Finding a leak in a Central Heating System.

[JackSkully]

To use my Gas Central Heating I have to top up the system to 2 bar. (any less and the pipes bang and the pressure needle jumps around). The boiler fires up and the radiators heat up as they should. The pressure gauge on the boiler touches the red when the system is fully warmed up and then gradually drops until it hits the red at the other end of the dial when the pipes and boiler bang and the error message is shown. This process takes about 12 hrs.

I am aware that there must be a leak on the system but there are no signs on walls or ceilings as to where it may be.

I was wondering if I was to call out an engineer would he have any way of finding the leak using metres or something or would he want to start tearing up floorboards etc., which sounds horrific.

My thoughts are just to top up the system when I want to use it and continue in this way unless any signs of the location of the leak occur.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks

 

[stem]

If there is a leak, you need to find and fix it before too long. Every time you introduce fresh water into the system, you are diluting the corrosion inhibitor. If it gets too weak, the radiators will oxidise (rust) which will create sludge that will slowly clog up the system, damage your boiler and eventually create holes in your radiators. If you have a warranty on your boiler that will be invalidated too.

Unfortunately this is one of the faults that can be difficult to diagnose without an inspection. It may be that the boilers own pressure relief is leaking. Have a look outside to see if there are drips from the open ended pipe.

If you have a hot water cylinder, it's also possible (albeit unlikely) for it to leak internally so the water escapes unnoticed to your hot water system.

 

[ianmcd]

it sounds more like an expansion vessel issue, plenty of advice on here about it

 

[JackSkully]

Thank you both for the advice - although I'm not sure what 'expansion vessel issues' are I will try and research it.

Thanks again for your time and for trying to help me.