on gas would be negligible.

Alex1983

Does the boiler fire at all, if it was just a faulty pump the boiler would still fire for a bit and work on like a old gravity system.

Where is your pump? A diverter valve will be a brass valve with a electrical box on top, it will usually have 3 pipes connected to it.

polkadot100

Thanks for your replies! The control switches ceased up a couple of years ago so we have been bypassing it with the main switch at the wall which has been fine (as control switches are stuck 'on').

We have also been using the boiler with broken pump for some time and it was firing OK and producing hot water and some warm rads. It has now however stopped firing up all together. I'm pretty sure we don't have a diverter.

Alex1983

From what you describe you have a gravity hot water and pumped heating, in this system the pump does nothing for hot water so you must have a additional fault at the boiler. If the pilot is lit it can only really be the thermostat or the gas valve. Either way your going to need someone to repair it as there's nothing you could do yourself to fix.

polkadot100

Thanks Alex, yes I wouldn't attempt to repair that myself! Are those 2 things very expensive jobs or was the guy who came just spinning me yarn that it would cost hundreds as he couldn't be bothered doing it or was trying to sell us a new system?

Alex1983

The thermostat is probably about £20/30 and the gas valve is probably £60/70. It's easy enough to prove, they just need to test with a multi meter to see if the power has got to the gas valve.

One other possibility is the fuse has gone because the timer or pump which are both faulty has blown the fuse. There should be a 3amp fuse in the power switch you use to turn it on, it'll be a fuse spur or a standard 3 pin plug.

polkadot100

Awesome thank you Alex, will check the fuse first then continue my search for someone willing to fix the old thing ��