# Gas boiler not heating my water as well as it used to?



## sfag (20 Jan 2009)

I havent had my boiler serviced for a couple of years (its only a couple of years old) It seems to not be heating the hot water tank as well as it used to even if I leave it on for longer. Theormostats on both boiler and cylinder are high. 
Can not having your boiler serviced affect its performance, or is servicing just to ensure emissions dont get blocked.


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## noelf (20 Jan 2009)

I will put it very simlpy for you;
Would you not service your car?
Not maintaining any mechanical device or system will cause problems.
Yes, many people get away with it.
Servicing you appliance should not only include the appliance its self.
A correct service should include the following.
Flue ways and terminals 
Ventilation provision 
Gas pressure and heat input 
All safety devices 
The following boiler components: 

Heat exchangers
Burners
Combustion fan
Seals (gas and water)
Ignition systems
Performance test (on all boilers with a suitable test point or accessible flue terminal 
All visible pipework and controls 
All radiators 
Expansion tank (and vessel) and associated components 
Advice on the use of your present controls more efficiently


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## DavyJones (20 Jan 2009)

Are your radiators getting up to the same temperture?

Touch the return pipe at boiler, then touch the return pipe of cylinder. is there a noticeable differance in temperture?

If rads  maintained temp then the following may apply.

on the cylinder you will have the two heating pipes entering the side of cylinder about 18" apart, flow at top, return at bottom.

On the return you should have a valve with a red wheel handle. this valve is used to balance system. It should be half open more or less depending on the balance of your particular system.  Try opening it a few turns and see if things improve.

You should service your boiler on a yearly basis. However most servicemen will only service the boiler and not perform a system check unless directed.


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## noelf (20 Jan 2009)

DavyJones said:


> Are your radiators getting up to the same temperture?
> 
> Touch the return pipe at boiler, then touch the return pipe of cylinder. is there a noticeable differance in temperture?
> 
> ...


Thats because they are lazy or just dont understand the wet side of the system, what do you recon DavyJones?
Surely they let the boiler run to temp after they service it and it would take 5 minutes to run around the system, even less if he did while the system runs to temp?


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## DavyJones (20 Jan 2009)

noelf said:


> Thats because they are lazy or just dont understand the wet side of the system, what do you recon DavyJones?
> Surely they let the boiler run to temp after they service it and it would take 5 minutes to run around the system, even less if he did while the system runs to temp?



A lot of service men aren't plumbers but they still know their way around a heating system.  They don't seem to want to get involved in the wet side. As long as the boiler is safe and fuctioning , they have satisfied their remit.

We have recieved more than one call from clients whom have been told by servicemen on behalf of BG that the problem was not boiler related once they inspected boiler and were adviced to call a plumber.

one callout I attended that sticks in my mind involved a BG serviceman called to client because downstairs rads not heating up, he came and said call a plumber, not boiler problem. When I arrived first thing I noticed was a motor from zone valve that came loose and wasn't making contact with spindle of valve. one press and click the motor was in place and working. the valve was less than a metre from boiler and in clear view. I wonder why the serviceman just didn't do that?


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## noelf (20 Jan 2009)

After thought





DavyJones said:


> A lot of service men aren't plumbers but they still know their way around a heating system. They don't seem to want to get involved in the wet side. As long as the boiler is safe and fuctioning , they have satisfied their remit.
> 
> We have recieved more than one call from clients whom have been told by servicemen on behalf of BG that the problem was not boiler related once they inspected boiler and were adviced to call a plumber.
> 
> one callout I attended that sticks in my mind involved a BG serviceman called to client because downstairs rads not heating up, he came and said call a plumber, not boiler problem. When I arrived first thing I noticed was a motor from zone valve that came loose and wasn't making contact with spindle of valve. one press and click the motor was in place and working. the valve was less than a metre from boiler and in clear view. I wonder why the serviceman just didn't do that?


 
LMAO and now the Electricians are in charge..
Hey ya gotta love it eh......
Maybe thats why when you get your car serviced they no longer rotate the wheels,,, because they are not tyre technicians maybe.
Best one I ever came across was in Verbatim Limerick, they had an Illumination Officer, Captain Light Bulb we called him...
He was the only one who could change light bulds etc and that was back in 88-89, our sparks loved him. Maybe thats why he found a warm brown substance in his bulb box one day.. God I Miss MFK Ltd

Follow Daveys advice, but be careful about raising the boiler temp, you could *scald *someone!!!!1 or trip the high limit stat!!!!!!


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## DavyJones (20 Jan 2009)

noelf said:


> After thought
> 
> 
> Follow Daveys advice, but be careful about raising the boiler temp, you could *scald *someone!!!!1 or trip the high limit stat!!!!!!




BTW, I didn't advice to turn up stat. although it is prefectly safe to do so. High limit stat will only trip if control stat is faulty or their is another fault EG  pump failure etc.


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## noelf (20 Jan 2009)

DavyJones said:


> BTW, I didn't advice to turn up stat. although it is prefectly safe to do so. High limit stat will only trip if control stat is faulty or their is another fault EG pump failure etc.


 In all fairness, I know you did not advise that davey, nor did I mean to imply that you did, but I have seen boilers trip on the high limit when they are turned up to the hilt.


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## DavyJones (20 Jan 2009)

noelf said:


> In all fairness, I know you did not advise that davey, nor did I mean to imply that you did, but I have seen boilers trip on the high limit when they are turned up to the hilt.




I must pass you on the name of a good serviceman


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## noelf (20 Jan 2009)

DavyJones said:


> I must pass you on the name of a good serviceman


 Where are you based davey?


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## sfag (21 Jan 2009)

Thanks for the advice. Especially the check list from noelf.
I spoke to the now booked service man about what he might do and he didn't mention any of those things but then mentioned the heat exchanger when I mentioned the drop in water temperature. 

My plumber had previously advised that he seen gas service men service a boiler where they're in and out in 5 mins and he reckon they did very little of value. Hence my laxidasiness about the need to have it serviced.

I'll also check out the red wheel handle mentionjed by daveyjones. It might have been adjusted.


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