HELP - Please read and advise :)

[JayKing]

Hi

I have a Biasi combi boiler in which for the last couple of weeks I have been having the following problem.

The heating system works perfectly i.e. all the heaters heat up and maintain a high level of heat for whatever period I require.

BUT

The hot water throughout the entire house is on a 'weird' cycle in which when turning any tap on, hot water comes on for 15 seconds and the there is cold water for the next 15 seconds then hot then cold and so on.

We have had a engineer come out from Homeserve under our Home Emergency cover policy and he has advised that the heat exchanger needs to be replaced BUT Homeserve wont do this as this say I require a power flush before they can fit part.

So I was wondering what do you think as do I require a power flush as my entire house was reinvoated from top to bottom back in 2010 and I assumed a power flush would only be required if the heating system was causing problems in which in this case it isnt.

Look forward to your advice and help guys.

Thanks in advance

 

[Phill Peck]

This is the problem with contracts, they don't really make any money from you unless they can sell you some extras.

Call them back and insist that the plate heat exchanger is removed and cleaned. At this point you can assess if I powerflush is required. Perhaps you could come to an agreement with them that that clean/replace the HEX and should it block again then you will have a powerflush.

If they refuse cancel your contact and ask for all your previous payments back as they have not kept up their end of the contact. They should atleast offer you proof in form of a water sample or similar that you require a flush

As you have managed to deduce for yourself your system works as all your radiators work well so it is unlikely that your boiler will be badly blocked.

 

[sherbert]

they most probably mean the plate heat exchanger

 

[JayKing]

Hi

I have had my installer come out today and he has advised to do the following.

Clean the heat exchanger and fit a "Magnetic Scale Inhibitor" (from Screwfix £29.99) to the water main, as he belives we have hard water thus this will stop the heat exchanger getting blocked in the future once he has cleaned the heat exchanger

What do you think? Will this work?

Thanks

 

[JayKing]

This is the problem with contracts, they don't really make any money from you unless they can sell you some extras.

Call them back and insist that the plate heat exchanger is removed and cleaned. At this point you can assess if I powerflush is required. Perhaps you could come to an agreement with them that that clean/replace the HEX and should it block again then you will have a powerflush.

If they refuse cancel your contact and ask for all your previous payments back as they have not kept up their end of the contact. They should atleast offer you proof in form of a water sample or similar that you require a flush

As you have managed to deduce for yourself your system works as all your radiators work well so it is unlikely that your boiler will be badly blocked.

Hi

I have had my installer come out today and he has advised to do the following.

Clean the heat exchanger and fit a "Magnetic Scale Inhibitor" (from Screwfix £29.99) to the water main, as he belives we have hard water thus this will stop the heat exchanger getting blocked in the future once he has cleaned the heat exchanger

What do you think? Will this work?

Thanks

 

[Agile]

In spite of what you have been told above, these contract boiler covers always exclude problems caused by sludge.

The system should have been power flushed when the boiler was installed. Many dont when they think they can get away with it.

I look forward to seeing the mag filter for £29.99

Tony

 

[Phill Peck]

It's a scale reducer tony not a system filter

From your description scale is quite possibly the problem rather than system dirt but this should become obvious when the plate is removed

Tony my point about the contract is thT they shouldn't take a contract on on a dirty system then blame that for the failure of parts. You know aswell as I do you could take the plate out and flush it thru to find/solve the problem in about half an hour. Would you not w pect this to be done before just blaming sludge and leaving

 

[JohnD]

...a "Magnetic Scale Inhibitor" ...

...Will this work?

No, Magnetic Scale Inhibitors don't work.

 

[Phill Peck]

This is true magnetic ones are not great

Best option is water softener or a cartridge type scale reducer if your budget doesn't allow a softer

 

[JayKing]

This is true magnetic ones are not great

Best option is water softener or a cartridge type scale reducer if your budget doesn't allow a softer

Hi

What shall I do mate?

My warranty is not paying out. I have had Homeserve come out and they wont do anything unless I powerflush.

Regards

 

[Phill Peck]

Is homeserve your contract provider?

Tell them that you are under contract and require proof that a powerflush is required as you don't believe this to be the only possible cause of the fault

A powerflush will not affectivly clean the plate heat exchanger it will need to be removed to clean it. Ask them to clean it and check the condition.
If they won't do it then cancel your contract and demand previous parents back.

As said this is my issue with the companies that offer contracts of you had an independent round it would be sorted by now and you wouldn't have to waste your time on the Internet trying to find a solution

 

[mysteryman]

It should be possible to put the diverter into mid position by using the filling or venting program. You can then powerflush the whole of the boiler primary side via the heating flow and return.