Do we need to powerflush?

[1UselessDIYer]

We discovered last week that we have no heating or hot water so we called out British Gas as we have an agreement with them.

They have put on a new pump which didn't solve the problem as the boiler did not fire up. They went off to speak to there supervisor then came back and put our system "at risk" and have told us we need a powerflush and trace as the system could be blocked. They have quoted a price of £1200.00, which we can't afford so decided to DIY it.

We have today drained the system refilled and added Fernox Heavy Duty Restorer but although the boiler fires up it switches off when the boiler temperature rises but there is no heat in the pipes leading to the hot water tank or pump.

Does anyone have any suggestions to what it might be?

 

[seco services]

try bleeding the pump.
by switching the system off and removing the screw in the centre of the pump.
is the pipe to the pump hot but cold after pump ?

 

[simond]

Could be a blockage as they say.

Fernox restorer will not clear a blockage, you are some kind of optimist.

BG have the edge on us because they know what boiler you have and why it is 'at risk'.

 

[1UselessDIYer]

We have bled the pump and all the radiators, the pipes are all cold. The pump itself is hot as are the pipes from the boiler.

 

[seco services]

blockage then.

 

[1UselessDIYer]

We have a Baxi Solo boiler, they say it's at risk because there could be a blockage. How do we find out if there is one?

 

[simond]

Well from what you say, there is one. Does a Baxi Solo have an in line filter on the return? We don't fit Poxi Batterton so I don't know.

 

[1UselessDIYer]

I'm a complete novice so I have no idea what that is so I don't know, what does it look like.

 

[1UselessDIYer]

So how do I deal with the blockage, is it something I can DIY or do I need professional help?

 

[twgas]

Never known a solo to have a filter on return.
I would suspected a blockage where cold feed joins system.
Drain system, cut out cold feed and replace with new pipes and fittings.

 

[gas4you]

AR because of a blockage in the pipe work What a load of bo**ocks

Have you still got the new pump they fitted in place, or did they remove it and put the old one back again?

If nothing is getting hot then the blockage (if it is one) is going to be on a length of pipe (flow or return) that is common to all rads and HW cylinder circuit.

 

[1UselessDIYer]

Thanks for all the replies, I don't know where to even start to look. The boiler is wall mounted and the pipes lead straight up into the ceiling above, which is the room that the hot water tank is in. Could the pipes lead straight to the tank?

I think I might be getting into the realms of getting professional help, this seems way to complicated.

 

[1UselessDIYer]

Any idea on what could be causing this blockage.

 

[gas4you]

Following on from my previous post, assuming it is a blockage, I think it will be somewhere between the boiler and the airing cupboard.

Edit;

Has it been checked that there is 240VAC at the pump terminals, or did BG just assume the pump and replace it, with no further checks?

 

[h4gg13]

£1200 for a power flush
I'm in the wrong job.
They quoted next door to me £750,saying they had a blockage when they had forgotten to put temp phial back into back boiler heat ex. This caused boiler to o/heat and hot water to come from header tank.
Could it not just be air locked?