Please Help!! I'm FREEZING!!

[quisling]

I live in a rented house.
Every year, my boiler stops firing up, they send out a plumber, he goes into the loft for 2 minutes, and comes down saying he'll tell the council that the workings of the header tank need replacing (is it the arm?) but they never do it.
This has happened for 4 or 5 years running, and the council haven't done it, they seem to prefer me having this annual callout.

Anyway......... it's happened this evening.
The combi boiler (Icos Ideal) makes all the right noises for firing up, the little light flashes, then there's a bit of a clunk - then nothing for a couple of minutes, then it tries again.
I've switched it off for a bit, then on again, and I've tried the reset button, but all to no avail - try as it might, it just can't get going.

The council won't send anyone out today and I'm absolutely freezing!
Is it a case of popping into the loft and pressing the arm down till the header tank gets some water in it? I'm sure that's what the plumber said last time?

 

[londonboy]

Possibly if theres no water in the tank.

When I worked for the council jobs like this were a priority, and we could change things on the spot.

 

[quisling]

Perhaps you worked for a different council.
Mine seems to prefer bodging stuff rather than doing a proper job.
I could tell you a story about an asbestos soil pipe which keeps getting blocked but you might be eating your tea.

 

[Nige F]

Was that when Red Ken ran the London council We used to provide a good service too - in the early 80`s . Then .................

 

[londonboy]

It was only last summer

I guess its cheaper to fix things while your there rather than send you back again a few days later.

The Ideal Icos isn't a combi boiler by the way.

Go to the loft and see if theres any water in the smaller tank.

 

[quisling]

OK.
No, you're right, it's a condensor boiler or something isn't it?
You can see I'm not a plumber.



Son said there was SOME water in the small tank, but it was nowhere near up to the line, and it wasn't covering the pipe that goes down, so he wiggled it about a bit and held it down till it was.

But - I've restarted the boiler 3 times and it gurgles and makes reassuring watery noises, then stops.
I've done they key thing with all the radiators, and there was a LOT of air in a couple of the upstairs ones, but none in the downstairs ones.

The strange thing is - the upstairs radiators are warm and the hot water is very, very hot.

 

[quisling]

Was that when Red Ken ran the London council We used to provide a good service too - in the early 80`s . Then .................

Fare's Fair!!
You've gotta love Ken!

 

[mointainwalker]

Was that when Red Ken ran the London council We used to provide a good service too - in the early 80`s . Then .................

Answer

It was only last summer

"But..but.. that means.... oh bugger. "

Never mind Nige, better luck next time

 

[xr4x4]

id also be asking myself..."where is all the water going?"

 

[quisling]

If the pump wasn't working, would that affect the boiler?