My boiler is a Baxi condensing boiler, I can't remember how old maybe 8 or 9 years. This morning the heating came on ok but it's only on in the house and not the extension where there are 3 radiators, loo, utility, dining rooms , they're all cold. Can anyone tell me what this might be before I try to find a plumber......mine was cruising last time I e-mailed him !
Quote from: Alex on December 14, 2022, 10:14:40 AMMy boiler is a Baxi condensing boiler, I can't remember how old maybe 8 or 9 years. This morning the heating came on ok but it's only on in the house and not the extension where there are 3 radiators, loo, utility, dining rooms , they're all cold. Can anyone tell me what this might be before I try to find a plumber......mine was cruising last time I e-mailed him !
Check the pressure in the system, it needs to be around 1.5 bar.
If it's less that 1.5 bar you'll have to use the filling loop to top it up.
It's not a combi boiler Phil, so I don't know what 1.5 bar means, my lad has a combi think his has bars.
Mine only has these two buttons
(https://i.postimg.cc/wjL5tcJ9/boiler.jpg)
Ok but your boiler is a sealed system, from the Operating Information sticker which shows a pressure gauge, which has to be pressurised & there will be a gauge somewhere.
Tell me the model of the boiler.
I've just rooted out the instructions manual,I've had the boiler since 2010 !I had no idea it was that long :smiley:
It's Solo HE Range Wall mounted Powered flue condensing boiler
December 14, 2022, 11:13:09 AM
Have also realised I'm paying for boiler cover with Scottish Power and have been for a few years :nooo:
Right it'll be an open vent boiler that isn't pressurised as what looked like a pressure gauge is a temperature gauge.
Since most of your rads are working it isn't a boiler fault & some service contracts only cover the boiler & controls & not all the pipework & rads so you'd need to check that with Scottish Power if you were thinking of getting them out.
You can try bleeding the 3 rads that are cold, as they could be totally full of air. If no air or water comes out you can run the system to see if that forces water out of the rads.
Failing that it could be a balancing issue so you could open both valves on the 3 rads & see if they get warm.
Thanks Phil, I'll try bleeding the 3 rads first.
I think I've got frozen pipes as there's no water from the sink or in the loo cistern. :yell: :yell: :yell:
You'll never guess what's happened now !!!!!!!
I've just been to Tool Station to get a small fan heater, went to put it in the passenger side footwell and the bloody car door handle broke !
I'm ready for tears now........ :yell: :yell:
:cry: :cry: :cry:
So frustrating Alex, hope you get it sorted soon.
Oh dear... No door handle.. I don't know what to say.. :lipsrsealed: :lipsrsealed:
Quote from: Alex on December 14, 2022, 06:27:04 PMYou'll never guess what's happened now !!!!!!!
I've just been to Tool Station to get a small fan heater, went to put it in the passenger side footwell and the bloody car door handle broke !
I'm ready for tears now........ :yell: :yell:
Presumably you can still open it from inside?🤞🤞🤞
Poor Alex!
Stay strong and manage the situation.
Quote from: Alex on December 14, 2022, 04:11:31 PMI think I've got frozen pipes as there's no water from the sink or in the loo cistern. :yell: :yell: :yell:
Sounds as though that's the cause although I've never come across central heating pipes freezing.
We had a utility room in a new-build house & the pipe to the washing machine froze from time-to time but never the radiator.
The radiators had a bit of water coming out when I tried to bleed them Phil. The fella who cuts my grass says he thinks the pipes in the loft may be frozen, as no water coming out from the little sink tap and no water in the loo cistern.
I've now got a fan heater blowing in the utility room, trying to warm it up a bit. All this saving on heating times is really false economy.
Check for leaks when they thaw Alex. I expect you know that and no offence. Leak can be just a pinhole.
Also if you can lag the pipes it might not happen again or bring them under the loft insulation if practicable.
And yeah false economies seem to be the way forward.
Thanks Ashy, I've been told to watch for a leak or damp patch on the ceiling. If it starts I'm to switch off the stop cock in the kitchen and the central heating, which is working ok in the main part of the house.
Don't you just hate it when a little job becomes a saga?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1dvAxA9ib0
December 15, 2022, 01:42:36 PM
Let us spray that it doesn't leak.
Quote from: Alex on December 15, 2022, 11:35:31 AMThe radiators had a bit of water coming out when I tried to bleed them Phil. The fella who cuts my grass says he thinks the pipes in the loft may be frozen, as no water coming out from the little sink tap and no water in the loo cistern.
I've now got a fan heater blowing in the utility room, trying to warm it up a bit. All this saving on heating times is really false economy.
That makes sense as your open vent system will have a header tank in the loft & that could well be frozen.
There'll be all sorts of future problems being stored up at the moment, including homes getting damp & mould, health issues etc.
You'll get through it Alex..
I would also bring the water tanks under the loft insulation if at all possible as well as lagging the pipes as they are effectively outdoors.
I'm pretty sure when I had a tank in the loft it was lagged and there was a lagged lid that fitted on it. Round here it hasn't been really low but a lot of the time for best part of a week now it has been near or below zero. I'm guessing houses in Scotland like Mike's and Raven's would have to have high quality insulation as this sort of thing is going to be more common there.
I reckon this cold snap is longer than most I've seen here in years. Murphy ensured it came along when energy prices went ballistic.
yes - we have about 12" of insulation in the loft and the tank is heavily lagged
Yes lots of insulation both here, and at my place down in Perth.
This is just a small loft, there's no tank just pipes. The tank is in the loft upstairs, I'll really have to get that checked, fortunately '' my gardener'' is a real handy man. :grin: Still no sign of a thaw this morning.
Quote from: klondike on December 15, 2022, 09:49:57 PMMurphy ensured it came along when energy prices went ballistic.
Good old Murphy. What's Murphy's Law? "If it can happen it will, and when it does it will be at the worst possible time" or something.
My lad came round this morning before work and put the fan heater in the loft on very low. 3pm this afo I've got water running in the sink and the 3 radiators are on !
I'm feeling lucky and will probably put the tree up now :clap:
Excellent. :yay: :yay: :yay:
:upvote: :upvote: :upvote:
Brilliant news Alex.. Get yer tree up girl..
:upvote: :upvote: :upvote: :upvote: :upvote: :upvote: :upvote: :upvote: :upvote:
Super news
Yes, good news. :upvote:
Could have been a lot worse. From my Nextdoor board...
Barbara Petty
• 5 hrs ago •
Looking for a emergency plumber please....hubby drilled through heating pipe
07837nnnnnn
good news, Alex :upvote: :upvote: :upvote:
Quote from: klondike on December 16, 2022, 09:27:28 PMCould have been a lot worse. From my Nextdoor board...
Barbara Petty
• 5 hrs ago •
Looking for a emergency plumber please....hubby drilled through heating pipe
07837nnnnnn
Oh!! Poor Barbara.. I bet she is not happy with her old man..
A man and his drill eh!!
surely they can come up with some sort of emergency patch. If all else fails, a few layers of duct tape solves most problems
Quote from: Michael Rolls on December 17, 2022, 10:15:01 AMsurely they can come up with some sort of emergency patch. If all else fails, a few layers of duct tape solves most problems
Oh yes, I always have a roll of duct tape in the garage odds & ends drawer.
I've got a roll in my car :grin: :grin: :grin:
well she is knocking on a bit.
Quote from: Scrumpy on December 17, 2022, 10:07:39 AMOh!! Poor Barbara.. I bet she is not happy with her old man..
A man and his drill eh!!
There was a post 5 hours later saying all fixed. Maybe the old man found some duct tape :grin: :grin: :grin:
I have just ordered some duct tape from Amazon..
Wasn't there some in your shed kit :grin:
Remember
If it won't move but should WD40
If it moves and shouldn't duct tape
The final essential for home maintenance after those is a hammer.
The Gasman cometh again.
Quote from: klondike on December 17, 2022, 01:10:59 PMWasn't there some in your shed kit :grin:
Remember
If it won't move but should WD40
If it moves and shouldn't duct tape
The final essential for home maintenance after those is a hammer.
Motto of our armed forces!
Quote from: klondike on December 17, 2022, 01:10:59 PMWasn't there some in your shed kit :grin:
Remember
If it won't move but should WD40
If it moves and shouldn't duct tape
The final essential for home maintenance after those is a hammer.
I bet there is some in my shed somewhere..
The 'remember' tips above are noted.. Thank you..
I've got lots of both. When you need some you don't want to have to hunt around.
WD 40 has many uses, but not for squeaky doors or so I'm told.
Some people use it for arthritis....
https://www.mailplus.co.uk/edition/health/health-news/7286/why-desperate-patients-are-using-wd-40-on-their-painful-arthritic-joints
Does it work? Do you drink it or rub it in?
It probably doesn't matter but I'm guessing that rubbing it in does less harm. I did know an old (well older than me anyway) lady that used to swear by this. I thought she was a lone loony but a few minutes on the web showed that she wasn't. I blame Facebook.