Small leak in Combi Boiler from hard water - have to replace entire unit??

Maple77

Hello,


Rented my apartment out recently and have been told by my letting agent that there is a small leak from gas combi boiler, which has according to plumber, been caused by hard water corroding the boiler’s cylinder .


The bolier is only 6 years old so I was a little surprised. I will admit it never got a service, but it was not used a great deal either as heating was rarely required.



He says this happened as there was no “alanoid”(closest i could find online was anode rod) fitted in the cyclinder and there should have been.
He also says that this hole / leak cannot be repaired and that I have to have a new combi boiler fitted at a cost of €700 + €200 labour which I really can’t afford.


I really have no idea about plumbing so just want to know if all of the above sounds about right ? or if I should ask my letting agent to send in a second plumber to see if a repair job could be done for less?


Thanks

scudo2

Maple77 wrote: »

Hello,


Rented my apartment out recently and have been told by my letting agent that there is a small leak from gas combi boiler, which has according to plumber, been caused by hard water corroding the boiler’s cylinder .


The bolier is only 6 years old so I was a little surprised. I will admit it never got a service, but it was not used a great deal either as heating was rarely required.



He says this happened as there was no “alanoid”(closest i could find online was anode rod) fitted in the cyclinder and there should have been.
He also says that this hole / leak cannot be repaired and that I have to have a new combi boiler fitted at a cost of €700 + €200 labour which I really can’t afford.


I really have no idea about plumbing so just want to know if all of the above sounds about right ? or if I should ask my letting agent to send in a second plumber to see if a repair job could be done for less?


Thanks

€900 for a combination boiler replacment sounds dirt cheap.

By not getting your boiler serviced you are putting lives at risk.
Servicing is also a safety check for gas leaks, dangerous burnt wires, dangerous boilers, fire risk, carbon monoxide fumes and a lot more.....

DGOBS

Not only that as a landlord you have a LEGAL requirement to have your gas or oil heating boilers serviced every 12 months.

K.Flyer

Just to clarify, you have a gas boiler and there is a leak.
Is the leak coming from the gas boiler itself, or from the hot water cylinder (in the hot press / closet) and if its from the hot water cylinder approx how tall is it.

scudo2

K.Flyer wrote: »

Just to clarify, you have a gas boiler and there is a leak.
Is the leak coming from the gas boiler itself, or from the hot water cylinder (in the hot press / closet) and if its from the hot water cylinder approx how tall is it.

Combi boilers do not normally have a hot press/ cylinder !

K.Flyer

scudo2 wrote: »

Combi boilers do not normally have a hot press/ cylinder !

Thats right Scudo, but what I am trying to do is determine if the OP has his terminology correct.
A lot of people refer to Hot Water Cylinders as Boilers and a lot of apartments have dual or combi cylinders hence my question to the OP.
I was doing some work in an apartment which had a C.O. alarm in the hot press where the dual cylinder was and the heating was electric storage radiators and the owner kept refering to the cylinder as "the boiler".
So just checkin'!

scudo2

K.Flyer wrote: »

Thats right Scudo, but what I am trying to do is determine if the OP has his terminology correct.
A lot of people refer to Hot Water Cylinders as Boilers and a lot of apartments have dual or combi cylinders hence my question to the OP.
I was doing some work in an apartment which had a C.O. alarm in the hot press where the dual cylinder was and the heating was electric storage radiators and the owner kept refering to the cylinder as "the boiler".
So just checkin'!

Figured you couldn't be that wrong. Just thought you hadn't fully read the post. I often get shown the hot press when called to fix the oil boiler.

Years ago when I did gas, I was asked did I do gas conversions?

Yes we do, I said.

Ah good the woman on the phone said.
How much for an Audi 80. !!


True story, cheers.

Dtp79

Maple77 wrote: »

Hello,


Rented my apartment out recently and have been told by my letting agent that there is a small leak from gas combi boiler, which has according to plumber, been caused by hard water corroding the boiler’s cylinder .


The bolier is only 6 years old so I was a little surprised. I will admit it never got a service, but it was not used a great deal either as heating was rarely required.



He says this happened as there was no “alanoid”(closest i could find online was anode rod) fitted in the cyclinder and there should have been.
He also says that this hole / leak cannot be repaired and that I have to have a new combi boiler fitted at a cost of €700 + €200 labour which I really can’t afford.


I really have no idea about plumbing so just want to know if all of the above sounds about right ? or if I should ask my letting agent to send in a second plumber to see if a repair job could be done for less?


Thanks

Get another couple of Rgi s to take a look. If somebody is changing a boiler for 200 then they are ripping you off. It's ridiculously cheap so they are obviously cutting corners. That wouldn't even cover the system being flushed, let alone the boiler change

JohnnieK

Dtp79 wrote: »

Get another couple of Rgi s to take a look. If somebody is changing a boiler for 200 then they are ripping you off. It's ridiculously cheap so they are obviously cutting corners. That wouldn't even cover the system being flushed, let alone the boiler change

I think they could be talking about a combination cylinder.

Dtp79

JohnnieK wrote: »

I think they could be talking about a combination cylinder.

Maybe so. Is it possible to get a pic OP?

Maple77

Hello,

The leak is actually in the hot water tank , not the gas combi boiler as my letting agent had told me. Says it's only a small leak.

So any information about this mention of 'alanoid' not being fitted , resulting in hard water in the area causing the hole?? (if true might be covered by building insurance)

K. fLYER - The tank is about 7-8 feet high.

So can a leak in a tank like this not be fixed without replacing the whole thing?

If the whole thing has to be replaced what is the price of €950 incl vat like for the whole job?

Thanks

K.Flyer

Maple77 wrote: »

Hello,

The leak is actually in the hot water tank , not the gas combi boiler as my letting agent had told me. Says it's only a small leak.

So any information about this mention of 'alanoid' not being fitted , resulting in hard water in the area causing the hole?? (if true might be covered by building insurance)

K. fLYER - The tank is about 7-8 feet high.

So can a leak in a tank like this not be fixed without replacing the whole thing?

If the whole thing has to be replaced what is the price of €950 incl vat like for the whole job?

Thanks

I dont think your insurance will pay for it, but its worth giving them a call.
Personally I would not attempt to repair one of these, especially if the leak is where upper and lower section meet.
When there is a leak from corrosion, then you can be sure there are more trouble spots and I could not guarantee its reliability.
For me it would be replace it or walk away, unless it was a leak in one of the pipe connectors.
As for price, they can be expensive, but a ball park would be 800 - 900 inc vat. to supply and fit one.

Maple77

Cheers for all the help lads, gonna get tank replaced and combi boiler serviced, now to figure out where I'll get the cash!