boiler in/op

[chard]

Hi

Woke up this morning to cold radiators. Pump working ok albeit a bit noisey, pilot light is on, the boiler doesnt appear to be igniting. It's quite an elderly floor mounted Kingfisher unit. I'm concerned that if I call out an engineer the boiler will be condemned. It's mounted in the centre of the building (ground floor), I belive with insufficiant ventilation for current legislation.

Nuts, this could get expensive!!

I don't want to put in a condensing boiler because I've a 2.25 bar pump for showers on the 1st and 2nd floor (attic room negative head)I've also heard of reliability issues.

What have you guy's done in a similar situation?

[Trevelyan]

Surely you haven't got much choice? Assuming you can't fix it yourself then if you don't call out an engineer then you'll have no heating and hot water?

I'd just call out a local repairman to have a look. It might be something very simple to fix. If it's not then you'll have to call in an engineer to replace it anyway so you've got nothing to lose.

As for the condensing boilers, I think that 99% of new boilers are of this type now. I wouldn't have thought that reliability was a huge problem. Mine is three years old now and has never missed a beat despite never having been serviced.

[cjs]

Is the OP getting confused between Condensing and Combination boilers? Nearly all new boilers are condensing.

[cjs]

Is the current system a gravity type? Do you have motor driven valves, maybe near the HW tank or pump? Maybe one of the valves is sticking, that could be why the pump is making noises.

[chard]

Yes I'm confusing Combi with Condensing. I've phoned my local guy he suspects a Gas Valve so we might be OK

Cheers

[Ricky_M]

Please get the ventilation sorted. Not a risk worth taking.

[chard]

I spoke to a gas fitter/plumber who said the vent wasn't sufficent but couldn't tell me what would be? He suggested a new boiler. I'm not sure I trusted his opinion I had the feeling he was trying to sell me a boiler.

Just read some regs 13.2kw boiler. Boiler-cupboard>hall High level vent 10cm2 per kw (mines 140cm so should be ok) and low level hall>outside 10cm2 per KW (mines 140cm2 so should be OK)
Am I missing something?

I have a Carbon Monoxide meter in the Hall by the vent to the boiler it has never registered.

I have (a different) gas fitter coming round. Can I test the Gas Valve myself? If it's faulty I could pre-order the part and save some time.

Edited by chard on Wednesday 23 March 08:24

[chard]

All sorted £170 Gas Valve and Thermo-couple Ventilation fine and when (35 yr old Boiler) was checked found to burning cleanly with no register on the (CO2 I think) meter.

[Simpo Two]

chard said:

no register on the (CO2 I think) meter.

CO.

CO2 is a normal product of combustion.

[Ricky_M]

Glad its sorted.

For reference, ventilation should be 5cm2 per KW of heat input above 7kw.