Help!!

[TumshieAnne]

Have storage heating, with a very small hot water tank, circa mid 80's.
Live in a 2 bed semi, 2 beds.
Hot water tank is not giving me any hot water. Scottish and Southern Energy out today, replaced electric meter but still not hot water.
Light on boost box (for getting more hot water) goes on and off. Tried it last night, still no hot water.
I am going to try and find a plumber tomorrow but like everyone else I dont want to be ripped off.
Does anyone know what it could be? Ive checked fuses in main fuse box, all seem okay. Could it be a thermostat, is that expensive??

Im considering changing my heating, cant afford gas as costs 1K to get it just to the door. Any advice on wet heating system? Im thinking if the water tank is goosed perhaps I need to change the whole thing! Ive been in property for 18 months and still not getting used to storage heating, radiator's are never really that hot.

Please can someone reply!!

 

[Youllneverguess]

Have you a multimeter?

 

[TumshieAnne]

Im sorry, I dont know what a multi meter is??
I have two meters, is that what you mean?

 

[seco services]

Im sorry

You checked in your makeup bag ?

 

[Youllneverguess]

In that case you will have to get a plumber/electrician/both round.

Could just be the thermostat or the elements in the tank, but you need a multimeter to test them. And if you don't know what one is, then sorry, but you'll just have to get a trustworthy professional in.

 

[TumshieAnne]

Thanks, I'll do that. Sorry should have said I know nothing about plumbing/heating. Just trying to find some helpful suggestions/advice.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Lights on 'boost box' means there is power at that point. It could still be getting through to the immersion heater (element akin to that found in a kettle but bigger), however if the immersion element is faulty then it wont heat the water.

Immersion element as said, needs to be tested and replaced if found to be faulty. Cost depends on difficulty, faulty thermostat easy to replace, faulty immersion may require tank to be drained, and then depends how easily the existing immersion comes out. Ask friends/neighbours for recommendations for a plumber rather than chosing someone from Yellow pages etc.

Storage heaters 'charge up' overnight on cheap rate electricity, then slowly release the stored heat over the course of the next day. Some have a 'boost' switch for instant heat if required but beware, this can prove expensive if used frequently.

 

[TumshieAnne]

Thank you very much for your informative reply. I'll ask folks tomorrow for rec's.

 

[TicklyT]

Your immersion heater(s) may incorporate overheat cutouts that require a manual reset if they trip.

These cutouts are relatively recent requirement, so not present on older installations.

If you want to go looking for them, they are usually under the cover on the end of the heater.

There are also several live terminals under the cover, so best to turn all the power (normal and off-peak) to the immersion(s) off before looking for the cutouts.

 

[Agile]

I am going to try and find a plumber tomorrow but like everyone else I dont want to be ripped off.

Please can someone reply!!

Why do you imagine that you are likely to be ripped off?

Have you employed a solicitor lately? Their hourly charge for staying in their office is usually £120-£500 ( plus vat ).

A plumber or electrician normally travels at HIS cost to you and only charges you for time at your property and few plumbers charge as much as the cheapest solicitor.

You might say that the solicitor is better educated. I would agree that many are but they still cannot fix your water heating!

The average plumber or electrician will be charging a fraction of what solicitors charge and do the work themselves unlike the solicitor whose work is mostly done by unqualified assistants.

 

[seco services]

These people watch to much of dominic littlewood on tv he thinks everyones being ripped off.

 

[Space cat]

These people watch to much of dominic littlewood on tv --

I'm inclined to agree. I've nothing against programmes like Watchdog or Rogue Traders that do a good job of exposing the relatively small number of crooks but the danger is that everybody gets tarred with the same brush. Maybe they should borrow a line from Crimewatch and end each programme with something like "Rogue traders are really quite rare - so don't have nightmares".