Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[kelly and chris]

Think we have a boiler problem. and i wonder if theres anyone out there that might have a simple solution?? (tap it here, twist that, type of solution......)

Ive gone through all our house paperwork and there doesnt appear to be a book on the boiler. To be honest Im not sure if we ever had one So i havent got a clue what make the boiler is....

Ive noticed for a bit now, movement in the the dial, below the red indicator line on the pressure guage. Last night and tonight I have noticed the guage is readng zero and im sure when we were shown around the house that we were told if it stayed below the red indicater for too long then we were to call a plumber The system is working fine. water and heating firing up as usual.

Should i be concerned??

Advice please

Many thanks

Kelly

[phinger]

As no-one seems to be a plumber around here [least of all me] and giving you a definitive answer, I can but suggest a few things.

The first thing that strikes me is that the guage *could* be indicating the current water pressure and it would seem that this is low. Is the water still issuing from your taps with its usual gusto ?

Without the make and model of boiler ( it should be printed on the boiler - maybe on the top / side / bottom, if not on the front ) I doubt if anyone could give you a full answer.

If you can ascertain the make / model of boiler you could download the relevant manual from the manufacturers web-site or, failing this, ask a question at a site such as this:

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/central_heating.htm

...scroll to the bottom of the page.

Resist the temptation to 'give it a clout' - it'll make you feel good for a second or two but then...

Good luck, if in any doubt, call a plumber !

P

[SteveW]

If you do find you need a plumber then I would suggest Nigel Smith Ltd. They are all well experienced and time served unlike some who go on a months course and think they know everything.

You'll find some 'experienced' plumbers have forgotten more than others even know!!!

[deb]

A reliable experienced plumber - Steve do you have his number cannot find him under Smith in the pnone book, the only one lives at a piggery and he ain't local. My friend had a chap out to fix his boiler because the heating wasn't working though the water was heating. Put all sorts of parts on it and left it neither heating water nor supplying heat and he blew fuses left right and centre. He sent in a bill for over £300. The matter is now going to court as my friend refuses to pay it all and the guy has refused even the money for the parts. Friend finally called the manufacturer whose rep came, diagnosed, fixed and out within less than 2 hours and for half the price. If the court find for the plumber there is no justice, he even said himself that he ought to do the course for that particular boiler!

[john shipton]

This guy knows about the boiler and central heating systems that were installed by the developers in building our urban village.
He is known to a number of established residents who use him. But before giving details, I would suggest that the dial could be related to the water pressure. There should be a lever to adjust the water pressure nearby (not far from the boiler if Powermax). The pressure should be reading one and a half. If the pressure goes beyond 2 then to reduce the pressure one needs to bleed one or more radiators keeping an eye on the dial in the process. But do not bleed just one radiator in the reduction process for pressures going beyond the 2 mark.
I have my boiler serviced yearly.
The plumber and heating engineer is Ian Mills...
Yours may be one of the Powermax, Potterton or Baxi boilers that have been installed on the urban village.
Ian used to work for the makers of Powermax as a heating engineer. He was also an enlisted engineer for Potterton and Baxi boilers.
He then left to work for Heatwise.
He has now set up his own heating and plumbing services called IMP HEATING.
The address is...
Ian Mills
Imp Heating
Witham St Hughs
Lincoln LN6 9JE
Telephone 07813 710281

Before calling him or anyone, it appears that your system is working OK but what residents have already indicated, the problem could be with water pressure.
I hope this helps!

[SteveW]

Deb or anyone else interested, Nigel Smith Ltd plumbers telephone number is Lincoln 697707

[deb]

Thanks Steve - is in my box of useful numbers. Someone (apart from John) previously posted another Plumber but there was only a mobile number. I don't know why but I don't like that...!

[john shipton]

Deb:

His work takes him all over the county and elsewhere. He is using a mobile number as still waiting for a land line.
Despite this if he does not answer the phone, just leave a message and he will get back to you.
He did this with me and hence my boiler being serviced.
During the course of him servicing my boiler, I asked him all about Powermax boilers. I now know more about them.
He also discussed with me other types of boilers like Potterton and Baxi.
Ian was efficient, courteous and knew his stuff. His charges were not over the top as experienced with other heating engineers and plumbers that I have had in the past.
So again, as I have said about residents who live in the units on St Georges Hospital...never judge a book by just looking at the cover - in your case, mobile numbers!

[deb]

69xxxx still more local than Witham St Hughs! Maybe a lot of people have mobile contracts and free minutes, I don't, I'm PAYG so even though I'd use 'Phone Cheap' 08717544141 I feel like their customer service is a version of a Premium Number. Small Businesses or even us residentials, can quote a landline and have it answer on a mobile, then the business or person taking the call pays the cost! Once you know them maybe it's different, the trust builds
Landlines for me - free with no 'bad reception', now that's customer service!!
My friend who had the boiler problem was taken to small claims. It seems a bit farcical. Plumber writes his case, friend writes his case, Plumber still refuses offered payment, will probably go to court. Naievely I thought 'a person' would make a judgement based on both sides though the plumber seemed quite happy to blatantly lie in his statement. What a palaver - someone will now have to pay court costs. If you have a job that's not fixed in a day and there's no quote to do the job, note everything. This chap charged by the hour, wandered slowly up the (long) drive, looked at the boiler, decided he needed tools(!). Wandered slowly back to his van, blew countless fuses, decided he needed parts, didn't have them, came back, same process, more parts etc etc. And part way through the not-fix, knowing he'd have to open it all up again, he even put it all back together even though it was hidden away in its own cupboard! It will be interesting to see how it goes and perhaps the Plumber hoped it wouldn't go this far. Worryingly though, he seems well used to the process and the steps involved.

[john shipton]

Not being biased and advertising Ian Hills which I use, there is another heating and plumbing engineer who actually lives on our Urban Village.
His name is Simon.
The company is called...
Hykeham Plumbing and Heating Limited,
25 Mitchell Drive,
Lincoln.
Telephone number is 01522 874019.
I have just seen him this morning visiting one of my neighbours.

[tonyandcarol]

one of the plumber who installed our system and worked on our house and i imagine a number in the estate still lives in Elton Close. he will have great experience of all our problems and advice!

[kelly and chris]

Just popped on to find so many responses!! cheers

Many thanks for the advice and contacts

Kelly n Chris