I have read through many forums describing similar problems and i'm guessing its a problem with the thermostat??? can someone please give some suggestions of thing I could try first before paying an expert please...
I am having a problem with my gas central heating / hot water system. Shortly after we moved into this property last march I noticed some damp patches in the spare room, this section backed onto the boiler system in my bathroom. After closer inspection (dismantling the cupboard) I could see the damage that steam had done to the wall and ceiling. Within the 9 months that we have been here It has slowly destroyed the whole ceiling in the bathroom and water has traveled through the cracks and shot the plaster in the walls. luckily it was a hideous bathroom. In the coming new year we want to redo the bathroom and fix any problem that we have. Over the past few months I have been trying to work out what is happening and here is a description....
The system is an old type that has two hard plastic open tanks (one for overflow water, no ball cock, and one for cold water, with ball cock) above a storage tank in a large cupboard in the upstairs bathroom. The boiler is downstairs in the kitchen positioned below the boiler in the bathroom (geographically). The central heating pump is set on 1 of 3 and the temp dial in the cupboard is set to 50 degrees. I have not taken the device apart to see if it is wired as 'turn on at' or 'cut off at'. If it is any lower than this the hot water is to cold to bath. The boiler downstairs is set to the closest to MIN without turning the boiler off, the problem is less severe when it is on MIN. The hot water can been turned on independently but the central heating will only turn on with the hot water (one of those systems). Although I cannot find any pictures on the internet that shows this layout I can describe what happens.
When the heating or hot water is turned on, the water gets hot and the radiators get very hot quite fast (excellent)... Once the hot water storage tank is full (1-2 hours) the main pipe from the boiler makes a loud banging noise and there is a huge amount of activity in the overflow tank. It is so violent that the water splashes over the tank onto the floor (happens roughly every 10mins). initially I made a wooden cover for the tank and drilled the hole for the overflow pipe. After about 2 weeks the wood split and continued to splash over the side. The overflow pipe is submersed in the water and is set below the overflow outlet. I then made a foil lid which has been working great for about a month... no more wet floors. The main problem still occurs in that the boiling water shoots out of the overflow pipe into next doors garden. Its like a fountain and obvious we've had some complaints. The water never goes through the pipe at the bottom of the overflow tank (wherever that goes) it just stays peeking on the overflow pipe to outside. The water is so hot the steam still comes out between the foil and making the ceiling wet
I had someone to look at the problem for an estimate and he just said (standing at the front door) "that'll be the thermostat.... i'll change the thermostat and service it for £120". I think this is a reasonable price but considering he didn't even look at it and made me feel guilty for taking up 2mins of his time I don't want to end up paying loads of money.
Can someone please help....
Thanks
I am having a problem with my gas central heating / hot water system. Shortly after we moved into this property last march I noticed some damp patches in the spare room, this section backed onto the boiler system in my bathroom. After closer inspection (dismantling the cupboard) I could see the damage that steam had done to the wall and ceiling. Within the 9 months that we have been here It has slowly destroyed the whole ceiling in the bathroom and water has traveled through the cracks and shot the plaster in the walls. luckily it was a hideous bathroom. In the coming new year we want to redo the bathroom and fix any problem that we have. Over the past few months I have been trying to work out what is happening and here is a description....
The system is an old type that has two hard plastic open tanks (one for overflow water, no ball cock, and one for cold water, with ball cock) above a storage tank in a large cupboard in the upstairs bathroom. The boiler is downstairs in the kitchen positioned below the boiler in the bathroom (geographically). The central heating pump is set on 1 of 3 and the temp dial in the cupboard is set to 50 degrees. I have not taken the device apart to see if it is wired as 'turn on at' or 'cut off at'. If it is any lower than this the hot water is to cold to bath. The boiler downstairs is set to the closest to MIN without turning the boiler off, the problem is less severe when it is on MIN. The hot water can been turned on independently but the central heating will only turn on with the hot water (one of those systems). Although I cannot find any pictures on the internet that shows this layout I can describe what happens.
When the heating or hot water is turned on, the water gets hot and the radiators get very hot quite fast (excellent)... Once the hot water storage tank is full (1-2 hours) the main pipe from the boiler makes a loud banging noise and there is a huge amount of activity in the overflow tank. It is so violent that the water splashes over the tank onto the floor (happens roughly every 10mins). initially I made a wooden cover for the tank and drilled the hole for the overflow pipe. After about 2 weeks the wood split and continued to splash over the side. The overflow pipe is submersed in the water and is set below the overflow outlet. I then made a foil lid which has been working great for about a month... no more wet floors. The main problem still occurs in that the boiling water shoots out of the overflow pipe into next doors garden. Its like a fountain and obvious we've had some complaints. The water never goes through the pipe at the bottom of the overflow tank (wherever that goes) it just stays peeking on the overflow pipe to outside. The water is so hot the steam still comes out between the foil and making the ceiling wet
I had someone to look at the problem for an estimate and he just said (standing at the front door) "that'll be the thermostat.... i'll change the thermostat and service it for £120". I think this is a reasonable price but considering he didn't even look at it and made me feel guilty for taking up 2mins of his time I don't want to end up paying loads of money.
Can someone please help....
Thanks
