Leaky Worcester 24CDi

[scarlettuk]

A few months ago the diverter valve went on my boiler and just the diaphragm was replaced. Since it was done, the boiler was losing pressure and dripping slightly underneath and the chap just never came back despite several calls and eventually just ignored my calls!! Needless to say I'm not happy with him.

Anyway, yesterday it suddenly started pouring water from underneath yesterday, not just from one area but the whole of the underneath. I couldn't find where to isolate the supply so all i could do was switch off the mains water and call a plumber.

So another plumber came out and said that the previous chap had caused more trouble than he had fixed and that the whole diverter valve should have been replaced. He allegedly isolated the supply and i'm expecting him to call me with a price to replace the DV. He said that it should only drip and that it would be fine to have the water back on.

Just after that a radiator cracked upstairs (it was one of those days!) so the water had to be off again while I got that isolated. Since the water has been switched back on, the boiler is gaining pressure and dripping heavily. It's up to about 3 bar now and got there by itself after a couple of hours with the mains water switched on. I didn't think this should happen with the water supply to the boiler isolated.

I'm now worried that this other chap doesn't know what he's doing! Can anyone offer some advice? Does his diagnosis of a badly-replaced diverter valve diaphragm sound feasible?

Thanks, Lisa

 

[gaspro1981]

sounds like a right c**k up!

 

[BingoBongo]

your filling loop is passing and the pressure is getting to high

the prv should be lifting at 3 bar

if not the pressure could be too much hense the rad and o rings blowing in the boiler

 

[kevplumb]

remove the filling key

 

[scarlettuk]

The filling key isn't in! I knew I should have mentioned that but figured it was obvious lol... I've given in and signed up to a British Gas home service contract which at £28 a month will sort the boiler and anything else that might go wrong with the whole of the CH system over the next 12 months... and with the way it's behaved recently, including the cracked rad upstairs, I think that's going to save me a few quid...

I do have confidence that there are some really good boiler engineers out there, but they're not making themselves known in Rochdale!

Thanks for your wise words chaps

 

[DazzarGaz]

If the filling loop is disconnected that just leaves the secondary plate heat exchanger. If it's cracked inside it will let high pressure cold water through into the primary heating circuit.

 

[scarlettuk]

Thanks DazzarGaz... I'm a little less stressed over it now knowing that no matter what it is it's not going to cost me a fortune. The supposed plumber who came out to it last night hasn't even been in touch about finishing the job and he didn't take any money off me last night, but i got the feeling he was out of his depth anyway.

British Gas are sending an engineer out in the morning so I'll report back his diagnosis after he's been.

 

[gaspro1981]

be prepared for a a new boiler or at least a quotation

 

[scarlettuk]

Well... I sent the British Gas engineer away without letting him touch it! The lady on the phone had mis-sold me the service and he was trying to make out that I was trying to pull a fast one.

As for diagnosis, he agrees with DazzarGaz that the secondary heat exchange plate is probably damaged which explains the pressure rising (although this didn't happen before the cowboy came on Tuesday). He thinks that may have been caused by him having left out some bracket.

He also said that there were leaks all over the place and that the filling loop is "chewed to hell".

So, as for what actually went wrong in the first place I have no idea. The symptoms were that water just started pouring out from underneath.

I have now arranged for NPower to send someone round - their fixed price scheme is much clearer... £195 up front covers up to £600 of parts, labour and VAT. That sounds much clearer to me and will hopefully be enough to sort it out!

 

[bengasman]

Expect them to tell you the system is full of crud and needs cleaning, which will not be included in the fixed fee repair.
Unless the rads were put in at different times, you can also expect others to go before long as the speed at which they rot is pretty much the same.
Taking out insurance against water damage might be an idea, as is central heating insurance after the repair.