Heating problem - boiler doesn't stay on long enough

[Dazzathedrummer]

hi,

I'm just trying to diagnose a heating problem that I've got.
The boiler doesn't stay on long enough and sometimes doesn't come on at all even though the system is calling for heat.

The timer seems fine, I tend to leave the heating on permanently and regulate it with the thermostat. When the timer is set to 'on' the pump can be heard also the thermostat seems to click at the correct temperature - the trouble is, sometimes, when the thermostat clicks, a click can be heard at the boiler but it doesn't fire up - the boiler (Baxi solo 3) is set to 5 or 6 and only the 'boiler on' light is lit.

Sometimes (and I can't figure out why), the boiler does come on for about ten minutes, all the radiators get hot, I've bled them all and they heat up consistently - but the boiler switches off before the house has warmed up - the timer's 'on' and the thermostat is still calling for heat but the boiler shuts off.

Does this suggest that there's something wrong with the boiler?

 

[D_Hailsham]

When was the boiler last serviced?

Has the boiler worked correctly until now?

 

[Dazzathedrummer]

The boiler was serviced and had a new fan fitted about two years ago.

The heating was fine last year, it hasn't been on since last winter though.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Get it serviced again - but tell the engineer, in advance, what the problem is.