Combi boiler issue

Racheloa85

Recently moved into our house and we has a potterton performa 24 combi boiler .
When inactive or used for hot water pressure is on 1.5 if hearing is put on within 10 mins pressure goes up to 3.5 which is in the red.

We are renting so I do not know how old the boiler is.

Could it be something simple as the radiators needing bleeding I've felt them all and they have no cold patches.
You'll have to excuse my naively but this is our first home so no other experience and do not want to bother landlord if solution is simple.

Thanks in advance

keystone

Racheloa85 wrote: »

Recently moved into our house and we has a potterton performa 24 combi boiler .
When inactive or used for hot water pressure is on 1.5 if hearing is put on within 10 mins pressure goes up to 3.5 which is in the red.

We are renting so I do not know how old the boiler is.

Could it be something simple as the radiators needing bleeding I've felt them all and they have no cold patches.
You'll have to excuse my naively but this is our first home so no other experience and do not want to bother landlord if solution is simple.

Thanks in advance

The expansion vessel (EV) diaphragm is knackered or the pipe leading to the EV is blocked. If the pressure went over 3½ bar the Pressure Relief Valve will have lifted and requires attention.

None of this is DIYable if you have no experience it requires your landlord to do something - like get someone in.

Cheers

Racheloa85

I contacted the management agency today who in turn contacted the owner.
The owner said that this is fine as long as the resting temperature is in the green? He told the management agent he had left us a note stating this. The note he left said to keep the pressure in green topping up as needed and it should be within 0.5-2.5 however as previously stated it goes to 3-3.5 bar.

What could this result in? Damage to the boiler? Isit dangerous?

Many thanks

southcoastrgi

no it is most certainly not "fine" it needs sorting out, the prob is exactly as KS has said, the water will expand when you put the heating on, it does this more with the heating rather than the hot water due to the volume of water involved, it is as much a safety device as is the pressure relief valve, insist that the management agency gets an heating engineer to sort out this problem, you can quote either myself or KS if you need to

evoke

Agree. It's not fine whatsoever. The pressure may rise a bit under use but nothing like to the extent it seems to be rising. Resting pressure should be just a touch over 1.0 bar (for my combi boiler at least).

The advice from your landlord to 'keep topping up as needed' is utterly bizarre and wrong.

The boiler should be looked at and the problem fixed.

Anything issue involving gas should never be ignored. Have you got a gas safety certificate that should have been provided by the landlord?

roddydogs

The LL dosnt want to spend any money-surprise.

keystone

Move out. Your LL is clearly cavalier in the extreme - what else is he cutting corners on?

Cheers

booty40uk

The boiler is dangerous........your landlord even more so. And yes, you can quote me on that too.
Tell him you want an rgi out immediately. Not him or some DIY enthusiast. Whoever comes, check their gas safe card. The gas safe site will tell you what to look for.
If he does nothing call gas safe and explain the situation to them.

Have you been given a gas safety certificate for the property? Your landlord has to arrange that this is done annually by law.

Racheloa85

Thank you so much for your replies I will ring management agency first thing Monday .
I just want to clarify. Wherever the pressure starts it goes up by 2.1 bar when the heating is on. So currently resting on 0.8 will go up 2.9 when heating on. You say there should be some rise with the heating , how much is normal?

What could the outcome be if used in this state, so I can quote to management agent.

I was reassured that gas safety check was carried out but no I haven't seen certificates, it would of been carried out 2 months ago would it of picked this problem up?

southcoastrgi

it varies on how much the pressure will rise by how much water you have in the system, how big the expansion vessel is inside the boiler & wether it's at the correct pressure, the prv (pressure relief valve) is set to open at 3 bar

if the tube to the expansion vessel is blocked or the vessel is full of water the only place it can expand to is out through the prv (you will see water coming out through the small copper pipe outside), once these open up it is very rare they will reset sucessfully (they normally get a bit of crap under the seating) so if this is the case it will need either cleaning out or replacing,

if the valve fails & stays shut the pressure goes up too much & what happens to a pan of water on your hob if it boils with the lid on ?

Racheloa85

Thank you again. I'm getting more worried.
I was just reading pottertons website and as you stated it said prv would open at 3 and fault would occur.
Well it did go above 3 and no fault light has come on. Does this mean the valve is faulty?