David Gillon

Levelled up: fixed central heating

Levelled down: broke it in the first place

It's been gurgling much more than usual recently, so I bled a couple of radiators. After which it wasn't gurgling anymore because it wasn't heating the system at all. I guessed the problem was the pressure, or lack of, in the system. But where my original boiler had a hose you could connect between two valves to top it up, this one has it permanently plumbed in, and a large key (about 10cm)  on the underside.

Turning the key - it would move about a quarter of a turn - did nothing. I did wonder if there was some sort of locking screw stopping it going further because there was a little widget right next to it.

So I googled and found a central heating company showing you how to do it - kudos to them for not just charging people to come out and fix it!

It's not the huge key, that just enables the system for charging, turning it has no effect, and apparently it's supposed to be stored separately in a bottom flap* my boiler's never had.

It's the teeny little widget that's the actual inlet valve.

Turn it (it being a less than 1cm square thing), let it run for a while, turn the system back on, and it's working again. I have no idea if it's now in the right pressure range because the teensy little pressure gauge tucked away in the corner hasn't stirred off zero, which is clearly not right, and will need looking at by someone qualified at some point, but the house is now warm again and the radiators aren't gurgling.

* I do wonder if the charging instructions are on that flap.