combi boiler, no hot water and no heating :(

[tamsin1982]

I have a combi boiler, last week the pilot light kept going out after a few mins so i called british gas out, they came and replaced the pump.
over the weekend it has been firing up when i switch it on then just turning itself off, and i had hot water on demand.
today it has stopped completly? the pilot light is still on. any ideas as to how i can get it working?
the man said i will need to bleed the rads but i cant see that this will make it stop working completely!?
any advice gratefully received

 

[Bahco]

Check the boiler pressure is around 1 bar.

 

[tamsin1982]

Check the boiler pressure is around 1 bar.

looks like 2 needle things - red is on the 1 and black is ont the 3 ?

 

[bengasman]

pressure should be fine.
call them back to do the job properly.

 

[tamsin1982]

thanks , am definatly calling them back tomo was just hoping I couldve got some heating an hot water tonight still its made a change having blankets an hot water bottles lol

 

[bengasman]

you could check which needle indicates the pressure.
one of the two is only an indicator which can be moved.
once you know which one actually indicates the pressure, you could try to bring it to 1.5. some boilers need quite a bit of pressure to work and there is the occasional one that does not work if the pressure is too high.
rare though

 

[tamsin1982]

on further inspetion the pressure is just over 3, so this is high right?
how do i get it down!?

 

[swidders]

Should be a drainage valve somewhere near the boiler, or if you can't find this on one of the radiator valves on the ground floor.

 

[bengasman]

failing that, find a rad with a bleeding screw on the side, and catch a couple of pints in a bowl.

 

[tamsin1982]

Should be a drainage valve somewhere near the boiler, or if you can't find this on one of the radiator valves on the ground floor.

that means nothing to me lol!!
i live in an upstairs maisonette and have one radiator downstairs which hasnt warmed up at all since my new pump, i assumed it just needed the air letting out?
I havent got a key so will have to wait I assume? my sister has one tho so will borrow hers, do you think that will solve it?

im very grateful

 

[swidders]

In which case, radiator key it is then.

Letting the air out of the radiator downstairs may be enough to lower the pressure sufficiently anyway. Just make sure you hold a towel near the bleed hole, since it will at some stage splutter and spray out lovely, not very clean!!!! water over your walls and carpet if you don't take care.

Don't overtighten it afterwards - just sufficient to do the job!

 

[tamsin1982]

In which case, radiator key it is then.

Letting the air out of the radiator downstairs may be enough to lower the pressure sufficiently anyway. Just make sure you hold a towel near the bleed hole, since it will at some stage splutter and spray out lovely, not very clean!!!! water over your walls and carpet if you don't take care.

Don't overtighten it afterwards - just sufficient to do the job!

my replies are vanishing!!
one more dumb question, dont the radiators have to be a little bit warm to let the air out? or will i need to do it twice - once cold so i can get heating on then again once ive warmed rads up?

 

[swidders]

Ideally, you should let the air out and get to the correct pressure (1 -1.5 bar (probable the red needle) on the dial on the boiler) when the system is stone cold and not warm at all.

Which, ironically, as luck would have it, it is!!

 

[bengasman]

true as the above is, it pays to keep an eye on the pressure when the system is heating up; you don't want it much over 2.5

 

[swidders]

If this doesn't work, and you call British Gas out again, don't let them talk you into a powerflush just yet. Re-post and see what replies you get, and should you eventually go for the flush (which may, or may not resolve the situation), use a local plumber who will be far, far cheaper than BGas!!!