Banging Boiler...

[f13ldy]

Just moved in to a 1960s semi. The boiler when firing up to heat water and the central heating bangs like quite loudly.

From the bathroom directly above it sounds like some us trying to break in.

The boiler in itself looks fairly new and is made by Halstead I think. It's mounted in the kitchen.

It doesn't sound natural in the slightest. Is it likely to be terminal, obviously I'll need to call someone out but I was wondering if anyone else had experienced something similar and what was the cause?

[Arthur Jackson]

Banging in boilers is almost always a circulation problem. Is the pump moving heat away from the boiler quickly enough? Try turning the speed control up. Is the pipework or heat exchanger sludged up?

[john_p]

Mine had this, it would bang away then as it got worse it would overheat and turn off. Apparently the primary heat exchanger had failed, a combination of hard water and a system that hadn't been flushed ever.

[reaper668]

Add some of this to the system. It should help settle it down

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detai...

[Arthur Jackson]

reaper668 said:

Add some of this to the system. It should help settle it down

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detai...

Possibly, but then so would washing up liquid.
Better to treat the cause rather than the symptoms.

[Engineer1]

Check for air in the system, check the pump is running a good way to do this is to tap it with a mallet or shoe, run all your hot taps at once, to pull some water through, the problem may just be because the system has been off for a while.

[f13ldy]

Thanks people.

Managed to stop the banging by bleeding the system (a few tines).

However, it highlighted another problem in that upstairs rads are hot and the downstairs are cold.

Time for an engineer I think.

[Arthur Jackson]

f13ldy said:

Thanks people.

Managed to stop the banging by bleeding the system (a few tines).

However, it highlighted another problem in that upstairs rads are hot and the downstairs are cold.

Time for an engineer I think.

Chances are it's airlocking in the drop(s). Turn all the upstairs ones off, set the controller to heating only and close any bypass valve in the airing cupboard.

[JERRYCO]

I'm sure that its the pump. Take a large blade screwdriver to the nut in the middle of the pump and remove the screw, a little water will drip. With the boiler calling for heat, just press the blade of the drive into the pump, you should be able to feel the pump going around, if not pump no good. Press a little harder and if you can stop the pump turning then pump no good! Hope this helps.

[JERRYCO]

I'm sure that its the pump. Take a large blade screwdriver to the nut in the middle of the pump and remove the screw, a little water will drip. With the boiler calling for heat, just press the blade of the drive into the pump, you should be able to feel the pump going around, if not pump no good. Press a little harder and if you can stop the pump turning then pump no good! Hope this helps.

[f13ldy]

Arthur Jackson said:

f13ldy said:

Thanks people.

Managed to stop the banging by bleeding the system (a few tines).

However, it highlighted another problem in that upstairs rads are hot and the downstairs are cold.

Time for an engineer I think.

Chances are it's airlocking in the drop(s). Turn all the upstairs ones off, set the controller to heating only and close any bypass valve in the airing cupboard.

Sorted! Closed the upstairs rads, ramped the heating up, some louds bangs and bubbling water and the downstairs rads were on.

Thanks people!

[ShadownINja]

Not the relationship thread I was expecting.