Wet combustion chamber

Just went to a 'call out' (friend of family!) they had a leak on their Baxi wallhung RS/BFthing, got there and the bottom of the boiler was full of water, checked the f and r connections - completly dry , then checked the flue and noticed the overflow from HWSC had been leaking, checked airing cupboard where tank was and thought that the overflow was leaking down through the boxing and into boiler, went back outside to check position of overflow etc, and then realised that the water from the overflow had entered the balanced flue and found its way into the combustion chamber and then leaked onto the bottom of the tray!!!

Changed ball valve and advised to get seals on boiler checked by a CORGI asap.

Should i tell them not to use the boiler in the mean time?
They havent had it serviced for years either.

oh yeah £25 in me back pocket to

Maybe put an elbow and a length of piping on the overflow too, for another £25

allready advised on that! - £25+VAT

bstr you did the right thing by telling them to seek a qualified engineer. By doing any thing else could leave you in the brown stuff, even if you just turned if off you have then accepted responsibility for it. e.g. you turn it off , they want a bath, turn it back on boiler faults damages property or kills someone. who do you thing they will say was the last person to touch it!

OK so you changed the ball valve for them and advised the overflow is diverted away from flue.

Really the boiler should be checked and should be off until them. However when it dries out it will probably be working Ok. Since they have never got it serviced I would have advised you to leave it off until it can be checked.

You are in S Wales I think. One thing I always tell my trainees is to never do jobs for friends or relatives except at the full local commercial price. The advantage to the friend is that you come earlier and dont rip them off.

I would have thought a float valve is S Wales is much more than £25. In London we used to charge about £50 if it was quick but more recently have increased it to £65 but we only do a very few. I presume they are now done by the East Europeans for £20.

Tony

I didnt touch the boiler - as soon as i seen the amount of water i told him to turn the power off. they had been using it all day with water in bottom of boiler, so all the water on the burner etc has been burnt off ( didnt say this to them), advised to turn off as seals may have been disturbed as water had obviously leaked from them (or another opening in the chamber). He is getting a Corgi geezer round tommorrow for a service (i told him to explain where the water had come from and phone me to explain if needs be).

Agile - I live in Monmouthshire and ball valve probably £35-40 from legit company.