Gurgling/Bubbling Boiler

murphy23

Hiya,

We arrived back from hols to the "thaw" and found that we had a few issues with what would seem to be the boiler and no hot water. Its a copper unit that has gas fired heating and well as electric immersion.

Did a bit of research in boards.ie and the web but can't make heads nor tales of the techo jargon. The symptoms are these and any advice would be welcome:

1. water tank in attic was empty, so we filled this up.
2. initially we were getting hot water but now we only have cold.
3. thought there may have been an air lock so used the mains pressure to reverse (back into water storage unit) which worked initially but the hot water is comining out cold and there is an awful gurgling/bubbling noise which seems to be coming from the boiler itself. We can also hear what sounds like water in pipes circulating through the downstairs walls?
4. Boiler unit is not hot even when immersion is switched on but radiators are working for central heating.
5. There is also a knocking noise when the electric shower is used which is heard from downstairs.

Thanks folks
Murph

Buford T Justice

If the immersion is working then there is no reason why there wouldn't be hot water in the cylinder.

murphy23

Fingers McGee wrote: »

If the immersion is working then there is no reason why there wouldn't be hot water in the cylinder.

Thanks fingers. I checked the water tank again and its not filling and therefore is not filling the hot water cylinder to heat via immersion. does the hot water cylinder need to be filled in order for immersion to work? a friend says there must be a blockage in the main water supply pipe to the water storage tank which is restricting the flow. Any thoughts here?

Zab

If we're talking about the same things here then your immersion heater is a heating element submerged in your hot water cylinder. So it would follow that it would have to have water in the cylinder so it can heat it.

I don't know too much about this, and I'm about to make a very similar post myself. In point three I assume that you used the mixer tap in your kitchen to force cold water through the pipe to your cylinder?

There are different types of heating systems. Usually there will be one system of water that is pumped from your boiler to a coil in the hot water cylinder (it doesn't mingle with the water in the cylinder) then around the radiators in your house. Again, if there's no water in your hot water cylinder to be heated this would explain why your radiators are working but not your hot water.

Is the cold water tank in the attic filling itself? If not then I guess there is a blockage/freeze or there isn't enough pressure from the mains to get it up there. If you're in Dublin you should check here to see if you're being affected by low pressure.

Buford T Justice

Unless the hot water cylinder was manually drained, it will be always full of water, its just that there's no pressure to push the water out of it...

Again. the immersion should be physically heating the deposit of water that's in the tank....

Zab

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Unless the hot water cylinder was manually drained, it will be always full of water, its just that there's no pressure to push the water out of it...

Ah, I didn't know that but of course it makes sense. Is there anything stopping the water running back out the cold intake pipe if that pipe loses pressure?

murphy23

Zab wrote: »

If we're talking about the same things here then your immersion heater is a heating element submerged in your hot water cylinder. So it would follow that it would have to have water in the cylinder so it can heat it.

I don't know too much about this, and I'm about to make a very similar post myself. In point three I assume that you used the mixer tap in your kitchen to force cold water through the pipe to your cylinder?

There are different types of heating systems. Usually there will be one system of water that is pumped from your boiler to a coil in the hot water cylinder (it doesn't mingle with the water in the cylinder) then around the radiators in your house. Again, if there's no water in your hot water cylinder to be heated this would explain why your radiators are working but not your hot water.

Is the cold water tank in the attic filling itself? If not then I guess there is a blockage/freeze or there isn't enough pressure from the mains to get it up there. If you're in Dublin you should check here to see if you're being affected by low pressure.

I used the mixer from the mains to reverse the air lock.

The cold tank is filling itself but drip feeding water rather than a strong flow so therefore perhaps pressure is lost of there is a blockage/freeze.

We now have water downstairs in the kitchen where the mains water intake pipe would be located leading up the the main water storage tank.

Anyone know what the loud bubbling/gugling sound coming from the hot water cyclinder would be? (we dont have the immersion on but the heating to rads is still working) likewise we also have the sound of water trickling within our downstairs walls in the kitchen where the mains water pipe is sitaueted?

Buford T Justice

Zab wrote: »

Ah, I didn't know that but of course it makes sense. Is there anything stopping the water running back out the cold intake pipe if that pipe loses pressure?

No, I don't see it happening. not in my opinion anyway

Zab

Okay, I suppose you would need something allowing air into the tank anyway.

How about this thread though, would it not explain his problem? Assuming there's a leak between the hot water tank and the taps, the hot water would immediately be drawn away from the tank if everything else was working, but when the cold water supply went off the leak would allow the water in the tank to flow out the bottom of the tanks to the cold water taps as he says is happening (tank in attic is now empty but he has cold water and no hot water).

murphy23

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Unless the hot water cylinder was manually drained, it will be always full of water, its just that there's no pressure to push the water out of it...

Again. the immersion should be physically heating the deposit of water that's in the tank....

Thanks guys for your help, I have a plumber friend coming around the gaf tonight but might get a 2nd opinion. Anyone know of a good plumber in the meath/dublin border area that does not charge the earth and that could come out straight away? we have a 7 mth old and the wife wants this sorted asap. Again, thanks and appreciate your assistance

danjo-xx

murphy23 wrote: »

Thanks guys for your help, I have a plumber friend coming around the gaf tonight but might get a 2nd opinion. Anyone know of a good plumber in the meath/dublin border area that does not charge the earth and that could come out straight away? we have a 7 mth old and the wife wants this sorted asap. Again, thanks and appreciate your assistance

If he's a friend as you say give him half a chance at least he deserve's that much!

Buford T Justice

Zab wrote: »

Okay, I suppose you would need something allowing air into the tank anyway.

How about this thread though, would it not explain his problem? Assuming there's a leak between the hot water tank and the taps, the hot water would immediately be drawn away from the tank if everything else was working, but when the cold water supply went off the leak would allow the water in the tank to flow out the bottom of the tanks to the cold water taps as he says is happening (tank in attic is now empty but he has cold water and no hot water).

Air will rise to the top of the tank, and that is where the hot is drawn from. Its filled at the bottom, and unless it was manually drained from this pipe or there's a hole in it, then its not empty. Water won't travel back up to the tank upstairs and if you had a leak, you'd know about it