Sorry, this is going to be a long post but we're left with a litany of problems and need any advice we can get.
We had a new Potterton Derwent Compact A boiler fitted to our old, and rather eccentric system. Old boiler was in a blocked off fireplace so we had new one installed in cellar space which was directly below the old site.
The old system had two pumps: the support pump fired the water to the 2nd floor when needed but at the same time ground floor rads chilled at the speed of sound so this option was only used when really needed.
We asked if a new, more powerful pump would sort out the flow of water. Were told yes and one was duly fitted.
Problem 1:The installer did not flush the system through, just drained it down. I know that the old system had a lot of slurry in it so asked installer to do something to try and break it down. He added a chemical in the header tank (didn't say what) to break down slurry.
When boiler was commissioned, the heating worked fairly well, suggesting that the new pump was up the the job of circulating throughout the whole house, however
For the next 3 weeks we had a steady flow of brown gunk pouring down the side of the house - we called him in 3 times and each time he made some minor adjustment but the problem persisted. Now I realise that, had he made adjustments to the ball cock in the first place, the problem would have stopped immediately. As it is, our house looks like it's condemned and he's refusing to clean up the staining. It'll cost us about 500 quid to get it cleaned professionally. Also rads stopped working gradually
Called cowboy back to stop slurry flow and to drain down system in order to get things moving properly.
Problem 2. Heat was still not circulating throughout the house. I could hear air in the pump and was bleeding radiators daily to try and get some results.
Cowboy's work experience lad arrived, drained down system and then couldn't get any water flow at all. He was about to leave so I made him go back to the header tank and try adding some water to get a better pull. he did this and blew air through a hose into the system to clear blockage.
Cowboy arrived and said that system was too fouled up with sludge to work properly. He said that we should replace 2 of the radiators that were worst affected. This was done and still no joy. Heat on ground and first floors but nada on the top floor.
Called cowboy back. He said that we will have to have entire pipeworks on top floor replaced by v expensive aluminum piping. Only at this point did I realise he was in the midst of a major heist. At this point he demanded payment for work done already - even though the system was not working and we still had time left on the 30 day payment period. he said he wouldn't go until we paid him. so stupidly, we did. 8000 quid for a boiler that I now realise cost 1100 - apx 120% mark up on all materials. God only knows how much markup he made on the labour!
So I'm left cleaned out financially with a system that doesn't work properly.. I recommissioned old secondary pump and, wahay, heat comes to second floor along with enough air to inflate a large scale bouncy castle. So although the new pump worked at first, the problem (whatever it is) now requires 2 pumps to get things moving.. but
I now see that there is nothing getting through to a room on the ground floor. so the problem seems to have shifted rather than gone away.
Do you think that a power flush will sort this out or is it something that really would require new system of pipes. It's a very old house and system appears to have been added to on at least 3 occasions - so there is no continuity in pipework.
Also is cowboy liable to sort out spillage on exterior - it looks like a giant has thrown up down the side of the hosue and it can only be removed by scrubbing with detergent - I tried power jetting it but nothing shifted. As the source of the leak is about 40 foot up I can't reach it at all.
Oh and yes - he's now trying to charge us for his mob draining down the system as well! Oh and we're girls, I think this might have informed both his quote and his attitude!
We had a new Potterton Derwent Compact A boiler fitted to our old, and rather eccentric system. Old boiler was in a blocked off fireplace so we had new one installed in cellar space which was directly below the old site.
The old system had two pumps: the support pump fired the water to the 2nd floor when needed but at the same time ground floor rads chilled at the speed of sound so this option was only used when really needed.
We asked if a new, more powerful pump would sort out the flow of water. Were told yes and one was duly fitted.
Problem 1:The installer did not flush the system through, just drained it down. I know that the old system had a lot of slurry in it so asked installer to do something to try and break it down. He added a chemical in the header tank (didn't say what) to break down slurry.
When boiler was commissioned, the heating worked fairly well, suggesting that the new pump was up the the job of circulating throughout the whole house, however
For the next 3 weeks we had a steady flow of brown gunk pouring down the side of the house - we called him in 3 times and each time he made some minor adjustment but the problem persisted. Now I realise that, had he made adjustments to the ball cock in the first place, the problem would have stopped immediately. As it is, our house looks like it's condemned and he's refusing to clean up the staining. It'll cost us about 500 quid to get it cleaned professionally. Also rads stopped working gradually
Called cowboy back to stop slurry flow and to drain down system in order to get things moving properly.
Problem 2. Heat was still not circulating throughout the house. I could hear air in the pump and was bleeding radiators daily to try and get some results.
Cowboy's work experience lad arrived, drained down system and then couldn't get any water flow at all. He was about to leave so I made him go back to the header tank and try adding some water to get a better pull. he did this and blew air through a hose into the system to clear blockage.
Cowboy arrived and said that system was too fouled up with sludge to work properly. He said that we should replace 2 of the radiators that were worst affected. This was done and still no joy. Heat on ground and first floors but nada on the top floor.
Called cowboy back. He said that we will have to have entire pipeworks on top floor replaced by v expensive aluminum piping. Only at this point did I realise he was in the midst of a major heist. At this point he demanded payment for work done already - even though the system was not working and we still had time left on the 30 day payment period. he said he wouldn't go until we paid him. so stupidly, we did. 8000 quid for a boiler that I now realise cost 1100 - apx 120% mark up on all materials. God only knows how much markup he made on the labour!
So I'm left cleaned out financially with a system that doesn't work properly.. I recommissioned old secondary pump and, wahay, heat comes to second floor along with enough air to inflate a large scale bouncy castle. So although the new pump worked at first, the problem (whatever it is) now requires 2 pumps to get things moving.. but
I now see that there is nothing getting through to a room on the ground floor. so the problem seems to have shifted rather than gone away.
Do you think that a power flush will sort this out or is it something that really would require new system of pipes. It's a very old house and system appears to have been added to on at least 3 occasions - so there is no continuity in pipework.
Also is cowboy liable to sort out spillage on exterior - it looks like a giant has thrown up down the side of the hosue and it can only be removed by scrubbing with detergent - I tried power jetting it but nothing shifted. As the source of the leak is about 40 foot up I can't reach it at all.
Oh and yes - he's now trying to charge us for his mob draining down the system as well! Oh and we're girls, I think this might have informed both his quote and his attitude!
