What is this boiler noise? Is it dangerous?

[CBW]

Looks ok, yes, weather collar deteriorated, but nothing to suggest any adverse effects of combustion. So it’s likley to be an internal combustion issue. Try WB, think the 12 month thing might be domestic and general? https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/support/boiler-repair/out-of-guarantee-repair

 

[terryplumb]

Looks like there is a big gap in the brickwork around the flue ,if so it needs sealing up.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

BG website, fixed price repair has the terms and conditions there. Basically, engineer arrives, diagnoses fault and tells you the price range it fall into. If you agree, they will go ahead. If you choose not to go ahead, they charge the lowest tier.
Normally, most repairs fall into the middle tier unless it’s something big that requires boiler off of the wall, cylinder Etc.
Once engineer says middle tier, and nothing else is wrong, that is what you’ll be charged even if it goes over the two hours.

They have a reputation of saying parts just are not available and trying to talk you into a new boiler.

 

[scarletjim]

I've actually booked a local tradesman now as he comes highly recommended by a good friend. However, weirdly, I turned the boiler back on about 11am this morning in order to check how long after turning on it makes that vibrating noise, and the damn thing hasn't done it all day! Could the problem magically have gone away? So I'm going to leave it on over the weekend and see if it does it again - if it does, the guy can do a fault diagnosis on Monday, and if it doesn't then he can just do a service.

With regard to the flue, yes I did wonder if that big gap is normal - I'll ask him about that too.

In case anyone is interested I'll keep you posted.

 

[scarletjim]

Actually I have some new info that may or may not be related. When I went into the en suite this morning, I heard a quick loud buzzing sound from the ceiling / loft above. It happened twice. Can't remember if it was before or after I turned on a tap. Lasted less than a second each time. It's hard to explain - it sounded like air rushing very quickly through something corrugated or perhaps a piece of paper if you know what I mean. Or the noise that a computer hard drive sometimes makes when it's on it's way out. A little bit like the sound at 1:15 in this video, but quicker and higher pitched.

Is that a sign of anything? (Or just a sign of me being paranoid )

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Maybe the noise is not being produced by the boiler, perhaps it is just being transmitted to the boiler by pipework? Our kitchen sink hot tap, just as the hot appears starts making a whistling noise which makes the entire hot pipework rattle. Quite useful really - it avoids waiting with your finger under the tap for it to get hot, before turning the spout to fill the bowl.

 

[Gasguru]

It sounds like a combustion problem whereby the flame front resonates against the heat exchanger surface.
Get a full service done if there's no evidence...that means new burner seal, bearing plate, and maybe the gas valve rubber hose and electrodes. Add the heat exchanger, sump and trap cleanout and vessel re-charge.
Once combustion is adjusted hopefully it should be sorted.

 

[scarletjim]

Thanks both. I'll let the Gas-Safe guy know about that too when he comes - might be connected, might not. If he does a full service, I'll ask him about all those bits and pieces listed above.

 

[scarletjim]

Ok, I don’t have a great deal to update, but promised I would so here goes:

Gas-Safe performed a basic service. He said that he could take the boiler apart and check each individual bit, but he made it very clear that the boiler is very old, some bits have clearly leaked before, some bits look very worn, and so if he took those bits out, there is a strong possibility that they would break when put back, meaning that my ‘service’ could end up as a £500+ bill, or leave me with a boiler that wasn’t working. On that basis I asked him to just do the basic service, check what he could, obviously check all readings etc, but no more. Strangely, the vibration hasn’t happened for 5 days now, and 36 hours since he did the service, so perhaps whatever it was has somehow gone away!

Given the age of the boiler, my plan now is to add cover to my house insurance if I can, but whether I can or not, see if the boiler makes it through the winter, and next autumn (or before if necessary), invest in a new boiler. At least that way we’ll have piece of mind (and who knows, that might even lower our fuel bills). So I’ll start researching new boilers at the weekend.

Thanks to all who have made the effort to help and advise – much appreciated.