Replacing central heating pump

[MelanieWalls]

My hot water and central heating has stopped working. As the hot water heats up fine with the immersion heater, the boiler switches on for about 30 seconds then switches off, and there is no sound in the airing cupboard (where the pump is) when I try to switch it on, I suspect that the pump has broken. Would it be feasible for me to replace it myself? I'm a novice plumber with no tools! So, which tools would I need and how difficult would it be? I'd also like to put thermostatic valves on the radiators, and the controller for the valve on one of the radiators has sheared off (with it switched off) so that need replacing (prefereably with a thermostatic one) would it be a good idea to do that at the same time? Alternately, how much would it cost to get it done professionally roughly?

[woofgang]

Melanie, how long is a piece of string? prices depend on where you live, who you get to do it and what guarantes they will give you on the work. If you are a novice plumber, how willing are you to grovel, get wet and dirty, skin your knuckles and maybe flood your house?. if you do want to try it yourself, lots of places run plumbing evening classes and there is a website whose name escapes me (but mikewith knows it) where you can find out how to do it.....honestly, the best of luck. last comment, are you in a flat and how would your neighbours react if you leaked water into them or affected their water supply?

[smudge]

Hi Melanie, after watching our plumber fit our C/H pump, I wouldn't even attempt to try to fit one yourself. It is a specialist job & if you were a qtr of the way through it & got into difficulties, you'd only have to call out the prof's anyway! Rather than get ripped off, ask family or friends for recommendations. Also our plumber said he wouldn't bother fitting rad thermo's, as they can be more trouble than they're worth, getting stuck etc., over a period of time. I wish you good luck anyway.

[Jenny Tools]

Are you sure you need a new pump first ? They sometimes get stuck esp if not used for a while, if you can see the pump look to see if it has a large screw in the centre of the pump, about the size of a 10p. undo this plug (only a very small amount of water may come out) and insert a screw driver in the hole and turn the impeller inside with the pump switched on, if it was stuck this will free it and getting going. Unless your good at d.i.y this about as far I'll advise you to go.

[KARL]

I would not discourage you from DIY - pump replacement is not a complex job unless access to it is difficult. You need to turn off the valves that should be on the pipeline immediately on either side of the pump (probably using a large screwdriver, turn 90 degrees on each), turn off the electricity supply (timer/boiler), disconnect power lead (take careful note of connections beforehand), remove pump using two spanners/wrenches one coupling at a time(take note of orientation of pump before removal - it weighs in excess of 2kg). Then work in reverse trough this when fitting the replacement (using new gaskets which should come with the replacement). On the other hand, the pump may be stuck and can be set going again (recent AB thread dealt with this). I thoroughly recommend thermostatic valves if you want to get out of the past 30 years our so technologically - in my opinion Drayton chrome-domes are the best - and while you are at it you should think in terms of a room-stat for a suitable location (not widely used in UK but more or less universal in countries where CH has been the norm since decades before it came in here). Professional charges are ..... think of a number and multiply it.