So cold...

[PBancroft]

Boiler has decided to pack up this morning. No hot water, no heating, and no bl**dy chance of getting a repair man out in the next few days.

Gonna be a cold Chrimbo.

 

[snapper_37]

shoot. Got any insurance? British Gas gas engineers cover 356 I believe.

 

[numbnuts]

If it’s any consolation I have heating, but can’t afford to have it on

 

[Plax]

Oh dear. I would sympathise but I don't have any mod cons .
You'll need to scrounge a few portable heaters. I find oil filled heaters the best. I think mine is a Delonghi Radia oil filled heater. 1.5KW so not too expensive. I keep meaning to get another. I have a halogen heater too, but I don't think it's as good. Keep the curtains and doors shut to keep the heat in.

As for hot water, I boil the kettle and use that for washing up and stuff, if you have a flask, then any hot water you haven't used can go in that to use again without having to boil the kettle.

I have an advantage over you I think in that I do actually also have a coal fire in the living room. So only really bother regularly heating my bedroom (heater is on a timer there so my bedroom is nice and warm for bed time and when it's time to get up) and computer room.

I also tend to layer up and wear SKI socks as I get cold feet otherwise.

 

[Globalti]

What's wrong with the boiler?

 

[Bman]

Sh*t! Thats the last thing you need! I know as it happened to us last year....

Christmas eve we smelt a burning smell when we put on the (gas fired) water heating. The circulation pump was dieing... We left it to cool down and tried it again a few hours later, that blew the whole lot. Which meant no hot water or heating.

We have "HomeCare" with British Gas which meant they should be able to get an engineer out in the next day or two (even over Christmas) to get it fixed. Our daughter was only 4 months old at the time and I stated this over the phone. They arranged an engineer for boxing day, which didnt bother us as we were spending Christmas away from home with family.

However, Boxing day came and went... no engineer. When we called them again, they had no record of our fault or engineer appointment! But we managed to get it fixed the next day or so....

Lets hope you have better luck getting an engineer out to you Kaipaith!

 

[PBancroft]

What's wrong with the boiler?

In case you're a boiler engineer (or someone else here is) and would be able to advise appropriately...

It's a Potterton Netaheat Electronic, so fairly aged. It seems that the ignition unit has failed (either the fuse has blown, or something else to prevent it sparking). The fan is working fine, so I think it would probably be a quick fix for someone in the know... at least that's what I'm hoping.

I have managed to borrow a gas storage heater from the wife's family, and have a little fan heater for the bedroom. I hadn't thought about using flasks to store hot water - that's a good idea. There will be plenty of hot water bottles in use too!

 

[hackbike 666]

Any consolation is my boiler dont work either.

 

[PBancroft]

Any consolation is my boiler dont work either.

Ah, cripes. Any chance of you getting yours fixed for Christmas?

 

[cyberknight]

Sh*t!

We have "HomeCare" with British Gas which meant they should be able to get an engineer out in the next day or two (even over Christmas) to get it fixed. Our daughter was only 4 months old at the time and I stated this over the phone.

Yes the home care is worth the money we had a water leak a few months ago and had water coming out of the ceiling , had an engineer within 2 hours.

 

[mr_cellophane]

shoot. Got any insurance? British Gas gas engineers cover 356 I believe.

Which 9 days do they not cover ?

I have BG service cover, they come out the next day. We have called them out over Christmas and if you have no heating at all, they will come sooner.

 

[PBancroft]

Yes the home care is worth the money we had a water leak a few months ago and had water coming out of the ceiling , had an engineer within 2 hours.

We don't have the cover. May invest now though.

We *do* have a boiler repair man next door, and although he's busier than a particularly busy thing today he's going to pop over and have a look after his rounds. Fingers crossed...

 

[graham56]

In case you're a boiler engineer (or someone else here is) and would be able to advise appropriately...

It's a Potterton Netaheat Electronic, so fairly aged. It seems that the ignition unit has failed (either the fuse has blown, or something else to prevent it sparking). The fan is working fine, so I think it would probably be a quick fix for someone in the know... at least that's what I'm hoping.

I have managed to borrow a gas storage heater from the wife's family, and have a little fan heater for the bedroom. I hadn't thought about using flasks to store hot water - that's a good idea. There will be plenty of hot water bottles in use too!

Sounds like the thermocouple has had it, universal replacement from B&Q for a few quid.

 

[PBancroft]

Sounds like the thermocouple has had it, universal replacement from B&Q for a few quid.

I'm not going to touch it - I'll let the professionals do it. There are some things I don't mind doing a bit of DIY on, but boilers are not one of them, especially if they have positive case pressure.

If I'm going to die in my sleep from gas poisoning, I want it to be someone else's fault!

 

[HobbesChoice]

Sorry to hear that Kaipath, but it sounds like you've got reserves at the ready. I hope your neighbour can get it working tonight for you though.

My heating packed up on NYE last year and I couldn't afford to get it fixed until the end of January! I'm not great in the cold but luckily have an electric shower so could get myself clean each day (even if I did have to shower fully clothed !!!!!!!) I also bought a small radiator which I pretty much carried around the house with me. Not a situation I'd like to repeat so I signed up with British Gas homeserve now too.

Best of luck with getting it fixed.