Boiler pressure zero but no visible leaks - please help!

SausageCat_2

Hi everyone, I'm pleased to report there is now a leak. It's coming from the boiler itself. Could someone explain what this means? Thanks

bris

It means there is now something to fix. The heating engineer will find and fix the problem.


You have lost so much water though that this may be a secondary problem. With the amount of topping up you have done there is no way you wouldn't have spotted it before now if it was coming from the boiler.


Check the blow off pipe from the PRV again.

SausageCat_2

Yes I agree, the amount of leaked water is minimal compared to what went in. At least there's a reason for the plumber to come back now.

SausageCat_2

I couldn't work out how to turn the valves to shut off the boiler. I don't know if this is the same thing as shutting off the valves, but with both heating and hot water off, the pressure was still visibly going down.

traineepensioner

bris wrote: »

It means there is now something to fix. The heating engineer will find and fix the problem.


You have lost so much water though that this may be a secondary problem. With the amount of topping up you have done there is no way you wouldn't have spotted it before now if it was coming from the boiler.


Check the blow off pipe from the PRV again.

You could try putting a balloon over the PRV pipe to see if it collects water......Or disappears under pressure.

lewishardwick

Sounds like the 'plumber' needs a firecracker up is a$$!

Typical letting agency crap. Don't want to shell out £££. Let's just hope their incompetence hasn't caused a more expensive bill for the landlord. Guarantee they'll try passing it onto you when he/she kicks off!

SausageCat_2

Re PRV pipe, I'm still trying to get someone to lend me a ladder as I live on first floor.

The plumber has agreed to come today, but said all he can do is to try and fix the leak issue from the boiler.

I'm very conscious of the potential cost to the landlord/me, and that's why I contacted the agent when the problem was first spotted, but they seem very shortsighted.

macman

If you've isolated the CH circuit by closing both the flow and return valves, and the pressure still drops, then it's not a leak on the CH circuit. That only leaves the EV or the PRV. The latter can easily be checked, it's the only pipe from the boiler that runs downhill to an outside waste, or to an existing sink waste.
If nothing is venting from that, it must be the EV. Any plumber/RGI who can't or won't check all 3 in one visit is completely incompetent, or trying to charge out extra hours.
It appears that a lack of pressure may now have caused additional damage to what was a simple fault.

SausageCat_2

The plumber came, and seems to have found the cause of the problem. He said the condensate is constantly running, and there's probably a crack in the secondary exchanger.

It's probably a few days before it gets replaced given the involvement of agency, but at least it's moving forward. I can't help thinking though, if the plumber had opened the boiler when he first came he may have spotted the problem then.