I have a glow worm space saver 38, which tried to give up the ghost the other night by leaking an awful lot. My friend came round (not a plumber) and he turned everything off, and drained the water out (a lovely dirty brown shade it was, mmm). The next day a plumber fitted a new pump, as this was apparently the original problem. Now the heating is fixed, and it leaks no more, but there is absolutely no hot water, and it doesn't even seem to be filling the tank up. I have no clue what to do, and I have no money for a new boiler, also I have 2 small boys, and they need baths without having to wait an hour for me to boil the kettle and pans! I am at the end of my tether and all I want to do is rip the blasted thing off the wall and give it a kicking!

Laura Wright, February 2008

As you said the water is brown and no doubt sludgey, unfortunately on draining down the system this can sometimes block up other pipes etc. Another problem could be air which is trapped in the pipes which feed to the cylinder (the copper one normally in the airing cupboard) you might try draining again and then filling slowly. This all presupposes you don't have zone valves or three way valves which, if you have must be set to manual to drain and fill the system. I also assume water is going back into the tank (galvanized or plastic normally above cylinder or in attic) Of course giving it all a good kicking might also help but not to be advised. Good Luck.

Dave C., February 2008