Drop in boiler pressure

[Alison556]

Our mains water was off a couple of weeks ago - during which time I made sure I did everything they said regarding not running taps, then what to do when the water came back on.

Once the water was on, I ran the cold tap in the kitchen as instructed.

The first time I ran the hot tap, there was terrible gurgling noises coming from the boiler.

Then, when the heating went on, it was gurgling again.

The pressure when cold has dropped down to 0.5bar, though it goes up to 1.5bar when the heating is on.

I phoned the gas man out, but unfortunately, the heating was on when he came and he said it was fine and the gurgling wasn't air in the heating, but just an air lock going through the boiler.

But the pressure shouldn't have dropped, should it? And I don't understand how the mains water being off would affect this - or is it maybe just coincidence?

Does it sound like air in the central heating?

Thanks all,

Alison

 

[gas4you]

The pressure in your heating system should not be affected by your water going off. Your filling loop should be turned off anyway.

It is just coincidence, but your system pressure needs topping up to just over 1 Bar when the rads are cold.

This will then rise to about 2 Bar when they get hot then drop back upon cooling. This is normal operation.

 

[Alison556]

Thanks. We don't actually have the filling loop attached - the guy brings it with him.

Should the rads maybe be bled before the boiler is topped up? We've had a problem before on a couple of occassions with air getting into the system (don't ask me how - unless there's a lead or something somewhere) - so would it be worth getting the rads checked as well?

 

[gas4you]

You should be left with the filling loop at your property

You do not want to have to pay this guy everytime you want to top your system up

I would top up the system, bleed all rads etc, then check pressure and top up again.

Onve this is done disconnect filling loop and leave under boiler.

 

[twgas]

wouldnt advise bleeding rads if you have no filling loop as your pressure may drop too low for boiler to work

 

[Alison556]

You should be left with the filling loop at your property

You do not want to have to pay this guy everytime you want to top your system up

I would top up the system, bleed all rads etc, then check pressure and top up again.

Onve this is done disconnect filling loop and leave under boiler.

Really? I asked him to show me how it was done the first time he did it and he told me that the reason he didn't leave the loop behind was because topping up the boiler couldn't be done by just anybody - I could over fill it and cause all sorts of problems! Is this chancing man taking the mick from dim female?

Then of course, there was the guy that told me to bleed the radiators myself and when I said that the boiler would need topped up, he said it didn't!

And you wonder why I want to make sure I try and educate myself a bit!

I take it I could buy a filling loop from some of the DIY places?

 

[gas4you]

Yes you could, assuming it is not a 'built in' type that he has removed.

What boiler is it?

But the question should be 'why should you?' After all you have paid for the loop already.

Demand that he gives you the loop. He and the other numpty you mention are talking a load of carp

 

[Alison556]

It's the infamous Ravenheat CSI 85T. I've seen the guy attaching the loop to two pipes that have little taps on them and he opens the taps up, does whatever it is he does, closes the taps and then removes the loop.

Dunno about getting the loop though - he wouldn't even top the boiler up the last time cos he said there was nothing wrong with it because the hot pressure was 1.3bar (I looked last night and it was lower than I originally thought).

I'm now arguing with myself whether to phone them out again, get dog's abuse from the gas man for wasting his time or just go and do it myself.

 

[WDIK]

geez this guy is scamming you
as gas4 you stated its a cold fill setting, get the loop off him and tell him you will report him to trading standards if he refuses

 

[bab]

this is quite unbelivable postings/ if it was a new installation he has to show u how to top up the boiler to comply with the benchmark conditions. How many times has he charged u to refill this boiler.the loop is your property which he canot remove . Is he corgi registerd .your probably not the only customer he's scamming. Post his details this p rat needs sortin.

 

[gas4you]

Nothing wrong with the Ravenheat, as long as it is fitted properly.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Only 2 choices, demand your loop or go and but another, about a tenner.

I would do the first personally, I hate these ****s who take advantage of a woman customer.

The loop has to be left with the boiler, manufacturers instructions

 

[Alison556]

Oooh, I better explain things properly. The boiler was fitted as part of a central heating and rewiring project that our local council carried out. So far, any servicing/repairs have been part of (I can't remember the word they used) like the warranty for installation by the company that did it.

The booklet that comes with the boiler has all the bits ticked about the customer being shown what to do and how to work it etc, but I wasn't in the house when the guy fitted it! I've had to phone them out every single time there's a problem - and trust me, there's been loads. At first, it was the company that installed it that was sending one of their guys out, now it's the council that send one of their guys out - but that won't be for long now.

I might not understand the intracacies of the boiler, but I'm really not stupid and if somebody took a few minutes to show and explain to me how something works and how to do something, I pick it up no problem. Every time I ask a question, I just get this shake of the head and spoken to like I'm an idiot with a "you obviously don't understand dear".

So far, it's far too technical for me to top up a boiler but I can bleed rads myself and since I obviously know nothing about boilers then I don't understand about the pressure and there's nothing wrong with it and there can't possibly be air in the central heating circuit because it's a sealed unit - yet a previous guy told me that it's quite common to get a drop in pressure every few months because of air getting into the system!!!!!!

I could give you a list of problems we've had that would make your hair curl! We've had leaking radiators, leaking boiler, TRVs that are no more thermostatic than fly in the air - turn them down to 3 and the radiators go off completely never to come on again unless you open the TRV completely, scalding water coming through the hot taps when the central heating is on (oh there's a huge post about that somewhere) yet when the heating's not on, we can barely get any hot water - so we've got to put the heating on to get water to wash the dishes! Oh, and a chorus of singing radiators (don't forget though, there's no way there could be air in them).

And then don't get me started on the wiring......................5 electricians and a year and me nagging and being neurotic before they realised they'd wired the smoke alarm up wrong (into the shower so that every time I put the shower on, the smoke alarm went off) and when you switch the bathroom light off at night, the outside security light comes on.

But I'm just neurotic........

Geez, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Sorry chaps for the rant.

 

[gas4you]

No need to apologise, it sounds as if you have every reason to complain.

I would suggest that if they refuse to leave the filling loop with you, then threaten to call corgi in for an inspection of the entire system.

I don't care whether it was fitted as part of a council grant scheme or you paid for it all yourself, it's either right or wrong

God I hate these ****s that patronise you because you are a woman

 

[Alison556]

These are the kind of guys that get tradesmen a bad name. I like to think I know a little bit of most things - I do all the DIY in the house myself and am pretty handy with the power tools and I hate it when tradesmen think I'm stupid.

Prime example was the fitter who did my wardrobes - he spent about 15 minutes trying to work out how to get the runners on for the bifold doors while I stood hopping from foot to foot trying to tell him that all he needed to do was pull a pin down on the hinge. He eventually let me do it and couldn't believe I knew what I was doing.

I'm not saying I know it all, but I know when something's not right.

The smoke alarm was another classic. They replaced the unit three times but never ever checked the base plate that was wired into the ceiling. I kept asking them to check it and kept getting told it wouldn't be that. I ended up nagging the guy senseless and telling him just to humour me and that's when they found out it was wired up wrong!!!

The company that did the rewiring and central heating had actually been blacklisted by the council because they'd made such a mess of another area but for some reason (money probably) they got the tender to do the project in our area. It was just a bloomin disaster.

I'm sure they've only got one filling loop that they carry from job to job...........

But I'll get back onto them after the holidays and insist that they sort it out and leave me a filling loop and show me what to do.