Sounds from Boiler - Normal or Not?

We have a Valliant (is that how you spell it?) combi boiler in a new(ish) build house.

No problems as such but want to check whether the noises I hear are normal.

Boiler is located in a cupboard in the attic. House is barely a year old and we have lived here a few months.

Just started really using the attic room (home gym) so have been up there for periods of time for the first time since moving in.

Any way, noticed that when the CH is on, the you can hear the boiler (or pump if it's attached in the same cupboard) running (normal sounding noise). However, it runs for a few minutes then goes quiet. Then after about 30 seconds to a minute it starts running again. And this repeats.

We were just in the attic for about half an hour and it was on and off a good 5 or 6 times. Like I said though, not really used the room until now so don't know if this is the way it has always operated (or indeed if it's normal) so thought it best to find out.

We had a tanked system at our old house and have never had a combi before so not sure what to expect noise/running wise.

Is this normal or do I need to get someone in?

Since we wouldn't be able to shower or bath or anything without it I would like the peace of mind that all is well

sounds to me like your getting confused. the noise you will hear from any condensing boiler (including combi) is the fan running and not the pump, when the boiler fires up the fan will come on too, and when the boiler stat is satisified it will turn the gas valve off and the fan will also shut off. this will cycle every few minutes as the water temp inside the boiler gets higher and then lower etc etc.....it is trying to maintain the setpoint

a fan is used for the exhaust as the gas pressure in a condensing boiler is lower than a conventional one (or so is my understanding of how they work...)

Just had a listen for 10 minutes to double check.

Noise starts and then gets louder (more whooshing) like I would associate with actual boiler heating on my previous non-combi.

After a few minutes the noise gets quieter, like I previously associated with just a pump or fan running.

Then a few minutes later it stops completely.

Anything from a couple of seconds to 30 seconds later the cycle starts again.

When started from cold it ran for a good while before this on/off cycle started.

The boiler at our old house used to shut down with the pump continuing to run and then fire back up a few minutes later, so I am used to this, but this only seems to go quiet for a few seconds.

I could well be worrying for no reason (and I'm sure I am), but at our old house the heating (Potterton) broke down with such regularity that I never knew whether it would work or not from one day to the next!

Any ideas?

sounds even more like the exhaust fan now you said that from cold it makes the noise for longer before it starts cycling.

when the water in the system is cold, the boiler will stay lit until it reaches setpoint, and then begin the switching on/off cycle once it is there

Thanks. I just thought it odd that it is only quiet for a couple of seconds sometimes.

Just been watching the boiler display panel while it's running and consulted the guide to see what it is actually doing.

It starts up and then the icon for "operating mode heating" comes on. Followed by "heating pump in operation" and then "actuating internal gas valve" and "burner operation normal".

This I assume means the heating is on and the boiler is burning.

After a few minutes it goes quieter and the "actuating internal gas valve" and "burner operation normal" icons goe off, but the "heating pump in operation" stays on.

The "operating mode heating" starts flashing, which according to the guide means "burner lockout time active".

This I assume means it has stopped heating but is still circulating hot water. But I don't know what "burner lockout mode active" means.

After a few minutes more the boiler goes quiet and "heating pump in operation" goes off.

A few seconds later the whole sequence starts again.

Does this still sound normal?

I have noticed a leak (small drip every 30 seconds to a minute) from the condensate drain pipe, so will have to get a plumber out anyway.

Thanks