No hot water-rental.
Discussion
Update.
Plumber came yesterday whilst I was at work. My sister was here with him.
He got here at 10.30 and was just finishing up as I got back from work at about 4pm.
Before he left I checked all taps and showers and we had hot water!
However, after he left, I went for a bath, and no bloody hot water!!
If I run the tap very slowly, I get hot water, but as soon as I turn the tap on full, the water goes cold and the boiler cuts out.
I showed my sister a video from youtube of a powerflush, and she said she did not see a powerflush machine or hear any noise that sounded like a powerflush.
I really do get the feeling that the plumber is taking the p*ss and making more work for himself.
I sent the plumber a text last night and have had no reply.
I also sent the letting agent a text and she has tried to contact the plumber with no joy.
This will be about the 4th week with no hot water.
I was thinking of calling british gas and getting them out to look at boiler, at least then they will be able to tell me if the work that the plumber has said he has done, has been done.
Heating is working fine.
Ive been on google and so far, the possible faults seem to be;
Diverter valve(although plumber said this was new and had been changed by another plumber).
Pump.
Heat exchanger(plumber said he changed this last week, But, last week he took out a heat exchanger and took it into the back garden, asked for a kettle of hot water and flushed it, wether or not he re fitted it or fitted a new one I don't know)
Secondry heat exchanger.
Hot water thermister.
Maximum temp sensor.
It is sooooo bloody frustrating, we pay our rent on time, keep the house spotless, and I decorated top to bottom when we moved in and had new carpet fitted in lounge/hallway/stairs.
What can I do next?
Plumber came yesterday whilst I was at work. My sister was here with him.
He got here at 10.30 and was just finishing up as I got back from work at about 4pm.
Before he left I checked all taps and showers and we had hot water!
However, after he left, I went for a bath, and no bloody hot water!!
If I run the tap very slowly, I get hot water, but as soon as I turn the tap on full, the water goes cold and the boiler cuts out.
I showed my sister a video from youtube of a powerflush, and she said she did not see a powerflush machine or hear any noise that sounded like a powerflush.
I really do get the feeling that the plumber is taking the p*ss and making more work for himself.
I sent the plumber a text last night and have had no reply.
I also sent the letting agent a text and she has tried to contact the plumber with no joy.
This will be about the 4th week with no hot water.
I was thinking of calling british gas and getting them out to look at boiler, at least then they will be able to tell me if the work that the plumber has said he has done, has been done.
Heating is working fine.
Ive been on google and so far, the possible faults seem to be;
Diverter valve(although plumber said this was new and had been changed by another plumber).
Pump.
Heat exchanger(plumber said he changed this last week, But, last week he took out a heat exchanger and took it into the back garden, asked for a kettle of hot water and flushed it, wether or not he re fitted it or fitted a new one I don't know)
Secondry heat exchanger.
Hot water thermister.
Maximum temp sensor.
It is sooooo bloody frustrating, we pay our rent on time, keep the house spotless, and I decorated top to bottom when we moved in and had new carpet fitted in lounge/hallway/stairs.
What can I do next?
How long has it been?
I had this once, boiler kept failing, middle of winter, combo so no hot water and heating.
In the end I told the letting agent that this wasn't quiet enjoyment of the property, that although I understood the landlord was looking for GFM it was clearly a Friday Boiler, and a new one was required, and that I wouldn't accept an alternative. Give it a week, and we get a new boiler, problem solved.
I have, however, had several things like this with combi boilers, and is why I now avoid them like the plague.
I had this once, boiler kept failing, middle of winter, combo so no hot water and heating.
In the end I told the letting agent that this wasn't quiet enjoyment of the property, that although I understood the landlord was looking for GFM it was clearly a Friday Boiler, and a new one was required, and that I wouldn't accept an alternative. Give it a week, and we get a new boiler, problem solved.
I have, however, had several things like this with combi boilers, and is why I now avoid them like the plague.
Time to start kicking up a fuss.
If he took a heat exchanger out into the garden and asked for a kettle of hot water, it sounds as if he was trying to clean out the plate to plate heat exchanger. Which sometimes works.
Sounds like he didn't fit a new one though. Also sounds like a guesser!
It shouldn't be hard to figure out what is wrong.
The fact the burner is cutting out on high demand suggests it's overheating. Which is usually caused by a partially blocked plate to plate heat exchanger.
Did the part he take out look like this?
Glowworm do a fixed price repair for £299, may be worth suggesting it to the letting agents.
If he took a heat exchanger out into the garden and asked for a kettle of hot water, it sounds as if he was trying to clean out the plate to plate heat exchanger. Which sometimes works.
Sounds like he didn't fit a new one though. Also sounds like a guesser!
It shouldn't be hard to figure out what is wrong.
The fact the burner is cutting out on high demand suggests it's overheating. Which is usually caused by a partially blocked plate to plate heat exchanger.
Did the part he take out look like this?
Glowworm do a fixed price repair for £299, may be worth suggesting it to the letting agents.
@ rickyy, yes, it did look like that.
There is a white plastic box next to the boiler, about 3inch x 3inch, it has 2 lights- red and green, when red and green are lit together, hot water works, when only red light is showing- boiler does not work.
Heating is working.
Strange thing is that the hot water has just started working again!!
I have got the hot bath tap running, its been running for about 20 minutes and hot water is coming out, i'm going to leave it running for another 30 minutes, maybe an air lock was present?
Just spoke to letting agent, she has called plumber twice with no reply, I will suggest she contacts glow worm direct about the fixed price repair.
There is a white plastic box next to the boiler, about 3inch x 3inch, it has 2 lights- red and green, when red and green are lit together, hot water works, when only red light is showing- boiler does not work.
Heating is working.
Strange thing is that the hot water has just started working again!!
I have got the hot bath tap running, its been running for about 20 minutes and hot water is coming out, i'm going to leave it running for another 30 minutes, maybe an air lock was present?
Just spoke to letting agent, she has called plumber twice with no reply, I will suggest she contacts glow worm direct about the fixed price repair.
If he was cleaning it out, it is highly unlikely it has been replaced and cleaning doesn't always work.
I've cleaned one by just running cold water through it and I've had one I couldn't fix by using a pressure washer. A powerflush IME isn't likely to unblock it either, as its difficult to direct the flow through it. Did he use a powerflushing machine at all?
The box on the outside of the boiler is likely to be the receiver for a wireless room stat. Shouldn't have any effect on the hot water.
I've cleaned one by just running cold water through it and I've had one I couldn't fix by using a pressure washer. A powerflush IME isn't likely to unblock it either, as its difficult to direct the flow through it. Did he use a powerflushing machine at all?
The box on the outside of the boiler is likely to be the receiver for a wireless room stat. Shouldn't have any effect on the hot water.
Sounds a bit odd. Ring the letting agent first thing on Monday and tell them that its not acceptable, and that you consider them in breach of contract by not providing things agreed in the letting agreement (ie heating/hot water) and that you will be making allowances for it in the rent payments.
Should get them a little more interested.
Should get them a little more interested.
rambo19 said:
@ rickyy, yes, it did look like that.
There is a white plastic box next to the boiler, about 3inch x 3inch, it has 2 lights- red and green, when red and green are lit together, hot water works, when only red light is showing- boiler does not work.
Is this 100% consistent? ie only get hot water when green is lit? Because if it is I suspect the problem is not with the boiler at all.There is a white plastic box next to the boiler, about 3inch x 3inch, it has 2 lights- red and green, when red and green are lit together, hot water works, when only red light is showing- boiler does not work.
Can you post a picture of this box with the lights?
so the white box is a wireless thermostat receiver. Looks like it might be a Salus one.
IIRC the green light shows demand for heat, ie your heating should on.
So, unless I have the wrong end of the stick you are saying your hot water only works when the thermostat is calling for heating.
I'd check that. When you have no hot water turn the heating thermostat right up and wait until it shows it is calling for heat. Does the hot water then work?
If it does, I am not sure what is wrong but that should be enough of a clue for a decent plumber to work it out........
edit:
here you go......
http://www.supremeplumb.com/cgi-bin/DMdatabase.cgi...
do you have a heating thermostat like in this pic?
edit2: Just checked the salus manual. The red led shows that the unit is on. The green shows calling for heat as I though.
IIRC the green light shows demand for heat, ie your heating should on.
So, unless I have the wrong end of the stick you are saying your hot water only works when the thermostat is calling for heating.
I'd check that. When you have no hot water turn the heating thermostat right up and wait until it shows it is calling for heat. Does the hot water then work?
If it does, I am not sure what is wrong but that should be enough of a clue for a decent plumber to work it out........
edit:
here you go......
http://www.supremeplumb.com/cgi-bin/DMdatabase.cgi...
do you have a heating thermostat like in this pic?
edit2: Just checked the salus manual. The red led shows that the unit is on. The green shows calling for heat as I though.
Edited by brman on Sunday 14th February 17:35
@brman, you could be on to something.
I have that model of wireless thermostat, I changed the batteries and moved wireless thermostat into garage, ran the bath, bingo!-hot water.
I then moved wireless thermostat back into lounge and turned the temp down on it to 5c, I ran the tap in kitchen, bingo!-hot water.
Could it be that I have fitted new batteries to wireless thermostat seems to of sorted the problem?
I have that model of wireless thermostat, I changed the batteries and moved wireless thermostat into garage, ran the bath, bingo!-hot water.
I then moved wireless thermostat back into lounge and turned the temp down on it to 5c, I ran the tap in kitchen, bingo!-hot water.
Could it be that I have fitted new batteries to wireless thermostat seems to of sorted the problem?
rambo19 said:
@brman, you could be on to something.
I have that model of wireless thermostat, I changed the batteries and moved wireless thermostat into garage, ran the bath, bingo!-hot water.
I then moved wireless thermostat back into lounge and turned the temp down on it to 5c, I ran the tap in kitchen, bingo!-hot water.
Could it be that I have fitted new batteries to wireless thermostat seems to of sorted the problem?
Not sure about that. when you had it in the lounge but with the temp turned down to 5c I assume the green light on the receiver went out? But still gave hot water?I have that model of wireless thermostat, I changed the batteries and moved wireless thermostat into garage, ran the bath, bingo!-hot water.
I then moved wireless thermostat back into lounge and turned the temp down on it to 5c, I ran the tap in kitchen, bingo!-hot water.
Could it be that I have fitted new batteries to wireless thermostat seems to of sorted the problem?
In that case you are getting hot water with the green light both on and off? I'd say that means it was just a co-incidence that you thought the hot water coincided with the green light being on and changing the batteries is a red herring.
Another question though, does flushing toilets and/or turning on cold taps stop the hot water working? I am wondering if you have too low a water pressure which might cause the boiler to cut out.
I just turned on the hot water tap on the bath-cold.
I left it running and went into garage where boiler is, white box on wall had just red light on.
I then turned up temp on thermostat, red and green light on together, boiler fires up then cuts out, still no hot water.
Intermittent fault= the hardest to solve!
I left it running and went into garage where boiler is, white box on wall had just red light on.
I then turned up temp on thermostat, red and green light on together, boiler fires up then cuts out, still no hot water.
Intermittent fault= the hardest to solve!
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