View Full Version : Boliers its not working! Help....
metalmonkey
10-12-07, 10:11 AM
Okay so who here is into plumbing! The the boiler is the house has packed up is there anything I can check to get it working or to find out whats wrong? Its a potten one if that helps....
Anyway its making a noise! Really a cold shower in winter isn't my idea of fun! Hmm we have one fan heater for the house, mine!
gettin2dizzy
10-12-07, 10:29 AM
Get in the bath and then drop the fan heater in. You'll be piping through in no time :)
i'd go to a site called www.diynot.co.uk (http://www.diynot.co.uk)
There's a good plumbing forum there. Be sure to specifiy the boiler name/model and type of system. Combi sealed, open vented etc. And the symptoms, problems, led indicator on etc. They can only really help if you give as much as info as poss.
If its making noises, there may not be adequate pressure to pump the hot water.
Is it a condensing boiler like you get in most new build houses from the last 5 years? If so take the front off, there is normally 2 blatantly obvious plastic taps, switch off the boiler and turn both taps, there should be a pressure gauge which needs to be between 1.5 and 2bar to pump the water.
Of course it may not be this at all, but it happens to mine every 6 months or so, and says in the manual that its normal and that is what you need to do.
svpilot
10-12-07, 02:28 PM
i'd go to a site called www.diynot.co.uk (http://www.diynot.co.uk)
There's a good plumbing forum there. Be sure to specifiy the boiler name/model and type of system. Combi sealed, open vented etc. And the symptoms, problems, led indicator on etc. They can only really help if you give as much as info as poss.
Wot he said... but if you give us some more info we may be able to help.
Is is a conventional boiler or a combi? What are the full symptoms? eg any heat from your rads? or just no hot water? Where is the noise coming from? Make and model etc. etc.
Spiderman
10-12-07, 02:51 PM
Dude you rent right? Call your landlord its his problem and since its winter he has to get it repaire in a reasonable timeframe and provide you all with plug in heaters in the meanwhile.
One of the joys of renting is that somoen else has to do all this crap.
DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE BOLIER IN ANY WAY UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR LANDLORD TO SEND YOU THE BILL FOR BREAKING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
sadly a trick that lots of crap landlords attempt to pull. you have been warned.
And also sine you are not CORGI regstered it is an offence to tamper with a gas appliance. Leave well alone and inform you landlord in writing as well as by calling.
dirtydog
10-12-07, 08:26 PM
And also sine you are not CORGI regstered it is an offence to tamper with a gas appliance. Leave well alone and inform you landlord in writing as well as by calling.
Exactly! It is an offence to even just take the front cover off!!!!!!
I'm a heating engineer, is it a combi boiler or a heat only one? I know you said the boilers a potterton is it a potterton prima by any chance they're cr@p boilers sorry to say. You say its noisey, it could just be something simple like the pump. if its not a combi boiler then your pump will be in the airing cupboard. Go listen to it. If its a combi then i advise you to get a corgi engineer to attend it. Give me some more detail and i'll see if i can help.
Rich
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1998/19982451.htm
You have to be versed in the art of interpreting officialese, but I think you'll find that nowhere does it say it's an offence to do DIY gas work. It's not advisable mind you, but not an offence as such. It does say you must be competent. It's a common misconception, and officialdom doesn't go out of its way to dispel the myth for obvious reasons.
If you are employed or self-employed and undertake the work, that's a different issue altogether. I'm fairly sure it doesn't actually specify CORGI registration, it just happens that CORGI is the only recognised organisation. Any qualified Gas bods will correct me if I'm wrong.
Bottom line though, if you don't know what you're doing, then don't. :smt045
454697819
10-12-07, 08:59 PM
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1998/19982451.htm
You have to be versed in the art of interpreting officialese, but I think you'll find that nowhere does it say it's an offence to do DIY gas work. It's not advisable mind you, but not an offence as such. It does say you must be competent. It's a common misconception, and officialdom doesn't go out of its way to dispel the myth for obvious reasons.
If you are employed or self-employed and undertake the work, that's a different issue altogether. I'm fairly sure it doesn't actually specify CORGI registration, it just happens that CORGI is the only recognised organisation. Any qualified Gas bods will correct me if I'm wrong.
Bottom line though, if you don't know what you're doing, then don't. :smt045
correct CORGI is an approved code of practice approved by the HSE as it proves a level of competancy that is all..
dont get me wrong, you have to be Corgi approved to install to the main gas network so you can do everything up to the final connection... but try getting a corgi plumber to sign it off... you wont! (unless thier bent)
insurance companies like them and under part L you need a cert when u install the boiler which only Corgi ppl can get...
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1998/19982451.htm
You have to be versed in the art of interpreting officialese, but I think you'll find that nowhere does it say it's an offence to do DIY gas work. It's not advisable mind you, but not an offence as such. It does say you must be competent. It's a common misconception, and officialdom doesn't go out of its way to dispel the myth for obvious reasons.
If you are employed or self-employed and undertake the work, that's a different issue altogether. I'm fairly sure it doesn't actually specify CORGI registration, it just happens that CORGI is the only recognised organisation. Any qualified Gas bods will correct me if I'm wrong.
Bottom line though, if you don't know what you're doing, then don't. :smt045
Touching anything gas and not being a trained registered engineer is unadvisable. It could invalidate the house hold insurance and its contents if anything went wrong, it's not like changing a washer in a tap and flooding the place. YOU CAN GO TO JAIL if you mess with gas and your not registered.
And as its rented if you touch it and something did go wrong you would be in deep deep poop. I've done my CORGI registration and i've been told that someone not registered taking a case of a gas boiler is breaking the law, as for most boilers are sealed they need the seal to run safely.
Without this seal boilers will extract oxygen from the room. Gas appliances need to burn its fuel correctly, it needs sufficient oxygen to enable the gas to burn safely, avoiding carbon monoxide (CO) from being produced in the combustion products (fumes). This could be introduced into the room without a proper seal.
Before i did my registration i was as ignorant to this as the magority of people, now i've been i've seen what messing with gas can do. DON'T DO IT.
Exactly! It is an offence to even just take the front cover off!!!!!!
Thats not true at all dude. I cant be bothered getting into a debate about it all though or getting into the nitty gritty of the regulations and ACOPs but 454697819 and embee are about on the ball with it.
If you havnt a clue or dont feel comfortable around it then dont bother though, even more so if its a rental property as its not your problem.
If you have the operation and installation manual then read the diagnostic and try a few of the things it says, you will need to remove the front cover though :) dont be afraid.
I love how most threads go this way. They always seem to come upon legalities. In this case its a boiler in rented accomadation he can't touch it thats the be all and end all on that. As for doing things to do with gas work in your own home well thats up to the indiviual. Its down to the home owner, but if anything did go wrong and you then had to call out a registered engineer if he could identify it being tampered with he's within his rights to report you for unregistered gas works.
dirtydog
10-12-07, 11:25 PM
Thats not true at all dude. I cant be bothered getting into a debate about it all though or getting into the nitty gritty of the regulations and ACOPs
Ok fair enough, I've not looked into it completely but if you say so then fair enough. Still not a smart idea to be doing it yourself if you don't know what you're doing and from the original post i'd say he doesn't as he called the boiler a "potten one"
if anything did go wrong and you then had to call out a registered engineer if he could identify it being tampered with he's within his rights to report you for unregistered gas works.
Which carries a fine does it not?
metalmonkey
11-12-07, 12:47 AM
Hey thanks for the replies, i just got home from work it went err wrong for a change and had to do overtime....well its seems my housemate has a called a plumber to come and sort it out tomorrow yeah!
I finally got the emersion heater going, so I don't have to shower at the gym tomorrow! Well I'm gonna get my heater and plug in...now we all now bike gear is nice and warm, shoudl i sleep in mine to keep me warm:smt013 Yes its really cold in da house!
Hopefully the plumber will sort it, otherwise, I will post again...Lets hope it gets fixed I'm fecking frozen!
Don't worry I won't play the boiler, I exprimenated with gas and chemicals when I did my a-level chesmisty yeah it can go very wrong!
drefraser
11-12-07, 08:09 AM
Try rubbing yourself in goose fat.
I do it even when I'm not cold ...
Ok fair enough, I've not looked into it completely but if you say so then fair enough. Still not a smart idea to be doing it yourself if you don't know what you're doing and from the original post i'd say he doesn't as he called the boiler a "potten one"
Which carries a fine does it not?
A big fat juicy fine and as dirty dog says its not clever, they have corgi for a reason. If you have problems call a registered engineer is my best advice. Sorry for the thread derail.
Rich
Spiderman
11-12-07, 02:58 PM
I love how most threads go this way. They always seem to come upon legalities. In this case its a boiler in rented accomadation he can't touch it thats the be all and end all on that. As for doing things to do with gas work in your own home well thats up to the indiviual. Its down to the home owner, but if anything did go wrong and you then had to call out a registered engineer if he could identify it being tampered with he's within his rights to report you for unregistered gas works.
That was all i was getting at. Its not his place to tamper and not his problem to fix so if he gets involved it may end up in a nasty costly mess.
BlueT.... has anyone informed you landlord of the problem and the fact you have organised your own plumber to come sort it out?
If not the landlord may well make you pay for that plumber as his "best mate is a plumbe and would have done it for free for me. Why should i pay this guy that you called if you didnt even inform me or givem me a chance to get it fixed?"
ALWAYS inform the landlord first by phone and in writing. Trust me, its better in the long run.
Either way i hope it gets sorted cos it is damn cold at the mo....and no, i wouldnt suggest sleeping in your bike gear as you'll wake up all sweaty and feel very, VERY cold when you go out and get on the bike :shock:
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