Boiler grant but boiler doesn’t work! Please help’

neilmcl

andie_h said:

neilmcl said:

What about contacting the boiler manufacturer via your warranty.

I definitely shall call them! Maybe they can steer me in the right direction to getting this properly sorted. Thank you!! 

All they'll likely do is send out an engineer but if it turns out that it's nothing to do with the boiler itself and a leak elsewhere you'll likely be charged.

Jeepers_Creepers

If Andie calls out the installer and the issue is boiler-related or installation-related, then it shouldn't cost her a penny.

If Andie calls out any other plumber, then if it's a boiler issue she'd hopefully be covered by the warranty (but I suspect it may have to be a manufacturer-approved plumber), but if it's an installer issue, she'll have to pay.

If it's an 'old system' issue, she'll have to pay regardless of who she calls out.

binao

Still no boiler make etc. Have you found the leak yet?. You appear to have lost a fair amount of water to cause shutdown several times.

Jeepers_Creepers

Not exactly a 'common' problem, Andie, but a recognised issue that plumbers are aware of.

Many would actually point this out during the change from a vented to unvented system (unvented = sealed = pressurised). Pipes and rads shouldn't leak, but if they are old and with, say, worn valves or partly rusted insides, then a >10-fold increase in pressure will often find that out, with a leak.

Anyhoo, the only checks you can do are visual of your rads, valves and pipes, and that discharge pipe outside. As I said, we are talking about quite noticeable quantities - try pouring a cup or two on the floor - so should be obvious if it's inside the house, or from that pipe. Worth doing these checks.

If you do find a lead from, say, a rad, then you can call out any plumber you like - do you have a trusted local fellow? This will be a paid-for repair.

If it's from the discharge or an unknown source, you call out the installer, because they will be covering the boiler and installation.

andie_h

Thanks for all the helpful replies! Had one of the engineers look and he said no issues with the new piping or new Worcester boiler, tho there is some condensation. He believes there is a leak downstairs in existing pipe work but after checking both radiators they are dry so it could be an issue under the floor boards, which could have happened as a result of insulation? Bit annoying that I wasn’t aware this issue could happen in the old pipe work when changing systems.

Dry radiators upstairs and no soaking carpets or anything so safe to say the leak must be downstairs. 

Jeepers_Creepers

How easy will it be to get under the floor to check for leaks? Is the same engineer going to check for this, or will you be getting a local plumber?

I wouldn't be too annoyed at the fact it's happened - although it is annoying! Sealed systems are far better, and this hasn't 'caused' the fault, but only exposed what must always have been a weak spot that could have gone at any time.

Radiators and pipework are designed to handle 10bar pressures and above - well above what they should ever get to. With your old vented system, the system pressure was just due to gravity - the 'weight' of water - and would only have been around 0.2-0.4bar or so at ground level.

Making it a 'sealed', pressurised system increased this to 1bar to 1.5bar, still WAY below what the system was designed for, and should be capable of handling. So, if going 'sealed' means that a pipe or rad bursts, that pipe/rad was on the way out in any case - and it's not the sealed system's fault.

Please keep us posted about what they find :-)

(Also bear in mind that your old system could actually have been leaking all along; the wee tank in the loft would simply have kept it topped up so you wouldn't even have noticed unless a puddle appeared!  Going 'sealed' may have been a blessing in exposing this :-)  )

Another_Level

The engineer that inspected the new boiler and its adaptions, has made a comment. So its a starting point to find out why the new now pressurised heating system is losing water pressure as noticed on a pressure gauge or similar.

Jeepers has mentioned a lot of usefull information already !

Maybe self fund the remedial work to find & fix the pressure dropping fault or insist the grant scheme provider (not the installer or new boiler company)  Take responsibility as it was their idea to pressurise the system.

Hope it all works out 

andie_h

Jeepers_Creepers said:

How easy will it be to get under the floor to check for leaks? Is the same engineer going to check for this, or will you be getting a local plumber?

I wouldn't be too annoyed at the fact it's happened - although it is annoying! Sealed systems are far better, and this hasn't 'caused' the fault, but only exposed what must always have been a weak spot that could have gone at any time.

Radiators and pipework are designed to handle 10bar pressures and above - well above what they should ever get to. With your old vented system, the system pressure was just due to gravity - the 'weight' of water - and would only have been around 0.2-0.4bar or so at ground level.

Making it a 'sealed', pressurised system increased this to 1bar to 1.5bar, still WAY below what the system was designed for, and should be capable of handling. So, if going 'sealed' means that a pipe or rad bursts, that pipe/rad was on the way out in any case - and it's not the sealed system's fault.

Please keep us posted about what they find :-)

(Also bear in mind that your old system could actually have been leaking all along; the wee tank in the loft would simply have kept it topped up so you wouldn't even have noticed unless a puddle appeared!  Going 'sealed' may have been a blessing in exposing this :-)  )

Thank you jeepers, will keep u posted! Let’s hope we find that leak. Will get someone in to assess it. Luckily we do know some good plumbers if needs be but speaking to the company that installed it at the minute to see if there’s anything they can do! 

andie_h

andie_h said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

How easy will it be to get under the floor to check for leaks? Is the same engineer going to check for this, or will you be getting a local plumber?

I wouldn't be too annoyed at the fact it's happened - although it is annoying! Sealed systems are far better, and this hasn't 'caused' the fault, but only exposed what must always have been a weak spot that could have gone at any time.

Radiators and pipework are designed to handle 10bar pressures and above - well above what they should ever get to. With your old vented system, the system pressure was just due to gravity - the 'weight' of water - and would only have been around 0.2-0.4bar or so at ground level.

Making it a 'sealed', pressurised system increased this to 1bar to 1.5bar, still WAY below what the system was designed for, and should be capable of handling. So, if going 'sealed' means that a pipe or rad bursts, that pipe/rad was on the way out in any case - and it's not the sealed system's fault.

Please keep us posted about what they find :-)

(Also bear in mind that your old system could actually have been leaking all along; the wee tank in the loft would simply have kept it topped up so you wouldn't even have noticed unless a puddle appeared!  Going 'sealed' may have been a blessing in exposing this :-)  )

Thank you jeepers, will keep u posted! Let’s hope we find that leak. Will get someone in to assess it. Luckily we do know some good plumbers if needs be but speaking to the company that installed it at the minute to see if there’s anything they can do! 

And with the floor boards they’ve already made a hole previously for the insulation. But im guessing they’ll have to lift up a fair amount of the floorboards to get the to root of it. As long as it’s fixed that’s the main thing! Cannot thank you enough for all your help, im a complete novice and I’ve learned a lot. Just wish I knew before hand that existing pipe work may be affected as a result! 

Jeepers_Creepers

andie_h said:

Just wish I knew before hand that existing pipe work may be affected as a result! 

You are welcome, Andie.

Please bear in mind that the leak might have been there for years! Your old system keeps itself topped up via that small tank in the loft, so you could have been losing water - unknown - for ages!

Your new system is 'sealed' and has a fixed amount of water in it. If your new system leaks, you'll know about it very quickly as the pressure will drop - and then it stops leaking!

So, good move going 'sealed' - it's FAR better.