Matblack
29-01-2008, 17:20
Apart from computers I am an utter dolt when it comes to DIY stuff and usually go running to Aitch's Dad to help me sort things out but not this time :)
A few weeks ago our boiler stopped firing, I couldn't for the life of me work out what was wrong with it, more precisely I didn't try, I just called British Gas and for £150 they made it work again. Apparently it was the fan, it had got jammed and as this pulls air in and expels CO2 etc that stops is working. He's 'mended' it. Subsequently I realise that mending means charging me £150 for a squirt of WD40
Lovely, the heating come back on and everything is sorted, until last week when I wake up in the morning theres no hot water and I'm freezing. I go downstairs take the front off the boiler and see the fan assembly which seems to be humming, so I prod it with a wooden spoon (to prevent electrocution) and it whirs in to life. Gonna have to replace it thinks I and its going to cost a lot but in the mean time I'll keep the spoon out.
I've had to jump start it a few times over the last few days but this morning it just won't work, she spins up and then back down but the boiler just won't fire :(
So I decide to take my life in my hands and try to replace it, a quick google gives me a part number and a short explanation of what to do and a local dealer has the part (I'm amazed this is a 10yo boiler of a type which is now illegal to fit!)
Off to pick up the part, not cheap at £120 but cheaper than calling BG again or a local heating engineer, I also bought myself some screwdrivers from Homebase.
Long and the short of it is, I'm not dead and the house is nice and warm :)
10 minutes on a stool with a screwdriver a few bits of wire reconnected and we're in business. I have to say despite the ease I am pretty pleased with myself as I normally would have wimped out. The only sticky bit was when I thought the woman at the parts place was going to ask me for proof of Corgi registration, apparently you need it to buy any gas carrying parts I can only assume that a fan isn't classed as gas carrying :/
And in 3 hours I have to go and stand in the cold and be watched but a OFSTED inspector to make sure I'm a good youth worker, fingers crossed there will be a nice warm house to come back to and not a smoking pile of rubble :shocked:
MB
A few weeks ago our boiler stopped firing, I couldn't for the life of me work out what was wrong with it, more precisely I didn't try, I just called British Gas and for £150 they made it work again. Apparently it was the fan, it had got jammed and as this pulls air in and expels CO2 etc that stops is working. He's 'mended' it. Subsequently I realise that mending means charging me £150 for a squirt of WD40
Lovely, the heating come back on and everything is sorted, until last week when I wake up in the morning theres no hot water and I'm freezing. I go downstairs take the front off the boiler and see the fan assembly which seems to be humming, so I prod it with a wooden spoon (to prevent electrocution) and it whirs in to life. Gonna have to replace it thinks I and its going to cost a lot but in the mean time I'll keep the spoon out.
I've had to jump start it a few times over the last few days but this morning it just won't work, she spins up and then back down but the boiler just won't fire :(
So I decide to take my life in my hands and try to replace it, a quick google gives me a part number and a short explanation of what to do and a local dealer has the part (I'm amazed this is a 10yo boiler of a type which is now illegal to fit!)
Off to pick up the part, not cheap at £120 but cheaper than calling BG again or a local heating engineer, I also bought myself some screwdrivers from Homebase.
Long and the short of it is, I'm not dead and the house is nice and warm :)
10 minutes on a stool with a screwdriver a few bits of wire reconnected and we're in business. I have to say despite the ease I am pretty pleased with myself as I normally would have wimped out. The only sticky bit was when I thought the woman at the parts place was going to ask me for proof of Corgi registration, apparently you need it to buy any gas carrying parts I can only assume that a fan isn't classed as gas carrying :/
And in 3 hours I have to go and stand in the cold and be watched but a OFSTED inspector to make sure I'm a good youth worker, fingers crossed there will be a nice warm house to come back to and not a smoking pile of rubble :shocked:
MB