central heating

[nice sax]

I am going on holiday for two weeks and want to turn the water off at the mains, but also would like to leave the central heating on in case there is a cold spell.

Can anyone tell me if there is any danger in adopting this procedure. I have a service agreement with British Gas and have asked them the question but they have sat on the fence and said" THEY CANNOT GIVE ANY ADVICE AND IT IS UP TO ME'

My main worry is what would be the insurance position if there are any disasters.

Can anyone help.

NICE SAX

[danchip]

i'm no plumber and dont really know anything about it but if you turn the water off then surely there'll be no water getting into the central heating system so how will it work?

[bazwillrun]

Assuming that your heating system is like most, its a sealed system, so turning off the water shouldnt be a problem, unless of course you have a system that is continually refilling itself.

When you turn off the mains open the taps to clear any water out of the pipes.
If the waters off then if a pipe did burst (highly unlikely if no water in them) the spill would be minimal, virtually none if taps are open, and as for leaving the heating on at a low " winter" setting thats common if you go away. Theres no real reason any "disasters" should happen than at any other time when its on.

As for insurance who knows, theyll try to get out of payments wherever possible, without having a lawyer go through the policy its impossible to know and even then theyll try and find some clause to wriggle out of it

[bazwillrun]

in a rush so made a mistake

meant to say "a system like mine"

[Davethedog]

If you turn off the water and clear the pipes don't you run the risk of air locking the system?

Better to leave taps dripping if your that worried, but doubtful it will get anywhere near enough cold to freeze pipes.

Unless you are in the Mull of Kintyre... in a detached house...up a mountain.

[deggers316]

danchip your right your no plumber lol

[bazwillrun]

I was always told to leave the taps open so when you turn the mains back on the water forces any air out and avoiding any air locks in the pipes, and If any pipe did burst theres no water in them to soak anything .

I'm not talking about any taps there might be in the CH system, only kitchen,bathroom taps

[Old_Geezer]

Unless your central heating is losing pressure then it ought not need topping up from the mains supply. I'm no expert in heating systems but I'd have thought it an irresponsible design if a problem occurred such that pressure dropped and the system didn't just fail safe by turning off.

[razza]

Yes perfectly safe if a combi boiler,as Docspock says they are designed to shut down once pressure goes below a certain point.

[VHG]

>>>there'll be no water getting into the central heating system so how will it work?

Its the same water going round and round the system (with a small top up now and again).

It is not "new" water each time you put your central heating on.

[AlBags]

Goodness ..

It's safe to turn off mains water in ANY central heating for a few weeks at least!
Combi will pump on regardless.
Gravity system header will top up a normally operating system for months without mains.
Pressurised system behaves like Combi.

[mjwman]

Surely it is too late in the year to worry about cold spells. Unlikely to get any damage causing frosts now.