Central Heating - Power Flush

Fastino

Hi There...any help on this would be much appreciated!

Basically I have had trouble with my Boiler for a while, I live in new build flats (2.5 years old) and have a combi boiler, with no radiators as we have under floor heating.

In a nut shell when i run hot water it goes hot-cold-hot-cold, or is just mainly cold...also the heating takes ages to heat up or doesnt work at all in a particular room. I have had both Barclays SOS cover and BG Homecare and had several engineers out from both..none of whom ever get to the problem. Many theories have been given...a leaking pipe leading to no pressure....a new fan etc etc. But still no fix. The latest engineers replaced the fan and everything was fine for a week but now its packed up again.

This time the engineers have come back out and said it needs a powerflush and Barclays wont cover it...so ive gotta pay for that before they will look at it again.

My questions are this...would a boiler only 2.5 years old in new flats, with no radiators need a powerflush??

And also...after several engineers have all claimed its a different problem....how can they now guarantee that the powerflush is the real problem?? What if i pay £600 for it and its still broke as that wasnt the prob???

Im at my wits end with no heating or hot water coming up to xmas so any advice would be a life saver!!

macman

Have they checked the diverter valve re the hot water problem?

Fastino

Hi Macman in all honesty im not sure!

the last engineer mumbled something about whoever fitted the boiler had not done a very good job and that this was the problem... but then the next thing i heard i got a call from Barclays SOS saying it needs a powerflush..which didnt tie in with what the engineer had said as far as i understand!?

macman

Didn't they properly document the work they had done before departing?
You need to get out a local recommended GSR RGI who is familar with your model, not one of these dire service contract companies.
Service contracts are pointless, get the boiler serviced annually and put the rest in the bank.
Make and model would get you more detailed advice.

Alfrescodave

I'm with macman on this one and would want to know that the diverter valve was functioning correctly before paying for a powerflush.

Might be worth the cost of an engineer recomended/supplied by the boiler manufacturer

Fastino

Its a Pro Combi HE

just dug out the docs from the last few visits. One says that found fault to be hot water thermister and CN9 wiring harness required. Then follow up visit says 'installed new DHT but still not working...and found air flow problem within burner chamber around the fan and air pressure switch'

the next visit says new fan installed - all working. which it did...for a week!!

then next guy comes out (from different company)...and now it needs a power flush apparently! just seems strange as its not that old (although i admit i havnt the first clue)

Would you recommend just paying a reputable plumber to come and have a look rather than these jokers?

as i find it hard to believe that the power flush will solve all my problems...as this is now their 5th or 6th diagnosis/guess!

macman

As already advised, 'plumbers' are not qualified to work on gas boilers-you need an RGI who is GSR.

C_Mababejive

Perhaps you need to get the boiler manufacturers engineer out to have a look?

This isnt rocket science but unfortunately,now that we give qualifications to everyone and anyone,we are no longer breeding quality Engineers who can take a wider view,question forensically,analyse,understand and diagnose.

As an aside,it is quite possible for a newish system to require PF if it has been installed incompetently ..i.e self cleaning aggressive fluxes were used during installation and not subsequently flushed out thoroughly,preferably before boiler fitting.

What make/model?

Fastino

im gunna sound stupid here but what is an RGI?...once i know this i'll look into it! thanks for your help by the way

macman

Registered Gas Installer, Gas Safe Registered. A plumber may also be GSR, but many are not.

Fastino

C_Mababejive - its a Pro Combi 85 HE



yeah ill look into getting a manufacturers engineer out. It seems like every different engineer that has come out was pretty confused..and just guessed at the problem. The power flush just feels like the latest guess to me and im reluctant to pay all that money on another guess.



Ive had problems with heating and water for over a year now and think this will effect me being able to sell the house next year