Need Advice about Boiler and Central Heating Repair Please

[GordonGecko]

Hi. I'm having some issues with my boiler / central heating and have enlisted a local 'Combi Heating Specialist' to sort it out but he seems to be making things worse. I really need another expert's opinion, to put my mind at rest, or help me make the decision to stop using his services.

I live in a house built in the 1980's and we have a 'Logic Combi 3' boiler with radiators in every room. Around a month ago I noticed that there was a small, slow drip coming from heating pipe of the filling loop. Also, I've been needing to top up pressure 1-2 a month for a while. Everything was working fine and a large bowl catching the drips took around a month to fill, so I wasn't really bothered.

But we're thinking about selling the house eventually and so though best to get it sorted.

Local guy came along, had a look and told me he could replace a part and put sealant in the boiler to fix the issues and would send a quote for what needs doing.

We received a bill for: "Re-charged expansion vessel. Quote to be sent re replace sump cover"

Then we received the quote: "decommission and remove existing sump cover. Supply and fit replacement. Add two doses of leak sealant to the system"

Immediately after he'd been and "re-charged expansion vessel" I guess, the pressure became much, much worse. From topping it up 1-2 a month, to 1-2 a day every day. I waited a week for him to return and a couple of days before he was due to come, one of the downstairs radiators began to drip, very slowly from a pipe.

He came back and I told him about the pressure being worse and he told me it was because of the dripping radiator downstairs, which he fixed simply by tightening a bolt! He went to the boiler and came back with a photo of a black component (sorry I have no idea what it is), telling me it has a hairline crack in it and it will cost around £500 to replace. He said it might be cheaper to get a new boiler. He told me that he was going to add the sealant but that the leak would not be fixed. Off he went.

Soon I realised that 3 radiators were not working (unfortunately, 2 of them my kids bedrooms). I called the company and they sent someone around. The new guy told me that when the first guy had half-emptied the boiler, he must have moved some sludge, which was now blocking the radiators. He then told me that my radiator pipes were the wrong size and they might need to take the floor up and replace the pipes. He suggested a power flush.

So, that's it. I've gone from the minor annoyance of a slowly dripping boiler pipe and topping up pressure monthly, to half my central heating not working and a scary amount of work needing doing.

The good news is that my pressure is fine and the leaking boiler pipe has stopped. All I need is my radiators working again.

Please, if anyone with expertise can tell me what they think of all this, I'll be most grateful. I have no idea if this is all just bad luck and one of those things or I have incompetent plumbers.

Thanks
Ian

 

[ShaunCorbs]

They do have a problem with there dumps cracking as there only plastic the parts around the 100 mark and they around 2 hours to do the job ish if you Google it quite a common issue note not a diy repair

I highly doubt there blocked from him just draining the boiler so likely to be something else could be air locked

Try closing all of the radiators via there trv except one of the problem ones and turn the heating on and wait 10 mins so see if it gets warm and if it does repeat for the rest

Sounds like you best avoid that company and try and find another one that’s decent

 

[GordonGecko]

They do have a problem with there dumps cracking as there only plastic the parts around the 100 mark and they around 2 hours to do the job ish if you Google it quite a common issue note not a diy repair

I highly doubt there blocked from him just draining the boiler so likely to be something else could be air locked

Try closing all of the radiators via there trv except one of the problem ones and turn the heating on and wait 10 mins so see if it gets warm and if it does repeat for the rest

Sounds like you best avoid that company and try and find another one that’s decent

Thanks for replying, really appreciate it.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

I completely agree with @ShaunCorbs - get someone else. Imo sounds like they’re creating work to generate income, although the sump bit could be true. If all is now well with you’re boiler, then good. As for the rads, could be trapped air, they might need bleeding, or could be air-locked as per Shaun. Do they heat up whatsoever?

 

[GordonGecko]

I completely agree with @ShaunCorbs - get someone else. Imo sounds like they’re creating work to generate income, although the sump bit could be true. If all is now well with you’re boiler, then good. As for the rads, could be trapped air, they might need bleeding, or could be air-locked as per Shaun. Do they heat up whatsoever?

The rads that have stopped working are completely cold, including the pipes on either side.
I've turned all off besides one of the cold ones but it's not heating. Should I try bleeding them all?

One thing that makes me nervous about these guys is that the first guy said that the pressure was dropping more after his first visit because of the leaking radiator but the second guy said the pressure deterioration was because they had to increase the pressure to .2 on the first visit to get a reading of the problem or something like that.

Thanks for your help, I'll pay them for what they've done and seek out a new guy with a good reputation (even though these guys have very good reviews on their website)

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Ok, the ones that aren’t heating, do they have thermostatic radiator valves (TRV’s)?

 

[GordonGecko]

Ok, the ones that aren’t heating, do they have thermostatic radiator valves (TRV’s)?

2 of them do, 1 doesn't.
We have 2 rads with missing TRV's, one of them is the not working one and the other I turned off by using the right side to shut it off completely.

So the only rad that is on right now is the one which is not working, without a TRV valve. All others are either turned off with TRV or with bolt on right side. Central heating is on but rad not heating up and pipes on sides are cold.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

I think that possibly rules out stuck pins then.

Leave all others, and open up one that is known to work and leave the one without the trv open on both sides. Report back as to whether it heats at all, including the pipes.

 

[GordonGecko]

I think that possibly rules out stuck pins then.

Leave all others, and open up one that is known to work and leave the one without the trv open on both sides. Report back as to whether it heats at all, including the pipes.

Done. Yeah def not stuck pins as the 3 that are not working all stopped at same time on the day that the guy added leak sealant. We do actually have a rad with a known stuck pin but I'm ignoring that one.

Here's the rad which the guy said has a too small pipe which needs replacing. The pipes are same size on every rad though. Is he correct? It's about 10mm

 

[GordonGecko]

I think that possibly rules out stuck pins then.

Leave all others, and open up one that is known to work and leave the one without the trv open on both sides. Report back as to whether it heats at all, including the pipes.

It's been about 30 mins and both rads that are open are cold, and the pipes are cold.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tbh next step is to remove the rad and check you have flow from each valve etc

 

[GordonGecko]

Tbh next step is to remove the rad and check you have flow from each valve etc

Okay. I'll be paying a different plumber to do that then.

Did you see the pic of the pipe which is supposed to be too thin? What is your opinion pls?

Thanks for all your advice, very much appreciated.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

It’s 10mm but it’s fine most new builds are small pipes than 10mm copper eg 10mm plastic which is around 6-7mm dia

Ideally 15mm all the way but it’s an existing heating system that was working

 

[GordonGecko]

It’s 10mm but it’s fine most new builds are small pipes than 10mm copper eg 10mm plastic which is around 6-7mm dia

Ideally 15mm all the way but it’s an existing heating system that was working

Thanks again for your time and expertise. Bloody brilliant website this is. Take care, Ian.

 

[GordonGecko]

It’s 10mm but it’s fine most new builds are small pipes than 10mm copper eg 10mm plastic which is around 6-7mm dia

Ideally 15mm all the way but it’s an existing heating system that was working

The rad with TRV which I have turned on now has a warm pipe under the TRV. Is this good news?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes very good keep it going / leave it as is try bleeding the rad to see if there’s any air there etc

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Just as a helpful tip more than anything, if you have a magnet, try it on the pipes that are supposed to be blocked

 

[Timmy D]

As Shaun said, close all rads, leave one open. Take trv head off and use a pair of grips to pull out/push in the pin a few times to free up any Rubbish.
Then close the lockshield valve on same rad. Put a rubble sack (something to catch water under the trv to rad connection and loosen the nut a bit (not fully) until water starts to flow out. Keep it flowing until it gets warm (keep someone else topping the pressure up as needed). Then close trv and do it to other side until both flow and return are warm.

Then open both valves/bleed and rad should work.

I never use leak sealer but it has been know to gum up valves.

 

[GordonGecko]

Yes very good keep it going / leave it as is try bleeding the rad to see if there’s any air there etc

I've been out for a few hours and returned to find the rad without TRV which I left on now has a warm pipe under where the TRV should be and the rad with a TRV which is on is actually luke warm. This looks like progress. Shall I just leave things as they are for a while?

 

[GordonGecko]

Just as a helpful tip more than anything, if you have a magnet, try it on the pipes that are supposed to be blocked

Will do. Thanks

 

[GordonGecko]

As Shaun said, close all rads, leave one open. Take trv head off and use a pair of grips to pull out/push in the pin a few times to free up any Rubbish.
Then close the lockshield valve on same rad. Put a rubble sack (something to catch water under the trv to rad connection and loosen the nut a bit (not fully) until water starts to flow out. Keep it flowing until it gets warm (keep someone else topping the pressure up as needed). Then close trv and do it to other side until both flow and return are warm.

Then open both valves/bleed and rad should work.

I never use leak sealer but it has been know to gum up valves.

Thanks very much. At the moment things seem to have improved a little. I have 2 rads on which were stone cold and one of them has a warm pipe under where the TRV should be (it's missing) and the other one which is on has a TRV and the rad has become luke warm. I bled them both before going out earlier.

edit: just as a test I fiddled with the pin of the rad without a TRV and low and behold I heard a release of water and the rad is now fully working. I went and did the same to the other one and it's also working!

We've cracked it boys! Looks like things are resolving. You guys have saved me a packet - I'd buy you all a pint if I could. Thanks a million.

 

[Timmy D]

Thanks very much. At the moment things seem to have improved a little. I have 2 rads on which were stone cold and one of them has a warm pipe under where the TRV should be (it's missing) and the other one which is on has a TRV and the rad has become luke warm. I bled them both before going out earlier.



if you don’t feel comfortable undoing nuts, follow my instructions but instead of undoing nuts, keep bleeding water until pipes get hot. Do one rad/rad at a time.

You need to get the water moving.

 

[GordonGecko]

Thanks very much. At the moment things seem to have improved a little. I have 2 rads on which were stone cold and one of them has a warm pipe under where the TRV should be (it's missing) and the other one which is on has a TRV and the rad has become luke warm. I bled them both before going out earlier.



if you don’t feel comfortable undoing nuts, follow my instructions but instead of undoing nuts, keep bleeding water until pipes get hot. Do one rad/rad at a time.

You need to get the water moving.

I'm down to one remaining cold rad which is being stubborn but it looks like the pin is not moving as well as the others I've done. Will add some WD40 and keep wiggling and as you suggest also keep bleeding.
Thanks very much

 

[GordonGecko]

Update: 99% of rads working! 1 stubborn fella left in the lounge but we have a fire there.
Both kids have heating in their bedrooms now. For tonight I've turned everything back on to keep us warm and tomorrow will isolate the lounge rad again and bleed a ton. No need to pay another plumber which is amazing and I'm looking forward to telling the bloke who wants to replace our boiler and pipes to take a running jump.

Also my mrs thinks I'm a genius thanks to you guys 🙂

Have a great Saturday chaps.

 

[Timmy D]

Thanks very much. At the moment things seem to have improved a little. I have 2 rads on which were stone cold and one of them has a warm pipe under where the TRV should be (it's missing) and the other one which is on has a TRV and the rad has become luke warm. I bled them both before going out earlier.

edit: just as a test I fiddled with the pin of the rad without a TRV and low and behold I heard a release of water and the rad is now fully working. I went and did the same to the other one and it's also working!

We've cracked it boys! Looks like things are resolving. You guys have saved me a packet - I'd buy you all a pint if I could. Thanks a million.

Good job buddy.

Rather than a beer, if you’re able, maybe do a one off subscription to our forums to help with the running costs! No pressure!