Leaking aavs on central heating system?

[Prenzie]

Hello, if I close the vents as you suggest, won't that be the same as having manual vents put in? Are you saying that there is likely to be another underlying problem with the system which is causing the air and water to escape? If that is the case, putting in manual vents won't solve the problem, but I will be back to square one, not knowing how to get the system checked out for faults. I can get the boiler looked at by any number of people and I can get plumbers to come out and fix things that have gone wrong, but no one seems interested in 'checking the system' to find a fault. Who should I be asking for? A plumber, a heating engineer......

I have an appointment with Worcester Bosch booked for Tuesday because I thought the hot water problem was a boiler problem. Do you think I should cancel the visit? Does it sound to you as if I have a problem with my boiler? Other people who have answered my post, have suggested that the boiler isn't at fault, it's probably the AAVs leaking, causing the water pressure to drop, causing the radiators to empty and causing the pressure to go down which in turn interrupts continuous supply of hot water.

Do you think I have misunderstood? Thank you for your help.

 

[GQuigley67]

there wont be anything wrong with your boiler, it is only a pressure loss problem, the boiler needs pressure in it to operate. Is there water coming from the AAVs ? are you sure it is them that are leaking ? if its them thats leaking then that is your problem.

 

[Prenzie]

I have seen the occasional bead of water sitting beside one of the AAVs and the timbers in the roof which are getting wet are directly underneath these AAVs. I have checked all the pipes around them and can't see a leak anywhere else. Would it make sense to loosely wrap some kitchen roll round the valves and tie a poly bag round the outside (with some perforations for air to escape) and then check every few hours to see if the paper is getting wet?

Thank you for your help. Wish you worked a bit nearer!!!

 

[paulnwales]

If i remember correctly the blow off will be on the right hand side of the boiler, it will poke out of the external cover on them. The fact the water is coming through the cieling is obv telling you the location of the leak. Personally if i was you id get up to the vents when the water is leaking and you will prob find the leak... Good chance the aav have not been fitted correctly, most are only screw in.

 

[Gray0689]

If the plumber you got didn't check to see where the water was coming from he a joke don't get him back the pics show the water been leaking for a while wood soaked
Get a different plumber in to sort out problem as said manual valves or good flanco ones
You can cancel Bosch the boiler not the problem and they may charge you as not there product that then problem
What area are you in as there may be a plumber on here that could sort the problem for you

 

[Dotty]

The OP's from Tunbridge Wells. Dannypipe's quite close.

 

[Prenzie]

Have spent an afternoon trying to get an emergency heating engineer, but no success. The earliest is Friday, so I have filled up the system again and am monitoring the roof every few hours to see if there is any new water coming though. I think it has slowed down and if I keep the system topped up, hopefully Friday will be OK. They are going to fix manual air vents and then I will have to keep my eye on it and see if that has solved the problem. I did cancel the appointment with Worcester Bosch for tomorrow. Sadly my decorator reported this morning that the water had also run down behind the door frames in my hall and separated the wood from the plasterboard. So that will also need putting right. This is a hugely expensive leak.

Thank you so much for your help. I will update this thread when I have solved the issue. It might help other people with a similar problem.

 

[Gray0689]

Get your insurance out that's what you pay for!!!!

 

[GQuigley67]

why don't you try and contain the leak, to reduce the damage caused, leaks can cause alot of damage and cost you a fortune if left long enough

 

[Prenzie]

A bit worried how much my monthly premiums might go up by! I think I will keep all the bills and see what it all comes to in the end, then make the decision.

 

[Gray0689]

A bit worried how much my monthly premiums might go up by! I think I will keep all the bills and see what it all comes to in the end, then make the decision.

You can't make the decision once the work is completed you have to get an assessor out to assess the damage coused!!!!!!!!
Your choice premiums won't rise that much I'm sure

 

[Prenzie]

I have wrapped the AAVs up with loads of kitchen roll covered with perforated poly bags all tied up. This is to alert me as to what water is escaping and also to contain it. I have covered the timbers and plaster board in the roof (where it is already wet) with tin foil covered with lots of kitchen roll. This is to help me spot from which direction the water is landing and to absorb it. I go up the ladder every couple of hours and check it out and replace the paper and bags where necessary. So I hope I am on top of it.

 

[Prenzie]

OK, will take that on board. I am so caught up in limiting the damage and getting it fixed.....

Thanks for your advice. Brilliant.

 

[plumber0808]

i cant believe you cant get someone out earlier than friday, just google map'd you. sorry you are way too far for me to come to the rescue. about 3 hours

 

[Prenzie]

Thank you for looking. We seem to live in an area where good plumbers are worth their weight in gold. I am a bit more relaxed now that I am not seeing water coming through the ceilings and think I can hold out till Friday. I just hope the new air vents do the trick. Off up to the roof again to check.....

 

[chrispow01]

Hey, they look in good condition to me, the ones ive seen leaking have very obvious signs of leakage, staining scale etc, is the ceiling directly below wet?

 

[Gray0689]

Hey, they look in good condition to me, the ones ive seen leaking have very obvious signs of leakage, staining scale etc, is the ceiling directly below wet?

The one with brass cap looks like it's been leaking stained if you look close

 

[paulnwales]

im sure you can get one faster than friday mate, id want it soting quickly. i just googled your area and there are a huge amount of plumbers there. try puting a new thread on here sayin plumber wanted in tunbridge or something. Just make sure they actually are a plumber!

 

[chrispow01]

so it does !

 

[Prenzie]

Hi, yes, the roof timbers under and beside the AAVs get soaked through, but there is a spray pattern on some of them, so I am not sure it's just a case of one of the AAVs leaking slowly, I think one (or both) are spraying out water in an arc (like a garden sprayer). This water then gets soaked up by the timbers (some of them are wet at the bottom but not at the top) and the plaster board, and comes down under door frames etc. Unfortunately in the past, there has been a delay effect before I notice the water coming through the ceilings underneath and then I fill up the system and then I can't see the water coming out of the AAVs. Since I topped up the system last, there hasn't been any new water coming through and if fitting new manual air vents doesn't stop the problem, at least now I am monitoring it several times a day, so I should be able to see where the water is coming from. Fingers crossed! Thanks for all your help.