Leak Detection

Totanus

We have a Vaillant combi boiler that is losing pressure dramatically! It has to be topped up twice a day and drifts down to zero every 6 or 7 hours.

We've had the boiler checked out by two plumbers. There's no leak from the prv outside. One plumber cut the prv pipe just below the boiler and left a bucket under the pipe end overnight to check for a potential prv pipe leak between boiler and outside wall. The bucket was bone dry in the morning!

The boiler has been isolated for 24 hours and didn't lose any pressure at all. Boiler thoroughly checked over by both plumbers...no issue with boiler.

We had leak sealant put in the system, this appeared to be having some effect after 2 or 3 days, but we were quickly back to square one and losing 1 to 1.5 bar pressure in a few hours.

All of which points to a leak somewhere on the central heating system, but there aren't any signs at all! I've checked all rad valves, wrapped tissue paper round the valves overnight, looked under floorboards upstairs and used mirrors to look along pipework upstairs....nothing!

Downstairs, we have a concrete floor but all pipework is above ground and mainly behind skirting/in walls. There are no signs of dampness on the laminate, skirting or plasterwork. We've just decorated the whole downstairs so we're reluctant to start taking the house apart in a potentially fruitless search (where would we start looking???)

So, I'm considering using a leak detection company. These are quite expensive, but the cost is irrelevant if they are reliable. The two I've got quotes from are LDS (Leak Detection Specialists) and ADI Leak Detection. They won't give any guarantess, other than a flimsy "we find a leak in 99% of cases!". There is very little comment on the net and no independent reviews of these (or other) leak detection companies.

Does anybody have any experience? Is there something we've missed?....something else we could try before we go down the LDS or ADI route? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

alanobrien

Take a look at this thread.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1694399

The UV dye method i described worked well and i have used it a few more times since then.

Andrew_Davies

Resurrecting an old thread, but for exactly the reasons you make, we started 'no find no fee' leak detection as UK Leak Detection and we have reviews on Google...

The old chestnut of we find 99% should be enough for others to offer the same terms of service.

Then there is dealing with insurance! :mad:

C_Mababejive

Are you sure its leaking and not a faulty expansion vessel? why not put a tank on it and convert it to an open vented system?

MitziMavis

Never Ever use ADI,
Many bad reviews,most of which keep disappearing from their Web page.I used them a year ago and ended up £2000 out of pocket.Took them to the Ombudsman and reported them to WHICH.

MitziMavis

Do not use A D I .EVER

Le_Kirk

In conclusion then, never use ADI. Why post twice?