Very boring but...need advice re my boiler
Discussion
Have a gas fired boiler, only 4 years old, and for the last few days it has been working fine, but has been sounding terrible. It has been very noisy.
Someone told me it is probably because of the cold weather. Could this be true, or absolute rubbish.
Very boring post I know, but would just appreciate some advice, as I do not trust the majority of people who you ring to come and have a look. Next thing I know I would need a new boiler!
Someone told me it is probably because of the cold weather. Could this be true, or absolute rubbish.
Very boring post I know, but would just appreciate some advice, as I do not trust the majority of people who you ring to come and have a look. Next thing I know I would need a new boiler!
Don't want to pour cold water on the idea of DIY fixes to gas boilers, BUT:
1: Doing work on your own gas boilers has been illegal for several years, unless you happen to be a registered Gas installer with the appropriate body (Corgi until April 2009, then Capita take over the scheme.)
2: If you come to sell a house, you have to declare that no illegal servicing has been done to the gas or the electricals.
3: There is a statute of limitations of SEVEN YEARS from the data of the declaration in "2" above, during which period you could be sued if the buyer of your house suffers a loss, and you can be shown to have made a wrongful declaration.
Having sad that, you may find it's the fan bearings which have run dry. A new fan is around 90 quid plus VAT.
1: Doing work on your own gas boilers has been illegal for several years, unless you happen to be a registered Gas installer with the appropriate body (Corgi until April 2009, then Capita take over the scheme.)
2: If you come to sell a house, you have to declare that no illegal servicing has been done to the gas or the electricals.
3: There is a statute of limitations of SEVEN YEARS from the data of the declaration in "2" above, during which period you could be sued if the buyer of your house suffers a loss, and you can be shown to have made a wrongful declaration.
Having sad that, you may find it's the fan bearings which have run dry. A new fan is around 90 quid plus VAT.
Get a qualified gas fitter out to it.
If you are worried only go with one that has been recommended to you personally.
If nobody can recommend one then get 3 out and get the opinion of all of them.
For gods sake man, don't go messing with a gas boiler yourself unless you are absolutely confident in your abilities to do so.
If you are worried only go with one that has been recommended to you personally.
If nobody can recommend one then get 3 out and get the opinion of all of them.
For gods sake man, don't go messing with a gas boiler yourself unless you are absolutely confident in your abilities to do so.
Gaspode said:
Don't want to pour cold water on the idea of DIY fixes to gas boilers, BUT:
1: Doing work on your own gas boilers has been illegal for several years, unless you happen to be a registered Gas installer with the appropriate body
I thought the regs just said the person doing the work had to be 'competent to do so'?1: Doing work on your own gas boilers has been illegal for several years, unless you happen to be a registered Gas installer with the appropriate body
john_p said:
He hardly asked for advice on taking it apart....
What sort of noise - the noise of bubbling air in the boiler? Like a constant whooshing noise?
That's what I thought.What sort of noise - the noise of bubbling air in the boiler? Like a constant whooshing noise?
Is the system pressurised correctly, and have you blead every radiator?
There should be a gauge on your boiler that has a pressure reading on it. It should be about 1 bar (14psi) if not, there will be a tap, (usually with a flexible pipe connected to it) that will top the system back up. As you turn on this tap (do it slowly), you will hear water running into the system, and the pressure gauge should start to climb.
If you have to bleed the radiators, you will need to refill the system as the release of the air trapped in the top of the radiators, will reduce the pressure.
HTH ?
Freezing Ferg said:
MrsMiggins said:
I thought the regs just said the person doing the work had to be 'competent to do so'?
Correct. Just enjoy proving it....Are you saying that this is another of those 'guilty unless you prove your innocence' sets of legislation?
MrsMiggins said:
Are you saying that this is another of those 'guilty unless you prove your innocence' sets of legislation?
Not really. But as you say anyone working on a 'GAS PIPE OR FITTING, MUST BE COMPETENT TO DO SO' to comply with the British Standard regulations. Since compliance with those regulations now form part of this 'selling your house' stuff, solicitors acting for the purchaser want to know work has been done by someone competent.
So.. CORGI Registered installers who have been assessed and passed the 'Core safety' and any other pertinent elements can flash their card and it's a done deal. Anyone else will, I assume, be put in a room with a test paper (and later in the practical assessment centre) and told to get on with it.....
My boiler (20 years old) has been making funny noises for years but still seems to work perfectly well. No pressure gauges, no ABS, no catalysts, just gas and cold water in, fumes and hot water out 
Whilst I'm a fan of 'having a go within one's limits' I wouldn't touch it because (a) I know nothing about how it works (b) it's important.
Whilst I'm a fan of 'having a go within one's limits' I wouldn't touch it because (a) I know nothing about how it works (b) it's important.
Freezing Ferg said:
Ahh, now that's down to the boiler Benchmark Book, if it's new enough or the declaration you sign under the new regs when you sell the house that it's only been maintained by a competent person. It'll be interesting to see how that works out.
Well I know my DIY limits and a boiler ain't one of them, but I deplore all this 'nanny knows best' regulation. Having said that, IF I was competent to fix my broken boiler AND I did it then it wouldn't be a problem to honestly complete the declaration to say that it had been so maintained, would it?Now if my fix turned out to be a dangerous bodge then I'd be an idiot who would deserve to be sued, regulations or not.
leothetiler said:
Have a gas fired boiler, only 4 years old, and for the last few days it has been working fine, but has been sounding terrible. It has been very noisy.
Does the pressure/extraction fan run up to speed? This caused our boiler to fail after 4 years, the bearings were knackered/corroded to the extent that the fan couldn't build up enough duct pressure to operate the pressure switch and it would abort the light up......
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