Heating and Plumbing

emilymch1

Hi

I have a modern heating system, all rads updated etc. Hoever, because the pressure keeps dropping in our condensing boiler we have ascertained that there is a leak in our heating system.


We do not have a leak upstairs, therefore narrowed to the downstairs area, but it could be anyplace. We have 6 rads downstairs, all floors tiled or wooden flooring. We have been advised to use a leak sealer called oxipec - has anyone out there used this product or have any experience similar to ours?
the other option is to use a thermal imaging gadget which would locate the leak and we could take up the floor and fix same. My only reservation there is the possibility of another leak in a few months time, am i being over cautions.

Would appreciate any advice.

thank you

Buford T Justice

How are you so sure you don't have a leak upstairs?

slavetothegrind

check the safety valve outlet, should be a copper pipe on outside wall behind boiler, low down. it may be passing possibly indicating a problem

also check for a faulty autobleed valve, usually at highest point in system in hotpress maybe

Sparkpea

1.exactly what fingers said

check prv, check automatic air vents, check glands and other nuts on gatevalves, pump valves, radiator valves etc. there could also be air in the system that has made its way out of an auto vent

2. I've used fernox leak sealer but will only ever work on a very slight pinhole leak

3. thermal imaging isn't your answer imo

emilymch1

everything has been checked upstairs by two plumbers - if there was even a slight leak there would be some evidence at this stage. We have had the system checked by two plumbers, the guy who installed who is very diligent but we all agreed to get a second opinion. However, the boiler is now f'd - for some reason the boiler was triggered on during the night even though the only switch on was the isolation switch, there are 3 separate clocks, upstairs, downstairs and water. Pressure was at 0, boiler was running and obviously was doing so during the night - i dont know for how long but not a budge out of it now. I am just afraid there is irreversable damage done. It is a firebird condenser boiler and just a year old. the leak is a separate issue i know but everything has been checked and both agree that the leak is someplace downstairs.

have ye any suggestions? Its just a bad time as i cant get anyone until Tuesday the earliest but i'm not confident about what route to take. Should there be a guarantee with these boilers? i cant even contact suppliers until next week.

thanks for all the replies

emilymch1

Forgot to mention, yes there was air in the system but all that had been sorted.

Sparkpea

maybe a faulty motorised valve fired the boiler, or a frost stat, eitherway not sure why the boiler wouldn't be going now because if there wasn't enough water in the system the boiler would fire to its temperature then cut off and lock out.

emilymch1

thanks again. I'm hoping to get boiler inspected in detail before going any further. Would you think there is any link between boiler coming on of its own accord and the pressure drop? Boiler did come on like that once before, we turned the isolating switch off and it seemed to be ok the next time when we used it the following day.

Sparkpea

emilymch1 wrote: »

thanks again. I'm hoping to get boiler inspected in detail before going any further. Would you think there is any link between boiler coming on of its own accord and the pressure drop? Boiler did come on like that once before, we turned the isolating switch off and it seemed to be ok the next time when we used it the following day.

how quickly does the pressure drop? if you topped it up to 1 bar in the morning when would you need to top it up again

emilymch1

i've been topping it up just over 1.5 bar every morning. The heat might be on for a few hours, then off and on again. the following morning it would be down to zero.

Buford T Justice

Dammit, i posted on this thread earlier and it didn't go through..


Anyway That sounds like quite a considerable leak you have there. Have you checked everything in the boiler house and around the pump to see if there's a leak there?

emilymch1

yes everything has been checked. However, there is something radically wrong with the boiler itself now. Both plumbers checked everything and insist that there is a leak. Because of the holidays i havent been able to get anyone out who actually services boilers. I believe that the this fairly specialised, servicing the boiler i mean?

kerryplumbing

The boiler may well have just cut out on the over heat stat. This stat should be located on the top of the burner - if you remove the black screw there is a reset button that may just need pressing. the boiler would have overheated if there was no water to be circulated
It would be appear that for the boiler to come on without a request for heat that there is a problem with your programmer and that would certainly need to be checked. In my experience it would be highly unlikely for there to be a problem with the boiler itself but I could be wrong. Any OFTEC registered guy should be able to assist you

Good Luck

Buford T Justice

kerryplumbing wrote: »

The boiler may well have just cut out on the over heat stat. This stat should be located on the top of the burner - if you remove the black screw there is a reset button that may just need pressing. the boiler would have overheated if there was no water to be circulated
It would be appear that for the boiler to come on without a request for heat that there is a problem with your programmer and that would certainly need to be checked. In my experience it would be highly unlikely for there to be a problem with the boiler itself but I could be wrong. Any OFTEC registered guy should be able to assist you

Good Luck

The frost stat could have called for the boiler to fire.