I've gathered that most people hate these boilers, so don't slate me for having one, it was in my flat when I bought it
Anyway, I currently have the central heating drained as I'm replacing some radiators and valves. I have the thermostat set such that the heating is off, I have the timeswitch on the boiler set so the heating is off, and the boiler is set to summer mode, i.e. the heating is off. All just in case it got turned on accidentally!
Yesterday I turned on my hot tap to do some washing up, left it while the sink filled up, and noticed an awful smell of smoke, smelt like burning metal or plastic. I went into the kitchen to find the boiler pumping smoke out like nobodies business, making an awful clattering sound, and the temperature gauge on the front was off the top of the scale!
I naturally turned the boiler off ASAP, and left it a few hours to cool down, which was associated by some very loud 'crack' type sounds, presumably from things cooling down and contracting.
I have since repressurised the heating system and turned the boiler back on. It seems to power up, and the pumps come on and off for the heating and the hot water, however unsurprisingly it never actually fires up.
A few questions:
1. Is this my fault? Surely it is possible to use the boiler for hot water without having the heating system in operation, or pressurised? If I'm wrong in this respect I'm quite happy to admit this
2. What has likely broken? What kind of repair bill am I looking at?
Anyway, I currently have the central heating drained as I'm replacing some radiators and valves. I have the thermostat set such that the heating is off, I have the timeswitch on the boiler set so the heating is off, and the boiler is set to summer mode, i.e. the heating is off. All just in case it got turned on accidentally!
Yesterday I turned on my hot tap to do some washing up, left it while the sink filled up, and noticed an awful smell of smoke, smelt like burning metal or plastic. I went into the kitchen to find the boiler pumping smoke out like nobodies business, making an awful clattering sound, and the temperature gauge on the front was off the top of the scale!
I naturally turned the boiler off ASAP, and left it a few hours to cool down, which was associated by some very loud 'crack' type sounds, presumably from things cooling down and contracting.
I have since repressurised the heating system and turned the boiler back on. It seems to power up, and the pumps come on and off for the heating and the hot water, however unsurprisingly it never actually fires up.
A few questions:
1. Is this my fault? Surely it is possible to use the boiler for hot water without having the heating system in operation, or pressurised? If I'm wrong in this respect I'm quite happy to admit this
2. What has likely broken? What kind of repair bill am I looking at?