Hello I've just bought my first flat and wanted to ask several things that I'm not familiar at all - i did buy some DIY books but afraid to do any of the work at the moment before i know for sure what I'm doing is ok and not going to cause any permanent damage - also wanted to ask you experienced guys before i pay a plumber
question 1) We have a boiler, hot water tank, water pump (next to the boiler), what looks like a valve next to the water pump and a shower pump
Now my understanding was the water pump gets used to circulate hot water around the house for central heating, correct?
Well we have no central heating! the only heating we have is a heater in the bathroom (both main and ensuite) but i was told they may be connected differently to the radiators and hence why they work. But even they stop going hot after sometime.
So no central heating - so after reading the DIY books i have, i checked: a) the boiler - which comes on when i switch everything on and i can see the pilot light and i DO get hotwater so that looks ok
b) the water pump - it has 2 settings, high pressure and low pressure. i think the pump is working but i cant tell for sure since when i touch it, because its next to the boiler, the vibration is THERE but i cant tell if its from the boiler or the pump. anyhow, if i change the settings to low pressure, the water pump seems to quiet down in vibration a bit so i think its working.
c) valve - i havent checked yet and read that there may be a switch that only enables HW only and no CH - this could be the cause which i will check tonight
d) raditors themselves - haven't checked but the pipes to the radiators itself is cold so i think no water is coming in.
So afterall of the above, i can only think it is either the water pump or valve.
The boiler does have a timer and a separate 7 day heat immersion timer (presumbely for CH only?) - both constantly set to ON.
Question 2) In the ensuite - the shower pressure is ok - since that is coming from the SHOWER PUMP in the airing cupboard and i can hear the pump working when i turn on the cold tap and hot tap on the basin sink in the en-suite.
However, in the MAIN bathroom, the cold water tap pressure is LOW - and i can not hear the pump. its only when i turn the hot water tap on, the pump seems to kick in and pressure is ok.
Same when i use the taps/shower in the bath of MAIN bathroom
so it looks like the pump is only coming on for HOT water ONLY in the main bathroom - why is this?
Also, when people talk about shower pump, i thought it only boosts the shower - but in ou flat, it does for taps as well - is this ok?
question 3) Shower pump (showermate 1.4bar twin max - working pressure 3.5bar) is way too noisey in the airing cupboard.
how can i reduce this noise? i read that i can have a box and some insulating stuff around it - but also read this is not good because the pump may overheat?
the pump is just sitting on a shelf inside the airing cupboard