How long to you have your hot water on for?

Zascar

I live in a 2 bed apartment - very recently built to a very high standard. I would assume it has a very good heating system etc - it's certainly well insulated and I don't have to use the heating much but I'm 4th floor which helps. What annoys me is that very often I go to take a shower and the water is either cold or just luke warm. I have it on for 1.5 hours in the morning and the same in the evening. Is that a lot? If I shower just after its been on its fine but if its several hours later its not hot any more. I've been to friends places where even at 3am they have roasting hot water.

I like really hot showers sometimes. I recently found my boiler has a temperature gauge so I turned it up - but worried it might send my bills skyrocketing. What is normal and what can I do to fix this can anyone recommend please?

Prenderb

That should be enough to make plenty of hot water.

What was the thermostat set at before you adjusted it, and what's it at now? I'd suggest around 65 celsius as a start.


Is your hot water cylinder well insulated in the hotpress?

scudo2

Do you have a hot press with a cylinder?

If so, does the cylinder have a thermostat on it ?
What temp is it set at.

1.5 hours X 2 should give "boiling" water all day.

I've 30min X 2 = plenty hot water

Photo of boiler & hot press would help.

Zascar

I just took this photo - this is oyut on my balcony behind a door:



It's set to come on from 5pm to 6.30pm

If you are getting 30 mins x2 then i think something is very wrong with my system!

scudo2

Zascar wrote: »

I just took this photo - this is oyut on my balcony behind a door:



It's set to come on from 5pm to 6.30pm

If you are getting 30 mins x2 then i think something is very wrong with my system!

Water pressure to low in boiler.

This could also cause air in coil of cylinder = no hot water

Get boiler serviced, not just for the service but for engineer to show you the DIY bit's that you need to safely know about boiler, venting and filling.

Zascar

Thanks, ok great to know that, I thought something must be wrong! I'll call tomorrow and get it done.

BorneTobyWilde

If there is radiators on shirely the water would cool over the course of the day.

n0brain3r

Is that an ideal mini boiler? If so for mine to heat the water to a decent temp I need the temp dial turned horizontal or past it so it points down slightly about an hour heats the tank completely. When it's set so low the boiler cycles too often and only fires for 20-30 mins of the hour. I'm assuming you have all the rads off too? Mine shows low pressure too about .25 bar but rises slightly when running and the RGI who serviced it last said they where designed to run on low pressure.

Egass13

n0brain3r wrote: »

Is that an ideal mini boiler? If so for mine to heat the water to a decent temp I need the temp dial turned horizontal or past it so it points down slightly about an hour heats the tank completely. When it's set so low the boiler cycles too often and only fires for 20-30 mins of the hour. I'm assuming you have all the rads off too? Mine shows low pressure too about .25 bar but rises slightly when running and the RGI who serviced it last said they where designed to run on low pressure.

They will run on low pressure , but they will run better and more efficiently with the correct pressure of 1 -1.25 bar

chrysagon

how long for immersion to heat up water do ye know?

K.Flyer

Zascar wrote: »

I just took this photo - this is oyut on my balcony behind a door:



It's set to come on from 5pm to 6.30pm

If you are getting 30 mins x2 then i think something is very wrong with my system!

With little to no water in the system its quite possible that you may have airlocks in part of the system resulting in poor circulation and no decent heat being produced at the cylinder or the rads.
That boiler should showing 1.25 bar minimum when cold and no more than 2.0 bar when hot.

n0brain3r

Sorry to hijack how do you pressurise the system? I've a filler loop in the hot press off the storage tank but switching it on doesn't have any effect.

scudo2

n0brain3r wrote: »

Sorry to hijack how do you pressurise the system? I've a filler loop in the hot press off the storage tank but switching it on doesn't have any effect.

AND nobrainer, you have a pressurized expansion tank that has to be charged up.

Hence my advice to orignal OP
Get a service and information on whats involved with servicing and also on the householders DIY part of system.

.25 bar is bordering on the dangerious side of operation for a boiler.IMO

A good service engineer should happily explain and show you.

A bit of DIY without full understanding of the system is not good.
So always ask to be shown.

n0brain3r

Sorry I posted from the phone and didn't see your advice. I have one of these boilers and was letting the op know how it works for me.

I did ask to be shown at the last service a couple of months back I asked was the pressure too low and was told no these boilers operate on low pressure. I then explained I'd had a leak on under a rad repaired it myself and opened the filler loop to refill the system ran the boiler with the stat down and bleed all the rads until they where free of air them close the valve again I was told that was ok. Was he wrong?

scudo2

n0brain3r wrote: »

Sorry I posted from the phone and didn't see your advice. I have one of these boilers and was letting the op know how it works for me.

I did ask to be shown at the last service a couple of months back I asked was the pressure too low and was told no these boilers operate on low pressure. I then explained I'd had a leak on under a rad repaired it myself and opened the filler loop to refill the system ran the boiler with the stat down and bleed all the rads until they where free of air them close the valve again I was told that was ok. Was he wrong?

No, what you done is correct, but pressure should be 1 bar, but pressure in expansion vessel should have been also checked, (when water pressure is at 0) it's part of the safety system.
Sadly it's not always checked by some not so good engineers I sadly have to add.
So get somebody good.

n0brain3r

Thanks Scudo I'll look for someone different next time round

scudo2

n0brain3r wrote: »

Thanks Scudo I'll look for someone different next time round

I'm not saying your guy did or didn't.
It's just a fact if life.
But the cheap service prices is normaly a good milestone!
Persionaly I'm happier if somebody is watching what I'm doing, + I can have a chat and explain what I'm doing.

eddiej

Scudo2

Just a quick one is there a list of what should be done on a gas boiler service and what should this cost. Is there a separate list for condenser and non-condenser boiler

Cheers

Eddie

scudo2

eddiej wrote: »

Scudo2

Just a quick one is there a list of what should be done on a gas boiler service and what should this cost. Is there a separate list for condenser and non-condenser boiler

Cheers

Eddie

Honesty & trust.
On both sides

Recomandations too.

Dtp1979

eddiej wrote: »

Scudo2

Just a quick one is there a list of what should be done on a gas boiler service and what should this cost. Is there a separate list for condenser and non-condenser boiler

Cheers

Eddie

There used to be a stick but it's gone its for some reason.
It should be approx 1 hour at least and usually not less than 80. Definitely get a cert 3 after it. As them how long it takes when you call. If they say 20mins then pass.

eddiej

Thanks for that, a sticky would be great from any of the knowledgeable here

scudo2

eddiej wrote: »

Thanks for that, a sticky would be great from any of the knowledgeable here

Most manafactures list whats to be done on their web site.
Look up boilers tech book info on service.
It should be on the website, and in the book that came with boiler if you still have it.
+ pressure test gas meter and line for leaks, simple but critical part of service.

eddiej

When the service is finished what type of report should you get and should all these things be listed i.e. are some common across all boilers and on a check list with a space for other boiler specific items to be listed.

Thanks

greasepalm

it maybe none of the above as i had issues with cooler rads and a tap on immersion i could adjust to heat rads more and less heat to immersion,also a tap to stop rads heating and just do the immersion.

eddiej

Scudo2

Just dug through the old stickies link and I found the link to what to expect from servicing a gas boiler done by JohnieK

Thanks for all the replies and sorry if I hi-jacked the original thread

Eddie

Zascar

Hi lads, quick update. So I had someone up to look at my heating he confirmed yes the pressure was very low. All he did was went into my hot press where the boiler is and pushed a little 90 degree valve which re-pressurised the system. There are two gauges, one there and one on the balcony on the boiler - the pic I posted above. He bumped it up to 2 in the hotpress and its showing about 1.5 on the balcony. Now the heating and water are working much better - the rads in the main room are really hot and its much warmer.

The only thing is the rad in my bedroom is only luke warm. Why would this be and how can I fix it?
Thanks

greasepalm

does it need to be bled?