Boiler Leak & Smell

[shuggy50]

Water leak under my boiler, situated in porch, so left cover off overnight, leak is from seal between black cast iron bit and silver base (where pilot light window is). Heating came on this morning, with awful smell, smells like when you open radiator in car, that has overheated, with no water in rad. I had 2 small rads fitted a fortnite ago and system balanced, so heating was best its been in 5 years. Should my system have been flushed before, after it was drained down ? Its the old Gravity Fed system.

 

[RigidRaider]

Others more experienced than me will be along soon but my retired plumber neighbour tells me it's quite common for older boliers to weep between the cast-iron sections. He tells me that in the old days you could buy new gaskets and rebuild the heat exchanger. Ours leaks and it smells horrible when it lights as the weeping liquid boils off, mixed with rust and dust. We intend to replace the boiler in the summer.

 

[giblets]

Looks like the dreaded, asbestos laden, Flamingo

A leaking heat exchanger has to be classed at Immediately Dangerous and the appliance not used.

 

[shuggy50]

I stopped using it based on the smell, should I turn off the pilot light as well ? Is it a new boiler or can the heat exchanger be fixed ?

 

[twgas]

dont think hex are available anymore, IMHO anew boiler is your best bet

 

[shuggy50]

TWgas Can you quote in non-plumbing language, havent a clue what you mean ? But thanks for your feedback

 

[twgas]

hex=heat exchanger (big black cast iron bit)
IMHO= in my honest opinion

 

[shuggy50]

TWgas is it just coincidence that the previous work, upset anything to do with the boiler, or are they unconnected. Should the plumber have drained down and flushed out sludge, prior to balancing ? bearing in mind, that he said "the water when he drained was black and very very dirty"

He is returning tomorrow as also the new valve he put on one of the rads, is leaking.

 

[twgas]

if he only changed rad valves then it wouldnt affect blr, as for flushing it would have been good to flush the sludge out but he would have charged you for doing that

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

just change the gaskets. I have 2 on the van What is your location?

Dave

 

[corgiman]

just change the gaskets. I have 2 on the van What is your location?

Dave

ewww thats a horrible job sogs

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

I agree CM, but seeing as Im no Tony, or an Installer I relish this job. Its an easy job basically but why 'enginners' wont take it on always surprises me.

Why replace a whole boiler when you only need to chuck a fivers worth of rubber at it?

Dave

 

[shuggy50]

soggy, I am 10 minutes from Queen Elizabeth bridge (dartford tunnel) , on A13 towards Southend, a town called Stanford le Hope. The job is yours if you want it, I expected this boiler and parts to be obsolete, so am relieved

 

[namsag]

Flamingo gaskets are on the side, yours by the looks of it is leaking from actual casting also flue hood looks very corroded and possibly got afew holes in it.

 

[shuggy50]

namsag, theres people on here saying its a flamingo, but it says potterton on the plate (photo) Potterton still exist, is it flamingo or potterton, if I gave potterton the number under the model, would they tell me if they had parts for it ? Its leaking about 2 litres over-night, can I turn this water off ? somewhere