Lots of water leaking from boiler

[paddy0djz]

Hi

Got in to new house and there were notices up saying "WARNING HEATING AND WATER DRAINED DOWN"

So I turned the water on, then filled the boiler to 1.5. After that water started leaking from all directions around the boiler.

I opened one of the radiators, and got a bowl to catch the leaking water until it all drained out

The boiler had been switched off from the mains before doing this.
As well the boiler make is Idea Isar.

Any help with this, or advice about what has happened would be great. I'm in the process of getting someone to look at it, but won't be till next week.

Thanks

 

[Tibbot]

It's not advisable to do anything with it until the system has been brought back into service. You can't be sure who's done what to it.

 

[paddy0djz]

So does anyone have experiences with something like this? What do you mean brought back into service, just wait till the gas man comes to get it up and running.

 

[Tibbot]

Yes I have experience with this. Not just gas but checking everything likely to have been shut, opened or tampered with before you moved in.

 

[paddy0djz]

Thanks Tibbot, I understand that.

I don't live in the house you see, and no one has lived in it for a while, and has it just recently been bought. Now it's just in the process of getting it ready to try and get tenants.

Would turning the water on, and refilling the boiler in the way I did lead to the fault?

I believe I shouldn't have touched it when it said WARNING etc.. But I thought there would have been a more descriptive message or info from the estate agents or in the house after buying it.

Was just trying to get the heating on too see if it worked or not, but clearly it is going to need looked at.

I want to know what could be the cause of it before some plumber tries to charge me loads.

Thanks again

 

[Tibbot]

There is no way of telling the cause of your leaks without a site visit. If you're letting it to tenants it'll first require a Landlord's gas safety inspection & certificate so you may have opportunity to get all done at the same time.

 

[Whitespirit66]

These boilers are known to be poor quality and unreliable, especially if they haven't been looked after. Guessing you bought a repo or similar. In this case, boiler servicing would have been low on the previous occupant's priorities.

Wouldn't recommend that you spend too much money on this boiler. If there's a budget, I would be looking to replace the Ideal ASAP. Or expect regular calls from cold tenants.