Expansion vessel replacement, do I need a registered Gas person to fix it, or a 'handyman'
- Thread starter Doran
- Start date
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A DIYers idea:
Get some cheap aftershave that stinks.
Close both valves on filling loop.
Disconnect filling loop, drain a little water and replace with stinky aftershave.
Reconnect filling loop, then repressurise (washing stinky aftershave into system)
Close all doors in house, run system with all TRVs set to max.
Which room stinks? There's your leak.
I had a leaking radiator (at the blank port opposite bleed valve) which had been drip dripping on to carpet for ages. The system fluid is clean and I only saw the leak after the radiator started to rust so colouring the water. I'd not considered this radiator a leak as ad just had wet UFH installed so more recent pipework to worry about, and a new boiler. The stinky aftershave trick might have helped me.
Nozzle
Get some cheap aftershave that stinks.
Close both valves on filling loop.
Disconnect filling loop, drain a little water and replace with stinky aftershave.
Reconnect filling loop, then repressurise (washing stinky aftershave into system)
Close all doors in house, run system with all TRVs set to max.
Which room stinks? There's your leak.
I had a leaking radiator (at the blank port opposite bleed valve) which had been drip dripping on to carpet for ages. The system fluid is clean and I only saw the leak after the radiator started to rust so colouring the water. I'd not considered this radiator a leak as ad just had wet UFH installed so more recent pipework to worry about, and a new boiler. The stinky aftershave trick might have helped me.
Nozzle
There she is on the right.
meaning the leak? and the oxidation?
Id have imagined the floor would have to be quite wet with a lot of loss of water for pressure to drop, or is that not always the case?
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It's hot water {sometimes} landing on hot pipes, most of it will evaporate only a small amount pooling on the floor or joists. I concede if it's falling onto a plasterboard ceiling, you'd see it mark through.
To me it looks like the 28mm elbow to the right has a build-up of corrosion indicative of an active leak, and where it has dripped to the 15mm below (which is the relief line to outside) there is a sleve which also has corrosion products, but there's an area where there is none. I think that's because the excess flux has been washed off here (on account of the drip from leaking compression fitting above).
Nozzle
To me it looks like the 28mm elbow to the right has a build-up of corrosion indicative of an active leak, and where it has dripped to the 15mm below (which is the relief line to outside) there is a sleve which also has corrosion products, but there's an area where there is none. I think that's because the excess flux has been washed off here (on account of the drip from leaking compression fitting above).
Nozzle
Last edited:
Ahh got it. Thanks. you could well be correct.
Having tidied up the boiler cupboard, the floor underneath has some damage to the chipboard placed underneath. but i remember that being damaged a little bit when i moved in 7 years ago, but guess its gotten worse.
I guess i was expecting a lot more water damage to show for the lack of pressure.
So maybe after all, i don't need a proper gas engineer for this, just someone to fix the pipes and then wait and see what happens in the coming months.
if still pressure issues, then get a gas engineer in to check the expansion vessel?
Having tidied up the boiler cupboard, the floor underneath has some damage to the chipboard placed underneath. but i remember that being damaged a little bit when i moved in 7 years ago, but guess its gotten worse.
I guess i was expecting a lot more water damage to show for the lack of pressure.
So maybe after all, i don't need a proper gas engineer for this, just someone to fix the pipes and then wait and see what happens in the coming months.
if still pressure issues, then get a gas engineer in to check the expansion vessel?
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Last edited:
Yup, that's too high to check the pressure relief valve (prv) outlet. Only other way to check would be to loosen the prv connection at the boiler but that may be a step too far for you.
Keep the system cold and bring the system pressure on the gauge up to 2.5 bar and then run round all the connections/fittings under the boiler there with a coloured loo roll/blue roll and see if any parts get the paper damp.
Then use a radiator bleed valve to reduce the pressure back to 1.5bar.
Keep the system cold and bring the system pressure on the gauge up to 2.5 bar and then run round all the connections/fittings under the boiler there with a coloured loo roll/blue roll and see if any parts get the paper damp.
Then use a radiator bleed valve to reduce the pressure back to 1.5bar.
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