H
hedylaura
I meant none of the other plumbers INCLUDING HIM ever highlighted a potential problem.
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I meant none of the other plumbers INCLUDING HIM ever highlighted a potential problem.
ok well the way I read it was different, strange none of them advised on the problems as its pretty bog standard stuff and is a possibility of future problems which the customer will then blame installer
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hedylaura
Ah yes. Maths not my strong point. I am gradually coming to terms with the fact that we'll have to pay a few hundred pounds to resolve this matter. But I am getting a different plumber to do the work. In my view the original guy neglected to tell me the full story, so he has now missed out on servicing our boiler for the next 5 years. Let's hope he's learned his lesson for next time.
post on here in "i'm looking for a plumber/gas engineer" and your location, someone from the forums may be able to help
a thermal imaging camera would probably be the way to go to try and find the leak though to minimise damage to your house but could be costly!
a thermal imaging camera would probably be the way to go to try and find the leak though to minimise damage to your house but could be costly!
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hedylaura
It didn't mention anywhere in the breakdown of the quote that the value of scrap would be subtracted. And OK so I am venting! I need to so you lovely people can then put me in my place so I can start to feel more zen about the situation...
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Rickster123
Have a large drink and sit in a darkened room. It could've been worse. Could've been a leak upstairs and the ceiling could've been down. Every cloud.....
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hedylaura
The 8 years was a guess by one plumber, and now I can't remember if that was the age or how many years it potentially had left. Can't remember the make either but probably still have the instruction leaflet knocking around. Considering how much brand new boilers cost and knowing the condition of the boiler myself I'd be prepared to pay a couple hundred for it, especially if I had a cylinder of a similar age. I don't know! Please enlighten me.
an old boiler will fetch you less than £20 at the scrappies, you should not be fitting 2nd hand boilers imho
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hedylaura
St Albans and the guy lives around the corner from me, though I found him via google.
H
hedylaura
Fair enough. Thanks.
when customers want to keep scrap i tell them they can keep the rubbish aswell, its not cheap to dump the rubbish you know
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hedylaura
Ha! I don't need an excuse to have a large drink, but on your professional recommendation I shall. And it will probably be in bed, until our heating is back on. :bucktooth:
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hedylaura
I know. The price of disposing the rubbish was clearly included in the quote.
don't worry all plumbers take scrap, they dont leave ferminting kebabs though...😛
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Rickster123
No but I will on the next job where the customer wants the scrap!
Anyone else got a craving for kebab now?!
the last customer that wanted to keep the scrap got to keep the radiators, i was up in the loft cutting out the old primatic cylinder and he's like "don't worry I'll get that" always hovering around like a vulture
explained to him that its part of the job but i was happy for him to keep the rads😛
explained to him that its part of the job but i was happy for him to keep the rads😛
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hedylaura
Yep. Laminate in the main building. Our kitchen is on an extension which is around 200mm lower, then we have an extension on the extension which houses the bathroom, and the floor in there is concrete.
It's one of them discussions where you only get to hear one side of the argument. In my opinion its unreasonable to expect original plumber to repair at own cost or for a reduced price. Yes he should have mentioned potential problems in swapping from vented to sealed system. But at the end of the day he has done his job as per estimate, and is the reason why I have a line on my estimates which states I do not gaurantee watertightness of any existing pipework and fittings. Prevents a lot of unpleasantness.
Hopefully you will get sorted without too much mess and disruption.
Hopefully you will get sorted without too much mess and disruption.
Its hard to picture your house or how much depth is under the floor, but I would first definatly prove the leak is in the downstairs pipes by getting him back to lock off the boiler and upstairs, if the pressure still drops then its definatly there.
I would pick an area like under a sofa or dining room tabe and make an access hatch to allow someone to get under the floor with a torch.
If you're unlucky then the depth will be too shallow to even get under, if you're very lucky then you could crawl under the whole ground floor.
I would pick an area like under a sofa or dining room tabe and make an access hatch to allow someone to get under the floor with a torch.
If you're unlucky then the depth will be too shallow to even get under, if you're very lucky then you could crawl under the whole ground floor.
As soon as the plumber walked through the door and saw the dreaded laminate, any sane person would have mentioned the risk straight away.
These guys get all they deserve, what would he have done if the domestic hot water pipe burst 'somewhere' under the downstairs floor?
These guys get all they deserve, what would he have done if the domestic hot water pipe burst 'somewhere' under the downstairs floor?
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hedylaura
Is there a way of temporarily taking the bathroom system out of the equation and seeing if the pressure loss still occurs? The boiler is located right next to the bathroom. For me, if the leak was happening there this would be a best-case scenario as a new pipe could just be run through the wall rather than having our flooring pulled up.
P
P4ULT
and none of them told you that increased pressure=potential leak
Not without knowing were the pipework is which is doubtfull considering its concrete as mentioned are all the downstarirs floors concrete?
do you have a rad or towel rad in your bathroom?
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hedylaura
Just a standard rad.
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hedylaura
No, just the bathroom. But thinking about it possibly the kitchen as well... The main building (the bathroom and kitchen are on an extension) is Victorian and somewhat higher than the extension. I'm crossing my fingers that there's enough space here to get under the floorboards.
You have a resanable chance done a few extensions round there and some you can get under but then others not
Well lets hope he puts it right and your happy with the outcome/cost.
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Plumbsy
The plumber could isolate the downstairs pipework then carryout a hydraulic pressure test which will hold a test pressure on the system and any leaks would be seen by a pressure drop on the guage. This would be quicker than just leaving it on the system for a week.
When my heating system was installed it took a few top ups as the system stabilised over few weeks. It is now fine.
Do you have thermostatic radiator valves on all your rads? If you have and they all shut down, and there is no bypass in the system, the boiler can overheat and will dump the pressure out the relief valve.
I am sure he would have checked that though.
Good luck
When my heating system was installed it took a few top ups as the system stabilised over few weeks. It is now fine.
Do you have thermostatic radiator valves on all your rads? If you have and they all shut down, and there is no bypass in the system, the boiler can overheat and will dump the pressure out the relief valve.
I am sure he would have checked that though.
Good luck
D
davebigpipes
You can find out if its leaking on the flow or return by shuting off one valve on one side of boiler and all rad valves pressure it up and see if it drops then if not do same for other valve on bottom of boiler.
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hedylaura
Thanks very much. I will see if anyone in the area will be able to do that for me. Yes we do have TRVs, but considering that one of our rads on the top floor drained empty during the last pressure loss, a leak seems the most likely cause.
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