Hot water not working, well it does but.....

[Cyclone1210]

Hi folks, please be assured that I have looked about the forum for relevant answers but can't find much that answers my particular problem, so here goes...

Last months we got a bill from EDF energy for £850. I explained to the guy that we live in a very small 2 bedroom house and there is only me and my partner, he basically guessed what the problem was that we have had the boiler switched on constantly for the last year. I switched it off and hey presto, going by meter reading our usage has dropped to what it should be!!

Only problem is, now I have turned the boiler off we can't get any hot water at all. I have the hot water set to come on for an hour before we come home from work to do the dishes and whatever but the water won't run hot at all.

We have a boiler upstairs in a cupboard and also a small boiler in the kitchen which clicks on whenever the the HW or CH comes on.

Any help would be VERY much appreciated, thanks you!!!!

 

[Armo74]

You need to turn the boiler back on to heat your hot water. Do you mean hot water cylinder in the cupboard and not boiler.

 

[Cyclone1210]

You need to turn the boiler back on to heat your hot water. Do you mean hot water cylinder in the cupboard and not boiler.

Thanks for the response mate. That's the thing, I know if I turn the HW cylinder (cheers for that ) back on I will have hot water but then my electricity bill will be through the roof. I don't understand why I have to turn it on and off, why do I have the timer in the kitchen telling it to click on and off like it does with the CH when it just stays on constantly if it's switched on?

Hope I'm making sense here.

 

[Armo74]

It sounds as though you are turning the immersion heater on to get your hot water which at 2KW will cost a fair bit if your using it every day. The immersion is regarded as a back up should your boiler break down so you can still get hot water.
Your hot water is far better heated via the boiler.

 

[Cyclone1210]

It sounds as though you are turning the immersion heater on to get your hot water which at 2KW will cost a fair bit if your using it every day. The immersion is regarded as a back up should your boiler break down so you can still get hot water.
Your hot water is far better heated via the boiler.

And we were using it everyday as we only bought the house a year ago and it never even crossed my mind that it was an immersion switch which explains why our bill was so high!!

So now the immersion switch is off, as I say I have the HW timed to come on but the water never heats up, ever!!! Any ideas as to why it won't heat up?

 

[Armo74]

Do you get heating?
Need more info about your system.

 

[Cyclone1210]

Do you get heating?
Need more info about your system.

Yip, heating works perfectly.

System, well I'm not too clued up on plumbing stuff hence why I'm looking for good folk like yourself to offer some advice. Boiler in the kitchen, HW cylinder upstairs, I have noticed a Danfoss switch that has a manual/automatic switch that has arrows pointing to HW and CH if that has anything to do with anything? Not sure what else to tell you mate?

Really sorry if I'm not giving you enough info and I know you're probably getting a bit annoyed with my stupidity regarding this so thank you very much for taking your time with me!!

 

[Cyclone1210]

Sorry, I did notice one thing earlier, I turned the CH off and just left the HW on just to see what would happen, after a few hours I noticed, and not by trying the HW but because my house was still roasting that the rads were still very hot but still no HW even though the CH was off??

 

[xr4x4]

You have a problem with your central heating system!

Need some pictures, you may have a three port valve stuck in heating mode.

As been said, you've been using your immersion to heat your hot water instead of your central heating boiler.

You can still use your immersion for an hour or two if you need it, while you get the heating sorted, just don't leave it on!

 

[Armo74]

You will more than likely have a 3 port valve in your airing cupboard near your cylinder this controls where your heated water from your boiler goes either heating or hot water(should be a valve with a silver box or a plastic box on the side of it)These can sometimes seize in the position that sends the heated water from the boiler to your central heating circuit only.
My advise would be to call a plumber.

 

[Cyclone1210]

Thanks very much for your help folks, very much appreciated!!

Think it's time to just get a plumber round to have a look, don't know enough about this kind of thing to investigate much further myself.

Cheers again!!