Central Heating query.

[Broadback]

I removed a radiator from the bathroom of a friend, it was off for some time. During that time the central heating was not used. The day (coincidentally)I reconnected it BG came and did an annual service, after he left we tried the CH but it did not work, though the hot water was fine, and there were no banging noises. My first suspicion was the motorised valve, however my friend called in a plumber who replaced the pump, to no avail, he returned on Friday to make sure there were no blockages. This is an email received after that:

My central heating is not fixed :o( The man put valves on a couple of > the radiators, drained it, washed it through and then back-filled it. But > to no avail!! Water was coming out of the over flow pipe which would > suggest that there was no blockage. He told James to leave it on all > weekend to see if it would start anyway!!! It has not!! But it has > stopped making the loud banging noise. But still no heat or hot water.

I do not know if the valve has been checked, also it seems there is now no hot water, any suggestions please?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Just because water comes out of the overflow - assuming an open header tank system - doesn't mean it has filled the system properly. Likely problem is still an airlock. Is there water at each and every rad? Check by bleeding. Still doesn't rule out the possibility of an airlock elsewhere, though. If you can get the pump to run with the boiler switched off you should hear the fresh water running round the rads - it will always contain some air initially. Are there automatic bleed valves (air bottles) at the pump and boiler?

[Sparks]

Was it working fine before BG came?

If so, did your friend ask them to come and fix what they broke!?

Sparks...

[Broadback]

All I can say it was working until the warmer weather had made it unnecessary, some months before. However when he contacted BG they told him his contract only covered routine maintenance and he would have to pay their exorbitant charges if they came out. Now there is a surprise!

[Sparks]

What is the timescale on this?

When did BG service the system? When was the bathroom rad removed? When was the bathroom rad replaced? When was the CH discovered not working?

Am I correct in thinking there is now no hot water or central heating at all?

Sparks...

[Broadback]

1) 9th November AM, they did not put the CH on 2) Mid Sept 3) 9th November PM 4) 9th November PM There is not CH or hot water now, it is also banging. when I tried it after reconnecting the rad there was hot water and no banging, the banging started that evening. The CH had not been used since May.

[Sparks]

When a central heating system is serviced, surely part of the service would be to check it is actually working?!

I know when we had our boiler serviced a few months ago it was.

I would have thought BG *should* have done the following...

Check system functions in DHW and CH Service system Check system functions in DHW and CH

The pre check would be to prove the system worked before they did anything, and the after check to prove they didn't break anything. Do you have the paperwork from BG, probably containing a check list? - if so, does it indicate they checked the system and it was working when they left? Was anyone there when they serviced the system? if so, did they *actually* check it?

Getting a plumber in was a bad move IMHO - I would have screamed at BG!

Sparks...