Dripping Ideal HE35

[Paul Tyack]

We have a 2 year old Ideal Isar HE35 combi boiler. Yesterday, I noticed that the pressure has dropped to zero and then saw that the boiler had a slow leak from the bottom. This is on the left hand side. I re-pressurized the system and, being an idiot, couldn't switch the filling loop off. As a result, the pressure meter went to maximum and water started pouring out of the bottom of the boiler casing. I closed the filling loop and this slowed back to the slow drip.
Today, a plumber looked at it and said he couldn't find any problem and that the heat exchanger would need replacing. He presumed the exchanger is cracked. Because of what happened when I over-pressurized the system, I think it might be a leaking pressure release valve. Does this seem likely? Since the plumber's visit, the boiler doesn't work at all and the display flashes H and F.
Any ideas would be great as we can't afford the £600 they are quoting! Thanks!

 

[bob the plumber]

600 quid lol, few more hundred max and you could probably get a brand new installed depending where you are. Get a gas engineer out to it, not a plumber after a fast buck. If he knew what he was doing he wouldnt pressume anything, its usually quite clear to see where a leak is coming from.

 

[armourer]

Hi Paul, Its difficult to second guess the engineer who has seen the boiler but as bob said normally it is obvious where it is leaking from.

H-F fault code is a flame rectification fault.
Try pressing the reset button.

Get an engineer in anyway to trace the leak as it is possible the leak could have damaged the electrics.

To put your mind at rest it is highly unlikely you over pressurizing the boiler would cause the heat exchanger to crack, more likely its just a seal or one of the plastic components.