Leaking pressure combi boiler

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I recently bought a flat and originally the boiler leaked from the flu on the outside.It is a 1 year old glowworm combi.

Now I have to fill it up manually about every two weeks.It starts at 1.5 bar when full and after about 12 days it is now on 0.5 bar.

I originally had a plumber out to look at it and solved the leaking flu outside but I am now losing pressure.

Obviously there is a leak which could be anywhere(under the floorboards etc).
I also have had a light wet wood smell when i enter the flat which has been here for the last 5 months.
Its not really bad but is noticeable.
I'm getting the plumber out again.
Does anyone know how much of a leak in this sort of loss of pressure would be?(a cupful a day or a pint or what?)and could this cause this smell?

Thanks,

Chris

worriedindebt

Have you checked your radiators? Could be last time you bled them you didn't tighten the valve and may be slight leak which would explain the loss of pressure and possibly the damp wood smell? (Assuming the damp wood is near a radiator?)

[Deleted User]

worriedindebt wrote: »

Have you checked your radiators? Could be last time you bled them you didn't tighten the valve and may be slight leak which would explain the loss of pressure and possibly the damp wood smell? (Assuming the damp wood is near a radiator?)

The radiators are OK as far as I can see and the smell is coming from the kitchen where the combi is.

stator

Wrap some kitchen roll paper around the pipes at the bottom of each radiator. If there is a small leak it can be quite hard to tell and this helps spot the leak.

[Deleted User]

stator wrote: »

Wrap some kitchen roll paper around the pipes at the bottom of each radiator. If there is a small leak it can be quite hard to tell and this helps spot the leak.

Tried that unfortunately.Also I went away for 10 days and switched it off at the mains and came back and the boiler had locked out.

Jhoney_2

I had this pressure issue once. The pressure loss may be from inside the boiler. There is a sort of innertube like with a bicycle and that could need replacing due to puncture. I have no idea how this can be caused, but it was a newly installed A* rated boiler fitted (and maintained) by BG.

No idea re the damp smell. Could the leak be dripping/soaking into a nearby cupboard unit? Is it enclosed in a cupboard or above a base unit/flooring?

MarkBargain

We had a similar thing and it was a leaking central heating pipe behind the wash basket in the bathroom. It was easy to get to and the plumber charged about £60 to weld it to repair it. It was a relief as the pressure loss became more regular as the leak got faster. Get a plumber to find the cause ASAP before any real damage is done. If there turns out to be significant damage, worth asking your insurers.

[Deleted User]

I'm not sure about the damp wood smell either.

Worrying me though as its been here since I moved in.

The combi is above a base unit cupboard but no sign of damp.

[Deleted User]

MarkBargain wrote: »

We had a similar thing and it was a leaking central heating pipe behind the wash basket in the bathroom. It was easy to get to and the plumber charged about £60 to weld it to repair it. It was a relief as the pressure loss became more regular as the leak got faster. Get a plumber to find the cause ASAP before any real damage is done. If there turns out to be significant damage, worth asking your insurers.

So how much pressure were you losing and how big was the leak?

Thanks

worriedindebt

Deleted_User wrote: »

The radiators are OK as far as I can see and the smell is coming from the kitchen where the combi is.

Could be the boiler leaking.. We had the same thing happen earlier this year too. We had a wet patch on the floor which was from a very slow dripping. Easily and cheaply fixed if that's any consolation!

If the boiler is only a year old could still be under warranty too?

Good luck with it

kinger101

Does is only lose pressure after firing up? It could be a fault with the expansion tank, which might mean excess pressure is released by the overpressure relief valve.