Wednesday 22 December 2010

Condensing gas central heating boiler failures

A big enough news story to get on BBC TV last night and on Radio 5 this morning. They are a modern, sophisticated, supposedly energy efficient form of boiler that have been in use for about three years now. When in use they send out a cloud of steam so goodness knows what they do for global warming.

Ours has failed twice so here are a few tips on what to do:

1. Contact a registered gas fitter: Gas safety
2. My gas fitter said to me on the phone 'The whole country's going down.'
3. If you can't get a gas fitter, read the manual for your boiler.
4. Very often the problem is that the external condensing outlet pipe has frozen. You should get this lagged, but the lagging used in the UK cannot cope with the very low temperatures we have been having.
5. At your own risk, apply hot water to the outlet pipe (it should not be boiling or it will crack the pipe). Make sure you are standing on a non-slip surface and that there is no risk of scalding yourself.
6. Make sure that no other connected pipes are frozen: our system was shut down yesteday by our washing machine outlet pipe.
7. Check that the boiler is dry before re-starting it (then take cover).
8. In very cold weather keep the central heating overnight although at a lower thermostat setting (depending on your control system).
9. If you do not have an annual overhaul by a registered gas fitter, make sure you arrange one.

My experience is limited to my own boiler and what you do is at your own risk. Ideally, this work should be done by a registered professional.

8 comments:

zualfiqar ali mubashir said...

It is always advisable to always explore your options. In the event of a breakdown or some other technical problem, a commercial lease could be the answer. Having registered maintenance staff available to repair, service or replace your boiler is important for ensuring your business or home runs smoothly.
Boiler Repairs London

BroadviewInnovations said...

RCMservices is a rapidly expanding maintenance and response services company. Our primary focus is quality works backed by honest and accurate customer service.Our Central Heating Installers will install the heating system to fit your requirements ie: combination, heat only or system boilers. Every installation comes with a complete power or chemical flush to ensure you obtain maximum efficiency from your new boiler. For more informaton please visit our website:http://www.rcm-heating.co.uk/

pr said...

It is best not to wait until you are having difficulty to call central heating maintenance services. Hundreds of horrible problems can be avoided by doing it well in advance.

ukheatinggas said...

Good, thanks for advice and helpful your posted articles
more information about central heating boiler! boiler replacement

leenarebab said...

personally i would highly recommend that buyers shop around and always use a gas safe engineer. Also accredited from manufacturers such as valliant or worcester bosch.
boiler Installation

Lisa said...

When I get my boiler breakdown I always try to prefer gas safe registered engineer. I think we all should be careful before calling anyone and be confirm to be verified.

Unknown said...

Your blog is interesting and informative too. I have fully read your blog. Thanks for sharing your views.
Central Heating Boiler Installation

Paul Whitehouse said...

Boilers are fab - except when they have a problem! In fact, when my broken central heating boiler decided to break I was really worried about the cost of a getting it fixed!

I heard that it's a good idea to get quotes, but after the prices I was getting plus some firms and they were very expensive! Then I was on google and I found a local firm (I'm from Chester) called STL Heating. I wasn't sure if they'd be expensive - but I went on the review page and they looked really good - so I called them up and they were really helpful. They said they could come out and fix my boiler the very next day, and the price they charged was a lot less than I expected too! So I thought "that'll do for me please!" and I've got them to come out and fix my boiler!