boiler broken down-ADVICE please

jebervic

I know we get a a fewhelpful gas engineers who occassionally come on these boards, so if anyone is feeling kind can they offer some advice/help please. Its freezing cold and I have a wife and 3 kids, today our boiler packed up on us, the thing is i've just found all the old paperwork regarding the boiler that was left by the previous owners of the house, it turns out the boiler is 30 years old !, the boiler is floor standing boiler that feeds the central heating and a tank of water - its an Ideal -standard E Type RS Cental heating unit (model RS 80)

Two things, first of all I need to get it fixed ASAP - so if anyone knows a decent CORGI registered engineer who doesn't charge an arm and a leg. can you please PM their details (I live in Watford, Herts). The problem started when the boiler went out, I relit it and it kept going out after a few mins (seemed to be after it had reached a certain temperature) got it to stay on for about 10 minutes and now it won't relight at all.


Ok, I have to get it fixed, but in the longer term I need to get it replaced, whats the cheapest boiler and install I can get, I am really broke at the moment and struggling.

Any help and advice appreciated.

Thanks

kaya

im a boiler engineer in watford, but unfortunatley not corgi registered so cant do your job, there is a small boiler shop that stands alone on the st. albans road between the dome roundabout and the garston bus garage(sorry but im no good with names), ive used them 3 times to but spares for my boiler and they have always been very good, might be a good starting place to find an engineer, might be called first boilers or something,

Debt_Free_Chick

Try and find a "crusty old engineer" I mean one who's been around for years and knows old boilers.

Younger engineers are much more clued up on modern technology, but can be stumped by the older "nuts & bolts" type boilers. However, these are very often repairable. Have had a similar problem myself with an old oil-fired boiler which was basically sound, but only needed a bit of welding to put it right. It ought to go for another 30 years, which saved me about £3k!!

jebervic

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Try and find a "crusty old engineer" I mean one who's been around for years and knows old boilers.

Younger engineers are much more clued up on modern technology, but can be stumped by the older "nuts & bolts" type boilers. However, these are very often repairable. Have had a similar problem myself with an old oil-fired boiler which was basically sound, but only needed a bit of welding to put it right. It ought to go for another 30 years, which saved me about £3k!!

Hi there

Actually I totally agree with you about the boiler probably just needs the repair, but im sure who ever comes out will say they can't get the part and lets be honest its more profitable for an engineer to replace the boiler.

Now where can I find a crusty old engineer in Watford?

roddydogs

And u will HAVE to have a condenser boiler which will only last 10 years!

jebervic

kaya wrote: »

im a boiler engineer in watford, but unfortunatley not corgi registered so cant do your job, there is a small boiler shop that stands alone on the st. albans road between the dome roundabout and the garston bus garage(sorry but im no good with names), ive used them 3 times to but spares for my boiler and they have always been very good, might be a good starting place to find an engineer, might be called first boilers or something,

Thanks i'll have a look

EliteHeat

When you say "goes out" - do you mean that the pilot light is extinguished and needs relighting?

Debt_Free_Chick

jebervic wrote: »

Now where can I find a crusty old engineer in Watford?

Trial & error, I'm afraid. Talking to a number of them about the boiler - have they experience with this boiler? Repaired them before etc is a start.

I had four engineers out before one told me that I didn't need to buy a new boiler, but just needed "this bit" repaired. I then asked around in the village pub and was put in touch with an agricultural engineer (fixes tractors & farm machinery) who understood what needed to be done.

Yell has more than 200 CORGI engineers around Watford :eek:

jebervic

EliteHeat wrote: »

When you say "goes out" - do you mean that the pilot light is extinguished and needs relighting?

well initially I could get it to light, usually for a couple of minutes (seemed to be that it reached a certain temperature and didn't like it) then I relit it and same again, after doing that about 10 times it stopped lighting completley (well I hold the gas button, press the ignition lighter and the pilot would light up, but when I let go of the gas button the pilot goes out.

jebervic

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Trial & error, I'm afraid. Talking to a number of them about the boiler - have they experience with this boiler? Repaired them before etc is a start.

I had four engineers out before one told me that I didn't need to buy a new boiler, but just needed "this bit" repaired. I then asked around in the village pub and was put in touch with an agricultural engineer (fixes tractors & farm machinery) who understood what needed to be done.

Yell has more than 200 CORGI engineers around Watford :eek:

Re - YEll- without offending any gas engineers (it applies to all skilled workman) I would rather use someone reccomended who isn't going to rip me off.

jebervic

EliteHeat wrote: »

Have sent you a PM.

Thanks, pleease find reply