Help! my heating is not working. I'll be calling a tradesman first thing in the morning but just wondered if anyone could help in the meantime, I have 3 kids here and the house is freezing! Typical just when it starts getting really cold!

I noticed the heating wasn't on and I checked the Boiler in the kitchen, which is a Baxi, and the 'overheat' light was on. I switched off the boiler and waited 10 seconds before switching it back on again. It seemed to fire up ok, but then there was a terrible noise coming from above, which seemed to move. I would assume it was travelling along the pipe! The boiler then stopped again. I've switched everything off as the loud noise worried me, I dont want to make the problem worse (or wake the kids!)

Anybody any ideas?

Thanks in anticipation.

Bonnie, December 2006

Hi there

It was the pump, it wasn't working properly. So had a new pump fitted. £160 which is great just before Christmas (not!)

Anyway, thanks for all your help!

Bonnie

Bonnie, December 2006

trouble with them problems is its hard work trying to explain problems without seeing the system. but let us no the problem.

hi-spec, December 2006

yes I've bled all the radiators, I did that this morning. There wasn't any air in them.

I guess I'll have to keep trying the plumbers.

Thanks for all your help

Bonnie, December 2006

so if your heating is on and warm at the pump, valve, then the heating pipe it should get warm at your rads theres nothing else after the valve to restrict it. have you bleed any of the rads to see if you get any air comming out

hi-spec, December 2006

both pipes are warm

Bonnie, December 2006

so the pipe from the pump to valve is hot and the pipes coming out the valve to tank and heating are cold

hi-spec, December 2006

by the way, this box is actually below the pump

Bonnie, December 2006

I've found the right bit now! it's a cream box with Danfoss written on it. I've found the lever, it is on auto and when I try and push it to man, it slowly pushes itself back to the centre and there is a slight fizzing noise!

Bonnie, December 2006

what colour is the top of the valve cover, or any name

hi-spec, December 2006

I cant find a lever to push, but since I switched the water on in the kitchen, the pipes above the pump have become hot.

Bonnie, December 2006

on the side of the valve there is a lever that you can move across push it across and it will clip in that position ,manual over ride see if it pushs across easy or feels like its on a spring. then keep feeling the pipes see if they get warm

hi-spec, December 2006

no they are not hot, but on the control panel in the kitchen near the boiler, I've only had the heating switched on, not the water.

I've switched the water on and the boiler comes on for a little while, then switches itself off when the bubbling noise starts, but then automatically switches itself back on again after a few seconds! The boiler keeps switching itself on and off like this until I switch the water off.

Bonnie, December 2006

above you pump should be a valve that splits you pipe from one into two could have a chrome top or blue or cream one go to the tank one gos to heating are they both hot.

hi-spec, December 2006

I've put the nut back in and yes I've got hot water. But there is a seperate immersion switch which I had on this morning. So the hot water might just be coming from that?

Bonnie, December 2006

good you can put it back together now. do you have hot water

hi-spec, December 2006

yes I think the pump is working, it is vibrating a little and I can hear a slight whirring noise.

The boiler still cuts out though after about 30-60 secs.

Bonnie, December 2006

just start the boiler and feel the pump if its running you'll feel it on your hand vibrate alittle.

hi-spec, December 2006

I am turning the nut with the spanner, but it doesn't come out. I've tried pulling it out but it wont, therefore I cant get the screwdriver in to turn it.

Should I just keep trying?

Bonnie, December 2006

no. in that hole you can place a screwdriver with a flat end and turn it. it will fall into a slot like a screw and you can turn the pump to make sure the pump is turning free . or if you can see in the hole switch the boiler on and you can see if it turns. if its turning you can place the nut back on even with the boiler running

hi-sprc, December 2006

right, there was a plastic cap in the middle, which I took off and there was a screw which I used a spanner to undo. As you said, a little bit of dirty and very hot water came out. Should the system work now?

Bonnie, December 2006

now its the good bit on the front of the pump is a chrome screw right in the middle can u undo that with a bigish screw driver you'll get a few drips out of it just put a rag under it and its hot

hi-spec, December 2006

I think i've located the pump in the airing cupboard (due to the fact that it says 'circulating pumps' on it! clever me). It isn't doing anything at all when I switch the boiler on. It is very hot to touch.

There is a round switch on the pump, there are 3 options 1, 2 and 3, and it is on 3.

Bonnie, December 2006

can you check your pump. most likely in airing cupboard with your copper tank. check to see if its running when boiler on

hi-spec plumbing, December 2006

Hi

The water in the small tank is cold.

I put the boiler on and ran up to the loft, and very bizarrely nothing happened in the loft this time. I could faintly hear the banging noise in the pipe coming from somewhere else in the house.

When the boiler is switched off, the overheat light comes on still. But the overheat light goes off as soon as you switch the boiler back on.

Bonnie, December 2006

no the cold tap is nothing to do with this problem.can you not switch boiler on and watch in the loft to see what happens sounds more like the boiler is pumping water over vent pipe in small tank is the water in small tank hot or cold.

hi-spec plumbing, December 2006

Hi there, thanks for your response again.

I've been up in the loft and seen the large and small tanks. The small tank seems to have enough water in it.

I've been having a search on the internet to see what could have caused this problem and I've just realised that the cold tap in the bathroom hasn't been working properly recently. Could this have let air into the pipes?

When I switch the heating on, the boiler comes on for about 30 seconds, and then there is a sound like a bubble which starts from the boiler and seems to travel down the pipes and up into the loft. There is then a bubbling noise in one of the tanks but it is hard to tell which tank.

I know I need to get the cold tap in the bathroom fixed. I've rung 4 local plumbers/heating engineers and cant actually get through to any of them. I've left messages on 2 answerphones but no reply from any of them as yet.

I would be really grateful if you could help me further.

Bonnie

Bonnie, December 2006

if you can gain access to your loft there is two tanks large and small check the small one to see if it full of water. sounds like it running low on water and system getteing hot and banging.

hi-spec plumbing, December 2006

Hi there, thanks for your response. I've had another look at the boiler and it says Baxi Solo 3 PFL 50 on it! Thanks.

Bonnie, December 2006

with out model of boiler hard to tell could be low on water, pump jammed. need baxi model ?

hi-spec plumbing, December 2006