Sooo much pooping

[Happy chickens!]

We are in the middle of having our old boiler replaced by new efficient one, so the house is very cold cos no heating. I lit the log fire to warm one room, nice and cosy, we use the fire quite a lot, but never had a problem. Turns out that the back boiler - which we thought had been disconnected years before we bought the house - was still plumbed into the old heating system, but now the pipe has been opened and the system drained......

 

.... the residual water in the loop of pipe was heated by the fire, the steam poured out into the kitchen and by the time we noticed, the fire was roaring and no way to stop the steam billowing out. Took me a few seconds to realise what must be happening as at first couldn't see how a boiler still in its box on the floor could be working!!!

 

So now instead of a warm toasty snug, the fire has had to be let to go out, the windows are open in the kitchen to get rid of the steam and it's colder than ever. Early bed tonight with the electric blanket on full for me!!

 

I've been googling to see if can use the back boiler for anything useful as it clearly still works, but to no avail - would be handy if the heat from the fire could be used, but wouldn't want to rely on it for the main heating/hot water - unless you omleteers know different!

[sunshinesupernova]

I'm a HETAS regisitered engineer and the technical advisor.

 

Please PLEASE PLEASE do not use this stove again until the boiler has been removed. There is a very serious risk of explosion to use a stove with a boiler when not connected properly to a wet system.

 

 

In some stoves, boilers can be removed and inside relined. If it's a wraparound type unit - it's not fit for use unless plumbed in.

 

I copied an article from an old HETAS newsletter and put it on Ebay Guides as a reference for people like yourself.

 

You can find it here : http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Explosions-in-Redundant-Solid-Fuel-Back-Boilers-Stoves_W0QQugidZ10000000013644641

[Happy chickens!]

Thanks very much for the pointer, sunshine-supernova, I did come across something similar in the end with my googling, it sounds very worrying. Fortunately (?!), there has been no closure of the system, so all the steam was able to safely escape into my kitchen. I am hoping today that the plumber will be able to do something with the pipe to vent it in someway to prevent future problems. I think most of the residual water in the back boiler boiled away last night.

 

Of course I won't be lighting any more fires until it has been made safe - it was ok before, have been using fireplace for 10 years, the plumber says the back boiler was plumbed into the hot water system, which, whoever fitted the old boiler should never have done!

 

Worst case scenario would be removal of the back boiler, which would be horrendous, it is deep in the chimney behind the fire and would need my lovely fireplace being destroyed, plus the mess would be horrendous and we are spending enough on new boiler and bathroom at the moment - ironically with a steam room, mmm perhaps hook up......? no!!!!

[sunshinesupernova]

I only skim read your post last night - but I see the boiler is in an open fireplace.

 

Removal generally is the best option. Vital that you don't try to use the fire until someone who knows what they are doing can have a look at it for you.

 

Good luck

[Happy chickens!]

Thanks SS, am definitely taking no chances!