Boiler question

[Android 07]

I have a 10 year old Worcester Bosch Greenstar boiler in a property I just bought.
The boiler has a strange issue. The pressure drops down to zero leading to no hot water and then if you re-pressure using the key at the bottom, the boiler works for a couple of hours before the pressure goes down to zero again.

I called out a gas engineer and on his first visit, he found that the pipe leading outside was leaking. He did something to fix it but this did not fix anything. He came back for a second visit and poured in three bottles of Fernox leak sealer. He advised me to run the heating for a couple of hours. This did not fix the issue either! In fact, the pressure now drops faster than before.

The boiler also has this chugging noise all the time - not sure if this is the norm with this model.

I called Worcester and they said that the heat exchanger has a warranty of 10 years.
If an engineer turns up to fix it, it will cost me £128 and this part will be free.
If the engineer finds any other issues, it will cost me £300 in total.
I can also take a subscription where I pay £50 for 6 months and during this time, they will fix any issues with the boiler. If they cannot, they will give me £750 towards a new boiler.

What do I do ?

 

[sxturbo]

Make sure there's not a leak from the pipes.

Then do the £50 per month option

 

[kidgreen61]

I would want to know which pipe outside is dripping.
If its the copper pipe, then you need a simple repair.
If it's a plastic pipe, then as turbo says.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It could even be the PRV passing water, or more than just condensate coming out of the condensate drain - the OP needs to find out.

 

[ianmcd]

set the pressure at 1.0 bar when cold then run heating, if press guage goes up to near 3 you have an expansion problem and no amount of leak sealer will fix it

 

[CBW]

no amount of leak sealer will fix it

And may do more harm than good. Not sure if Worcester would use this as a get out clause either?

 

[Android 07]

Make sure there's not a leak from the pipes.

Then do the £50 per month option

I can't see any more leaks, nothing around the radiators.

I would want to know which pipe outside is dripping.
If its the copper pipe, then you need a simple repair.
If it's a plastic pipe, then as turbo says.

It was the copper pipe and the engineer repaired it. On his second visit, he felt the pipe and there were no leaks anymore.

set the pressure at 1.0 bar when cold then run heating, if press guage goes up to near 3 you have an expansion problem and no amount of leak sealer will fix it

I did, the pressure does not go up.

 

[Android 07]

Make sure there's not a leak from the pipes.

Then do the £50 per month option

Is there any point in paying £300 on a 10 year old boiler? Would I be better off getting a new boiler?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Is there any point in paying £300 on a 10 year old boiler? Would I be better off getting a new boiler?

As a customer, I would not put that much into a 10 year old boiler.

 

[Android 07]

Shall we call a vote? Time for a new boiler?

 

[Mottie]

The

As a customer, I would not put that much into a 10 year old boiler.

Neither would I. If times were hard though, a lot of people would have no choice and be able to pay out £1.5-£2k+ to have a new one fitted.

 

[ianmcd]

And what if it isnt the boiler ?

 

[Dangee]

When you are going out all day, turn power off to boiler.VERY IMPORTANT.
With boiler (heating) cold & pump not running, repressurise to exactly 1bar. (Take photo of p gauge) fully close flow & return isolation valves. Leave it. Check again when you come home, compare gauge with photo. If it’s dropped, it’s the boiler.

 

[Mottie]

And what if it isnt the boiler ?

Then he can put the old one back and look elsewhere but as said, check and double check first.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

And what if it isnt the boiler ?

That was not the question asked.