Boiler Giving Either hot water or heating, not both.

SpenderBob

The woman next door, who is 70, has just said that her boiler is giving either hot water or heating but not both. If she wants to switch between them it takes around 2 hours to get from one to the other.
She has a British Gas contract and they have told her it will be 4 days before they can get there. They say it is likely to be the radiators needing flushing and it will cost her £600.
But is this likely to be a diverter valve sticking?
Is there something really simple I could do to try to fix it or get it partially working for B.G. to do a proper fix in 4 days?

She had a new boiler back in April and they have been back to sort out a circulation issue since. Sorry, I have no idea what type of boiler she has.

Bob

G_M

I'm no expert, just know what I've picked up over the years. But it doesn't sound to me like a flushing issue.

Especially if she had a new boiler in April. Who installed it? BG? Did they flush the rads at the same time? It is normal procedure to do so with a new boiler - in fact often it's a requiememt of the warranty - to stop any crud in the system getting into the new boiler.

BG also have a reputaton for recomending flushing as they often charge for this, even on contracts........

Yes, it does sound like a diverter ( 3 port valve) problem, though I'm not sure why the 2 hour delay. If it jams, it will just keep heating the rads (or hot water) even when told to do otherwise.

There are tests you can do. Check out utube. Switch from one to the other and you should see the diverter move, or be able to feel the relevant pipe at the diverter heating up. see

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyn_fBEH90U

SpenderBob

Thanks.

BG have now told her it will be 3/1/2018 before they can get round to it.


Bob