Boiler feels very hot to the touch

Grampus8

Morning chums,


Moved into a house earlier this year with a Potterton boiler. I can only assume its the original boiler in the house, which is getting on for 15 years old. We've got BG Homecare and it was serviced straight away and Hove installed.


The boiler works fine (if a little noisy) however, the last few days me and my wife have both independently npoticed that the boiler casing gets VERY hot to the touch when on.

The last house we had, the boiler was outside in a small outhouse so we never noticed anything. Is this normal? It stands to reason that it would get warm as it's basically setting things on fire inside it! but, should it get that hot?

Any thoughts would be welcome. Thanks.

Neil_Jones

It can be normal for these things to heat up when in use, I dare say some boilers get hotter than others in use. Is it a modern wall-mounted one with adequate ventilation - ie not in a cupboard?

Grampus8

Thanks Neil, no it is in a cupboard on the wall, but it vents straight outside. It may well have always been this hot and i've just never noticed?

Farway

Maybe it is not designed to be in a cupboard?

My combi one has a manufacturers sticker saying ok for use in non ventilated cupboard, just saying

Grampus8

It has presumably been in that cupboard for 15 years. Anyhow, I'll get an engineer out and report back. Thanks all.

Cardew

Grampus8 wrote: »

It has presumably been in that cupboard for 15 years. Anyhow, I'll get an engineer out and report back. Thanks all.

We've got BG Homecare

Normal response from BG will be that system needs a power-flush;)

Not covered under Homecare package:(

Grampus8

Afternoon pals, had both National Grid and British Gas Homecare round to check the boiler. National Grid because I made the mistake of saying the pilot light sometimes flickered orange, they were all over it! Good service though.


All fine though, no leaks or Carbon Monoxide and flame is normal so that's all good and with regards to the boiler, its apparently one of Potterton's smallest so they do get pretty hot but well within their "hotness" test (there is a proper term but can't remember it).

So all good! Will be speccing out a new one anyway for next summer just in case.