Replace Combi filling loop

[cjmarkham]

I have a combi boiler with a leak. It has been leaking for years but the landlord has rarely gotten it serviced (last was 2 years ago). Anyway, because of this leak, we have to refill the boiler every day. The old filling loop has no taps, just screws, and, after 2 years of using a screwdriver to refill it, the screw head is worn down to the point where we can no longer turn it to refill.

So, I got myself a new filling loop and just wanted to verify a few things.

1) Is it a simple swap? The new loop has a tap on one end but the old one has screws on both ends. Do I need one with 2 taps or will this one do?
2) I attempted to undo the old one (turned mains water off) and there was a lot of water coming from it when I unscrewed it a bit (not the bolts but just the handle things). I assume this is normal but should I be draining the system in some way? There's not really a lot of space for a bucket under the boiler. Maybe a big bowl.
3) If I do need to drain the system in some way, do I need to do anything after I replace the loop and turn the mains water back on?
4) What is the screw for on the other (right) side? If I turn it horizontally then no water comes out of the left once unscrewed, however if I put it back vertically there is always a slight leak from the screw. It also doesn't tighten or anything, just "floats".

Boiler is in the kitchen surrounded by a wood casing so not a lot of room to manoeuvre.

Thanks

 

[Aquarius]

OK which combi boiler do you have? The new loop sounds like a single tap, but double check valve arrangement and should be fine, but fit the double check on the cold main side. So with the water off (if it is indeed off) you may be getting the heating water coming back through.

 

[cjmarkham]

Hi

The boiler in an Ideal one. I cannot see anything on the front for model number but a panel on the underside says isar HE30.

When the mains was off, the water coming through once I unscrewed a bit looked pressurised. I unscrewed the top part of the left hand side so the water was coming up through the pipe, not leaking down.

 

[Aquarius]

Hadn’t spotted the photos before. Providing no pipes are above, not too difficult if they are.

Turn off the heating valve side and cold main. Undo the flexi on cold side, and using the flexi, drain pressure into a receptacle. Once this stops, you should be ok to replace both valves, and turn on cold main, and fill system. You ought to get your leak seen to ASAP, beforehand any damage is done.

 

[cjmarkham]

I should have mentioned that I am a novice with this but I assume that the heating valve side is the left side in the pictures and the cold main is the right side? Or is the cold main the main water tap (under sink) and the heating valve the main screw I turn to fill the boiler?

 

[Aquarius]

The heating one is the one attached to the pipe with a pressure gauge.

 

[cjmarkham]

And "cold main" is the screw on the right side of the fill loop (not the one attached to the pipe with the pressure gauge)?

This is my assumption:

 

[Aquarius]

I’d say the other way around, because I doubt your heating pipe is 15mm, whereas it will be 22mm.

 

[cjmarkham]

The screw on the left (which I labelled heating valve) is the one I use to fill the boiler. The other screw (i labelled cold main) is the one that stops water going to the other one.

Also, the one on the left was the one I was unscrewing, which is where the water came out of

 

[cjmarkham]

FYI I have looked at a few videos and images of the same boiler, as well as the model above (HE35) and below (HE24) and all images show the pressure gauge on the opposite side, so not sure what that means for my boiler.

 

[Aquarius]

It looks like an ideal isar/icos. The one on the left could have failed, and therefore passing - they’re not supposed to be left connected.

Your stopcock, are you turning off in a clockwise direction?

 

[cjmarkham]

It's an Ideal isar HE30. Yes, the stopcock gets turned off clockwise.

 

[Aquarius]

Yes, the stopcock gets turned off clockwise.

Then it shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[cjmarkham]

What shouldn't be a problem? I'm curious as to why the stopcock off direction has an effect on the filling loop or boiler in general?

 

[Aquarius]

Because you said you had turned the main off, I was making sure it was off in the right direction. I thought you wanted advice on how to renew your filling loop, this has a bearing of the mains being off correctly.

 

[cjmarkham]

Good to know, thanks. I made sure the mains water was off by running the kitchen taps before turning the stopcock.

 

[cjmarkham]

Once I bleed the system and replace the filling loop, is there anything else I need to do other than turning the mains back on? Do I need to bleed the radiators throughout the house?

 

[Aquarius]

Shouldn’t need to bleed any radiators unless they’re above the boiler height wise.

 

[RayW]

Once I bleed the system and replace the filling loop, is there anything else I need to do other than turning the mains back on? Do I need to bleed the radiators throughout the house?

Yes , contact your landlord and remind him of his legal duty to have the appliance safety checked .... Landlords! How often should a boiler be serviced in a rental property? | Talk Business - https://www.talk-business.co.uk/2020/02/18/landlords-how-often-should-a-boiler-be-serviced-in-a-rental-property/#:~:text=What%20does%20the%20law%20say,a%20Landlords%27%20Gas%20Safety%20Certificate.