Hi John D, to answer your questions - please see my previous post on the boiler details. The new boiler is combi type, it replaced the old one (condensing? I think) with a two tanks (small and big) in the loft. Both tanks were disconnected by BG when installing the new combi in July this year, the small one was thrown away, while the big one remains in the loft but it's not being used (disconnected and isolated).
Abnormally high and unexplained water consumption in house
- Thread starter LikeMyHome
- Start date
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OK. You say the boiler pressure "went down" to 1 bar overnight. What is it usually?
Do you know how to use the filling loop or valve? It should normally be closed so it is isolated from the watermain.
I am especially interested now in the pressure relief valve which (usually) goes through the wall behind the boiler, and is a copper pipe curved round so that anything that comes out squirts back against the wall. Is there any sign of wet around this pipe?
Do you know how to use the filling loop or valve? It should normally be closed so it is isolated from the watermain.
I am especially interested now in the pressure relief valve which (usually) goes through the wall behind the boiler, and is a copper pipe curved round so that anything that comes out squirts back against the wall. Is there any sign of wet around this pipe?
Normal pressure we were told is 1.2 bar. However, BG engineer who visited us yesterday (pls see my first post here for details) said pressure was low and increased it to 2.0 bar and it was 2.0 bar till late evening yesterday. After closing stop cock overnight and leaving boiler ON - pressure dropped to 1.0 bar.
I was shown it once, so should be able to figure out it tonight.
I don't remember any moisture around the boiler and/or pipes, but to be certain I'll double check it tonight and let you know.
With regard to pressure relief valve - it might be in the sink cupboard beneath the boiler, but I'd have to check this tonight.
Should the pressure relief valve be on the inside wall (boiler is on the kitchen wall) or the outside wall of the house?
Thank you
The valve is on the inside but the pipe goes through the wall and the outlet is on the outside. It is (should be) turned back so that any water ejected squirts at the wall rather than potentially scalding a passer-by.
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Thanks John, I will check this tonight and let you know.
Why is the OP checking the PRV outlet ? Has this gone off the original question of losing lots of water and high water bills
Surely the cold pressure in the boiler should be c. 1 Bar. If BG upped it to 2 Bar then when the heating fired up it may well have gone over pressure and ejected water and now it is cooled it is back in the 1 Bar region.
andytw
Surely the cold pressure in the boiler should be c. 1 Bar. If BG upped it to 2 Bar then when the heating fired up it may well have gone over pressure and ejected water and now it is cooled it is back in the 1 Bar region.
andytw
because
which suggests that (1) there is a loss from the heating system and (2) since the loss of pressure was not observed until the stopcock was turned off, maybe the filling loop is letting by, or conceivably the HEX.
which suggests that (1) there is a loss from the heating system and (2) since the loss of pressure was not observed until the stopcock was turned off, maybe the filling loop is letting by, or conceivably the HEX.
With a similar old boiler (worcester 24, at other property) I remember the pressure rose from 1.2 bar (col) to 2.5-3 bar (hot), but with this new boiler - I don't know the numbers yet. I will monitor the cold/hot pressures tonight and update.
Understood, but just concerned this issue is not an issue. 1 bar is fine, if it was more then this the night before then it may have been hot and BG had already overpressurised it so the opportunity to lose water was already setup.
He states he is losing 15 litres per hour so the PRV would be fairly dribbling.
andytw
He states he is losing 15 litres per hour so the PRV would be fairly dribbling.
andytw
quick update:
I found the PRV pipe outside - it is curled towards the outside wall, however the wall is completely dry.
I've also examined the house for other valves too - nothing underneath the bath tub, nor anywhere else except two valves connecting dishwasher and washing machine - I will play with those over the weekend (not straightforward to pull them out from the cabinets). Will also look for other valves in the loft.
With regard to pressure drop with stop cock (SC) closed overnight - I think the difference I reported before was due to comparing hot (2.0) and cold (1.0 bar) states. Yesterday evening the pressure was 1.0 when the boiler was off with SC open, so 1 bar is indeed normal pressure for 'cold' irrespective of the SC position.
One more observation I made that could be interesting - when I open SC the pressure in the boiler jumps rapidly (within ~ 1-2 sec) and then stabilizes but to a slightly lower value, like from 1.0 (SC closed) to 0.8 bar (SC open). Is this normal?
Thank you
I found the PRV pipe outside - it is curled towards the outside wall, however the wall is completely dry.
I've also examined the house for other valves too - nothing underneath the bath tub, nor anywhere else except two valves connecting dishwasher and washing machine - I will play with those over the weekend (not straightforward to pull them out from the cabinets). Will also look for other valves in the loft.
With regard to pressure drop with stop cock (SC) closed overnight - I think the difference I reported before was due to comparing hot (2.0) and cold (1.0 bar) states. Yesterday evening the pressure was 1.0 when the boiler was off with SC open, so 1 bar is indeed normal pressure for 'cold' irrespective of the SC position.
One more observation I made that could be interesting - when I open SC the pressure in the boiler jumps rapidly (within ~ 1-2 sec) and then stabilizes but to a slightly lower value, like from 1.0 (SC closed) to 0.8 bar (SC open). Is this normal?
Thank you
Can't comment on the pressure gauge jumping apart from some flexibility in the heat exchanger maybe.
But just to get back to basics. Please confirm....
1. Your water meter is going around and around when you are not using water.
2. The water meter stops when you turn off the stop-cock
andytw
But just to get back to basics. Please confirm....
1. Your water meter is going around and around when you are not using water.
2. The water meter stops when you turn off the stop-cock
andytw
Hi Andy,
1. Correct.
2. Correct.
Thanks
P.S.
I doubt it's important but just for the record - we have two stop cocks: old brass one (many turns to close/open; was at the property when we moved in) and a new one (one 90 degree turn to close or open) fitted by our builder. All the "experiments" I've reported so far were done with using the new valve.
OK...so you have a leak. I presume you calculated from the meter that it was 15 litres per hour, that is 60 gallons per day. If this was inside your decorated house then you would know it. It is not going out of the boiler PRV.
Only real options left are that it is under the building or somewhere that is un-noticed. I would, personally, re-visit the toilet, put some talc around the bowl or put some loo-blue in the cistern.
Whilst we have established that it is 60 gallons per day it is still only 1 teaspoon per second.
andytw
Only real options left are that it is under the building or somewhere that is un-noticed. I would, personally, re-visit the toilet, put some talc around the bowl or put some loo-blue in the cistern.
Whilst we have established that it is 60 gallons per day it is still only 1 teaspoon per second.
andytw
View media item 86026 pic showing the meter & the valves
I will try that, but I doubt it's the reason - the toilet looks pretty quiet and steady - no noise, no bubbles, no ripples - no anything.
That's not that small - I could easily spot one drop per sec, and 1 teaspoon/sec is a lot to me.
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