Hot water

[Nickerbockers]

Just wondered if anyone else in Sydenham is having problems with hot water? Just in the middle of running a bath and realised the hot water is coming out cold. Had to fill the rest with three kettles of boiling water and it was still too cold!

I can't work out if it's just affecting these flats (Kent House Road) or if a pipe has burst in the area? Anyone else lost hot water today?

[Janeco]

I have notice that water and radiators not as hot so suspect gas pressure has been reduced, but it has not gone off altogether. Hope it's back on now.

[Weeble]

We've been finding our hot water a bit tempramental over the last week or so - our shower runs off a mixer and it's been doing hot-cold-hot-cold which isn't normal.

Guessing it's to do with the gas supply fluctuating a bit due to high demand in the icey weather.

[Gaz]

We've been finding our hot water a bit tempramental over the last week or so - our shower runs off a mixer and it's been doing hot-cold-hot-cold which isn't normal.

Guessing it's to do with the gas supply fluctuating a bit due to high demand in the icey weather.

I was really glad that I had read this forum thread the other day. My heating packed up on New Years Day and I got it fixed on the Sunday after consulting this forum.

However, on Weds night, I noticed that my living room was suddenly cold. After checking my EMF Dectection Meter and realising the only spooks were on my Sky+, I realised that my radiators were cold!

This was quite shocking (and scary) as my heating was on and the distribution pump had only got fixed t'other day. But remembering this thread I realised it may 'just' be that the gas supply was restricted.

Sure enough, after checking everything else and ensuring the boiler was firing (but not warming the rads), about 40mins later they did heat up.

Guess I'm trying to warn people that the UK's power supplies are heavily depending on overseas trade - and that fossil fuels just aren't sustainable in the medium-long run...

[jackieboo]

am getting my chimney re-lined this year and having an open fire installed. We live near common woodland so it will be free wood (and anything else I can find), I often see people with wheelbarrows full so will be joining them. It also helps to air the house with a draught going. I learned how to "draw" a real fire at the age of 9 when we lived in a Victorian house in Brockley and have done it a few times since, nothing more satisfying.

Nothing like a crackling log fire!

Can't stand the worry about the central heating all the time and whether it's going to conk out as it has done at crucial times of the year. I use the immersion for water now and again and begrudge switching the boiler on.

We also notice we have more colds and snuffles once the heating is on as I am very much a fresh air person, and am always opening windows.

[dickp]

My parents have a wood fire, and they tell me that a closed system generates an awful lot more heat than an open one.

But even a closed system uses a collosal amount of wood - three or four big chunks of wood per evening (so you can't leave it alone for more than about half an hour).

They're great - but, if you are planning to use it as a useful source of heat, do your research beforehand!

[richpickings]

We had a similar problem with our combination boiler and our very, very good plumber advised us to to do the following and it worked:

When running hot water, such as in a bath or shower, turn on the hot water slowly, rather than opening up the taps at full pelt straight off. I'm no plumber but from what I understand, in a combination boiler, this allows a well of hot water to build up which can then constantly be replenished for as long as you need it. This is especially necessary in colder weather when the water coming into the boiler is at a lower temperature (the water coming out of our cold taps has been a nearly freezing point recently) and therefore takes a bit longer to get heated by the boiler. You should only have to run it slowly for about ten seconds and then you can open them up all the way.

The other thing to look out for is the pressure gauge on your boiler, if that falls near the red zone that can effect your hot water - it is pretty straight forward to adjust the valves and put the pressure back up (check your instruction booklet)

[leenewham]

am getting my chimney re-lined this year and having an open fire installed.

Sydenham is in a smoke control area so be careful about using an open fire. We had a wood burning stove installed which is smoke control zone approved. They are very good and very controlable. They are also more economical than an open fire (about 70%+ efficient compared to an open fire which is about 20% efficient as most of the heat goes up the chimney). You can turn them down and up and are easier to clean.

Worth looking at. You can fit them with a back boiler to run radiators too. We love ours and it really kicks out the heat.