Boiler Problems

Hi, hope someone can help

I've just moved into a brand new property and am having problems with the boiler and water pressure. It's a 2nd floor flat if that makes any difference.

First we noticed that the whole flat was always cold even with the radiators all on full, the thermostat set to +30 and the radiator control set to max on the boiler. Then the boiler started making loud noises - screaching and banging - which only stopped if I turned the heating off at the boiler. The next problem is that there is hardly any water coming from the hot tap in the bath. It takes at least 20 minutes to fill the bath halfway and if you use the shower attachment it's much worse. Then all the radiators and the pipes that feed them started banging. Now the boiler won't light and I've got no heating or hot water at all. The pressure on the boiler was hovering around 1.25 (it says it should be between 1 - 1.5), but now it's gone down to 0.2.

I'm going to call my landlord to get them out to fix it as it's not working at all now, but would be interested to know whether the bathroom tap or funny noises have got anything to do with this.

Also does anyone know if there is anything I can do to improve the pressure coming from the bath hot tap?

Many thanks
Julie

Hi, just thought I would mention that the boiler is a 'Vaillant turbomax pro'.

Really hope I get some responses to this because I don't want to have someone into repair it and then the same problem occurs shortly after.

Also does anyone know if there's supposed to be a cover on the bottom of the boiler. I can see all the pipes and it looks like there are grooves that a cover should fit in. I really don't know anything about plumbing, but I my gut feeling is that there is something badly wrong with the whole system.

Thanks
Julie

If its a brand new property then the builders should be liable. Obviously the boiler has not been installed correctly. The Vaillant is an excellent boiler unlike too many of the people installing them!!. Immediately inform your landlord!

Zounds like you need to get the system filled with water, and fully bled of air, and be shown how to do it for yourself. (Filling tap is ON the boiler).
Piddling hot water is usually because the mains pressure's low, especially as you're on the 2nd floor, probably on an inadequate pipe if it's a conversion flat.

I think the "pro" is a cheaper version, which doesn't have the bottom front cover. If you capture an engineer at the boiler ask him to take the flow restrictor out - Vaillant recommend it in poor supply areas and it takes a couple of minutes.

Hi, thanks for the responses.

Luckily the builders are working on a new project just up the road and one of them came out today to refill the boiler, so it's working again.

The plumber is coming out tomorrow to check the radiators as some of them leak a bit (but not much).

I'll ask the plumber tomorrow how to refill the system myself if it happens again, and also about removing the flow restrictor.

Thanks for the advice
Julie

Hi

The plumber came out on Friday to fix the leak from the radiator in the kitchen. The pressure on the boiler was 2 after the system was filled again. Over the weekend the radiator has started leaking again and the pressure is now at 1.

I asked the plumber about removing the flow restrictor and he said he couldn't do it. He reckons the reason that the hot water tap in the bath has such a light flow is because the mains pressure is low in the whole area. I asked whether the flow rate would be higher if I installed an electric shower and he shrugged.

I really would appreciate some advice about this. Obviously I'll call the builders again on Monday to fix the leak on the kitchen rad again, but as for getting any advice from them about increasing the flow rate, I don't think it's worth asking.

Many thanks
Julie

somebody is talking out of their rear end
if the flow /pressure is low thats why you remove the restrictor

the rad is leaking again, that don't sound promising for a start, lets face it fitting a rad without leaks ain't hard, if your pressure is good coming out the cold tap, i personally think it sould be simular coming out the hot

never heard of a flow restrictor then

If the boiler pressure was 2, there is definitely enough pressure on the mains. Sounds like the old ‘blame it on someone else routine’. Vaillant is an excellent brand and works fine for many years if installed and maintained properly. A leaking radiator repaired and failing again? Does not sound like high quality to me.