Baxi back boiler - leak.

[Zednero]

Afternoon,
I'm new to this forum, and new to owning a home, so please be gentle!

1st of July I moved into my home, it's pretty old, so has a Bermuda back boiler.

I had it serviced a few days after moving in, as I was unable to get it going. It turns out it had not been switched on in around 2 years.

After a couple of hours, the plumber managed to get it going, after he stripped pilot assembly etc, saying it was full of dust and dirt.

As I can't afford a new boiler currently, I only wanted hot water running (have 3 young children in the house, they're always grubby! )

So for the first few days, all was good. Hot water was running fine. Few days after that, it would be tepid at best.

So I went into cupboard where cylinder and header tanks are. When I got up there, I realised one of the taps were turned to off, so I turned it back on. (I note, that this tap was from the smaller, higher up tank)

After a few minutes, behind the back boiler downstairs, there was a leak. So I turned it back off upstairs and didn't switch on the boiler for heating for about 2 weeks.

After this time, I switched it back on, and again it was good for a few days then reverted back to luke warm water.

I'm led to believe that the smaller tank is for heating the 3 radiators here, so I'm guessing this shouldn't affect the system being switched off?

So, any ideas on what's causing the leak?

Is it something I can fix myself?

When explaining anything pictures would be great, as would diagrams, so I can get my head round it all. (I'm not familiar with the official terminology of anything!)


Thanks in advance!


Chris.

 

[Agile]

You need a gas reg engineer to inspect the boiler.

If leaking from the main heat exchanger it will probably be necessary to replace the boiler.

In the meantime don't you have an immersion heater in the hot tank to turn on?

If not then one can probably be fitted.

Sounds as if you should have taken more interest in the heating system when you bought the system. Most surveyors would have made a comment on the system.

Tony

 

[Zednero]

Thanks for the reply Tony.

There is no immersion heater here, how would I go about getting one? Electrician or gas engineer?

Also, the house wasn't bought, per say. It was left to my wife and I in a will, we just paid off remainder of mortgage to own it outright. If that makes sense? As such, no survey was done.

I've had a quote on a new combi boiler (£3k) but that's a little way off at the moment.

I did initially fear the heat exchanger. Is that for both hot water and heating radiators? As I'm not fussed on having radiators working currently, just having hot water will suffice.

Thanks again,


Chris.

 

[Cgas]

that small tank you talk about is the f&e tank which fills the system with water, including the radiators as you said, but that water from that tank also indirectly heats your hot water in the cylinder. So in short that f&e tank needs to be filled and the system for you to get hot water.

 

[stardanny]

I did initially fear the heat exchanger. Is that for both hot water and heating radiators? As I'm not fussed on having radiators working currently, just having hot water will suffice.

Yes, the boiler does do the heating radiators and heat the hot water.

What exactly is it leaking? A photo will help. Did the engineer inspect the heat exchanger for any water stain?

Daniel.

 

[Zednero]

Not sure what is leaking exactly, it drips from behind the fireplace downstairs.

The engineer did mention that there was a leak at some point due to some calcification around one of the pipes. We knew of an old leak and presumed it was that.

Though, I haven't called out the engineer since the leak happened last time.

Without taking the whole front thing off, I couldn't tell you. (Am I allowed to remove the front?)

I can take pics if I need to, but will probably have to upload them to a 3rd party website, due to poor phone e connection to Internet.... (haven't got my broadband setup here yet!)


Chris.

 

[Agile]

A plumber of some kind is needed to fit immersion but make sure he can do the wiring.

I charge £152 in my local area. But undoing the blanking plug is at your own risk! Sometimes the old tank can split.

Tony

 

[Zednero]

Im in Wiltshire, if someone wants to quote me lol

A plumber of some kind is needed to fit immersion but make sure he can do the wiring.

I charge £152 in my local area. But undoing the blanking plug is at your own risk! Sometimes the old tank can split.

Tony

 

[snes]

I am not sure the OP is allowed to remove enough parts to enable a useful picture to be taken?

He is being commendably careful here - we don't want to encourage unauthorized gas work.

Forgive me if I am wrong here - Tony will quickly advise.

 

[Zednero]

Attatched are pics of fireplace/back boiler. And the tap thing that's switched off. (one that leaks when turned on.) connected to smaller header tank.

Not sure if any if these are of any use at the moment. Pending whether I can take the front off, would depend on more pics

 

[Cgas]

No you cannot remove the front and need a registered RGI to remove the fire, you've already taken the case off the fire.

All your doing by opening that gate valve is allowing the system to fill and essentially the water your adding is then leaving through the leak on the boiler.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Get someone qualified to remove the fire front and check where the leak is. Gaskets are shown as available for heat exchanger, and any other leaks can be repaired. If it's a 552 model then if repaired and serviced it will last many more years.

 

[Zednero]

It does appear to be the 552 model, I suppose if it's a pipe leak the only other issue would be access. I would assume I'd have to rip the wall apart to access it?

I have turned that tap back on since but only briefly and it didn't leak. So I'm confused at the moment! Was trying to see if I could see where the leak was coming from with the case off.

Gaskets etc, are they likely to cost me an arm and a leg? The real question really, is is it really worth paying out to repair it?

 

[45yearsagasman]

The gaskets are cheap, it's the labour involved to do the repair. I've done them in 4 hrs. It's worth checking out. A guaranteed repair will be vastly cheaper than a new boiler.

 

[Agile]

45 is now retired and I would be very surprised of anyone at BG where he used to work would replace HE gaskets on a 552 now.

I agree there a very few independents who might, I have even replaced a few myself, but finding someone locally to do it is worth asking but unlikely to succeed.

Whilst the 552 is very reliable, the are about 30% less efficient than the current boiler models.

Tony