British Gas says I need new thermostat. Is this right?

[Londoner]

We've been having a long-running noise/banging pipes problem with our boiler/hot water system

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=71217

Finally got B.G engineer round who spent about 5 mins looking at the system (during which the noises didn't happen) and said straight away we need a new thermostat, and that he would be back on Monday. And with that he was gone!

After asking lots of questions on here I was expecting him to check all sorts of things e.g. the cold water inlet, the pump, the air vent etc.

He must know what he's talking about though, mustn't he? So, can a faulty thermostat casuse all of the following:

1) If we switch on HW, whooshing and gurgling sounds in pipes, followed by very loud banging in pipes

2) Tripping of the overheat switch in boiler.

3) If we switch on CH as well as the HW, the problem seems to go away

4) Sometimes, if we try just having the HW on, the upstairs radiators get hot.

 

[Agile]

He must know what he's talking about though, mustn't he? So, can a faulty thermostat casuse all of the following:

1) If we switch on HW, whooshing and gurgling sounds in pipes, followed by very loud banging in pipes

2) Tripping of the overheat switch in boiler.

3) If we switch on CH as well as the HW, the problem seems to go away

4) Sometimes, if we try just having the HW on, the upstairs radiators get hot.

Were you born yesterday?

A faulty boiler thermostat can cause 2-3-4 but not normally 1 until after a few minutes.

He is probably right IN THIS CASE !

Tony

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

What make of boiler is it?
What is the BOILER thermostat set to?

From what you have said I assume you have gravity circulation for your hot water rather than pumped ie. You have no divertor valve or zone valves.

If your boiler stat is set to the max then try turning it down a bit. If your stat was set at a similar or lower setting to mine [read on] then a replacement wil be justified.

ie My old Thorn Olympic [similar set up] runs sweet at 3½ [out of 5] If I turn it higher it bangs like a barstuard.

Item 4 is another problem in itself. One cure is to fit TRV's to upstairs rads.
Go a step further and fit TRV's to all rads bar the one in the room with a room thermostat.
I too get some gravity circulation on upstairs rads. I just turn them all off bar the bathroom one. This I keep covered in towels which saves heat loss from the rad and gives me warm towels after a scrub in the tub.

 

[Londoner]

He must know what he's talking about though, mustn't he? So, can a faulty thermostat casuse all of the following:

1) If we switch on HW, whooshing and gurgling sounds in pipes, followed by very loud banging in pipes

2) Tripping of the overheat switch in boiler.

3) If we switch on CH as well as the HW, the problem seems to go away

4) Sometimes, if we try just having the HW on, the upstairs radiators get hot.

Were you born yesterday?

A faulty boiler thermostat can cause 2-3-4 but not normally 1 until after a few minutes.

He is probably right IN THIS CASE !

Tony

I only say that because he works for BG and isn't some bloke in a stetson!

 

[Londoner]

What make of boiler is it?
What is the BOILER thermostat set to?

From what you have said I assume you have gravity circulation for your hot water rather than pumped ie. You have no divertor valve or zone valves.

If your boiler stat is set to the max then try turning it down a bit. If your stat was set at a similar or lower setting to mine [read on] then a replacement wil be justified.

ie My old Thorn Olympic [similar set up] runs sweet at 3½ [out of 5] If I turn it higher it bangs like a barstuard.

Item 4 is another problem in itself. One cure is to fit TRV's to upstairs rads.
Go a step further and fit TRV's to all rads bar the one in the room with a room thermostat.
I too get some gravity circulation on upstairs rads. I just turn them all off bar the bathroom one. This I keep covered in towels which saves heat loss from the rad and gives me warm towels after a scrub in the tub.

It's an Ideal Classic and I had the control set to 6 (max).

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Try it on 4.

If it still bangs and clatters he is right to change it

If it doesnt then it could be 'on it's way' and he could still be right.


His starting point is right in any case.

 

[Londoner]

Cut a long story short: the engineer was dodgy. Reported the fault as fixed when in fact he never came back to us. Also reported that we had not been in for the return visit when we had been.

Finally took 2 more BG visits by a different engineer (thank god). This one replaced the thermostat, circuit board and gravity feed valve, also advised us on setting etc. Now all is well.

Just goes to show you cannot trust somone just because they have a British Gas badge. Truly shocking.

 

[giblets]

Cut a long story short: the engineer was dodgy. Reported the fault as fixed when in fact he never came back to us. Also reported that we had not been in for the return visit when we had been.

He obviously left his stetson in the van when he came in to see you.

Just goes to show you cannot trust somone just because they have a British Gas badge.

Very, very true. They are not the 'be-all-and-end-all' that some of them like to think they are.

 

[corgiman]

bet he just thought of the first thing that sort of made sense just to get the hell out of there

he may just have had a bad boiler day on

 

[gas4you]

Bet he exceeded his targets though! Loads of bonus

 

[nickso]

Bet he exceeded his targets though! Loads of bonus

he wont be making any targets....his recalls must be shocking.

 

[gas4you]

nickso, no offence to bg workers but it must p*** you off when you hear of these 'technicians' letting the company down and giving you all a bad name. (and Agile more cannon fodder )

 

[corgiman]

nickso, no offence to bg workers but it must p*** you off when you hear of these 'technicians' letting the company down and giving you all a bad name. (and Agile more cannon fodder )

same with any company I reckon

most lads try and get the hell out of dodge with the minimum of effort to themselves

shame but there you go

 

[ollski]

quite often this can be down to an admin error, parts out of stock etc. although Bg have their share of planks, shirkers and not give a toss engineers the same as everyone else.

 

[nickso]

nickso, no offence to bg workers but it must p*** you off when you hear of these 'technicians' letting the company down and giving you all a bad name. (and Agile more cannon fodder )

not really bothered anymore. like ollski says its the same with any other company but BG are constantly in the firing line because they are at the top of the tree.

what annoys me more is being tarred with the same brush. customers have often said BG's customer service is bad......yet most agreed that my customer service is good when i asked them.....perhaps they are too scared to say otherwise while im actually standing in front of them. i suppose thats the case elswhere too.

there are complete tools in BG but i believe they are in a minority and if any of the managers had any balls they would sack them.

agiles (and many others) "cannon fodder" consists of things he has read in the daily mail and things he thinks are true of BG, he spouts rubbish to gratify his own percieved prowess......ive no more time for him than i do for ****taking BG staff......ill take anyone to task that is spouting ccrap for the sake of it.