Problems with new heating system

[avisccs]

Hi all

I had a new heating system in August this year. The team who did the job is very far away from home (Birmingham).

Since it's done, the first problem is water pressure. It fall to about 0.8 and the system doesn't work. So my husband called them and they remote controlled my hubby to sort it out.

About a month ago, we found one of the radiators doesn't work. The rest works. I tried to contact the team and he doesn't reply. That radiator was working when the system was first installed. We didn't use heating in the summer and the first time really need it, we noticed it didn't work. However, when my hubby called this guy (boss of the team) he is not interested to help.

My question is: who's responsibility is this to sort it out, when a new system goes wrong within 2 months? My hubby said that radiator was not working when he checked on the day the guys was doing the heating in August. They then sorted it out. But now it is not working again. We do not have any guarantee of the system from this team. I didn't realise it would suddenly not work. Does it mean I have to pay to get it sorted?

As regarding to the problem, we have bleed 3 pints from the radiator. We have tried to turn off the other radiators and waited. Pin in the head was ok. When taken head off the radiator is still not hot. We are only junior DIYers, so we really don't want to get into balancing.

Any suggestions, guys?

 

[Tibbot]

Any suggestions, guys?

My suggestion is next time you have major work done, ensure you only place your order with a tradesman that offers a back up service if things go wrong.

 

[D_Hailsham]

I had a new heating system in August this year. The team who did the job is very far away from home (Birmingham).

Was the installation carried out under a Government Scheme? If so, complain to the Scheme organizers, not the installers, who are only contractors to the organizer.

If not a 'Scheme', why did you employ an installer who lives so far away?

Since it's done, the first problem is water pressure. It fall to about 0.8 and the system doesn't work.

Have you had a pressure problem since then? If so, it would suggest there is a leak somewhere.

My question is: who's responsibility is this to sort it out, when a new system goes wrong within 2 months?

The installer.

We do not have any guarantee of the system from this team.

Yes you do. Contact your local Trading Standards.

 

[avisccs]

Thank you for your reply.

It is not from a scheme. It's a group of contractors to do the whole system. I got them to do the job, because they got very very good rating. They do heating jobs nationally. They can finish the job within 1 day.

The water pressure gone down, but after my hubby set it to 2.1 about 6 weeks ago. Now it is 2.0. I will monitor and see if it continuely go down. I asked the installer why this (went down to 0.8 bar 6 weeks ago) happened and he said it's the system settling down.

What sort of trade does this come under? I don't seem to find any thing on google, so I might have inputted the wrong key words.

 

[Whitespirit66]

I got them to do the job, because they got very very good rating. They can finish the job within 1 day.

Checkatrade.

Banging a system in in one day is a recipe for disaster. The emphasis will be in nailing the boiler to the wall as quickly as possible, then on to the next one. Normal preparation and commisioning will go out the window.

It's very common to have teething problems with new systems, callbacks to make adjustments are routine. If the fitters are 100 miles away, it's going to be very difficult to rectify problems.

The way you arranged this install sounds like the way not to do it. Your system will be in place for many years. It needs to be right or you set yourself up for plenty of grief.

I would spend some of the money you saved by employing international heating fitters on getting someone local to check it over.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Sympathies are limited. Sorry.

 

[Madrab]

One point of note, if increasing the pressure, keep it around the 1.3bar mark, 2.1 bar is a little on the high side.

 

[D_Hailsham]

What sort of trade does this come under?

Are you referring to 'Trading Standards'? If so, Trading Standards is a department in your Local Council which is responsible for upholding laws such as the Sale of Goods Act.

Phone your local Council and ask for Trading Standards. Explain your problem to them and ask for their advice. Then do exactly what they advise.

If they tell you to write to the company, make sure you keep a copy of the letter and send it Recorded Delivery. They then cannot say that they never received the letter. In the end you may have to employ a local independent installer to inspect the job and write a report, but you will have to warn the original installers that you are doing this and will be sending them the bill.

In the end you may even end up taking the installers to the Small Claims Court, which is not expensive, and you can claim costs from the installers.

 

[avisccs]

Phone your local Council and ask for Trading Standards. Explain your problem to them and ask for their advice. Then do exactly what they advise.

If they tell you to write to the company, make sure you keep a copy of the letter and send it Recorded Delivery. They then cannot say that they never received the letter. In the end you may have to employ a local independent installer to inspect the job and write a report, but you will have to warn the original installers that you are doing this and will be sending them the bill.

In the end you may even end up taking the installers to the Small Claims Court, which is not expensive, and you can claim costs from the installers.

Thank you so much for the constructive advice. I will give the Citizens Advice Bureau a call tomorrow.

 

[avisccs]

One point of note, if increasing the pressure, keep it around the 1.3bar mark, 2.1 bar is a little on the high side.

Thanks for this too. I will check out how to make it lower.

 

[Madrab]

Easiest way to do that is to open one of the the radiator bleed valves and bleed off some of the pressure. Have a towel handy to catch the water.

 

[avisccs]

I just noticed (from the receipt) that I have a 5 year warranty. But it doesn't specify whether this is for the boiler or for the system...

 

[avisccs]

Just to finish off the story.

My hubby had been calling to ask the engineer to come back to fix the problem for over 2 months with no luck. In earlier Dec, we decided we have to do it the hard way. I then write a letter according to the trading standard advice. The engineer finally came to us to fix the problem.

The reason why one radiator did not work, because there is a valve in one of the pipe leading to the radiator. When the engineer replaced the radiator in July, he connected the pipes the wrong way and the valve only let a small amount of hot water goes into the radiator, so the radiator was warm but not as hot as it should be. This valve let the water go one way but not the other. And once this little gap in the valve is blocked (because the flush wasn't done properly), the radiator no longer works. This time he has swaped the pipe round, so the water throw the correct way and the radiator works.