Leaking boiler.

B0bbyEwing

OK so the bucket, after 11.5hrs, had about 1ltr in it. Maybe a smudge over but I don't think it was 1.5ltr. Kind of difficult to read as the litre markings on it are poor but it was certainly at least 1ltr after 11.5hrs. That's with the boiler on which kicked in during the night with it being so cold.

The water was clear but no idea of smell as I didn't sniff it.

Its not gushing out but is a frequent drip. It's like drip-drip-drip-triple drip-drip if you get me.

As for what my plans were regards carpet and ceiling. Well I was planning on just giving the carpet a clean with one of those DIY carpet vac things (relative has loaned us one which we still have at the house actually) to a) suck up as much water as possible & B) clean it.

Then just let it dry out. Same with the ceiling. I can live with a temporary stain. Just let it dry out, fully, could be months in to summer so my paranoia is satisfied that it's 100% dried out & then just Zinnser it & paint it & hope it doesn't stand out like a sore thumb.

No insurance involved (hopefully). That was my plan anyway.

Regards legal protection, I've a feeling not. I've always thought should I add this & that on to various insurance policies & never do because you could ramp the cost up massively & usually never need it. But then there's always that 1 time many years later that you do.

Oh & the pressure isn't going down it seems.

WIAWSNB

If you can sort the carpet and stain yourself - and it appears you can - then all you need is a repair.

Choose the fellow you want, and chances are it'll be a simple and cheap fix.

There is always the potential of it being a bigger job - I had a split hydrobloc (don't ask) which sent a jet out of the boiler, but that's rare unless it's an old boiler, say 15 years on - but it needs fixing, end of.

Please let us know how it goes :-)

(I'd always recommend adding LP at around £25 to your policy - it can be very handy.)

B0bbyEwing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81884612#Comment_81884612

I can't highlight the bit I want to respond to in your post after this stupid forum update so I'm just quoting the lot.

I've had someone out now. He said it's unlikely to be anything the previous plumber did or didn't do. Said it's not really what he'd have detected on a service & isn't what he would've caused really.

Chappy out today mentioned something about a manifold & also something about leaking plastic bits. A section of my boiler needs to come out to be replaced. Looked like a fan was on that side. He also said that while this section was out to fix the issue, you'd also then tend to X Y & Z because might as well kind of thing. Sorry I can't remember what the extra was that he was talking about. I just remember he said manifold.

Be a week or so until he can fit me in. At the moment it's 'just' leaking at a rate of 1.0-1.5ltrs every 12hours, so 2-3litres a day. That's say 14 litres MINIMUM that's gone down in the floor IF it's been leaking at that rate for the past week and that's just when I noticed stains on the carpet (thought wife had spilled something). It had obviously been leaking longer than this even, so even more than 14 litres I'd be guessing.

We've had the wet vac on it sucking up as much as possible. Will try it again tomorrow. Dehumidifier has been on since we noticed it & will be running until it dries out.

You mention 15yrs on - our boiler is a minimum of 11yrs old. I don't think it was super old when we moved in so I'm going to say it's somewhere between 11-15yrs old. No idea how long these things are supposed to last.

If all goes well then I'll be retaining this guy as our plumber & booking him in to do the servicing from here on. The original chap also didn't live too far away tbh but he was on his last chance for me & he blew it. His perk (for me) was that you could book him in via his site without a phone call (I hate phoning) but to not even be apologising for being late (twice) & just walking in arrogant-like, that was it.

Chap today has said I'm looking at a "few £100" & will get back to me with a price once he prices the parts up.

Albermarle

A boiler can last 25 years if you are lucky, but normally the cost of repairs starts to mount up before then, and at some point it makes more sense to fit a new one .They should last 15 years though.

greyteam1959

Between 11 & 15 years old ??

Personally I wouldn't be spending much money at all on a repair.

New boilers are not really expensive & would be far more efficient.

WIAWSNB

Ok, a 'plastic manifold' sounds as tho' it could be the same part as mine, then. It's a solid hard-plastic block, and other parts fit into it - water inlet, flow switch, P2P exchanger, etc. And there's another which houses the diverter valve.

Mine split with quite a dramatic result - water spraying out.

Since I thought it beyond my abilities, I called out a local GS. He got cold feet when he saw how old our boiler is - must be 20 years now - and said he'd be worried about other parts failing as soon as he got stuck in. He recommended a Glowworm fixed price repair instead, and the guy came out and started telling me all the parts he'd replace at the same time. It seemed bonkers; the P2P exchanger, flow switch, and even the pump, as water had sprayed on to it... I was pleased with this 😜, and then he told me the news - it all added up to BER. I said 'leave out the pump', but he replied 'the computer said no'. So I got the part and fitted it myself - £30.

Anyhoo, you may wish to get a quote first, and then compare it with a new boiler cost, as said above.

B0bbyEwing

What are generally considered decent boilers?

Or isn't there one?

When he came out & saw it he was like ahhh it's a Worcester Bosch in a kind of 'yeah I knew it'd be' kind of way.

And what do folk (plumbers) generally charge for fitting boilers? I suppose it may vary a bit up & down the land but I don't imagine I'd get a boiler plus fitting for anywhere near a few £100.

WIAWSNB

I think your choices are, this guy's quote, a 'fixed price repair' from WB (possibly others) for around £300, or a new boiler for upwards of £2k.

I'd imagine the GS's quote will be similar to the FPR, but could - hopefully will - be less; the part seems to vary from £20-odd to £100+ depending on model.

WB combos are usually reliable, afaIk, and this manifold - like mine - is one of the few 'plastic' parts in it (apart from some small cheap bits). I'm guessing it becomes brittle with age and finally fractures. Once replaced, it ain't going to go again.

It's obviously a gamble, but on balance I'd suggest that, once fixed, the boiler will give you - ooh - a further 5 years.

WIAWSNB

https://youtu.be/7n-0I8LxZOQ?si=a9t-Ov6CNVkP53LW

WIAWSNB

https://youtu.be/7n-0I8LxZOQ?si=zarzo4Ne6g_WLIyK